Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, October 10, 2020—Political prisoners in the notorious Evin Prison of Tehran, the capital of Iran, issued a statement marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty. The text reads in part:
“On the verge of the World Day Against the Death Penalty on October 10, we are still witnessing the continuation of executions in prisons across our country, and the mullahs’ regime is the world record holder for executions per capita.
“The execution of more than 30,000 political prisoners in the summer of 1988, which was carried out in accordance with [Ruhollah] Khomeini’s (then regime’s supreme leader) fatwa, clearly demonstrates the bloodthirsty nature of this regime in using this heinous act to stifle any voices of uprising and protest.
“Therefore, all the perpetrators of the 1988 massacre, including, Ebrahim Raisi (the regime’s current judiciary chief), Mostafa Pourmohammadi, Hossein Ali Nayeri, Mohammad Moghiseh and all those who played a role in these crimes, must be held accountable and brought to justice.
“Since the death penalty is an inseparable part of the nature of this inhuman and criminal regime, any serious action and struggle for the abolition of this inhuman punishment is only possible through the regime’s overthrow.”
Political prisoners in Gohardasht Prison of Karaj, a large city west of Tehran, also issued a message marking World Day Against the Death Penalty:
“The inhuman mullahs’ regime ruling Iran executed wrestling champion Navid Afkari out of desperation and in order to install fear among protesters across the country.
“In paragraph 3 of her ten-point plan, Madam Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), promises to abolish the inhuman and criminal death sentence in a future Iran.”
Political prisoners in Karaj Central Prison also issued a message marking World Day Against the Death Penalty:
“On October 10, it is our duty to declare our opposition to the death penalty and torture with the strongest and loudest cry possible.
“In the last forty years, the use of torture and executions by the mullahs’ regime have displayed the ugliest period in Iran’s history. Now, appointing a high-ranking official involved in the regime’s crime as the head of the judiciary, who proudly defends his criminal activities (Ebrahim Raisi), is just an insult to humanity.
“The use of torture and executions between 1981 and 1988, and recent executions in various prisons across Iran make us determined in saying no to torture and execution in a future Iran.”
Political prisoners in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary also issued a message marking World Day Against the Death Penalty:
“We, the political prisoners of the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, condemn the death penalty in Iran and call for an Iran free of executions and torture. For forty years the mullahs’ regime has maintained its rule over Iran through the use of gallows and firing squads.
“Navid Afkari and Mostafa Salehi, were hanged after the regime killed 1,500 in the streets of Iranian cities during the nationwide November 2019 uprising. The regime did not stop there and confiscated the home of Mostafa Salehi’s wife and two small kids.
“We, who have often experienced on the regime’s crimes with our own flesh and blood, want a free Iran without executions.”
Global condemnation
Marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty, many human rights organizations, including Reporters Without Borders are urging the regime to halt all executions.
On Thursday, October 8, a virtual held on the occasion of the World Day Against Death Penalty, NCRI President Maryam Rajavi said, “The World Day Against the Death Penalty challenges the world community over its policy towards the murderers ruling Iran.” Madam Rajavi reminded the attendants of the regime’s crimes against humanity and added, “The Iranian people’s desire is this: Form an international fact-finding mission; examine the ample documents, footages and evidence of these crimes, particularly the 1988 massacre and the November 2019 bloodbath; send the dossier on these major crimes to the UN Security Council. All elements are there for the prosecution of the bloodthirsty mullah at the helm and other leaders of the clerical regime.”
