According to the news we have received Ayub and Mosleh, 20 and 21 years old, are in danger of execution by stoning in the city of Piranshahr in the province of Kurdistan. The two young men are currently imprisoned in the city of Orumieh. They have been accused of having and filming homosexual relations. Pictures of President Ahmadinejad were incorporated into the film and loaded onto their mobile telephones. In additions, headshots of Khamenei pasted over a donkey were also found on the mobiles.
This film fell into the hands of the regime’s agents in Piranshahr who immediately ordered the young men’s execution by stoning to instill fear in the people of Iran. The news indicates that they will be stoned this Friday, Jan 21st 2011.
The International Committee Against Stoning calls for immediate action to protest the Islamic Regime’s medieval and brutal sentence against these two young men.
We particularly ask the people of Piranshahr to contact us immediately with further news about this case, and to prepare to prevent this heinous act. We urge the young people of Piranshahr to hasten to the aid of Ayub and Mosleh and declare that they will not permit this tragedy to occur in Piranshar. We must gather and collectively declare that we will not permit the Islamic Regime to murder and stone the youth of Iran in fear mongering acts.
We call on people everywhere to spread the news of the inhuman and medieval act against Ayub and Mosleh and do whatever they can to save them.
After the worldwide campaign against the stoning of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani that drove the Islamic Regime to a weakened position and brought the world out against the murderers of the Islamic Regime and against stoning, the Islamic Regime wants to show that it will not stop stoning and such depraved inhuman tactics. We must stand against stoning in Piranshahr.
The International Committee Against Stoning
Jan 16, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
It is time to act!
People of the World
It is time to Act
Let’s Bring an End to Executions
Free all Political Prisoners in Iran
The history of the Islamic regime of Iran is known to many; it is a history of darkness and suppression;
This is a regime of:
• Imposition of sexual apartheid
• Public lashing, torture and executions of its opponents and prisoners
• Imposition of medieval religious rules on 70 million people
• Stoning for sexual relations out of marriage
• Hostage taking of foreign nationals as a means of political bartering with other governments
• Execution of minors
• Denial of free thought and freedom of expression and belief
• Discrimination and appalling treatment of other religions, none-believers, humanists and atheists
• Imposition of the most barbaric labour law on working people justified by religious rules
• Active backing and arming of terrorist groups all over the world as the main pillar of its foreign policy
• Seeking nuclear weapons to be able to take the world hostage
• Arrest and imprisonment of lawyers for defending their clients
• and the list goes on and on
Now, to subdue the angry people of Iran, who are on the verge of mass revolt, the Islamic regime of Iran has intensified the execution of political prisoners and is announcing day after day lists of executions. In the last 3 weeks alone, it has carried out public executions of at least 50 people and most were allegedly for possession of drugs, the real ‘crimes’ are never known in the judicial system of the Islamic regime.
The intensification of public executions is a worrying development; the Islamic regime has a history of mass execution of political prisoners and on many occasions throwing in accusations of drug related activity, sexual deviancy, enmity with god and other made trump up charges as a means to silence and subdue the population. In 1988, the Islamic regime within a short period of time executed thousands of prisoners without any trial. (1) This can not happen again; that thousands of political prisoners and protesters are massacred and buried in unknown graves and the world remaining unaware of such atrocities. We will not allow this to be repeated.
In the past and on many occasions the world has come together to remove stains from human history; remember the global struggle and victory to put an end to the South Africa’s racial apartheid. Now is the time for the world to come together again and act to bring an end to a shame of 21st century and remove this stain that is the Islamic regime of Iran.
Many organizations and individuals have announced their serious concern about public executions and intensification of executions in Iran. Saturday 29th January 2011, has been declared as a day of global protest against executions and in defense of political prisoners in Iran.
We call on everyone to be part of this global day of protest and support the people of Iran. Solidarity with people of Iran and international pressure is a significant factor that helps people of Iran in their struggle to liberate themselves; protest works, remember the case of Sakineh Ashtiani!
1. Join or organize a protest in your city;
2. Let us know time and venue of your protest and action
3. publicize the news of the protest in your local paper, trade union and other organisations
4. Sign the declaration of the global day of action
5. Governments everywhere must come under pressure to break all diplomatic links with the Islamic regime of Iran
Sign the petition here.
Free all political prisoners
End capital punishment
International Committee Against Execution
January 15, 2011
http://notonemoreexecution.org/
http://stopstonningnow.com
Spokesperson: Mina Ahadi 0049 (0) 177 569 2413
(1) Geoffrey Robertson QC's report The Massacre of Political Prisoners in Iran 1988 can be downloaded here.
It is time to Act
Let’s Bring an End to Executions
Free all Political Prisoners in Iran
The history of the Islamic regime of Iran is known to many; it is a history of darkness and suppression;
This is a regime of:
• Imposition of sexual apartheid
• Public lashing, torture and executions of its opponents and prisoners
• Imposition of medieval religious rules on 70 million people
• Stoning for sexual relations out of marriage
• Hostage taking of foreign nationals as a means of political bartering with other governments
• Execution of minors
• Denial of free thought and freedom of expression and belief
• Discrimination and appalling treatment of other religions, none-believers, humanists and atheists
• Imposition of the most barbaric labour law on working people justified by religious rules
• Active backing and arming of terrorist groups all over the world as the main pillar of its foreign policy
• Seeking nuclear weapons to be able to take the world hostage
• Arrest and imprisonment of lawyers for defending their clients
• and the list goes on and on
Now, to subdue the angry people of Iran, who are on the verge of mass revolt, the Islamic regime of Iran has intensified the execution of political prisoners and is announcing day after day lists of executions. In the last 3 weeks alone, it has carried out public executions of at least 50 people and most were allegedly for possession of drugs, the real ‘crimes’ are never known in the judicial system of the Islamic regime.
