19 Political Prisoners Executed in Iran in Advance of One-Year Anniversary of Ir
Shreen Ayob | 09.06.2010 01:30 | Repression | Social Struggles | World
The Islamic Republic of Iran has instigated another round of mass executions in an effort to terrorise the Iranian people in advance of the one-year anniversary of the ongoing Iranian uprising, June 12.
According to reliable human rights organization RAHANA, 26 people in Gezelhasar prison in Karaj, who had been charged with “drug-related offenses,” had been moved to solitary confinement in preparation for their imminent execution. On the morning of June 7 2010, 13 of these 26 prisoners were executed. 
http://www.rhairan.biz/en/?p=4212
On June 8, 6 more were executed.
The world's mainstream media, once again, is choosing to ignore pressures from human rights organisations and concerned individuals who want to give a voice to the voiceless.
It is not acceptable to wait until the noose has tightened around the neck of another innocent before we report on and publicly condemn these reprehensible actions.
Mission Free Iran, an international collective of activists campaigning for democracy in Iran, have called for urgent action.
http://missionfreeiran.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/june-executions/
NB. Image is not of executions reported in this article. Used under fair use copyright policy, from http://evan.verstory.com/2009/01/iran-hanging-photo
http://www.rhairan.biz/en/?p=4212 On June 8, 6 more were executed.
The world's mainstream media, once again, is choosing to ignore pressures from human rights organisations and concerned individuals who want to give a voice to the voiceless.
It is not acceptable to wait until the noose has tightened around the neck of another innocent before we report on and publicly condemn these reprehensible actions.
Mission Free Iran, an international collective of activists campaigning for democracy in Iran, have called for urgent action.
http://missionfreeiran.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/june-executions/ NB. Image is not of executions reported in this article. Used under fair use copyright policy, from
http://evan.verstory.com/2009/01/iran-hanging-photo
Shreen Ayob
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shreen.ayob@gmail.com
Homepage:
http://shreenayob.wordpress.com/
Comments
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Drug traffickers, not political prisoners
09.06.2010 21:33
"All 26, had been found guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced to death.
According to a RAHANA reporter, Ahmad Shahbakhah, Abdolhossein Soltanabadi, Masoud, Amir K, Kazem Tashtaki, Mohammad Azarfam, Mohammad Jafari, Nader Azarnoush, Sanjar Toutazehi and Baghi Amini are among the prisoners executed today. A number of the executed prisoners were first time offenders. According to attorney Mostafaie, even though the executed prisoners were arrested for possessing large amount of drugs, the Parole Board could have commuted their death sentences to life in prison.."
Since US involvement in Afghanistan, Iran has suffered a huge drug trafficking problem with hunderds of border policemen being killed by the drug traffiking gangs so the penalty is death. You might not agree with capital punishment, fair enough, but get your facts straight.
get facts straight
Drug offences *are* political
09.06.2010 22:48
The "War On Drugs" is political bullshit in the US and it's the same in all other countries too.
anon
politically-motivated, not neccessarily political-prisoners
10.06.2010 14:48
I appreciate that, but the reason I name them political prisoners is because of the dubious nature of the charges.
Often the Iranian regime is happy to arrest and execute people for simply peacefully protesting. In the meantime they charge them with bogus claims such as drug dealing to legitimise their actions. In this case, the accused have been charged with "drug related offenses" which is far too vague to draw much conclusion.
Alternatively, they could be genuine drug dealers but are being executed merely to frighten other Iranians in the run up to the anniversary of the protests. They are effectively being used as political tools.
The executions are politically-motivated, hence the title of the article. However I do see the misunderstanding, and apologise for any confusion caused by my wording. :)
Shreen
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shreen.ayob@googlemail.com
Charges not vague
11.06.2010 09:51
You state "Often the Iranian regime is happy to arrest and execute people for simply peacefully protesting" - this is simply not true, please give an example of where this has happened in the recent unrest following the elections.
get facts straight
...
12.06.2010 00:10
As for the executions:
Shreen
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shreen.ayob@googlemail.com
nothing to do with protests - they were in prison at the time
12.06.2010 04:13
Agreed the Amnesty press release is very misleading, in fact plain wrong, I dont know if they issued a subsequent correction. This one starts: "Amnesty International has condemned the execution of two men arrested during protests that followed Iran's disputed presidential election last year" which is clearly not true.
get facts straight
Amnesty update contradicts previous briefing
12.06.2010 04:51
In a 10 February 2010 Amnesty update they do admit the men were not protesters, having been arrested before the elections, and were charged with bomb making. This clearly contradicts their previous briefing..
"The two men executed in January, while arrested before last June's disputed presidential elections, were convicted of having links to the opposition group Anjoman-e Padshahi Iran (API - Kingdom Assembly of Iran) and of attempting to make explosives."
get facts straight
...
17.06.2010 19:51
Ok thankyou for the clarification, if it is possible I'll ammend the article to reflect.
Shreen
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shreen.ayob@googlemail.com
It must be noted
01.10.2010 12:21
Stephen Gates
e-mail:
sgates44@gmail.com
The author of this article
09.10.2010 20:43
Stephen Gates
e-mail:
sgates44@gmail.com