Exclusive; Joanna Taymisi: Secret Executions Have Increased Concerns Among Families of Political Prisoners

Joanna Taymisi, the wife of Mohsen Mazloom, a Kurdish political prisoner who has been detained by the Islamic Republic for over a year, told Voice of America in an exclusive interview that despite families' follow-ups, they still have no information about the location and health status of their loved ones. Ms. Taymisi also mentioned that with the approaching anniversary of the murder of Mahsa Jina Amini and the wave of arrests of families of political prisoners and victims of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' revolution, her husband’s brother, Omid Mazloom, has also been detained by the Islamic Republic 'without any reason' for over a month. Referring to the execution of 69 people in Mordad (August), she said, 'The secret executions have heightened the concerns of our four families of political prisoners, fearing that the Islamic Republic may bring harm to these four political prisoners in secret.' Mohsen Mazloom, Mohammad Farahmandzi, Pejman Fatehi, and Vafa Azbar were arrested by Iranian security forces in early Tir (July) 1401. They are members of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan. The state-run news agency IRIB has published confessions of these four individuals twice, claiming they collaborated with Israel to blow up an industrial center in Isfahan and were arrested there. Ms. Taymisi had previously told the Tablet program of Voice of America that during the time since the arrest of these four Kurdish political activists, the Islamic Republic has not allowed families and lawyers access to their files. She also noted that forced confessions were broadcast on television 'after 80 days of complete ignorance' and that families are now being threatened with similar confessions. In her latest interview with Voice of America, Joanna Taymisi stated that families of three other prisoners cannot voice their concerns to the media due to ongoing threats from the Islamic Republic and called on international organizations, human rights groups, and free media to ensure that the voices of these prisoners are not silenced. The wife of Mohsen Mazloom said that the Islamic Republic intends to create 'terror and fear' by threatening and detaining families of victims of the protests for 'Women, Life, Freedom' and families of political prisoners to prevent people from turning the anniversary of 'Mahsa's murder' into another uprising. Joanna Taymisi believes that the people of Iran will bravely return to the streets and turn the anniversary of Jina into another symbol, and they will also be the voice of political prisoners.