The intensification of public executions is a worrying development; the Islamic regime has a history of mass execution of political prisoners and on many occasions throwing in accusations of drug related activity, sexual deviancy, enmity with god and other made trump up charges as a means to silence and subdue the population. In 1988, the Islamic regime within a short period of time executed thousands of prisoners without any trial. (1) This can not happen again; that thousands of political prisoners and protesters are massacred and buried in unknown graves and the world remaining unaware of such atrocities. We will not allow this to be repeated.
In the past and on many occasions the world has come together to remove stains from human history; remember the global struggle and victory to put an end to the South Africa’s racial apartheid. Now is the time for the world to come together again and act to bring an end to a shame of 21st century and remove this stain that is the Islamic regime of Iran.
Many organizations and individuals have announced their serious concern about public executions and intensification of executions in Iran. Saturday 29th January 2011, has been declared as a day of global protest against executions and in defense of political prisoners in Iran.
We call on everyone to be part of this global day of protest and support the people of Iran. Solidarity with people of Iran and international pressure is a significant factor that helps people of Iran in their struggle to liberate themselves; protest works, remember the case of Sakineh Ashtiani!
1. Join or organize a protest in your city;
2. Let us know time and venue of your protest and action
3. publicize the news of the protest in your local paper, trade union and other organisations
4. Sign the declaration of the global day of action
5. Governments everywhere must come under pressure to break all diplomatic links with the Islamic regime of Iran
Sign the petition here.
Free all political prisoners
End capital punishment
International Committee Against Execution
January 15, 2011
http://notonemoreexecution.org/
http://stopstonningnow.com
Spokesperson: Mina Ahadi 0049 (0) 177 569 2413
(1) Geoffrey Robertson QC's report The Massacre of Political Prisoners in Iran 1988 can be downloaded here.
Friday, January 14, 2011
In Defence of Political Prisoners & Against Executions in Iran - International Campaign
January 13, 2011
In Defence of Political Prisoners & Against Executions in Iran - International Campaign
Over the last three weeks alone the Islamic Republic of Iran has executed more than 50 people; among them several political prisoners.
Dozens of political prisoners have been sentenced to death; their execution imminent - like Jafar Kazemi and Zahra Bahrami. Many have been given hefty sentences - like lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh who has been sentenced to 11 years in prison and is banned from practicing law and leaving the country for 20 years.
Executions and repression have always been distinctive features of the Islamic regime in Iran; indeed they have been its most cherished tools of survival over the last 32 years.
It is no coincidence that with the ongoing and ever increasing pressure from the Iranian people against the regime, repression and executions of political prisoners, activists and the general public have been intensified.
No doubt, this carnage has only one aim: to terrorize and silence the people of Iran, to ensure the regime’s survival.
This wave of executions and repression is going to continue – unless we stop it.
In this atmosphere of terror, powerful urgent action at the international level to defend political prisoners and to prevent further executions is crucial. We have seen in the past that international attention and protests freed political prisoners and stopped executions.
Thus we are asking you to join the International Campaign in Defence of Political Prisoners and Against Executions in Iran.
Executions in Iran must stop! Political Prisoners must be released and their sentences revoked!
Join us and call for action on Saturday, 29 January 2011, a Day of International Protest. Please mark the day within your organisations, with your friends and colleagues. It could be a gathering, a protest, a letter, a march, a song or other things.
Please also take a moment to sign the declaration of support which can be found at
http://stopstonningnow.com/united/unite600.php?nr=22774802〈=en
and is currently available in English, Spanish, French, German, Farsi, Italian, and Dutch.
Dozens of Iranian opposition groups, organisations and individuals from across the globe have already joined the campaign and called for action on 29 January – we hope you will too.
International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning
For more information, contact: Mina Ahadi
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
http://notonemoreexecution.org
http://stopstonningnow.com
In Defence of Political Prisoners & Against Executions in Iran - International Campaign
Over the last three weeks alone the Islamic Republic of Iran has executed more than 50 people; among them several political prisoners.
Dozens of political prisoners have been sentenced to death; their execution imminent - like Jafar Kazemi and Zahra Bahrami. Many have been given hefty sentences - like lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh who has been sentenced to 11 years in prison and is banned from practicing law and leaving the country for 20 years.
Executions and repression have always been distinctive features of the Islamic regime in Iran; indeed they have been its most cherished tools of survival over the last 32 years.
It is no coincidence that with the ongoing and ever increasing pressure from the Iranian people against the regime, repression and executions of political prisoners, activists and the general public have been intensified.
No doubt, this carnage has only one aim: to terrorize and silence the people of Iran, to ensure the regime’s survival.
This wave of executions and repression is going to continue – unless we stop it.
In this atmosphere of terror, powerful urgent action at the international level to defend political prisoners and to prevent further executions is crucial. We have seen in the past that international attention and protests freed political prisoners and stopped executions.
Thus we are asking you to join the International Campaign in Defence of Political Prisoners and Against Executions in Iran.
