Letter to the Parliament of Canada

Letter to the Parliament of Canada

Your Excellency,

According to the news published on social networks, citizens of a number of Iranian cities took to the streets in protest of the recent increase in prices of consumer goods and the economic policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran in general and chanted slogans against the regime’s leaders. A number of people were killed, injured, and arrested during the protests. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not recognize the right of its citizens to protest and severely suppresses any protest. We expect you to condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran for suppressing its citizens and demanding the release of imprisoned protesters and ask the rulers in Iran to recognize the right of the people to protest.

Also in Iran, many political prisoners and dual nationals are currently on death row on baseless charges and may be hanged momentarily. Among them is Ahmad Reza Jalali, a dual-national prisoner. The judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran has announced that it will soon carry out the death sentence of Ahmad Reza Jalali.

According to Mr. Jalali's wife, this specialist physician has traveled to Iran many times at the invitation of research and academic centers and has never encountered any problems until his arrest. Ahmad Reza Jalali last time went to Iran in May 2016 to attend a scientific conference and was arrested and sent to Evin Prison. He was charged with "collaborating with hostile states."

The Iranian regime has always been accused of pursuing political goals and gaining privileges in foreign relations by arresting, imprisoning, and issuing political sentences for dual nationals.

With the arrest of Hamid Nouri, a former prosecutor at Gohardasht Prison in Karaj, and his trial on charges of involvement in the 1988 executions in Sweden, tensions between the two countries escalated. The simultaneous announcement of the execution of Ahmad Reza Jalali and the last day of Hamid Nouri's trial in Stockholm is not considered by many to be coincidental and is similar to hostage-taking and extortion.

We ask you to use all possible means for the release of Ahmad Reza Jalali, a prisoner doctor and researcher in Iran.

Reverently,

Council for Supporting Iranian Protests Abroad-Canada

May 25, 2022