What America has learnt from Iranian social media
What America has learnt from Iranian social media
Following what Iranian activists say on social media is a useful way to gauge the regime’s legitimacy and may help the US communicate directly with its people.
Eli Lake 30 December, 2020 7:40 pm IST Text Size:
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Most Americans have no idea who Nahid Shirbisheh is. But in Iran, she has become a powerful symbol of resistance. A little over a year ago, she witnessed her son’s murder at a government protest in Tehran. Last month she released a video made at the location of his killing that went viral in Iran.
A video also posted to social media on Saturday showed Mehrdad after his release, embracing Pouya’s bereaved mother Nahid Shirbisheh.
Mehrdad Bakhtiari, uncle of #BloodyNovember#IranProtests victim #PouyaBakhtiari, newly released from prison, embraced by Pouya’s mother, his sister-in-law Nahid Shirpisheh.
Following his release, Mehrdad was sentenced to a 5-year suspended sentence and 2-year travel ban. pic.twitter.com/yEG4QPKcOE Tavaana (@Tavaana) December 19, 2020
Authorities had detained Mehrdad Bakhtiari on October 31, according to a video statement recorded by his mother, Zahra Bakhtiari, and posted to social media several days later.
Days before his detention, Mehrdad Bakhtiari spoke to several overseas-based Persian news outlets, including VOA Persian, highlighting the Iranian government’s ongoing harassment of his family for seeking justice for his nephew’s killing.