'It does call attention': Sask. humanitarian flight features mural of Mahsa Amini

Humanitarian flight to Sask. carries a message WATCH: An unlikely billboard is being used to deliver a message against alleged human rights violations in Iran. Wayne Mantyka reports.

A mural of Mahsa Amini stood tall on the tail of the latest humanitarian flight to touch down in Saskatchewan. Aircraft owner Enrique Pineyro believes the mural acts as a symbol.

On Sept. 16, 2022, Amini died while in the custody of Iran’s morality police.

The 22-year-old’s death acted as a spark for nationwide protests against Iran’s leadership with demonstrators demanding the downfall of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

For Pineyro, the mural is a way to highlight the issue.

“[She was arrested] for not wearing her hijab properly,” he said. “She’s being killed by police force, by state force. It’s so unbelievable.”

The other side of the aircraft bears the image of Iranian football player Amir Nasr-Azadani who was arrested during the protests and sentenced to death.

“They were going to execute this guy and I think that the world pressure was so fierce on Iran that I think that they thought it over twice and they sentenced him to 26 years,” Pineyro said. “But that’s still appalling.”

Pineyro’s Boeing 787 crossed the Canadian arctic on its latest mission, bringing 247 Ukrainians fleeing the war in their home country to Regina.

One thing is for certain, the plane’s murals draw attention everywhere it lands.

“It does call attention,” he said. “I mean every airport we land, there’s questions from the control tower, questions from other aircraft.”

“Where’s this aircraft from?”

The aircraft is based in Argentina and has flown five missions with Ukrainians destined for Saskatchewan.

The latest trip marks the first journey since the images were added.

Pineyro considers himself fortunate to own his own aircraft. He told CTV News that he feels it should be used for doing good, in whatever way possible.