Condemnation of Death Sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi; Dozens of Activists and Former Political Prisoners: The Government Wants to Escape from Crises

At least 85 former political prisoners, families of the victims, those affected during protests, and human rights, labor, teachers, and women's rights activists inside and outside Iran condemned the death sentence issued for Sharifeh Mohammadi, a imprisoned labor activist. The statement reads: "The Islamic Republic has reached a point where it responds to any demands and protests with the most severe repression in order to perhaps escape from the political, economic, and social crises it has caused itself." The signatories of the statement pointed out the Islamic Republic's history of fabricating security cases and issuing death sentences for activists, adding that the government aims to "silence existing protests in society or prevent potential protests through intimidation and oppression." According to them, "however, targeting a female activist and defender of workers' rights means that the Islamic government intends to take revenge on women who 'do not back down and resist,' who are a fundamental pillar of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' revolution and are always at the forefront of protests for the revolutionary overthrow of the government, by issuing this heinous sentence." The statement continues: The Islamic government wants to take a bitter revenge on workers who have always represented the majority of the disenfranchised people through protests and strikes. The government is targeting society with this tactic and is trying to prevent the advance of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' revolution. The signatories of this protest statement added that the Islamic government also wants to "take revenge on workers who have always represented the majority of the disenfranchised people through protests and strikes; thus, the government is targeting society with this tactic and is trying to prevent the advance of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' revolution." They emphasized that "the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi is strongly condemned and must be revoked immediately," adding: "Sharifeh Mohammadi has committed no crime and must be released unconditionally and her security and judicial case must be declared closed." The statement also notes that "demanding rights, protesting, striking, membership in organizations, and membership in political parties are all fundamental human rights of the 21st century, and we firmly defend all these rights." The signatories pointed out that "the only way to counter intimidation and oppression is through continuous struggle, unity and solidarity, and organizing protests and strikes." They concluded by calling on all international organizations, especially the UN fact-finding committee, to address the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi, and not only condemn the Islamic Republic for issuing this heinous sentence but also take action to revoke it. Among the signatories of the statement are Leila Mirghafari, Hadis Sabouri, Raheleh Ahmadi, Pouran Nazemi, Yasaman Aryani, Sara Siyahpour, Koukb Badaghi Pega, Mahbubeh Farahzadi, Farangis Maloum, Nasrat Beheshti, Soheil Arabi, Shirin Shams, Elham Modarresi, Keyvan Samadi, Ayoub Abdollahi, Parsa Ghobadi, Ladan Bazargan, Mahshid Nazemi, and Ovin Mostafazadeh. Other signatories include Zhila Mastaajer, Shaparak Shajari Zadeh, Azmat Azhdari, Fatemeh Ekhtesari, Saba Alaleh, Mahsa Pirayi, Ashkan Soleimani, Mojgan Keshavarz, Hossein Eshtari, Maria Mahmoudi, Shoaleh Pakrovan, Azadeh Davachi, Mina Khani, Joanna Timsi, Mina Ahadi, Mahmanir Nadim, Shiva Mahbubi, Fariba Baluch, Kowsar Eftekhari, Azam Bahrami, Mehdi Mousavi, Shahla Entesari, Nahid Hosseini, and Sasan Chaman Ara. Additionally, labor unions in France and Denmark have called for the revocation of Sharifeh Mohammadi's death sentence and her immediate release. Sharifeh Mohammadi, who was a member of the 'Coordination Committee to Help Establish Labor Organizations' over a decade ago, was arrested last December and sentenced to death on July 14 by the Revolutionary Court of Rasht on charges of 'Baghi.' This sentence was issued based on accusations from the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence regarding her membership in 'Komala,' which has been strongly denied by Mohammadi, her husband, Sirous Fathi, and Komala. The Coordination Committee to Help Establish Labor Organizations, in which Sharifeh Mohammadi was a member in the 1980s, has also rejected the charges against her. Reports indicate that she has been tortured, and government agents have accused her of 'membership in the armed Komala group' without any evidence. This accusation has also been denied by the organization. In recent days, human rights, labor, and professional organizations in Iran, as well as human rights organizations and labor unions worldwide, along with several Iranian activists such as Masih Alinejad and Hamid Ismailioun, have condemned the death sentence for Ms. Mohammadi.