Support from Dozens of Doctors, Lawyers, and Civil Activists for Yasser Rahmani-Rad: Hold the Islamic Republic Accountable

136 activists, including several political prisoners, issued a statement supporting Yasser Rahmani-Rad, the detained doctor, and called for international organizations to break their silence and hold the Islamic Republic accountable. In the statement, which was sent to the Persian section of Voice of America on Tuesday, October 10, they urged international civil organizations, including 'Doctors Without Borders, the Red Cross, and responsible UN bodies, as well as all medical organizations from democratic and developed countries concerned about human rights,' to 'not remain silent about the illegal and inhumane actions of the Islamic Republic and to demand immediate accountability from the officials of this dictatorial regime.' In this statement, besides 121 activists, lawyers, and doctors, 15 protesters who were injured in the eye during the suppression of protests also signed it. Dr. Yasser Rahmani-Rad is described as a 'compassionate doctor' who 'served injured compatriots in Iran' and 'is still detained by the IRGC in Lorestan merely due to his loyalty to his medical oath and humanitarian actions.' The signatories emphasized the 'illegal and inhumane' process of his detention and demanded 'immediate and unconditional release' of Yasser Rahmani-Rad, urging the Islamic Republic to 'immediately cease the illegal and inhumane case-making against him.' Among those injured in the protests who signed the statement are Amir Jahangir, Behzad Hamrahi, Pouria Alipour, Javad Pehlavani-Nia, Hossein Eshtiari, Hossein Noori-Nikoo, Majid Khademi-Khater, Reza Izati, Rouzbeh Rouznoord, Kowsar Eftekhari, Kian Derakhshan, Meysam Dehghani, Hosameddin Maleki, Milad Safari, and Yasser Alvandian. Additionally, Fadimeh Tonser, a member of the German parliament and political sponsor of Yasser Rahmani-Rad, Elahiar Kongarlu, a physicist, Afshin Abdollahi, director of the Red Crescent Society, Afsoun Najafi, sister of Hadis Najafi, a victim of the protests, Pouran Nazemi, Fatemeh Sepahri, Mohammad Hossein Sepahri, Hashem Khastaar, and Abbas Vahidiyan Shahroodi, among others, are signatories of the statement. A few days after the issuance of the 'release order' for Yasser Rahmani-Rad, a source familiar with the case of this detained doctor in Lorestan province told Voice of America on Thursday, October 5, that judicial officials are not executing the order from a higher authority, and despite the follow-ups from his relatives over the past few days, this detained doctor has not yet been released. Peyman Darvishan, Yasser Rahmani-Rad's lawyer, previously told 'Emteda' that Rahmani-Rad is 'a charitable doctor who provided medical services without discrimination to injured individuals' due to 'the shooting of lead pellet bullets in various parts of the body' and especially 'encouraged those blinded as a result of gunfire to continue living.' According to reports received by Voice of America, Mr. Rahmani-Rad has been accused of 'spreading falsehoods and disturbing public opinion' due to posting content on social media, including a note about protesters who were injured in the eye following the shooting by Islamic Republic forces. This doctor had previously criticized the Islamic Republic for adopting 'Goebbels-like methods' and wrote on Instagram that this 'method and system have been tested by all dictators in history and have always led to their downfall.'