Executions in Iran must stop! Political Prisoners must be released and their sentences revoked!
Join us and call for action on Saturday, 29 January 2011, a Day of International Protest. Please mark the day within your organisations, with your friends and colleagues. It could be a gathering, a protest, a letter, a march, a song or other things.
Please also take a moment to sign the declaration of support which can be found at
http://stopstonningnow.com/united/unite600.php?nr=22774802〈=en
and is currently available in English, Spanish, French, German, Farsi, Italian, and Dutch.
Dozens of Iranian opposition groups, organisations and individuals from across the globe have already joined the campaign and called for action on 29 January – we hope you will too.
International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning
For more information, contact: Mina Ahadi
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
http://notonemoreexecution.org
http://stopstonningnow.com
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Hold these dates of seminar, conference and event against Sharia law and Stoning and for Women's Rights
‘Enemies not Allies’ Seminar
26 January 2011, 18.30 – 20.00 (Registration begins at 18.00), Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL (Holborn Tube)
Bigots and neo-Nazis feigning to campaign for rights... ‘anti-racist’ groups promoting fascism... ‘anti-war’ rallies run by supporters of terrorism and dictatorship… Enough!
The One Law for All campaign is holding a seminar to expose how important debates including on Sharia law have been hijacked by the far-Right to promote their racist agenda, and by anti-racist and anti-war groups to defend Islamism, both at the expense of people’s rights and lives. The seminar will focus on: The British National Party, the English Defence League, Stop Islamisation of Europe (also Stop Islamization of America), the Stop the War Coalition, the Respect Party, and Unite Against Fascism.
Speakers at the seminar are Adam Barnett (One Law for All), Rahila Gupta (Women’s Rights Campaigner), Marieme Helie Lucas (Secularism is a Women’s Issue), Ghaffar Hussain (Quilliam Foundation), Douglas Murray (Centre for Social Cohesion), Maryam Namazie (One Law for All), and Shiraz Maher (International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation), with John Adams (Emeritus Professor at the University of Hertfordshire) to chair.
Entry fee: £5 individuals; £10 voluntary and statutory organisations. For booking form and speaker bios.
International Conference on Women’s Rights, Sharia Law and Secularism
12 March 2011, 10.00-19.00 hours, University of London Union, The Venue, Malet Street, London WC1E (Russell Square)
The one day conference to mark International Women’s Day will discuss the adverse impact of religious laws on the status of women.
Speakers include: Mina Ahadi (International Committee against Stoning), Karima Bennoune (Law Professor), Helle Merete Brix (Journalist), Nadia Geerts (Writer), Hammeda Hossain (South Asians for Human Rights), Monica Lanfranco (Journalist), Anne-marie Lizin (Honorary Speaker of Belgian Senate), Maryam Namazie (One Law for All and Iran Solidarity), Taslima Nasreen (Writer), Yasmin Rehman (Women’s Rights Activist), Nina Sankari (European Feminist Initiative Poland), Sohaila Sharifi (Equal Rights Now), Bahram Soroush (Civil Rights Activist), Daniel Salvatore Schiffer (Philosopher), Annie Sugier (la ligue du Droit International des Femmes), Anne Marie Waters (One Law for All), Linda Weil-Curiel (Lawyer), and Stasa Zajovic (Belgrade Women in Black).
Entry fee: £10 individuals; £3 unwaged and students. For booking form and speaker bios. The event is sponsored by the International Committee against Stoning, Iran Solidarity, Equal Rights Now and One Law for All.
Event against Stoning
9 July 2011, 14.00-17.30 hours, University of London Union, The Venue, Malet Street, London WC1E (Russell Square)
The Event against Stoning marks International Day against Stoning and will include a film screening of The Stoning of Soraya M followed by a panel discussion including with film director Cyrus Nowrasteh and campaigners Mina Ahadi and Maryam Namazie. The event will be dedicated to Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.
Entry fee: £10 individuals; £3 unwaged and students. For more information. The event is sponsored by the International Committee against Stoning, Iran Solidarity, Equal Rights Now and One Law for All.
Save your place now
To register for the above events, send a completed booking form along with a cheque made payable to One Law for All to BM Box 2387, London WC1N 3XX, UK or pay via Paypal. Donations are also welcome.
For more information, contact:
Maryam Namazie
Spokesperson
One Law for All
BM Box 2387
London WC1N 3XX
onelawforall@gmail.com
www.onelawforall.org.uk
26 January 2011, 18.30 – 20.00 (Registration begins at 18.00), Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL (Holborn Tube)
Bigots and neo-Nazis feigning to campaign for rights... ‘anti-racist’ groups promoting fascism... ‘anti-war’ rallies run by supporters of terrorism and dictatorship… Enough!
The One Law for All campaign is holding a seminar to expose how important debates including on Sharia law have been hijacked by the far-Right to promote their racist agenda, and by anti-racist and anti-war groups to defend Islamism, both at the expense of people’s rights and lives. The seminar will focus on: The British National Party, the English Defence League, Stop Islamisation of Europe (also Stop Islamization of America), the Stop the War Coalition, the Respect Party, and Unite Against Fascism.
Speakers at the seminar are Adam Barnett (One Law for All), Rahila Gupta (Women’s Rights Campaigner), Marieme Helie Lucas (Secularism is a Women’s Issue), Ghaffar Hussain (Quilliam Foundation), Douglas Murray (Centre for Social Cohesion), Maryam Namazie (One Law for All), and Shiraz Maher (International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation), with John Adams (Emeritus Professor at the University of Hertfordshire) to chair.
