Political prisoners on death row are on hunger strike in Iran

URGENT ACTION

Political prisoners on death row are on hunger strike in Iran

Join us against torture and execution

50000 signatures to stop torture and execution

The political prisoners, who have been sentenced to death by Iranian authorities, have started a hunger strike since September 11, 2005. These prisoners are under severe psychological and physical tortures for their beliefs.

They are Mr. Hojjat Zamani, 29, Valiollah feizmohammadi, Mrs. Bina Darabzand, 46, and Mr. Behrooz Javid Tehrani. They are held in Rajaishahr Prison near Tehran and are denied any legal counsel.

The Islamic fundamentalist regime of Iran has been condemned for 51 times by various UN bodies including the General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights in the past 25 years.

Tens of thousands of political opponents of the regime have been executed without any right to defend themselves or any fair trial. Children of 13 years of age, pregnant women and elderly people have been among victims of execution. In 1987 thousands of political prisoners were executed by mullahs and buried secretly in unknown locations.

Many opponents have been executed as ordinary criminals.

In reference to an Amnesty International report, CNN, April 30, 2005, reported that Iran, with 159 executions in 2004, had second highest number of executions in the world. In another statement issued by Amnesty International dated July 22, 2005, “49 cases of executions have been reported in Iran in the past seven months”.

Within two months since the new president took office in Iran, at least 59 executions sentences were carried out or issued by clerical judiciary, among them were young people under 18 years of age.

Iranian opposition groups reported that in mid September two Iranian Kurdish activists named Mr. Esmail Mohammadi, 38, and father of 5 children and Mr. Mohammad Pani Bin were hanged in Oromieh in northwest Iran. Also on July 14, 2005, Mr. Shoan Qaderi, a young Iranian Kurd from the north-western city of Mahabad, was gunned down by State Security Forces and then dragged on streets by a Toyota jeep. Local residents in Mahabad staged a demonstration in protest to this criminal act.

Mrs. Zahra Kazemi an Iranian – Canadian photo-journalist who was 54, died under torture in custody in Tehran in July 2003, after being arrested while taking pictures from a demonstration outside Evin prison in Tehran. Mrs. Kazemi was violently beaten, tortured and raped.

According to Iranian law, the opponents of government are recognized as enemies of god and have to be executed.

The new President, Mahmood Ahmadinejad, has only brought more social suppression particularly against students and women and more torture and executions. Lives of political prisoners are in danger just as it is for those on hunger strike.

We call on the UN Secretary General to appoint a special representative to look into the deteriorating situation of human rights in Iran, and urge international bodies to put pressure on the Iranian regime to halt torture, stoning and execution of prisoners.

We appeal to everyone to join us in this campaign to stop eradication of political opponents in Iran by the fundamentalist regime. This campaign is to get 50000 signatures in European countries and the U.S. through internet and otherwise. We also welcome all human rights organizations to sponsor this campaign.