Mohammad Nourizad from Prison: People Should Smash Ballot Boxes Over the 'Demon and Monster' of the Islamic Republic

Mohammad Nourizad, a political prisoner, urged the people of Iran to 'leave the monster of the Islamic Republic to itself' and to smash 'the ballot boxes over the head of this demon and cancerous monster' by boycotting the government 'elections.' Fatemeh Maleki, Nourizad's wife, reported on the latest visit with this political prisoner, which was received by VOA on Thursday, July 14. She said that on Wednesday, July 13, she went to Evin Prison for a personal visit with her family and saw him after several weeks. According to her, during this visit, one of Nourizad's sisters asked about what the people should do regarding the government 'elections,' to which Mr. Nourizad responded angrily: 'What should they do?! Our people should leave the monster of the Islamic Republic to itself and smash the ballot boxes over the head of this demon and cancerous monster.' While the majority of Iranian citizens are boycotting the government 'elections' and likening it to a 'circus' and 'show,' Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, claimed on Wednesday, July 13, that 'the idea that those who did not vote in the first round are opponents of the regime is a completely mistaken perception.' This comes despite him previously stating the importance of public participation, claiming that 'high participation' would lead to the 'glory of the Islamic Republic.' Khamenei's statements are in stark contrast to government statistics showing that a significant majority of Iranians did not participate in the first round of this political event, which opponents refer to as a 'circus' and 'show.' Opponents argue that there is 'no difference' between the two candidates considered by the Islamic Republic for the succession of Raisi, and they view participation in the government elections as 'a vote for more killings and repression.' Fatemeh Maleki also described her husband Mohammad Nourizad's condition during the visit as 'weak and low-energy,' explaining that after her protest was published, he was taken from the workshop to solitary confinement on Sunday, June 20, without even being allowed to take a book or notebook with him. From that moment, he began a dry hunger strike; he did not eat or drink anything until the fourth day when he lost consciousness. He was taken to the medical facility and revived, then transferred back to the ward. About a month ago, Nourizad was moved to solitary confinement for protesting against the 'overpricing of fruits and vegetables' for prisoners in Evin and 'open theft' from them. He stated that 'the day after' being transferred back to the ward, while he was in the workshop, he again 'lost consciousness,' and prison officials 'had to' transfer him to Taleghani Hospital and 'returned him to Evin the next morning.' According to Fatemeh Maleki, the family of this political prisoner has been unaware of 'all these events' for him during this time and that 'his phone has been cut off since the day of the hunger strike.' She stated that on 'Saturday, June 19,' Mohammad Nourizad had gone on a hunger strike in protest against 'the overpricing of fruits and supplies for prisoners and the drug mafia' and was transferred to solitary confinement for five days for this reason. She mentioned that on July 6, when she went to visit him at Evin Prison, there was 'no news of Mr. Nourizad,' and then 'Tavassoli, the deputy head of the prison,' told her that 'he is well.' Mohammad Nourizad, a director, screenwriter, and one of the signatories of the 'Statement 14' calling for Ali Khamenei's resignation and a transition from the Islamic Republic, has been arrested and imprisoned multiple times in recent years. Nourizad, who had long worked at Kayhan newspaper, has become a serious opponent of the Islamic Republic and its leader Ali Khamenei in recent years. After signing 'Statement 14,' he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, two years of exile to the city of Izeh, and a two-year travel ban from Iran by the Revolutionary Court in Mashhad. His protests in prison have continued, and several other cases have been opened against this political prisoner while serving his sentence.