Entry fee: £5 individuals; £10 voluntary and statutory organisations. For booking form and speaker bios.
International Conference on Women’s Rights, Sharia Law and Secularism
12 March 2011, 10.00-19.00 hours, University of London Union, The Venue, Malet Street, London WC1E (Russell Square)
The one day conference to mark International Women’s Day will discuss the adverse impact of religious laws on the status of women.
Speakers include: Mina Ahadi (International Committee against Stoning), Karima Bennoune (Law Professor), Helle Merete Brix (Journalist), Nadia Geerts (Writer), Hammeda Hossain (South Asians for Human Rights), Monica Lanfranco (Journalist), Anne-marie Lizin (Honorary Speaker of Belgian Senate), Maryam Namazie (One Law for All and Iran Solidarity), Taslima Nasreen (Writer), Yasmin Rehman (Women’s Rights Activist), Nina Sankari (European Feminist Initiative Poland), Sohaila Sharifi (Equal Rights Now), Bahram Soroush (Civil Rights Activist), Daniel Salvatore Schiffer (Philosopher), Annie Sugier (la ligue du Droit International des Femmes), Anne Marie Waters (One Law for All), Linda Weil-Curiel (Lawyer), and Stasa Zajovic (Belgrade Women in Black).
Entry fee: £10 individuals; £3 unwaged and students. For booking form and speaker bios. The event is sponsored by the International Committee against Stoning, Iran Solidarity, Equal Rights Now and One Law for All.
Event against Stoning
9 July 2011, 14.00-17.30 hours, University of London Union, The Venue, Malet Street, London WC1E (Russell Square)
The Event against Stoning marks International Day against Stoning and will include a film screening of The Stoning of Soraya M followed by a panel discussion including with film director Cyrus Nowrasteh and campaigners Mina Ahadi and Maryam Namazie. The event will be dedicated to Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.
Entry fee: £10 individuals; £3 unwaged and students. For more information. The event is sponsored by the International Committee against Stoning, Iran Solidarity, Equal Rights Now and One Law for All.
Save your place now
To register for the above events, send a completed booking form along with a cheque made payable to One Law for All to BM Box 2387, London WC1N 3XX, UK or pay via Paypal. Donations are also welcome.
For more information, contact:
Maryam Namazie
Spokesperson
One Law for All
BM Box 2387
London WC1N 3XX
onelawforall@gmail.com
www.onelawforall.org.uk
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Is there nothing to learn from Sharia and the Stoning of Soraya M
Today I finally mustered up the courage to watch The Stoning of Soraya M after being in contact with the film's wonderful director Cyrus Nowrasteh. It's a heart wrenching account of one woman's life, the status of women in Iran and the brutalities of stoning and Sharia law. The stoning scene is one of those scenes that will leave anyone who watches it forever changed and hopefully more resolute in fighting to end stoning and Sharia law altogether.
On the same day - still reeling from the film - I received yet another rejection email from a funder saying amongst other things that one of the reasons for rejection was their "doubts" about "the absolute nature of the [One Law for All] campaign – is there nothing that British law can learn from Sharia courts?"
Whilst such statements no longer surprise me, I still cannot stop myself from being enranged at the ease with which the denial of the rights and freedoms of 'others' - those of supposedly different cultures and religions - are excused.
Perhaps I shouldn't have but I had to write back immediately and say: "All campaigns defending rights are absolutist in some sense. You cannot oppose torture and then believe that some forms of torture are alright. You can also not defend women’s rights if you believe that religious laws that deem women to be worth half that of a man have some merit."
I suggested in my response that the grant officer read our report on Sharia law in Britain to see why the law must be opposed, full stop. I'd also recommend that see The Stoning of Soraya M while he's at it.
On the same day - still reeling from the film - I received yet another rejection email from a funder saying amongst other things that one of the reasons for rejection was their "doubts" about "the absolute nature of the [One Law for All] campaign – is there nothing that British law can learn from Sharia courts?"
Whilst such statements no longer surprise me, I still cannot stop myself from being enranged at the ease with which the denial of the rights and freedoms of 'others' - those of supposedly different cultures and religions - are excused.
Perhaps I shouldn't have but I had to write back immediately and say: "All campaigns defending rights are absolutist in some sense. You cannot oppose torture and then believe that some forms of torture are alright. You can also not defend women’s rights if you believe that religious laws that deem women to be worth half that of a man have some merit."
I suggested in my response that the grant officer read our report on Sharia law in Britain to see why the law must be opposed, full stop. I'd also recommend that see The Stoning of Soraya M while he's at it.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Atheists and Agnostics Speak Out
See this video made by Hassan Radwan of the Council of Ex-Muslims and others in solidarity with those who are unable to renounce their religion in countries under Islamic laws:
Defend Political Prisoners; Protest Against Executions
The Islamic Republic has started a vicious wave of executions since two weeks ago against worker activists, political prisoners and the general public. We must stop it before it goes too far.
Currently available in English, Spanish, German, Farsi, Italian, and Dutch, please take a moment to sign the following declaration in defence of political prisoners and those on death row in Iran.
Sign petition here.
Defend Political Prisoners; Protest Against Executions
To subdue the angry people of Iran, who are on the verge of revolt, the Islamic regime of Iran has intensified the execution of political prisoners and is day after day announcing list of executions.
