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HAIL TO THE IRANIAN
WOMEN'S REVOLUTIONISTS FALLEN FOR FREDOM
against
the supreme leader, the arch-reactionary Ayatollah Ali Khomeini,
and his placeman president. The message of
the women when the former president visited a university was plain: <give way or
get lost> in 2023 and still is.
IN MEMORY OF ASRA PANAHI (16)- JINA MAMINI (22) - NIKA SHAKARAMI (16), SARINA ESMAILZADEH (16) HADIS NAJAFI (20), AND MORE WOMEN WHO WERE ASSASINATED SO
FAR BY THE IRANIAN AXIS OF EVIL.
Click here for a total list so far
(Updates
October 15, 2024)
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December 31,
2023 - Preface about the below 3 heroines of Iran by
Gino d'Artali : Beacons of hope and inspiration on the
road towards a long and free Iran . * Jina Amini,
our sister/daughter who martyred herself for freedom;
*Narges Mohammadi, our sister and as I call her 'mother
of a free Iran' and winner of the Nobel Prize of Freedom
2023 and sentenced five times to a total of 31 years in
prison and 154 lashes but who refuses to give in to the
mullahs' regime to wear a hijab or bow to their demands
and therefore is refused medical care although needing
it badly and bringing her live in danger but says "Victory
is not easy, but it is certain" * and Maryam
Akbari Monfared, our sister who's encarcerated since
15 years and refuses to bow down to the mullahs saying "Finally,
one day, I will sing the song of victory from the summit
of the mountain, like the sun. Tomorrow belongs to us"
Read all about them here and let them inspire you on
your road towards a long and free Iran or as we say in
the West: 'Three strikes and the mullahs' regime is out'
Be the finalizing strike dear and brave dissent |
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A to VICTORY tribute to
NARGES MOHAMMADI
October 8, 2024:
"The perpetrators of war are the
outcasts and the disgraced throughout history..."
September 25, 2024:
Letter from Narges Mohammadi to UN
General Assembly
September 16, 2024:
"Message from Narges
Mohammadi for Jina Mahsa Amini"
May 6, 2024
"Tyranny will fall"
"Victory is not easy, but it is certain"
watch it here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LAMPz57Aqw
Click here for a news-overview
from January 15, 2024 'till October 31, 2023
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JINA AMINI'S VOICE IS HEARD
And do read also the above linked incredible
December 2023 update!
despite the mullahs'
regime to force it down!
Her mother speaks
out loud and clear
UPDATED:
September 29 - 16, 2024
Second Anniversary of Jina Amini's
state-sanctioned murder
incl. Commemorating Bloody Friday
and earlier news about
a wave of arrests of her fellow-citizen
Oct 13 - 9, 2024:
Commemoration of the
Fallen for Freedom Part 2
Oct 3, 2024:
Commemoration of the Fallen for
Freedom
Click here for earlier news of the
'Woman, Life, Freedom'
revolution
MARJAM AKBARI
MONFARED
June 24, 2024:
The Iranian Regime
Judiciary Launches a New Case to Seize the Assets of Maryam Akbari Monfared and Her Family, in Revenge for
Seeking Justice for Her Siblings Executed in the 1980s
Dec 30, 2023: Not bowing for the mullahs' regime
she says:
"Finally, one
day, I will sing the song of victory from the summit of
the mountain, like the sun. Tomorrow belongs to us"
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PAKSHAN AZIZI
Actual News:
September 23 - 16, 2024:
<<Pakhshan Azizi denied medical
care ...and
<<Letter from Pakhshan Azizi: The
philosophy of Jin, Jiyan, Azadi is a philosophy of life...
September 10 - 9, 2024
"Twenty-Six Human Rights Organizations Demand Immediate
Cancellation of Pakhshan Azizi's Death Sentence..."
and more actual news
September 5, 2024
"You dictator, I am Arash, fire
responds to fire,"
August 19, 2024
Sentenced to Death for Assisting
Women Targeted by ISIS
And read here her full story:
July 23 - 22, 2024
"Denying the Truth,
and Its Alternative"
September 5, 2024
"You dictator, I am Arash, fire
responds to fire,"
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Please do read
the following articles about heroines who risk live and
limb for the women-led revolution and no matter what
they'll never give in nor up!and other stories: click on the underlined
topics:
Actual stories:
October 11, 2024:
Repression in Iran with bullets
October 10, 2024:
Atrocities Against Girls
October 9, 2024:
The story of Hasti H. P. Echoes
Courage
October 9, 2024:
The story of Hasti H. P. Echoes
Courage
October 7, 2024:
CCTV to Police for Hijab
Enforcement
October 4, 2024:
Woman Life Freedom Bloody Friday
in Zahedan
and
Click here for previous inspiring
stories and articles
incl. Red Alerts |
'New' topic: a regimes' re-newed method of
torture: denial of medical care
coming up soon!
