Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, January 19, 2021—Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) across the country celebrated the anniversary of the release of the last group of political prisoners from the Shah prison on January 20, 1979. On that day, 126 political prisoners, including the Massoud Rajavi and other leading members of the MEK, were released from prison.
The event marked a turning point in the history of Iran. Following the release of the political prisoners, the MEK and other groups that sought freedom assumed an active role in the protests that shaped the 1979 revolution. Less than a month later, the monarchy collapsed. However, Ruhollah Khomeini, who had kept his distance from popular protests during the build-up to the revolution, took advantage of the power vacuum and seized power in Iran and established a new religious dictatorship. And this marked the beginning of the beginning of a new era in the struggle for freedom and democracy in Iran, with Massoud Rajavi leading the MEK.
After 42 years, people in Iran still celebrate the anniversary of the release of Massoud Rajavi from prison. On Monday, January 18, MEK supporters spread posters and images of the Iranian Resistance leader in different cities and chanted slogans such as “The mullahs’ prisons will fall like the Shah’s prions” and “The world should know that Massoud (Rajavi) is our leader.”
These activities were organized by the MEK’s internal network, the Iranian Resistance Units in cities such as Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Shiraz, Zanjan, Saveh, Kerman, Kashan, Semnan, Gorgan, Karaj, Shahre Kord, and Arak.
Also, on January 16, in Tehran and Ahwaz posters and banners of Massoud Rajavi and Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), were installed with slogans that read “Rise up, the future and freedom are in the hands of the rebels.”
The Resistance Units also took to graffiti in other parts of Tehran, Khormoj (Bushehr), Iranshahr, Hamadan, Doroud (Nishabur), Fuman, Borujerd, Qazvin spreading anti-regime slogans reading, “Down with Khamenei, hail to Rajavi,” “Down with Khamenei, hail to freedom,” “Khamenei is a murderer, and his corrupt rule is void,” “Down with Khamenei and Rouhani, the cause of the coronavirus outbreak,” and “IRGC and Basij forces are like ISIS.”
These brave activities are carried out while the regime is constantly increasing repressive measures and executions. But the MEK Resistance Units aim their activities to break the atmosphere of fear and repression that the regime tries to impose.
The MEK Resistance Units are groups of Iranian activists who have revolted against the current regime. In the last two and a half years, they have played a major role in leading Iran protests which quickly turned political and shook the regime’s establishment.
The past week has also seen increasing activities against regime centers, including the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) bases were targeted. In recent days, the rebellious and defiant youths targeted seven IRGC Basij bases in Tehran, Mashhad, and Hamadan.
Jan 17, 2021-Rebellious youth torch IRGC Basij bases
These acts reflect the public hatred toward the Basij, the much-hated paramilitary force of the regime. The main role of the Basij is to preserve the mullahs’ rule at any cost, through repressive measures against protests and demonstrations. The Basij played a prominent role in quelling the November 2019 protests, in which security forces killed over 1,500 protesters in the span of a few days.
