Severe Pressure on Bakhshi and Gholian for Forced Confessions and Writing 'Repentance Letters'

The independent channel of Haft Tappeh sugarcane workers reported that Ismail Bakhshi, a representative of the workers of this company, and Sepideh Gholian, a civil activist, are under 'severe pressure' for forced confessions and to write 'repentance letters'. This channel reported on Tuesday, February 22, that several other defenders of Haft Tappeh sugarcane workers, including Sanaz Elahiari, Amirhossein Mohammadi-Fard, and Amir Amir Gholi, are still in detention and 'under pressure'. According to the report, Ismail Bakhshi and Sepideh Gholian are 'currently under severe pressure' to express regret over what they had previously stated about their torture during prior detention and to 'falsely confess that all these matters were dictated to them by so-called opponents and anti-regime media'. The Telegram channel also reported that they are 'under severe pressure to express regret and submit multiple written commitments against themselves'. Sepideh Gholian and Ismail Bakhshi were detained for the second time on January 30 after their statements about being tortured. This detention occurred following the broadcast of their forced confessions on the program 'Burnt Design' on Iranian television. Farzaneh Zilabi, Ismail Bakhshi's defense attorney, reported on February 17 that her client has been charged with three new accusations: 'spreading falsehoods, propaganda against the regime, and insulting officials'. Ms. Zilabi described Ismail Bakhshi's lack of access to the services of his chosen legal counsel as 'torture', citing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Reports indicate that Ismail Bakhshi's lawyer was summoned to the Revolutionary Court of Shush as a 'witness', but the reason for his summons is unclear. The independent channel of Haft Tappeh sugarcane workers also called on all labor and human rights organizations to register and pursue this channel's report regarding the situation of the protesting workers at Haft Tappeh sugarcane as a complaint with the International Labour Organization, global labor organizations, and the United Nations. This group of workers from Haft Tappeh sugarcane company threatened that if Ismail Bakhshi and Sepideh Gholian are not released by Wednesday, February 24, they will take 'other actions'. Amnesty International has also launched an online campaign for the release of these two individuals and has asked its audience to sign this request online and urge the President of Iran to release them. Previously, more than 800 political and civil activists from various independent labor and professional organizations in Iran and organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch had called for the release of these two individuals.