Tuesday, February 23, 2010

FOR VAHID, FOR FARID, FOR THE PEOPLE OF IRAN

Long ago, back in Lawrence, Kansas, I had two Iranians friends, brothers - Farid and Vahid. They worked long and hard to overthrow the Shah and the hated Savak. After Khomeini came to power they both went back to Iran to join the struggle for a true revolutionary Iran, not some religious theocracy, but a Socialist  Republic of Iran. One, I know was executed. The other was just never heard from again. I haven't forgotten them and I haven't forgotten the dream for which they fought.

Woman guerrilla

The following is from the blog of Maryam Namazie.


Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran
22/02/2010

Following the on-going demonstrations that have started in summer of 2009 in Iran, hundreds of people have been arrested, imprisoned and several have been executed. In concurrence with the mass arrests families of these political prisoners have been gathering in front of the notorious Evin prison and Revolutionary Court in Tehran demanding their immediate and unconditional release. These support for these demonstration are growing: on 30th January 2010 the number of the protesters reached an all time high of 2000 families and their supporters, and on 11th February 2010, the 31st anniversary of the 1979 revolution, around 1000 of people gathered to demand the release of all political prisoners. Despite the brutal assault by the guards and thugs deployed by the regime, the families are determined to continue their protest in order to keep the pressure on the regime to free their loved ones.

In several occasions the regime was under such a pressure that they were forced to release around a hundred of prisoners. On 16th February 2010 more than 300 families gathered in front of the Evin prison, shouting "free all political prisoners" and ultimately forced the authorities to release 18 of these prisoners. The most recent gatherings were on 22nd February 2010 when more than 600 families gathered in front of the Revolutionary Court and 21st February when 700 gathered in front of Evin Prison which forced the prison's authority to release 29 prisoners. In last few weeks more people including families of ex-political prisoners and families whom their children have been executed previously have joined the protest.

As a result of these continuous demonstrations, the Islamic regime has been forced to release several political prisoners, but these families need help and support to free their children and all other political prisoners, they need an international support, they need your support to echo their voice globally.

Background information

The current protests in front of the notorious Evin prison are the extension of the protests in the streets of many cities in Iran which began in June 2009 and resulted in many men, women, and even children as young as 12 years old being arrested, imprisoned, tortured and raped.

Many of those arrestees are still in prison; some of them have been executed or disappeared and no one knows their whereabouts, even their families. This is not the first time the Islamic regime has fiercely cracked down any sign of opposition to its existence and brutally suppressed the struggle of the people for freedom. The resistance of the Iranian people against the Islamic regime has been ongoing for the past three decades, but this time is different; these demonstrators are defying all levels of authorities within the regime, and even shouting "death to the dictator" meaning the supreme leader which according to the Islamic rules it carry a punishment of death by execution.

Take an action

Send a protest letter to the Islamic Regime of Iran.

You can also send your letter to Iranian embassy in your country.

Please send your letter to: info@leader.ir and dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir

please send a copy for our record to: freepoliticalprisoners@gmail.com

A sample protest letter is provided below:

I/we condemn the Islamic regime's attack on demonstrators in Iran. I/we demand the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Iran and an end to the executions in Iran.

Name/ organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
City/country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

No comments: