Niece of Iran's supreme leader speaks out against his 'murderous and child-killing regime' as protests continue
Mahmoud Moradkhani/YouTube
- The niece of Iran's supreme leader condemned his regime in a video ahead of being imprisoned.
- Farideh Moradkhani praised Iran's protests and asked for countries to cut ties with Tehran.
- Moradkhani was taken into custody on November 23, according to an Iranian human rights organization.
The niece of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has urged people around the world to demand that their governments cut ties with Tehran as protests continue to sweep the country, according to multiple reports.
Farideh Moradkhani, a well-known activist, was taken to prison on Wednesday, according to HRANA, an Iranian human rights NGO and news agency.
On Sunday, her brother posted a video to Twitter in which she condemned the country's regime, according to Agence France-Presse.
What appears to be a version of the video, which Insider was unable to verify, was also posted to a YouTube account in her brother's name. It's unclear when the video was made.
"Oh free people, be with us and support us, so that your governments stop supporting this murderous and child-killing regime," Moradkhani said, per CNN's translation.
She continued: "This regime is not even loyal to any of its own religious principles, and does not know any laws or rules except force and maintaining power in any way possible."
AP Photo, File
Iran has been rocked by protests since the mid-September death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who was arrested for not following strict rules relating to hijab-wearing.
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Iran's police have resorted to using lethal force against unarmed protesters, with at least 300 killed and 14,000 people arrested.
Even so, the protests have not stopped.
On November 14, a Tehran court issued a death sentence for a protester it accused of having set fire to a government building.
Members of Iran's national soccer team competing at the World Cup have refused to sing the national anthem ahead of some games, in what has been read as an expression of support for the protests, according to The Guardian.
In the video released Sunday, Moradkhani said that the world was watching as Iranians protest "with empty hands, with exemplary courage and bravery."
"At this point in time, the people of Iran are carrying the burden of this heavy responsibility alone by paying with their lives," she added.
Moradkhani was arrested in January and later released on bail, ahead of being sentenced to 15 years in prison starting Wednesday, per HRANA.
Moradkhani is related to Khamenei by marriage, her father Ali Tehrani having married the supreme leader's sister, according to CNN.
Tehrani, who died last month, is a longtime opposition figure, the outlet reported.