Continued Condemnation of Death Sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi: The Aim is to Spread Fear in Social Movements

The wave of condemnation regarding the death sentence issued for Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist imprisoned in Rasht, continues from labor and professional organizations in Iran. Sharifeh Mohammadi was tried on June 9 of this year in the Revolutionary Court of Rasht after more than seven months of detention and was sentenced to death on charges of "baghi" (rebellion). The campaign defending the rights of this labor activist has described the trial as a "fabricated scenario" by the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic, and one labor organization has deemed it a "systematic action" to "spread fear" within social movements. The "Campaign to Defend Sharifeh Mohammadi" has emphasized that there is "no confession or admission" in Sharifeh Mohammadi's case despite "severe physical and psychological pressures," and that intelligence and security forces have accused her of "membership in the armed Komala group" without any evidence, inferring from this that she engaged in "armed rebellion against the Islamic government (baghi)." The charge of "baghi" can lead to the death penalty or long prison sentences. This accusation has been rejected by Sharifeh Mohammadi, her husband, Sirous Fathi, her family, and the Coordination Committee to Help Establish Labor Organizations. Sharifeh Mohammadi has been active in this labor organization since the 1980s. The Free Workers Union of Iran stated in a statement: "The issuance of such a shocking sentence against a labor and civil activist occurs at a time when the Islamic Republic is in the most critical period of its 46-year existence, and the people of Iran, following the revolutionary uprising of 'Women, Life, Freedom,' have created a decisive turning point in the struggle against tyranny and are moving towards fundamental changes in the country by widely boycotting a farce called presidential elections." The statement noted that "it is clear that the issuance of this criminal sentence against a labor and civil activist is consistent with the Islamic Republic's unstable position to create terror among labor and political activists to compel the uprising people to submit." It emphasized that "the death sentence against Sharifeh Mohammadi is not merely a judicial ruling from a possibly ignorant judge serving the government." This labor organization added, "This ruling is a conscious and systematic action by security institutions to spread fear within social movements and marginalize them in future political developments in the country." The Free Workers Union of Iran demanded that "the death sentence against Sharifeh Mohammadi and other political prisoners and protesters in popular uprisings must be annulled immediately and unconditionally" and added: "The struggle for the abolition of the death sentence and the freedom of Sharifeh Mohammadi and other political, labor, civil, and ideological prisoners is a crucial and decisive front in our struggle as workers and the people of Iran for fundamental changes in the country and the formation of a free, equal, and prosperous society." The sense of revenge against freedom seekers and labor and social activists was also highlighted. The Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Workers Union, the Retirees Union, the Coordination Committee to Help Establish Labor Organizations, and retired workers from Khuzestan issued a joint statement on Friday, July 6, stating: "The documentation based on which the first branch of the mentioned court issued this unjust ruling is fundamentally incorrect and has no legal validity." They emphasized: "Anyone who has learned the alphabet of the struggle for rights would be astonished by such a ruling because one of the most important principles of organizations that base their rights and independent demands on freedom-seeking and helping to meet the demands of workers and toilers is independence from the government, employers, religious institutions, and political parties. Especially if the individuals organized in these organizations have accepted that they are following a public and legal method in their pursuit of rights." These organizations added: "The Coordination Committee to Help Establish Labor Organizations is not dependent on the government, employers, religious institutions, or political parties. Furthermore, Ms. Sharifeh Mohammadi has freely chosen to withdraw from membership in the Coordination Committee for several years. Therefore, her alleged membership in the Coordination Committee and affiliation with the Komala Party and armed action against her is incorrect and a big lie." The statement further clarified that "apparently, the judge of the first branch of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht turns a blind eye to all these realities, and what is important for such judges is the sense of revenge against freedom seekers and labor and social activists." The signatory organizations accused the judge of the court of being "an agent and enforcer of the regime, using this oppressive ruling to make a human life a hostage to create terror in society" and added: "In addition to these realities, reacting to social injustices is the right of every aware, rights-seeking, and freedom-loving person. Limiting these human rights and issuing a death sentence for seeking rights is a crime that, under the guise of 'defending security and baghi,' legitimizes the premeditated murder of a human being."