We condemn the shameful verdicts against political and civil right activists!

We condemn the shameful verdicts against political and civil right activists!

On Monday, March 3oth 2020, four civil right activists; Fatemeh Sepehri, Hashem Khastar, Mahammad Nourizad and Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, were sentenced to, in total, forty years and six months in jail, four years prohibition of leaving Iran, and four years in exile. Javad Lal Mohammadi, a member of the Teachers’ Union, has also been sentenced to nine years in prison.

The charges against these people are related to the signing of a letter published in August 2020, emphasizing the need for the immediate resignation of Ali Khameneie, the authoritarian leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

While the outbreak of coronavirus has endangered the lives of the people of the world, governments are each trying to save their people and minimize the harm done to their citizens, the Islamic Republic Regime acts irresponsible upon the health of the people, especially the lives of prisoners. And practically contributes to spreading the disease and possible deaths. Prison is one of the most dangerous places that the disease can spread and lead to tragedy. According to the Social Affairs Organization, there are 240,000 prisoners in Iran. of those, the regime has said about 90,000 will be released. That means that tens of thousands of people are still being held in prisons under unsanitary conditions. But the disaster goes beyond that, not only our tens of thousands of prisoners held in dangerous and unhealthy conditions, but the government also continues arresting social and political activists. In such a situation, saving all citizens is the priority and where everyone is pointing to Khamenei’s responsibility for the speed of the coronavirus outbreak, and where people believe he deserves to be tried, issuing more than 40 years in prison for four social activists, is a shocking example that rarely can be seen in the world.

The issuance of such sentences against human beings who have only expressed their views on the authoritarian leader, only shows the fear of the regime, and the dissatisfaction, anger and hatred of society towards the system and Khamenei as the supreme leader.

In such a situation, prisoners in different cities who have revolted to save their lives want to rid themselves of the virus. Over the past few days, inmates have escaped from prison in at least 9 prisons to flee the polluted environment and unsafe living conditions, in fear of coronavirus. There have been reports of some prisoners being killed during these escapes.

The left party of Iran (people’s Fadaian) expresses the issuance of more than 40 years in prison for four social activists and believes that the Islamic Republic of Iran did not respect any criteria except the interests of the corrupted system led by Ali Khamenei. In a situation where prisons are the center of the disease, saving the lives of prisoners is tied to the release. We urge all political parties and organizations, as well as democratic and social institutions, to put in the effort for the release of prisoners.

Political-Executive Board of The Left Party of Iran (People’s Fadaian)

April 1st 2020