14/12/2022
To: The European Governments
Detainees of the recent protests in Iran are in grave danger. Tens of them are sentenced to the death penalty!
Two of the detainees were executed!
The Islamic regime in Iran carried out the execution sentence of two protesters arrested in the recent demonstrations. Mohsen Shekari, age 23, was executed on 8 December 2202. Majidreza Rahnavard, age 23, was executed on 12 December 2022. Their charges included “enemy of God” (Moharebeh), “waging war against God” and “blocking a street in Tehran”. These protesters were executed only for practicing their freedom of expression. Their families have been pressured and threatened not to publicise their execution and were banned from their very basic rights of holding a dignified funeral for their loved ones.
At least 11 other protesters have also been given death sentences and tens of detainees are in danger of being given execution sentences. Among those sentenced to death are Sahand Nourmohammad-Zadeh, Mahan Sedarat Madani, Manouchehr Mehmannavaz, Mohammad Boroughani, Mohammad Ghobadlou, Saman Seydi, Mohammad Mehdikarami ,Hamid Ghare Hasanlou, Akbar Ghafarri, Mohsen Hashemzehi and several others whose names have not been published. Several detainees lost their lives as a result of being tortured in prison.
Following the killing of Mahsa Amini on 16th September 2022, the Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI) has issued several statements and reports and sent letters to the international community warning them of the dire condition and dangerous situation of the detainees in Iran. CFPPI has repeatedly urged governments around the world and their international organisations to take urgent and effective steps to pressure the Islamic regime to
stop the crackdown on protesters and to release all political prisoners, including the recent detainees.
Currently, tens of thousands of protesters are detained. Many of them are detained in unknown locations. Families have been pressured not to publicise the situation of their children; some are not
even aware if their children are alive. CFPPI has been receiving horrifying news of torture in prisons. Despite the brutal and violent suppression of demonstrations in Iran, people are protesting in cities across Iran.
The recent protests have entered their fourth month now. The Islamic regime in Iran has been kidnapping, detaining, and torturing tens of thousands of protesters, issuing death sentences, and even carrying out executions of demonstrators. But the governments around the world have not taken decisive actions against these atrocities. They mainly remained silent or issued condemnation statements. The lack of strong condemnation of the crime committed by the Islamic regime in Iran has resulted in the regime taking the most violent crackdown, torture, and execution of the protestors without facing serious consequences from the international communities. The question is why countries around the globe are allowing the regime to have their embassies still open, allowing the regime’s diplomats to carry out their work and business as usual, while the same regime is committing crimes against humanity.
The embassies of the European governments are still operating while the massacre of people in Iran is taking place every day. Condemnation, expressing concerns, and sanctioning some of the regime’s officials are not effective anymore! The people of Iran need decisive action from the international community.
The Islamic regime in Iran knows that despite all the crimes they have committed, the European governments are still acknowledging them by keeping their embassies open and keeping their ambassadors in Iran.
This needs to be stopped immediately and unconditionally.
• CFPPI urges the European governments, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the European Parliament, the European External Action Service (EEAS), and the UN to use their power and take immediate and effective actions to pressure the regime in Iran to overturn the execution sentences, to stop arresting protesters and to release all the detainees of recent protests and all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally.
• CFPPI urges the European governments to call off their ambassadors from Iran, expel the Islamic regime’s diplomats from their countries, and shut down the regimes’ embassies immediately.
Anything short of the above demands will result in turning back to the people of Iran, and will result in many more loss of lives!
Shiva Mahbobi
Spokeswoman, Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
www.cfppi.org shiva.mahbobi@gmail.com Tel: +447572356661
