Letter from 45 Iranian activists to the UN Secretary-General: Your Reaction Can Stop the Execution Machine

The full letter and names of the signatories are as follows:

Your Excellency, Secretary António Guterrez,

“And the judges would strike off the head of the accused to prove there was no doubt in their judgment.” Ahmad Shamloo

We, the signatories of this letter, wish to draw your attention to the horrifying and disturbing reports that envelop are bloodied and troubled land since the epoch making “woman, life, freedom” movement emerged in all corners of this land:

1) The horrifying, hasty and extra-judicial execution of a 23-year-old protestor, Mohsen Shekari, resembled “kangaroo and war time courts.” His fate has plunged our country into deep shock and sorrow. This brave young man who joined protests to claim his right to bread  and freedom. For merely participating in the protests in Tehran, he was hastily condemned in an illegitimate Revolutionary Court, without a lawyer of his choice present, without an opportunity to defend himself, and in clear violation of the Islamic Republic’s laws, namely the constitution, Islamic Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, as well as international treaties and conventions to which Iran is a signatory to.

2) We, the undersigned, all of whom are fundamentally opposed to capital punishment for its cruel and inhumane nature, strongly condemn this murder and since Revolutionary Courts across Iran, especially Tehran, have issued death sentences for several protesters whose only crime is peaceful participation in the “woman, life, freedom” protests, with a view to immediately prevent these illegal and inhumane sentences from being implemented, which would make many families grief stricken, urgently ask your excellency, as the highest authority at this august institution, and as a man with a distinguished record in human rights, to use ever legal lever to mobilize the international community and draw on the awakened conscience of the world, to directly and immediately call on the Islamic Republic to cease issuing such sentences. Following the condemnation of Iran at the UN Human Rights Council, to demand that the Islamic Republic end the illegal judicial trials of protesters, from children to others,¬ and that in the future to act according to domestic law as well as international laws and standards, with independent lawyers present.

3) In all the cities of Iran, the trials of the protesters, guided by security and intelligence officials, takes place in special branches where the judges on duty are not only responsible for the extensive and explicit violation of the law and humanitarian norms, but issue shocking and horrifying verdicts which, sadly, violate their judicial oath.

4) We are confident that only your immediate reaction, that of world public opinion, as well as democratic governments in the free world, along with enlightened thinkers who love humanity, can we stop the execution and repression machine in Iran.

Signatories:

Nayereh Ansari, Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani, Hossein Ahmadi Niaz, Mohammad Olyaei Fard, Mahmood Amiry-Moghadam, Afsaneh Barzoui, Mahnaz Parakand, Nayrereh Tohidi, Fariba Tavakoli, Farkhunde Jabarzadegan, Mehdi Jalali, Ramezan Haji Mashhadi, Yalda Haddidi, Moin Khazaili, Hirbod Dehghani Azar, Saeed Dehghan, Hossein Raisi, Farzaneh Zilabi, Mohammad Seifzadeh, Iman Soleimani, Amir Soltani, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Masoud Shamsnejad, Golnaz Shahmirzadi, Mansoureh Shojaei, Nima Saaffar, Shirin Ebadi, Mohsen Emadi, Kazem Alamdari, Ramzanali Ali Pour, Parasto Forohar, Malek Farahat, Mahin Farahat, Mehrangiz Kar, Kazem Kardavani, Mahin Lotfian, Shirin Maleki, Ammar Maleki, Mohammad Moghimi, Azar Naimian, Mahtab Nasirpour, Marzieh Nikara, Elham Yousefian, Mohammad Yaqoubi