Recent successful protest in the city of Sanandaj backed by international outrage and campaign forced the Islamic regime to call off the execution of Habibolah Latifi. However the regime immediately executed two other prisoners, Ali Saremi and Ali Akbar Siyadat.
Millions are rightly outraged by these atrocities; it is important that the international campaign is coordinated and unified; We, the undersigned, therfore join this international protest and
1. Support the international campaign in support of the people of Iran to bring an end to executions and immediate release of all political prisoners. Capital punishment is an inhumane and must be ended.
2. Demand revoking of all execution orders;
3. Demand that all political prisoners, including students, worker activists, woman rights activists or anyone who has been imprisoned for their religious or non-religious views or sexuality are released immediately. Freedom of expression is a basic human right.
4. We condemn any appeasement of this regime and demand that all governments condemn these atrocities; break all diplomatic and political relations with the regime of Iran.
For more information, contact: Mina Ahadi
International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
http://notonemoreexecution.org
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/
Currently available in English, Spanish, German, Farsi, Italian, and Dutch, please take a moment to sign the following declaration in defence of political prisoners and those on death row in Iran.
Sign petition here.
Defend Political Prisoners; Protest Against Executions
To subdue the angry people of Iran, who are on the verge of revolt, the Islamic regime of Iran has intensified the execution of political prisoners and is day after day announcing list of executions.
Recent successful protest in the city of Sanandaj backed by international outrage and campaign forced the Islamic regime to call off the execution of Habibolah Latifi. However the regime immediately executed two other prisoners, Ali Saremi and Ali Akbar Siyadat.
Millions are rightly outraged by these atrocities; it is important that the international campaign is coordinated and unified; We, the undersigned, therfore join this international protest and
1. Support the international campaign in support of the people of Iran to bring an end to executions and immediate release of all political prisoners. Capital punishment is an inhumane and must be ended.
2. Demand revoking of all execution orders;
3. Demand that all political prisoners, including students, worker activists, woman rights activists or anyone who has been imprisoned for their religious or non-religious views or sexuality are released immediately. Freedom of expression is a basic human right.
4. We condemn any appeasement of this regime and demand that all governments condemn these atrocities; break all diplomatic and political relations with the regime of Iran.
For more information, contact: Mina Ahadi
International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
http://notonemoreexecution.org
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/
Saturday, January 08, 2011
Call on the UN
To United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, and to all member states of the UN:
In the 1980s, the Islamic Republic of Iran executed thousands upon thousands of political prisoners.
This mass-slaughter was among the worst crimes against humanity since the Second World War, a perspective espoused by Geoffrey Robertson, a 'distinguished jurist' member of the United Nations Justice Council.
It is true that many outside Iran did not know much about these mass murders, but the United Nations knew exactly what was happening inside Islamic Republic prisons. It knew about the mass slaughters. It knew about the secret burials. It knew about them immediately after they started. The United Nations willfully, intentionally ignored the slaughter of thousands upon thousands of political prisoners in Iran. Worse, the United Nations allowed its Special Representative, Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, to whitewash the situation in Iran, as is clearly documented in Robertson's report on the prison massacres of 1988.
The United Nations, through its malignant neglect of the mass executions, tortures, and political imprisonments, and in shameful contradiction to its responsibility and mandate, gave the Islamic Republic official permission to continue its crimes against humanity with impunity. The United Nations was documentably complicit in those crimes against humanity.
And as a result of the UN's permissiveness and complicity in the Islamic Republic's crimes against humanity, so these crimes have continued to this day.
The Islamic Republic is still executing prisoners en masse, including political prisoners. And the UN has done nothing. The Islamic Republic couldn't execute Sakineh, so they killed Shahla Jahed instead. And the UN has said nothing. The Islamic Republic couldn't execute Habibollah Latifi, so they killed Ali Saremi and Ali-Akbar Siadat instead. And the UN has said nothing. In the face of the arrest of thousands in the wake of the 2009 uprisings, once again, the United Nations and its constituent governments do functionally nothing beyond issuing yet another "condemnation" of the atrocities of this criminal entity, the Islamic Republic of Iran - an entity which is a member state of the UN and which is bound by UN conventions including the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
It is time for the UN to stop issuing toothless, inactionable condemnations of this regime’s atrocities – condemnations that become meaningless the moment those for whom rape is a national policy, and gender apartheid a pillar of its constitution, are welcomed onto the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Condemnations that ring absurd the instant those who jail, torture and execute labor activists are given leave to set foot in the meetings of the International Labor Organization. Condemnations that become duplicitous the second that the German government defends the regime of mass-murderers by smashing the bones of Iranian opposition members crying out for freedom and justice. Condemnations that ring hollow as the Greek government repeatedly, cravenly sends its forces to attack Iranian political asylum seekers.
