Exclusive | Four Political Prisoners in Qazalhessar Stage Sit-in with Slogan 'The Executing Government Must Be Overthrown'

According to exclusive information received by Voice of America, four political prisoners held in Qazalhessar prison announced that from Monday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 9, they will stage a sit-in in opposition to executions and in solidarity with protests by political female prisoners in Evin. An informed source reported to Voice of America on Monday, August 8, that Reza Mohammadi, Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb, Reza Salmanzadeh, and Mostafa Zamani 'as part of the campaign against executions and in support of protests by political female prisoners in Evin, will stage a sit-in in front of the entrance to the political prisoners' ward in unit 4 of Rajai Shahr and Qazalhessar prisons' and 'are demanding the abolition of the issuance and execution of inhumane death sentences.' According to reports received by the Persian section of Voice of America, these four political prisoners chanted slogans during their sit-in including 'No executions, no repression, no prison, the way to save Iran', 'Until the abolition of the death sentence, we stand until the end', 'Freedom, justice, the way to liberate the nation', 'The executing government must be overthrown'. They also announced their solidarity 'with the people against violence, executions, and repression'. According to this report, 'earlier today (Monday), the prison warden along with two internal managers personally removed a banner from the wall of Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb's room' which read: 'Abolish executions, respect human rights, and other human demands.' These four political prisoners also emphasized that 'the campaign of protest Tuesdays along with hunger strikes will continue vigorously until the definitive abolition of the issuance and execution of death sentences.' Political prisoners in Qazalhessar prison in Alborz province had previously condemned the 'new wave of executions' and announced their support for the protests by political female prisoners in Evin prison. In a statement, they described 'the execution of more than 18 prisoners within four days' as a sign of the renewed 'machine of repression and execution in a vengeful and criminal act' by the Islamic Republic and protested against it. Additionally, see: Political prisoners in Qazalhessar prison also joined the protests against the 'wave of executions'. Previously, political and ideological prisoners in the women's ward of Evin prison protested on Wednesday, August 3, against the issuance of a death sentence for Pakhshan Azizi, a civil activist accused of 'rebellion', calling for public solidarity to abolish this sentence. The gathering of grieving mothers against the death sentences for Sharifeh Mohammadi and Pakhshan Azizi; the deteriorating physical and mental condition of Saman Yasin; he is transferred to the prison infirmary daily. The second court session for 8 defendants accused of 'rebellion'; Iran Human Rights: The international community should respond to the death sentence for Pakhshan Azizi. The judiciary of the Islamic Republic accused three protesting citizens in Boukan of 'corruption on earth' and 'waging war against God'. The Iranian government executed Kamran Sheikhe, the seventh defendant in the case of the murder of a prayer leader in Mahabad. The judiciary of the Islamic Republic executed two prisoners accused of 'murder' in Kermanshah.