And read here more about the
'Nurses 'strike' back':
Other updates can be read in
the 'Actual News' section
August 30, 2024:
"Nurses can neutralize security
forces' efforts with unity."
and updates:
August 28, 2024:
Nurses' demands - "A nurse will
die, but will not accept humiliation,":
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"NO to executions"
campaign
In support - reflection and
updates:
Sept. 7 - August 20, 2024
Other updates can be read in
the 'Actual News' section
'The mullahs' regime / OHCHR* gallows' dance'
Other updates can be read in
the 'Actual News' section
July 8 - 4, 2024:
The-death-sentence-against-Sharifeh-Mohammadi
June 15, 2024:
Prisoner Swap with Iran is
Shameful Reward
June 5 - May 23, 2024:
It |Iran| puts people to death in
order to terrorize the population into silence.
and other stories
*OHCHR - UN Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Click here for earlier reports
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October 15 - 11, 2024
<<Iran: The Death Sentence
of Sharifeh Mohammadi Overturned...
and <<Mahsa Jalal Badiei transferred to Lakan prison to
serve her sentence...
and <<Iran Denies Medical Treatment for Imprisoned
Baha'i Poet Mahvash Sabet...
and <<Iran Sentences Two Women Journalists to 5 Years
Over Mahsa Amini Coverage...
and <<Ongoing Restrictions on Phone Calls and Visits in
Evin Prison's Women's Ward...
and <<Women discuss femicide and women's struggle...
and <<Iran regime's judiciary refuses to release
political prisoner Maryam Akbari after the completion of
her 15-year sentence...
and <<Varisha Moradi on an Indefinite Hunger Strike in
Evin Prison...
and more actual fact-finding news |
May 10 - 3, 2024
'War against the No-hijabi
women'
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October 11 - 4, 2024
<<Narges Mohammadi: The
perpetrators of war are the outcasts and the disgraced
throughout history...
and <<A Woman Victim of Child Marriage Executed in Ahar
Prison, Iran...
and <<Fatemeh Moradpour, 15, Commits Suicide Under
Pressure for Forced Marriage...
and <<World Day Against the Death Penalty...
and <<Iranian Journalist Sentenced for Instagram
Posts...
and <<Political Prisoner in Critical Condition After
Month-Long Hunger Strike...
and more actual fact-finding news |
When one hurts or kills a women
one hurts or kills hummanity and is an antrocitie.
Gino d'Artali
and: My mother (1931-1997) always said to me <Mi
figlio, non esistono notizie <vecchie> perche puoi imparare qualcosa da
qualsiasi notizia.> Translated: <My son, there is no such thing as so
called 'old' news because you can learn something from any news.>
Gianna d'Artali.
France 24 - October 11, 2024 - By: Julie DUNGELHOFF|Ershad ALIJANI
<<Repression in Iran, ammunition made in France
A two-year investigation by FRANCE 24 has revealed that hunting
cartridges produced by the French-Italian ammunition manufacturer
Cheddite were used in Iran during the violent crackdown on the "Woman,
Life, Freedom" protests in 2022. The investigation uncovers how these
cartridges are widely available in Iran, despite European sanctions
imposed in 2011. It appears the ammunition may have been routed through
Turkey, where Cheddite at one point held shares in a weapons
manufacturing company. This investigation, broadcast by FRANCE 24, sheds
light on the dealings that allowed the ammunition to reach Iranian soil,
despite international sanctions.
In the autumn of 2022, protests engulfed Iran after the death of Mahsa
Amini, who was killed by the country's notorious morality police
following her arrest for allegedly wearing her headscarf improperly. The
regime's response was brutal: security forces opened fire on protesters
with live ammunition. According to the UN, at least 550 people were
killed over the course of six months.
By analyzing videos posted on social media, the FRANCE 24 Observers team
was able to confirm the repeated use of shotguns by the Iranian security
forces. Shotguns use cartridges that are packed with metal pellets or
small plastic balls of varying sizes that scatter upon discharge,
causing widespread damage to anyone within range.
Bodies riddled with pellets, victims blinded
In the dozens of photographs of victims we collected, their bodies had
been pierced by dozens, sometimes even hundreds of pellets. Many of the
victims had lost an eye, some even both.
Elahe Tavakolian, 33, was hit in the face by a shotgun blast by a member
of Iran's security forces during a protest in eastern Iran on September
21, 2022. A member of the Basij, the paramilitary militia used by the
regime as a key tool of repression, agreed to speak to us anonymously.
"Members of my unit aim for the chest or head to kill," he explained.
"When you shoot with the metal pellets, the target is obliterated. If
you hit someone, it can blind or paralyze them. At close range, it can
be fatal."
