Dozens of Organizations and Civil Activists: Political Prisoners in Iran Die 'in Silent News'

Dozens of organizations and nearly 200 civil and human rights activists issued a joint statement on Monday, February 22, warning about the dire conditions of hundreds of political and ideological prisoners in Iran who are 'gradually losing their lives in silent news.' The statement, released by the 'Global Network for the Freedom of Political and Ideological Prisoners in Iran' under the title 'Do Not Let Their Hearts Stop Beating,' stated that 'the Islamic regime has deliberately condemned these prisoners to a slow and painful death by depriving them of essential medications and urgent medical care.' The signatories of this statement pointed out that 'the focus of global media on nuclear negotiations with Iran' has allowed the regime to use this opportunity to execute hundreds of political prisoners. In this context, the 'Tuesdays No to Execution' campaign announced on Tuesday, February 23, in its fifty-fifth statement, that since February 22 of last year, over 1,020 individuals have been executed solely by hanging. The imprisoned members of this campaign in 35 prisons in Iran expressed concern in this statement, a copy of which was sent to VOA, about the death sentence of Pejman Soltani, a political prisoner, who was sentenced to death for the alleged murder of a 'Basij agent' in an 'unfair trial' by Branch 1 of the Urmia Criminal Court. The statement noted that the Supreme Court has rejected the retrial of Pakhshan Azizi, a political prisoner, who is now at risk of execution. The campaign called on all people and human rights activists to stand against the execution by any means possible, stating that 'this is a test for all of us, and we must not allow ourselves to mourn another prisoner.' Meanwhile, the signatories of the statement 'Do Not Let Their Hearts Stop Beating' emphasized that 'public executions are not the only method the Iranian regime uses to eliminate opponents' and that 'for a long time, it has been using hidden execution methods,' which they indicated includes 'systematic deprivation of political prisoners from medical treatment.' The statement mentioned that this method, which has been in use for over four decades, 'has intensified in recent years to prevent international scrutiny that usually follows the announcement of political executions.' The signatories referenced 'numerous reports from the prisons of the Islamic Republic' indicating that this method 'is increasingly being implemented in a targeted and systematic manner.' Human rights and civil organizations and activists pointed out that many prisoners require medical care due to poor prison conditions and prolonged torture, adding that some suffer from pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart diseases, and authorities are causing the gradual death of these prisoners by withholding necessary treatment, ultimately declaring the cause of death as 'natural.' They also considered the deprivation of prisoners from vital medications as 'a form of double torture' and added that as a result of this method, the Iranian government 'has so far caused dozens of political prisoners to lose their lives due to these inhumane actions, and thousands more remain at risk.' According to the statement, the goals of the campaign include 'exposing the dire conditions of political and ideological prisoners in the prisons of the Islamic Republic,' 'revealing the regime's policy of secretly executing prisoners through deprivation of medical care,' and 'pressuring the regime to provide prisoners with access to specialized treatment outside of prison and their immediate and unconditional release.' Supportive organizations and groups of the campaign include 'Kurdistan Women's Union, Global Campaign Against the Death Penalty in Iran, Campaign for the Freedom of Varishe Moradi, Association of Injured and Plaintiffs of the Zhina Uprising, Iranian Teachers' Trade Union, Global Network for the Freedom of Political and Ideological Prisoners in Iran, Iranian-Canadian Physicians for Human Rights, Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners, Iranian Network for Freedom and Democracy, European Press Federation, International Committee Against the Death Penalty, Campaign for Justice for Four Executed Kurdish Political Prisoners, and Hanaa Human Rights Organization.' Among the activists supporting this campaign are Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, Azmat Azadri, Nazanin Afshin-Jam, Nira Ansari, Mina Ahadi, Behrouz Asadi, Zhino Bigzadeh Babamiri, Shoaleh Pakrovan, Parisa Pouyandeh, Adnan Hosseini, Saeed Dehghan, Atena Daemi, Sara Siyahpour, Shirin Shams, Hossein Shirzad, Sara Sedighi, Ismail Abdi, Aso Azizi, Bayan Azimi, Zhinos Foroutan, Hoorieh Farajzadeh, Tanaz Kalachian, Eskandar Lotfi, Anvar Mirestari, Shiva Mahbubi, Hajar Mehrabi, Maria Mahmoudi, Hassan Nayeb Hashem, and Pouran Nazemi. The Islamic Republic of Iran has intensified its security and judicial crackdown on opponents and critics following nationwide protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the Guidance Patrol in September 2022. In this context, the news agency of the Iranian Human Rights Activists, HRANA, reported on January 6 of this year that government forces arrested 2,759 citizens in 2024 due to civil, ideological, or political activities. This total includes 23 cases of guild arrests, 240 cases of ethnic-national minorities, 85 cases of religious minorities, 1,585 cases of thought and expression, 34 cases in the children’s sector, 11 cases in the environmental sector, 2 cases in the cultural sector, and 11 cases of workers. Additionally, over 33,442 months of prison sentences have been issued for government critics. New cases have been opened against Mona, the sister of Pouya Bakhtiari, and her uncle, Ahmad Bakhtiari. Protests by the families of political prisoners sentenced to death in front of Evin Prison. The 'Tuesdays No to Execution' campaign warns about the risk of executing Pakhshan Azizi. Execution of three prisoners in Tabriz and Zanjan by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic. The Iran Human Rights Campaign: The international community must break its silence regarding executions. UN reporter: The Iranian government must end the crackdown on human rights defenders. Iran Human Rights Organization: Pakhshan Azizi is at risk of execution. Amnesty International: The global community must prevent the execution of Pakhshan Azizi. Statement from 1,200 activists and political prisoners: Executions of women in Iran must stop. Warning from Reza Valizadeh from prison about the 'revenge project': I do not intend to commit suicide. The Iran Human Rights Campaign calls for an end to the repression of 'minority communities' in Iran. The Iran Human Rights Organization calls for the cancellation of the death sentences of six political prisoners.