Status: 11/30/2022 8:06 am
Iran’s players sang the country’s anthem ahead of the game against the USA at the World Cup in Qatar. The players’ families were said to have been threatened with torture and imprisonment. Critical fans were harassed around the game.
Imprisonment and torture of relatives of the players would be possible if they did not “behave” at the World Cup, reports the American broadcaster “CNN”, citing security circles in the vicinity of the World Cup games. Should the players join a political protest against the regime or fail to sing the anthem again, relatives would have to fear such consequences.
After the players at 2:6 against England remained collectively silentthey sang in the second game at the 2-0 win over Wales and also in the Game against the USA closed with. Iran’s captain showed solidarity at a press conference before the first game with the nationwide protests against the regime in Iran. The game on Tuesday evening against the USA was politically charged anyway.
5,000 Iranians loyal to the regime in Qatar
ARD correspondent Katharina Willinger reported in the Mittagsmagazin that allegedly 5,000 people close to the regime are on site in Qatar to observe and influence critical fans – for example people from Iran living abroad. And they should create lists of names of fans who express criticism.
Man harassed by supposed Iranian fans
After the game against USA, a fan wanted to give an interview to a TV station. The man wore a T-shirt that read “Women! Life! Freedom!” (“Women, life, freedom!”) and did not get to speak. He was massively harassed and attacked by alleged Iranian fans who were standing around and carried the country’s flags.
Before that, there were small signs of protest in the stadium: a fan held up an Iranian flag with the national emblem cut out. A fan was reportedly prevented from holding up a placard with the name Mahsa Amini. Another fan wore a jersey with the name Mahsa on it. Even before the game, there were arguments that a fan should submit pictures of Amini – to Qatari security forces.
Removed critical fans from the stadium
According to many reports, Qatari authorities should intervene anyway: During one of the other two games, critical fans were removed from the stadium. Some fans report, therefore, of surveys by Qatari authorities. Correspondent Willinger reported in the sports show also that the regime used the victory against Wales for victory celebrations and at the same time had demonstrators shot in other places.
A man holds up the Iran flag with the national emblem cut out
Image: Twitter/Naked Akhoond
Protests since the death of a woman after police custody
Since the Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini was arrested by the so-called vice police on September 16 for wearing a headscarf (“hijab”) incorrectly and later died in hospital, there have been protests in many Iranian cities, and the regime’s forces are cracking down on her with great severity people before.
The non-governmental organization Iran Human Rights counted 448 dead as of November 19, including 60 children and 29 women, although the organization assumes that the actual number is higher.
Woman wears Iran jersey in memory of Mahsa Amini
Image: Twitter/Nathalie Amiri
“Zan, zendegi, azadi” – “Woman, life, freedom!”
Sport plays a major role in the protests in Iran. Numerous athletes got rid of their hijabs, a headscarf that is mandatory in Iran – with sometimes drastic consequences, as with the climber Elnaz Rekabi. Many male athletes made gestures of solidarity with women fighting for more rights. The slogan of the protesters, like some fans in the stadium: “Zan, zendegi, azadi” (“Woman, life, freedom!”).
FIFA reportedly allows protest support
According to the AFP news agency, this practice should be ended. According to FIFA, it is now allowing certain signs of support for the protests in Iran. “FIFA allows messages promoting human rights and FIFA’s position is that ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ or the name or likeness of Mahsa Amini are allowed in stadiums,” it said in a reply to a message via FIFA’s complaints platform.
Fan with rainbow armband and journalist detained
Another incident occurred for a fan who wanted to display the rainbow symbol on an armband in support of the LGBTQIA+ community. He was detained by police forces but was later able to watch the game.
Danish journalist Rasmus Tantholdt, who filmed the incident, tweeted after the game that he had been taken into custody by the Qatari police for filming. A little later he was let go. He was asked to delete the images, which he refused.
Source: sportschau.de