Sima Moradbeigi, 27, was injured by a shotgun blast fired by a member of
Iran's security services at a protest on October 21, 2022. Doctors were
unable to remove the 200 metal pellets embedded in her. The photographs
and witness accounts gathered during the investigation clearly
demonstrate the extensive use of hunting ammunition in the violent
repression of protesters. According to Aymeric Elluin, an arms advocacy
officer at Amnesty International: "This type of lethal ammunition should
never be used against protesters. In some cases, the use of such force
could amount to acts of torture, which is prohibited under international
law."
EU-made cartridges found in Iran
To find out more about the weapons and ammunition being used against the
protesters, the FRANCE 24 Observers published a tweet asking Iranians:
"If you have photos of bullets or cartridges used by the security
forces, send them to us by Telegram or Whatsapp." The post quickly went
viral, and soon, hundreds of responses poured in, many with photos
showing hunting cartridges.
Among the images we received, a few stood out: they displayed the logo
of Cheddite, a well-known French-Italian brand. Others were marked with
four stars followed by the number 12. A ballistics expert certified by
French courts confirmed that Cheddite is the only manufacturer known to
use the *12*12*12*12 logo. After cross-checking, we were able to
document the presence of these cartridges in eight cities across Iran.
Cheddite declines to provide answers
Cheddite, owned by the French group Sofisport, is one of the world's
leading producers of shotgun cartridges. Cartridges bearing the Cheddite
logo are manufactured in two locations: in Bourg-les-Valence, France,
and near Livorno, Italy. Following our initial findings in the autumn of
2022, we attempted to contact the management of Cheddite and its parent
company, Sofisport, including the group’s CEO, Gilles Roccia. Our
requests, sent via email, phone calls, and even in-person visits to the
group's headquarters in Paris, were consistently rejected. When we
called the offices of Cheddite S.R.L., the company's Italian branch, we
briefly spoke to one of its directors, Andrea Andreani. However, he made
it clear that he would not speak to journalists. In fact, the Italian
press had already reported in 2021 that cartridges from Cheddite had
been found by protesters in Myanmar, a country under international
sanctions to which arms exports are prohibited. Amnesty International
had also criticized the company for potentially violating the arms
embargo in that case. While we can't determine whether Cheddite
cartridges caused any fatalities in Iran, we have indisputable evidence
that they were used to suppress the protests of 2022. This is despite EU
Council Regulation No 359/2011 which prohibits "the export, directly or
indirectly, [of] equipment that could be used for internal repression"
in Iran, including "firearms, ammunition, and related accessories". The
discovery of Cheddite cartridges on Iranian soil raises, in the words of
Aymeric Elluin from Amnesty International, "serious questions".
Cheddite cartridges used for years by Iranian hunters
In Iran, the sale of weapons and ammunition is tightly regulated by the
authorities. The regime does however allow individuals to purchase
shotgun ammunition for hunting purposes. Only the state is authorized to
sell cartridges, and annual quotas are imposed. An Iranian hunter told
FRANCE 24 that Cheddite cartridges were widely available in the country
for years, even after sanctions were implemented in 2011. To verify
this, we combed through Iranian hunting forums, where the French-Italian
brand is frequently mentioned by users. Numerous photographs on the
forum show cartridges with the Cheddite logo on their metal base and "Shahin"
on the plastic casing. Shahin is a brand made by Shahid Shiroudi
Military Industries, a state-owned Iranian manufacturer that is subject
to US, UN and EU sanctions. A post from 2019 read: "The Shahin
cartridges, which have 'Cheddite' on their metallic base, come from
Turkey. They are excellent!" The message suggests that the Iranian
company purchased Cheddite cartridges in Turkey. We tried to follow
their path. In messages posted on an online forum in 2014 Iranian
hunters say they were able to purchase green shotgun cartridges with the
Iranian brand "Shahin" on the green plastic sleeve and the
French-Italian brand "Cheddite" on the metal base. A cartridge with the
same markings was recovered following the repression of a protest in the
city of Yazd in October 2022.
Turkey: a major exporter operating under the radar
Our review of the UN Comtrade database, the world's largest trade
database, confirmed our suspicions. The country that sells the most
hunting cartridges to Iran is Turkey. According to UN export data,
Turkey is by far the largest supplier of hunting ammunition to Iran,
exporting hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of cartridges and
components to the country each year. Yves Gollety, president of the
French Armourers Association, explains: "Turkey used to produce
relatively few weapons and ammunition. But due to the European embargos,
it has become a major player, little concerned about where exports end
up. The embargo has had unintended consequences because it allowed
Turkey to greatly expand its arms and ammunition production."
