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Iran’s national team refused to sing the country’s national anthem during a game against England on Monday, in what was widely seen as a silent acknowledgment of the protests. Iran’s national broadcaster showed selected footage of spectators cheering for Iran during the match, but not the political signs worn by some.
The protest in Iran began in September after a young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, died in police custody. The uprising against Iran’s ecclesiastical leadership has spread across the country, sparking fierce and deadly repression, including in ethnic Kurdish areas, where dozens of people have been killed in recent days, according to human rights groups.
The UN Human Rights Council in a to vote on Thursday launched an investigation into alleged rights violations in Iran’s response to the protest movement. “Today’s session leaves no doubt that the members of the HRC recognize the gravity of the situation in Iran, and the fact-finding mission established today will help ensure that those involved in the ongoing violent oppression of the Iranian people are identified and their actions are documented,” the US said. This is what State Secretary Antony Blinken says in a statement.
Ghafouri, who is Kurdish, has criticized government officials on social media in the past and recently posted messages on Twitter condemning the killing of Kurds. Iranian news reports did not specify the reasons for his arrest, but said the charges included “spreading propaganda against” the Islamic republic.
He has been called up to the national team several times in the past ten years and has played for several Iranian club teams, including Foolad Khuzestan, his current side. ISNA, a semi-official news agency, reported on Thursday that Hamidreza Garshasbi, the team’s CEO, had resigned, saying the reason for his resignation had not yet been disclosed.
Even before the start of the World Cup, some Iranians had called on FIFA, the global governing body for football, to ban the national team known as Team Melli as a sign of support for the protests. Others argued that Iran’s attendance at the World Cup was a boon to the uprising: a high-profile event that gave players and spectators a chance to voice dissent, while the international media watched.
Iran will play against Wales on Friday.
