The silent murder of Baktash Abtin on January 7 has sparked outrage among prisoners and people. After this criminal murder by the Islamic regime many protest statements condemning the murder of Baktash Abtin, the poet and writer, and protesting against the dangerous situation of the prisoners in prisons of the Islamic regime in Iran, were published from inside and outside the prisons. The situation of prisoner’s health and safety has become the centre of the attention of all people, and has received global reflection.
On January 13, a number of political prisoners in Ward 8 went on a hunger strike to protest the murder of Baktash Abtin, the imprisoned writer and poet. There are reports of widespread protests among other prisoners too, including the two prisons in Greater Tehran and Qarchak.
Another event regarding the Islamic regime’s violation of basic human rights these days, was the decision of Barry Rosen an American citizen and former hostage in Iran, who went on hunger strike On 19 January in front of the nuclear talks’ venue in Vienna, emphasizing the release of all dual national hostages in Iran before any deal or agreement with the Islamic regime.
In solidarity with this protest movement, a number of political and social activists joined him and in addition, they demand the Islamic regime be condemned for the murder of Baktash Abtin and the inhumane conditions imposed on prisoners in Iran. They also insist on release of political prisoners in Iran. Nizar zakka, a Lebanese citizen who has been imprisoned in Iran for four years, Mina Ahadi, spokeswoman for the International Committee against the Death Penalty, Jamshid Barzegar, a well-known journalist and former board member of the Writers’ Association of Iran, Hassan Nayeb Hashem, a physician and human rights activist, and Fariba Davoodi Mohajer, a political activist, are among the people who have joined Barry Rosen and have started their protest action in Vienna.
What happened to Baktash Abtin these days, is another example of the countless crimes committed by the Islamic government in prisons. The murder of Shahrokh Zamani, a prominent labor activist in September 2015, and Mohammad Jarahi a worker activist are other examples. Mohammad Jarahi was imprisoned for 5 years, where he contracted a dangerous cancer and was prevented from receiving any treatment for long time. He was released when he was in a critical situation and died soon on October 4, 1996.
Let us not allow what happened to Baktash Abtin, this freedom-loving poet and writer, and other victims of the Regime, be repeated. Let’s stop the silent murder of prisoners, by a united and global protest.
Free Them Now (FTN) Campaign to free jailed workers in Iran, expresses its strong support for the protests of political prisoners and the sit-in and strike of the activists in Vienna.
The perpetrators of the murder of Baktash Abtin must be brought to justice. We should strive in any form to make delegations from humanitarian organizations to visit Iranian prisons. Members of the Writers’ Association who were arrested together with Baktash Abtin must be released immediately. All prisoners at risk of Covid 19, especially those in poor physical conditions and at greater risk, should be released immediately, and torture and ill-treatment of prisoners should be stopped. The deportation of prisoners should be stopped as a form of punishment and harassment of prisoners, any hostage-taking should be stopped and dual-citizen prisoners should be released immediately, and all security cases should be closed.
With our broad and global support, we can reduce the pressure on political prisoners so that they do not have to continue their hunger strike and put their lives in more danger. Be the loud voice of political prisoners around the world. All political prisoners must be released unconditionally.
The Islamic regime this regime of repression and crime must be boycotted worldwide and expelled from all international institutions.
Shahla Daneshfar, Spokesperson of Free Them Now (FTN)
February 1400, 22 January 2022