'If we were doing it, we wouldn't do it openly, we'd hide it'
Cheddite repeatedly refused our interview requests, but we managed to
obtain some answers by going to the Eurosatory arms fair. Nobel Sport, a
company within the same group as Cheddite, had a stand there. And there
we recognized one of Cheddite's executives, whom we had identified
during our research. We introduced ourselves as journalists from FRANCE
24, and the man appeared to be aware of the investigation we were
working on. He accused us of trying to "create a controversy". The man
denied any violations of the embargo and grew agitated: "We're not
stupid. Doesn't that occur to you? I'm going to sell to the Koreans, I'm
going to sell to Iran, and my name's on the cartridge? If we were going
to do that... we'd hide it." However, he did confirm that a Turkish
company had purchased empty Cheddite cartridges and then filled them.
These cartridges were later exported to Iran. He added: "You can blame
Turkey, but right now everyone's using Turkey for military purposes -
the Russians, the Americans - because [Turkey] is part of NATO. What
should I do? Stop all exports and lay off 350 people?" Through photos
posted by Iranian hunters online, we determined that Cheddite's Turkish
partner is Yavascalar, an arms manufacturer.
Same logo, a joint venture
The two companies are closely linked. On the website of Yavascalar,
Cheddite products are prominently featured. The Cheddite brand name is
displayed on the boxes, and Yavascalar uses a nearly identical logo: a
dragon, but inverted. And Turkish company registries show that
Yavascalar was at one point more than just a client of Cheddite:
Cheddite Italy and Cheddite France became shareholders in Yavascalar in
2005, and three Cheddite executives, including CEO Gilles Roccia, were
listed on the board of directors of Yavascalar. By 2008, Cheddite owned
50% of its Turkish partner. A former Yavascalar executive confirmed the
authenticity of the documents and added, "After 2013, we created a joint
venture with [Cheddite] and restarted production in Turkey. They sent us
empty cartridges, which we filled and then sold on the local market and
to certain European countries." The former Yavascalar executive also
said that both Iran and Myanmar - two countries under international
sanctions - had approached Yavascalar to purchase their products. "I
reviewed my old documents and realized they had tried to contact us
several times," he said.
He said that Yavascalar held an export license from the Turkish
government to supply Iran and Myanmar, pointing out that Turkey is not
subject to EU sanctions. "We sell these products with government
approval. It's a civilian market: people want to make money, they want
to sell." The former executive denied, however, that Yavascalar had
actually made sales to Iran or Myanmar. In 2016, Yavascalar had been
flagged by United Nations experts for violating the arms embargo on
Libya.
Sanction bans 'export, directly or indirectly'
European sanctions against Iran prohibit both direct and indirect sales.
"The EU sanctions are very broad. They are not limited to the direct
sale of ammunition," explains Nicholas Marsh, a researcher at the Oslo
Peace Research Institute. "A common method of evading EU sanctions is to
send weapons or other equipment to a third country. The weapons are then
transported from this third country. So there's no direct export to the
sanctioned destination, but everyone knows where the weapons are going."
The Cheddite executive we met at the arms fair denies any violation of
the embargo or of any regulations in force. However, the company's
behavior remains problematic, according to Aymeric Elluin of Amnesty
International: "We have to question the good faith of companies when
they defend themselves with claims like, 'Oh, we didn't know what was
happening'." In 2018, Yavascalar was sold. Its Turkish owners were
suspected of supporting the failed 2016 coup attempt against Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They fled to the United States, where
they founded a new company, Yavascalar Troy Holding, which continues to
do business with Cheddite, as evidenced by export documents we obtained.
In Turkey, another arms manufacturer, ZSR, took ownership of Yavascalar.
According to the Cheddite executive we met at the Eurosatory arms fair,
ZSR still sources materials from Cheddite. And according to our
investigation, Cheddite/ZSR co-branded products remain available in Iran
even in 2024.
And what about the French government?
In France, the state is responsible for issuing export licenses. Upon
discovering that Cheddite cartridges had ended up in Iran, we questioned
the French Foreign Ministry. A spokesperson told us in December 2022
that an investigation was under way "into a possible diversion of
exported material, in violation of European regulations." As we
continued our investigation, we followed up with several French
ministries - the Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Defense
Ministry, and the Finance Ministry, which oversees customs. None of them
agreed to our requests for interviews. A spokesperson at the Interior
Ministry said they do not comment on such "highly sensitive" matters.
After multiple phone calls and emails, a spokesperson from the Foreign
Ministry reiterated only that "France scrupulously complies with the
European embargos in force", without addressing the specific
investigation announced two years earlier. This lack of transparency
doesn't surprise Aymeric Elluin of Amnesty: "Generally speaking, the
French state is not eager to communicate on failures in its export
control system, whether for military equipment or civilian firearms." >>
Source:
https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/reporters/20241011-repression-in-iran-ammunition-made-in-france
Women's Liberation Front 2019/cryfreedom.net 2024
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