Letter from Four Political Prisoners in Evin: 44 Years of Iran's 'Dictatorship' Has Entrapped It in Difficult Constraints

Four political prisoners in a letter from Evin Prison called for fundamental changes in Iran's political system. Zartosht Ahmadiraghb, Mohsen Ghiasi, Ali Rezaei, and Shahryar Bayat, on Saturday, September 2, sent a letter from Evin Prison, a copy of which reached Voice of America, expressing solidarity with the Iranian people and emphasizing the need for collective unity, popular sovereignty, the rule of law, and free elections until a democratic society is established in Iran. These activists and political prisoners, held in Ward 6 of Evin Prison, referred to the Islamic Republic as a 'dictatorial government' and wrote that 'over the past forty-four years,' this government has caused 'the people and the homeland to suffer from the inefficiency of governance and the dominance of a power mafia at the top, in collaboration with security and judicial institutions, leading to difficult economic constraints, poverty, unemployment, corruption, discrimination, and misery.' They noted that 'the expansion of repression, censorship, and oppression... has paved the way for the security of the dictatorial regime and its few supporters.' The letter continued that 'the oppressors' aim to 'circumvent the law, weaponize religion by intruding into women's personal space under the pretext of hijab and chastity, detain, fabricate cases, issue illegal sentences and imprison, and suppress freedom seekers and activists, thus maintaining the cycle of violence.' The four political prisoners further stated that the lack of 'transparent media and independent parties' has closed 'the path to enlightenment and transparency,' adding that 'the brain drain, national quotas, and looting of wealth have weakened the people and empowered opportunistic and predatory profiteers.' In conclusion, these political prisoners expressed solidarity with the Iranian people and their legitimate demands, inviting compatriots both inside and outside the country to unity and collective cooperation, calling for 'the sovereignty of the people and the law, free elections, a new constitution, the freedom of all political prisoners, the dismissal of ineffective management, and the observance of human rights until a democratic and free society is achieved.' A source close to Zartosht reported to Voice of America on Wednesday, September 6, that while nearly four weeks have passed since his new hunger strike in Evin Prison, he has been deprived of the right to contact relatives and meet family members for the past three months by order of prison officials. Zartosht Ahmadiraghb also stated in a message from Ward 6 of Evin Prison on July 8, which was provided to Voice of America, that 'the censorship against political, civil, and human rights activists' continues 'so that no voice from there reaches the people.' Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, previously stated in response to a question from a Voice of America Persian section reporter that the Islamic Republic has not learned from recent protests.