Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab from Qazal Hessar Prison: We Stand Firm on Our Demands and Aspirations

Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab, a civil rights activist imprisoned in Qazal Hessar Prison in Karaj, issued a statement on Friday, September 23, on the eve of the second anniversary of the nationwide protests in Iran, declaring that he and other political prisoners, along with those who have fought for years, remain steadfast in their goals and demands. In this statement, Ahmadi Raghab emphasized that this struggle is 'against tyranny, dictatorship, executions, false accusations, imprisonment, and violence,' stating: 'We want this cycle of violence to cease; we want there to be no executions, and for our land to become a land of peace, freedom, and humanity, just as it has been known for millennia as a land of knowledge and humanity.' This political prisoner added: 'We do not want the name of the Iranian people and Iranian civilization to be associated with terrorism, violence, executions, plunder, and looting.' Yashar Tabrizi's Telegram channel, a former political prisoner and civil rights activist, published a short statement from Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab, noting that he suffers from illnesses including hernia and knee arthritis and has not undergone hernia surgery since this year's Nowruz due to the obstruction of prison officials. Mr. Ahmadi Raghab, who is one of the signatories of 'Statement 14' calling for the resignation of Ali Khamenei and a transition from the Islamic Republic, was dismissed from his job due to his civil and human rights activities. He has been arrested multiple times before and has gone on hunger strikes in prison several times in protest against human rights violations in Iran. Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab was last arrested on March 7, 2023, when he intended to participate in a teachers' protest against the serial poisoning of students, and he was 'beaten' during his arrest. The judiciary of the Islamic Republic has sentenced this human rights activist to 'three years and nine months in prison.' Since then, Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab has faced renewed charges. Exclusive | Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab, political prisoner: The manifestation of law in Iran since Bahman 57 has been 'executions, violence, and repression.' Taher Naqvi's stomach bleeding in Evin; Sina Yousafi: The Islamic Republic 'creates opportunities for the death of prisoners.' Two political prisoners announced in a letter: 'The dictatorship system' seeks to convey a message of terror and repression to the protesting people.