In the name of Habibollah Latifi, at risk of execution at any moment, Ja’afar Kazemi, Zeinab Jalalian, Yusef Nadarkhani, Shirko Maarefi, Hossein Khezri and many other political prisoners awaiting death in the regime’s torture houses while the United Nations fails to substantively, diplomatically sanction this regime;
In the name of Ali Saremi, Farzad Kamangar, Shirin Alam Houli, Mohsen Beikvand, Mona Mahmudinezhad, and tens of thousands of other political prisoners already killed, executed en masse while the UN has stood by, watching these crimes against humanity unfolding and doing nothing;
In the name of 500 nameless, paperless human beings slaughtered like animals in Vakil Abad prison in the past few months by this most monstrous of regimes, yet for whom no government - nor the United Nations - has yet raised an inquiry;
In the name of all political prisoners in the Islamic Republic's torture houses: in the name of Nasrin Sotoudeh, Kamiar and Arash Alaei, Zahra Kazemi, Behrouz Javid Tehrani, Houtan Javid Kian, Reza Shahabi, Mansour Osanloo, Behnam Ebrahim-Zadeh;
In the name of the oceans of women and men, our sisters and brothers, who poured into the streets of Iran last year demanding freedom, equality, and a humane society, yet who were met with violence of barbaric proportions, detention, torture, rape and execution while the UN and its constituent governments watched and worried... not about the regime's killings but about how to engage with Iran over its nuclear program;
We demand that the United Nations cease mouthing words without meaning, and start acting in support of the rights of Iranian people. It is time, once and for all, to withdraw your implicit and explicit support for this mass-murdering regime.
We demand immediate and mandatory free access of representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross to all prisons of the Islamic Republic, and first and foremost Evin and Rajaei Shahr (Gohardasht).
We demand unconditional and immediate release of all political prisoners.
We demand that the United Nations expel from its membership the Islamic Republic of rape, torture, stoning and execution, which has repeatedly and unabashedly violated virtually every principle in the UN Charter, not to mention the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Anything less is a betrayal of the people of Iran, and a signal that the Islamic Republic has the UN's blessing to continue the slaughter and mass repression of 75 million Iranian people.
It is time for the UN to take appropriate action by refusing to further legitimize this regime.
It is time for the UN to expel the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mina Ahadi
Spokesperson of
International Committee Against Execution www.notonemoreexecution.org
International Committee Against Stoning www.stopstonningnow.com
Minaahadi@aol.com 0049 (0) 177 569 2413
Shiva Mahbobi: former political prisoner , spokesperson for Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI).
http://www.iranpoliticalprisoners.com/
Tel: +44 (0) 7572356661
Shahla Daneshfar: Campaign co-ordinator for “Campaign to free JAILED WORKERS in IRAN”
http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/
shahla_daneshfar@yahoo.com
Tel:0044 (0)777 98 98 968
Patty Debonitas
Iran Solidarity Spokesperson
http://iransolidarity.org.uk
iransolidarity@rocketmail.com
Tel: 0044 (0) 7507978745
In the 1980s, the Islamic Republic of Iran executed thousands upon thousands of political prisoners.
This mass-slaughter was among the worst crimes against humanity since the Second World War, a perspective espoused by Geoffrey Robertson, a 'distinguished jurist' member of the United Nations Justice Council.
It is true that many outside Iran did not know much about these mass murders, but the United Nations knew exactly what was happening inside Islamic Republic prisons. It knew about the mass slaughters. It knew about the secret burials. It knew about them immediately after they started. The United Nations willfully, intentionally ignored the slaughter of thousands upon thousands of political prisoners in Iran. Worse, the United Nations allowed its Special Representative, Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, to whitewash the situation in Iran, as is clearly documented in Robertson's report on the prison massacres of 1988.
The United Nations, through its malignant neglect of the mass executions, tortures, and political imprisonments, and in shameful contradiction to its responsibility and mandate, gave the Islamic Republic official permission to continue its crimes against humanity with impunity. The United Nations was documentably complicit in those crimes against humanity.
And as a result of the UN's permissiveness and complicity in the Islamic Republic's crimes against humanity, so these crimes have continued to this day.
The Islamic Republic is still executing prisoners en masse, including political prisoners. And the UN has done nothing. The Islamic Republic couldn't execute Sakineh, so they killed Shahla Jahed instead. And the UN has said nothing. The Islamic Republic couldn't execute Habibollah Latifi, so they killed Ali Saremi and Ali-Akbar Siadat instead. And the UN has said nothing. In the face of the arrest of thousands in the wake of the 2009 uprisings, once again, the United Nations and its constituent governments do functionally nothing beyond issuing yet another "condemnation" of the atrocities of this criminal entity, the Islamic Republic of Iran - an entity which is a member state of the UN and which is bound by UN conventions including the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
It is time for the UN to stop issuing toothless, inactionable condemnations of this regime’s atrocities – condemnations that become meaningless the moment those for whom rape is a national policy, and gender apartheid a pillar of its constitution, are welcomed onto the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Condemnations that ring absurd the instant those who jail, torture and execute labor activists are given leave to set foot in the meetings of the International Labor Organization. Condemnations that become duplicitous the second that the German government defends the regime of mass-murderers by smashing the bones of Iranian opposition members crying out for freedom and justice. Condemnations that ring hollow as the Greek government repeatedly, cravenly sends its forces to attack Iranian political asylum seekers.
