Iran is rocked by protests sparked by the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, who died after she was arrested by vice squad for violating the Islamic Republic's dress code for women.
The crackdown on protests has left at least 476 people dead and several thousand people arrested, according to the Oslo-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR).
Massi Kamari, a refugee in France since 2018, recently received threats from the regime for demonstrating for a democratic transition in Iran from France.
A common practice, according to sociologist and specialist in Iran, Amélie Chelly.
“They gave my parents an ultimatum: if she doesn't call, we'll arrest you.
Since mid-September and the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died after her arrest by the morality police, Iran has been shaken by demonstrations.
Tehran describes these movements as “riots” and the repression of the Islamic regime is bloody.
But the surveillance of opponents goes far beyond the country's borders.
Massi Kamari, 42, has been a refugee in France since December 2018. For this woman who worked in marketing, the pressure from the Islamic regime in Tehran is unfortunately not just a bad memory.
On the weekend of January 1, while the French were celebrating the New Year, Massi's parents and sister, still living in Iran "received very many calls from a hidden number asking them to go to an office of the services of Iranian intelligence," she said.
The “lever of family pressure”
There, “they gave my parents an ultimatum: if she doesn't call, we'll arrest you.
They pressured me so much,” sighs Massi Kamari, adding that she ended up calling back the number her parents had given her.
“It's not surprising and it happens often.
In Iran, the regime regularly establishes the link between the person who, in its opinion, poses a problem and his family", explains Amélie Chelly, sociologist and specialist in the Iranian world, who adds that the regime does not hesitate to "activate the lever of family pressure.
On the phone, "the man told me: this is the last threat, if you don't stop, we will arrest your parents and send them to Evin prison at the end of the week", says Massi Kamari. , call recording in support.
The prospect of seeing his relatives locked up in Evin prison, known for holding political prisoners, thrills many Iranians.
“We don't know exactly what is going on in Evin prison but, in general, more people are locked up there for political reasons than for common law offences.
It is a threat that is fairly regularly brandished in Iran and, unfortunately, also often carried out, ”explains Amélie Chelly.
"White Torture"
This "apparatus of repression of the regime" is regularly pointed out by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which defend human rights.
In 2021, after posting videos of abuse in Evin prison, Heba Morayef, Middle East and North Africa director at Amnesty International, claimed that it was only "the part tip of the iceberg of the torture epidemic in Iran".
Some prisoners are in complete isolation.
“In Evin prison, they resort to 'shekandje sefid', white torture, a bit like in
The Chess Player by
Stefan Zweig, they lock you up in an all-white room.
Your mind has nothing to digest and ends up digesting itself,” reports sociologist Amélie Chelly.
“I'm really scared for my parents,” breathes Massi Kamari, who adds that there are “no human rights in Iran” and that the regime is “ruthless” with its opponents.
The 40-year-old is accused by Tehran of having participated in demonstrations in France for a democratic transition in Iran.
She is also an activist with HamAva, a “national coalition for a democratic and secular Iran”.
“They even showed my parents photographs of me in demonstrations in France,” she testifies.
“Sleeper cells” and hacking
"It's quite common as a strategy", reacts Amélie Chelly.
"From its birth, the Islamic Republic - and even more so with the Iran-Iraq war - posted sleeper cells and outside agents" and this, in particular in the countries which host a strong Iranian diaspora.
Even refugees abroad, “Iranians are extremely suspicious because they know very well that there are people they are talking to who are watching them,” adds the Iran specialist.
To establish control over its population, the Middle Eastern country has worked hard to establish almost total control over the Internet within its borders.
YouTube, Twitter, Netflix, TikTok, etc.
As early as 2006, Iranian authorities were accused of censoring more sites than any other country except China.
"They bet everything on computers, first to circumvent the sanctions but also to gather information on the activists and better control them", deciphers Amélie Chelly.
It is therefore not surprising that the Iranian intelligence services obtained photographs of demonstrations in France.
"It is possible that these images have been hacked or that people in France are responsible for taking these photographs", summarizes the sociologist.
“They will want to make me some kind of agent”
Massi Kamari refused to comply with the demands of the voice that threatened her on the phone.
“I told them that I will not stop, no matter their threats.
I have freedom of speech and demonstration here.
I live according to French law and do nothing against the laws of the country.
I can do what I want here, ”launches the forties with force.
However, she cut off all contact with her parents after this call, which took place on Tuesday, in the hope of protecting them.
"I really don't know what will happen to them," she sighs, explaining that the authorities have told them that they no longer have the right to leave the country.
“But I can't accept everything they ask for.
If I do, they'll want more from me, they'll want more from me, and they'll want to make me some kind of agent,” she explains.
“Sometimes, some people have returned and start spying themselves,” confirms Amélie Chelly.
And “sometimes it's more radical.
In Turkey [where the Iranian diaspora is particularly present], there are many assassinations in the middle of the street of Iranians who command opposition TV channels”.
our file on iran
From assassination to recruiting brilliant students, Tehran's range of methods for controlling its population is wide.
“They spend a lot of money, energy and time to silence everyone, even outside the country.
They are really scared.
They are cornered”, judge Massi Kamari who adds with hope: “I hope that this time it will be the revolution.
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