Iran’s Writers Association (IWA) on the anniversary of November 2019 killings of protesters has said that no one believes the Islamic Republic can be reformed.

The banned writers’ group said in a statement, “The foundations [of the Islamic Republic] rest on imprisonments, killings and elimination of dissidents, intellectuals and protesters.”

On the second day of widespread protests in mid-November 2019, Iranian security forces opened fire on demonstrators in many cities killing and injuring thousands. Estimates range from 300 to more than 1,500 fatalities. No one has been held responsible and many detained protesters have been tortured and sentenced to prison.

The IWA said that the government has continued persecution of the families of those killed in protests since December 2017, to prevent them from seeking justice. The statement went to say that today even the most optimistic and gullible people have realized that there is no chance for change and reforms.

Members of IWA who meet in secret, having been stripped of their headquarters, also condemned the government for increasing poverty in the country, saying current policies are destroying Iran’s social fabric.