An open letter to Iran’s political prisoners, trapped ‘between two blades of a scissors’
On one side, you face the domination of the Islamic Republic; on the other, the imperialist forces that republic claims to stand against
TL;DR
- The letter marks anniversaries of significant events in Iran, including the 1988 mass executions and the 1953 coup, linking them to current repression.
- Political prisoners in Iran are described as being 'stuck between the two blades of a scissors' - the oppressive Islamic Republic and aggressive imperialist forces.
- The authors, including former political prisoners and scholars, condemn torture, sham trials, executions, and systematic neglect within Iran's prisons.
- They criticize the US and Israel for instigating wars, destroying infrastructure, and treating Iranians as collateral damage.
- The letter draws parallels between carceral systems in Iran, the US (ICE detention centers), and Israel (administrative detention of Palestinians), noting shared techniques and a common goal of silencing dissent.
- A call is made for global civil society and anti-imperialist activists to offer unconditional support to Iranian political prisoners, challenge the regime's narrative, and demand an end to executions.
- The Iranian authorities are urged to stop death and incarceration, while the US and Israel are called to end wars and sanctions.