In the name of Habibollah Latifi, at risk of execution at any moment, Ja’afar Kazemi, Zeinab Jalalian, Yusef Nadarkhani, Shirko Maarefi, Hossein Khezri and many other political prisoners awaiting death in the regime’s torture houses while the United Nations fails to substantively, diplomatically sanction this regime;
In the name of Ali Saremi, Farzad Kamangar, Shirin Alam Houli, Mohsen Beikvand, Mona Mahmudinezhad, and tens of thousands of other political prisoners already killed, executed en masse while the UN has stood by, watching these crimes against humanity unfolding and doing nothing;
In the name of 500 nameless, paperless human beings slaughtered like animals in Vakil Abad prison in the past few months by this most monstrous of regimes, yet for whom no government - nor the United Nations - has yet raised an inquiry;
In the name of all political prisoners in the Islamic Republic's torture houses: in the name of Nasrin Sotoudeh, Kamiar and Arash Alaei, Zahra Kazemi, Behrouz Javid Tehrani, Houtan Javid Kian, Reza Shahabi, Mansour Osanloo, Behnam Ebrahim-Zadeh;
In the name of the oceans of women and men, our sisters and brothers, who poured into the streets of Iran last year demanding freedom, equality, and a humane society, yet who were met with violence of barbaric proportions, detention, torture, rape and execution while the UN and its constituent governments watched and worried... not about the regime's killings but about how to engage with Iran over its nuclear program;
We demand that the United Nations cease mouthing words without meaning, and start acting in support of the rights of Iranian people. It is time, once and for all, to withdraw your implicit and explicit support for this mass-murdering regime.
We demand immediate and mandatory free access of representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross to all prisons of the Islamic Republic, and first and foremost Evin and Rajaei Shahr (Gohardasht).
We demand unconditional and immediate release of all political prisoners.
We demand that the United Nations expel from its membership the Islamic Republic of rape, torture, stoning and execution, which has repeatedly and unabashedly violated virtually every principle in the UN Charter, not to mention the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Anything less is a betrayal of the people of Iran, and a signal that the Islamic Republic has the UN's blessing to continue the slaughter and mass repression of 75 million Iranian people.
It is time for the UN to take appropriate action by refusing to further legitimize this regime.
It is time for the UN to expel the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mina Ahadi
Spokesperson of
International Committee Against Execution www.notonemoreexecution.org
International Committee Against Stoning www.stopstonningnow.com
Minaahadi@aol.com 0049 (0) 177 569 2413
Shiva Mahbobi: former political prisoner , spokesperson for Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI).
http://www.iranpoliticalprisoners.com/
Tel: +44 (0) 7572356661
Shahla Daneshfar: Campaign co-ordinator for “Campaign to free JAILED WORKERS in IRAN”
http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/
shahla_daneshfar@yahoo.com
Tel:0044 (0)777 98 98 968
Patty Debonitas
Iran Solidarity Spokesperson
http://iransolidarity.org.uk
iransolidarity@rocketmail.com
Tel: 0044 (0) 7507978745
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Gazan youth brighten up my miserable New Year
Read about a manifesto issued by some youth in the Gaza below and here.
"Fuck Hamas. Fuck Israel. Fuck Fatah. Fuck UN. Fuck UNWRA. Fuck USA! We, the youth in Gaza, are so fed up with Israel, Hamas, the occupation, the violations of human rights and the indifference of the international community!
"We want to scream and break this wall of silence, injustice and indifference like the Israeli F16s breaking the wall of sound; scream with all the power in our souls in order to release this immense frustration that consumes us because of this fucking situation we live in...
"We are sick of being caught in this political struggle; sick of coal-dark nights with airplanes circling above our homes; sick of innocent farmers getting shot in the buffer zone because they are taking care of their lands; sick of bearded guys walking around with their guns abusing their power, beating up or incarcerating young people demonstrating for what they believe in; sick of the wall of shame that separates us from the rest of our country and keeps us imprisoned in a stamp-sized piece of land; sick of being portrayed as terrorists, home-made fanatics with explosives in our pockets and evil in our eyes; sick of the indifference we meet from the international community, the so-called experts in expressing concerns and drafting resolutions but cowards in enforcing anything they agree on; we are sick and tired of living a shitty life, being kept in jail by Israel, beaten up by Hamas and completely ignored by the rest of the world.
"There is a revolution growing inside of us, an immense dissatisfaction and frustration that will destroy us unless we find a way of canalising this energy into something that can challenge the status quo and give us some kind of hope.
"We barely survived the Operation Cast Lead, where Israel very effectively bombed the shit out of us, destroying thousands of homes and even more lives and dreams. During the war we got the unmistakable feeling that Israel wanted to erase us from the face of the Earth. During the last years, Hamas has been doing all they can to control our thoughts, behaviour and aspirations. Here in Gaza we are scared of being incarcerated, interrogated, hit, tortured, bombed, killed. We cannot move as we want, say what we want, do what we want.
"ENOUGH! Enough pain, enough tears, enough suffering, enough control, limitations, unjust justifications, terror, torture, excuses, bombings, sleepless nights, dead civilians, black memories, bleak future, heart-aching present, disturbed politics, fanatic politicians, religious bullshit, enough incarceration! WE SAY STOP! This is not the future we want! We want to be free. We want to be able to live a normal life. We want peace. Is that too much to ask?"
How absolutely brilliant.
Sums it up in a nutshell and has really brightened what is fast becoming my most miserable New Year.
"Fuck Hamas. Fuck Israel. Fuck Fatah. Fuck UN. Fuck UNWRA. Fuck USA! We, the youth in Gaza, are so fed up with Israel, Hamas, the occupation, the violations of human rights and the indifference of the international community!
"We want to scream and break this wall of silence, injustice and indifference like the Israeli F16s breaking the wall of sound; scream with all the power in our souls in order to release this immense frustration that consumes us because of this fucking situation we live in...
