Opponents, proponents wrangle over participation in Iran election

A recent call by Faezeh Hashemi, the jailed daughter of a former Iranian president, on people not to vote in upcoming parliamentary elections as a show of defiance has caused controversy.

Hossein Marashi, the secretary general of the reformist Executives of Construction Party, in reaction to the letter by Hashemi told Khabar Online on Sunday, those who urge people to stay away from the polls have to give an alternative solution.

Marashi also warned people’s failure to show up in the March elections would not lead to the resolution of the problems in the country.

In a new letter from prison, Faezeh Hashemi rejected Marashi’s argument, accusing the reformist camp of giving up the fight and “sitting idly by at home under various pretexts.”

The jailed political activist and former lawmaker claimed that Iranians have long moved past the reformists and wrote, “Our weapon is our refusal; testing the proven is a mistake.”

Faezeh Hashemi, a daughter of late President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, has been in jail since September last year following conviction in two cases brought against her. She was sentenced to 15 months for spreading propaganda against the Iranian establishment and another 37 months for insulting sanctities.

She was arrested after protests and riots erupted in different Iranian cities over the death of a young woman in police custody.

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