In the past few months, following the subsiding of the Jina uprising, the Islamic Republic has carried out numerous executions in various prisons. Many of those executed, particularly in recent weeks, had previously been sentenced to death for non-political offenses but had their execution date delayed indefinitely until now. Even those accused of non-political crimes often make forced confessions after torture while imprisoned and awaiting trial. Consequently, they are put on trial and sentenced in a court that deprives them of the basic rights afforded by the Islamic Republic. These kangaroo courts are used as propaganda by the Islamic Republic, who labels them as petty “criminals” and “murderers.”
The following is a collective statement by workers in Southern Iran against the recent executions.
“Is there not a necessity for deeply reflecting upon an alteration of the system that breeds these crimes instead of glorifying the hangman who executes a lot of criminals to make room only for the supply of new ones?” Karl Marx, 1853, Capital Punishment. New-York Daily Tribune, February 17-18, 1853.
As a group of workers in Asaluyeh and the southern region of the country, we strongly condemn the recent wave of criminal executions. We demand an immediate halt to these inhumane acts and the dismantling of this inhuman criminal system.
In relation to this matter, we must remember that since the 1980s and throughout the reformist government, the Islamic Republic has hypocritically thirsted for justice while denying its shameful past of shedding workers’ blood and inflicting suffering on their children. Figures such as Mr. Tajzadeh and Mrs. Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani contribute to the existing problem.
As workers, we demand an end to the spectacle of show (fake) trials. We firmly believe that the accusations against the defendants should be thoroughly investigated without any form of pressure or torture. We demand that any confessions previously obtained under duress are invalidated. It is imperative to provide comprehensive evidence, including documentation, videos, and witness testimonies, when trying a person. Furthermore, the right of the accused to legal representation should be respected, and the court proceedings should be held publicly, with the presence of the appointed lawyer and a jury to oversee the case.
We vehemently call for the end of capital punishment!
A group of workers from Asaluyeh and the southern region of the country.
* Photo by Peg Averill titled Capital Punishment—courtesy of Justseeds websites.
Comment here