"We are sick of being caught in this political struggle; sick of coal-dark nights with airplanes circling above our homes; sick of innocent farmers getting shot in the buffer zone because they are taking care of their lands; sick of bearded guys walking around with their guns abusing their power, beating up or incarcerating young people demonstrating for what they believe in; sick of the wall of shame that separates us from the rest of our country and keeps us imprisoned in a stamp-sized piece of land; sick of being portrayed as terrorists, home-made fanatics with explosives in our pockets and evil in our eyes; sick of the indifference we meet from the international community, the so-called experts in expressing concerns and drafting resolutions but cowards in enforcing anything they agree on; we are sick and tired of living a shitty life, being kept in jail by Israel, beaten up by Hamas and completely ignored by the rest of the world.
"There is a revolution growing inside of us, an immense dissatisfaction and frustration that will destroy us unless we find a way of canalising this energy into something that can challenge the status quo and give us some kind of hope.
"We barely survived the Operation Cast Lead, where Israel very effectively bombed the shit out of us, destroying thousands of homes and even more lives and dreams. During the war we got the unmistakable feeling that Israel wanted to erase us from the face of the Earth. During the last years, Hamas has been doing all they can to control our thoughts, behaviour and aspirations. Here in Gaza we are scared of being incarcerated, interrogated, hit, tortured, bombed, killed. We cannot move as we want, say what we want, do what we want.
"ENOUGH! Enough pain, enough tears, enough suffering, enough control, limitations, unjust justifications, terror, torture, excuses, bombings, sleepless nights, dead civilians, black memories, bleak future, heart-aching present, disturbed politics, fanatic politicians, religious bullshit, enough incarceration! WE SAY STOP! This is not the future we want! We want to be free. We want to be able to live a normal life. We want peace. Is that too much to ask?"
How absolutely brilliant.
Sums it up in a nutshell and has really brightened what is fast becoming my most miserable New Year.
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Sajjad is Freed, and Pleads for Clemency in His Mother's Case
PR 115
January 1, 2011
Sajjad is Freed, and Pleads for Clemency in His Mother's Case
Sakineh, Houtan and the Two German Journalists Should Be Released Immediately
According to the news that has been disseminated by different media outlets, the son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, who was released on bail from Tabriz prison, told the foreign mass media today, January 1st, that he hopes for clemency with regard to his mother's sentence of stoning and execution. Sajjad, under pressure from 3 months of solitary confinement, torture, and threats, denied of the right to any lawyer or any connection to the outside world, was forced to speak against his mother and told the foreign reporters that Sakineh has had a hand in his father's death. This [forced confessions] is the way the Islamic Republic has behaved towards prisoners for decades, and today, not only people in Iran but many across the world are familiar with this inhumane practice of the Islamic Republic.
The Islamic Republic, confronted by the powerful international campaign to save Sakineh, suspended [indefinitely] Sakineh's stoning sentence, but still is seeking an opportunity to execute her. The danger of execution still threatens Sakineh, and especially in the current situation, when the Islamic Republic has resorted to implementing an increasing number of executions, the danger of Sakineh's execution is more acute than ever.
The International Committees against Execution and Stoning once again strongly condemn the Islamic Republic's forced confessions from prisoners, demands commutation of Sakineh's execution sentence, and demands immediate unconditional release of Sakineh, Sakineh's lawyer Houtan Kian, and the two German journalists. Any kind of bail and fabricated case against Sajjad should be canceled and annuled.
Once again, we call upon the people of the world to enter the arena and, in whatever possible form, pressure the Islamic Republic to rescue Sakineh and free all political prisoners.
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
Spokesperson: Mina Ahadi minaahadi@aol.com 0049-177-569-2413
January 1, 2011
Sajjad is Freed, and Pleads for Clemency in His Mother's Case
Sakineh, Houtan and the Two German Journalists Should Be Released Immediately
According to the news that has been disseminated by different media outlets, the son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, who was released on bail from Tabriz prison, told the foreign mass media today, January 1st, that he hopes for clemency with regard to his mother's sentence of stoning and execution. Sajjad, under pressure from 3 months of solitary confinement, torture, and threats, denied of the right to any lawyer or any connection to the outside world, was forced to speak against his mother and told the foreign reporters that Sakineh has had a hand in his father's death. This [forced confessions] is the way the Islamic Republic has behaved towards prisoners for decades, and today, not only people in Iran but many across the world are familiar with this inhumane practice of the Islamic Republic.
The Islamic Republic, confronted by the powerful international campaign to save Sakineh, suspended [indefinitely] Sakineh's stoning sentence, but still is seeking an opportunity to execute her. The danger of execution still threatens Sakineh, and especially in the current situation, when the Islamic Republic has resorted to implementing an increasing number of executions, the danger of Sakineh's execution is more acute than ever.
The International Committees against Execution and Stoning once again strongly condemn the Islamic Republic's forced confessions from prisoners, demands commutation of Sakineh's execution sentence, and demands immediate unconditional release of Sakineh, Sakineh's lawyer Houtan Kian, and the two German journalists. Any kind of bail and fabricated case against Sajjad should be canceled and annuled.
Once again, we call upon the people of the world to enter the arena and, in whatever possible form, pressure the Islamic Republic to rescue Sakineh and free all political prisoners.
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
Spokesperson: Mina Ahadi minaahadi@aol.com 0049-177-569-2413
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