Amnesty International Calls for Cancellation of Death Sentence and Immediate Release of Sharifeh Mohammadi

On Tuesday, Amnesty International urged the authorities of the Islamic Republic to revoke the death sentence of Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor and women's rights activist, and to release her. The human rights organization pointed out that the charge of 'baghi' against Ms. Mohammadi by the Revolutionary Court of Rasht was severely unjust. Amnesty International also noted that the death sentence for this women's rights activist was issued amid alarming reports of torture and mistreatment following her arrest in December of last year, and that visible bruises on her body indicate she was beaten. Amnesty International emphasized that Iranian authorities must respect the rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and peaceful gathering, and immediately cease the use of the death penalty as a tool for political repression. Simultaneously, political prisoners involved in the 'Tuesdays Against the Death Penalty' campaign stated in a statement that the issuance of the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi is 'shameless' and announced that they would go on hunger strike in several prisons on Tuesday. The political prisoners, on the brink of their twenty-fourth week of hunger strike against the 'inhumane issuance and execution of death sentences,' called for public support, stating: 'An examination of the behavior of the regime's repressive apparatus in past years has shown that whenever a magnificent display of the majority of the Iranian people against the ruling minority occurs, the regime's repression machine becomes more active, using the tool of 'execution' to instill fear and intimidate the people to prevent uprisings and political and social protests against tyranny.' They added: 'We predict that the repressive apparatus of the Islamic Republic will accelerate the issuance and execution of death sentences after this humiliating phase, just as it reduced executions as much as possible before the 'elections' spectacle, and will further suppress the families of those seeking justice.' The signatories of this statement deemed the issuance of the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi as 'shameless' and considered the arrest of Rana Kukor, the sister of political prisoner Mojahid Kukor, who is under a death sentence, as 'relevant in this context' and indicative of the intensification of gross human rights violations and the right to life by the government. They added: 'We, the prisoners of the 'Tuesdays Against the Death Penalty' campaign in Evin Prison (women's ward, 4, 6, 8), Qezel Hesar (units 3 and 4), Khorramabad, Central Karaj, Tabriz, Khoy, Naqdeh, Saqqez, and Mashhad, will go on hunger strike tomorrow, Tuesday, July 9, for the twenty-fourth week in opposition to the death sentences issued, especially the shameless and disgraceful death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi.' The statement noted that one of the 'false charges' attributed to Sharifeh Mohammadi was 'distributing anti-death penalty flyers,' stating: 'The effort to stop the death penalty machine is not only not a crime but should become a public demand.' The statement warned of the consequences of the Islamic Republic's indifference to the issue of executions in Iran, calling on 'parties, groups, political and professional currents, and media figures' to pay more attention to the issue of 'executions' and opposition to it in the weeks and months to come. Previously, members of the 'Black Tuesdays' campaign had warned about Ali Khamenei's statements regarding the necessity of ignoring human rights principles, considering it a 'serious warning.' According to the latest report from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, at least 834 people were executed in Iran in 2023. This figure indicates a 43% increase in executions in Iran. Of all the executions in Iran last year, at least 471 cases were related to drug offenses, which represents an 84% increase compared to 2022. The report also mentioned the execution of offenders under the legal age or juvenile offenders. Retirees in Shush: 'We condemn the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi.' Continued condemnation of the issuance of the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi: the goal is to spread fear in social movements. Rana, the sister of political prisoner Mojahid Kukor sentenced to death, was arrested. Protests by retirees over economic issues were held in several cities in Iran, emphasizing the 'double oppression' of the government against women. The interruption of visits and phone calls and harassment of the family; pressures on Reza Rasayi have increased.