“I was one of the people who shot at people. We killed them. Now, who wants to put us on trial? The other side set fire to the banks and we killed them. Who do you want to put on trial?”

This was the response of Hassan Norouzi, deputy speaker of the Islamic Republic of Iran's parliament and spokesperson for its Legal and Judiciary Committee, when asked by Iran Watch to comment on the Aban Tribunal underway in the UK. Before concluding the interview, he said the comment was a "joke", when it clearly was anything but.

Mothers of unarmed protestors killed by police in 2019 immediately and bravely responded with fury to Norouzi's flaunting:

Here are rough translations of their statements:

"With 20, 30 guards protecting you, you said you killed them, you shot them and no one can do anything. Yes, you just step out in the square/field, we will try you, we will indict you"

"If you dare, come out with bare hands, unarmed, you dare come out"

"We will try you, we will indict you, you just dare to step out unarmed"

"Do not come out with guns, ammo, electric shock and Taser, but like us, unarmed"

"We are not afraid of you, do not try to intimidate us"

"We are not afraid of you, we have no fear to be imprisoned"

All mothers together:"We have died with our children already. We have nothing to lose any more."

"We have already lost our dearest precious ones...we have no fear and nothing to lose. Our children went to the street unarmed, with no weapon at all, as we are here unarmed. Dare to come out."