Iranian Americans holding a gathering on Capitol Hill in memory of the over 30,000 political prisoners executed during Iran’s summer 1988 prison massacre – August 12, 2022 – Washington, DC
Iranian Americans gathered in front of the United States Capitol Building on Capitol Hill on Friday, urging the U.S. administration to deny Iranian regime President Ebrahim Raisi a visa to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next month. Iranians who value freedom and People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) supporters gathered in remembrance of the more than 30,000 political prisoners who were executed by the mullahs’ regime during the Iranian summer of 1988 prison massacre. Members and supporters of PMOI/MEK made up the majority of the victims.
As a member of the regime’s “Death Commission” during the 1988 prison massacre, Raisi had a direct hand in deciding each prisoner’s fate through hastily conducted kangaroo trials. During Raisi’s presidency, the number of executions in Iran has skyrocketed; according to reports, 71 people were put to death in the month of July 2022 alone. Such a person should not be allowed to enter the United States, let alone the United Nations, to deliver a speech at the General Assembly.
The Organization of Iranian American Communities organized the gathering and exhibition on Friday, which featured about 2,000 images of people who were executed by the mullahs’ regime in Iran between the months of August and September of 1988. When they were killed by the mullahs’ regime, some of the victims were teenagers.
Washington – Capital Grounds Exhibition
Call to ban #Iran regime President Ebrahim Raisi from the entering the U.S.
Raisi is best known for his direct role in the summer #1988Massacre of over 30,000 political prisoners in Iran.#NoVisa4Raisi pic.twitter.com/fCpR2khg89
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 12, 2022
A Swedish court recently sentenced Hamid Noury, a former Iranian regime operative, to life in prison for his role in the 1988 massacre. According to their family members, this gave them the courage to provide their photos, and many of these victims’ photos were made public for the first time.
The event on Friday, which has been held for the past four years, featured speeches from a number of political figures, Texas Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee, and several family members of the victims of the 1988 massacre.
“There is nothing more important than indicating that their life meant something. That we cannot suffer violence again. We want a democratic government. We want Sister Maryam’s ten-point plan to be in place,” said Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, referring to Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian opposition coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). The PMOI/MEK is the cornerstone member of the NCRI.
https://twitter.com/OrgIAC/status/1558181113574694912
Several members of Congress are urging the American government to refuse Raisi a visa. The following was tweeted by Florida Senator Marco Rubio: “Giving a visa to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to visit the United States after exposing his plot to kill American government officials only encourages further attacks on American citizens. #NoVisa4Raisi”
Rep. Randy Weber believes Raisi should not be granted a visa to enter the United States.
“Secretary Blinken must deny U.S. entry visa for Iranian regime president Ebrahim Raisi, a well-documented murderer. We must not afford such a predator the privilege of stepping onto U.S. soil or the legitimacy of addressing the United Nations,” Rep. Weber tweeted.
Thank you Dr. Ivan Sheehan, Executive Director, School of Public & International Affairs, University of Baltimore for your support today👏 pic.twitter.com/QvxcUi9mpd
— OIAC: Organization of Iranian American Communities (@OrgIAC) August 12, 2022
These calls to deny Raisi a visa to enter the United States coincide with the disclosure by the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department of a murder-for-hire plot by the Iranian regime and Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) to assassinate former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton.
Furthermore, a 24-year-old man named Hadi Matar attacked and stabbed writer Salman Rushdie in western New York state on Friday, citing a fatwa issued by former Iranian regime supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. The attack on Salman Rushdie has been strongly denounced by the Iranian Resistance.
Giving a visa to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to visit the United States after exposing his plot to kill U.S. government officials only encourages further attacks on American citizens. #NoVisa4Raisi
https://t.co/FLtMkPXHho— Senator Marco Rubio (@SenMarcoRubio) August 11, 2022
State-run media in Iran has been reissuing Khomeini’s fatwa and even praising the assailant. Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the current Iranian regime, has repeatedly stated that Khomeini’s fatwa is still valid today as it was when it was issued in 1989. According to investigations, Matar supported the mullahs’ government and its IRGC, as evidenced by his now-blocked Facebook page.
MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTub