Joint Statement: Those arrested for the recent protests must be released immediately!
Many of our compatriots were killed, thousands were injured, and thousands more were detained and sent to prison during the violent onslaught of the Islamic Republic's repressive forces. All the evidence suggests that the detainees are being subjected to severe torture and pressure to substantiate allegations that could justify the bloody suppression of the protesters. The courts of the Islamic Republic have a long history of issuing heavy sentences to create a climate of intimidation and to destroy protesters' image based on completely fabricated confessions. Ali Khamenei, by labeling the protests a "deep conspiracy" and "extremely dangerous", enables the repressive institutions to continue to punish and detain protesters under iron fist policies; The Islamic Republic has been forcibly detaining protesters to elicit false confessions that support Khamenei's aforementioned scenario of organizing "outside" protests, thereby justifying an increase of their cruel attacks on the people.
The leaders of the Islamic Republic have repeatedly shown that they do not shy away from preserving their power at the expense of their constituents’ liberty. To the end of power preservation, the regime fills prisons and even kills their own people. They have continued to discursively reduce the protests to conspiracy by outsiders. Worker and teacher protests also have not been immune from government repression with such labels. In the Islamic Republic, those who corrupt and loot public property enjoy complete freedom, but people protesting against this exploitation of public property are vilified, labeled “the enemy,” and face repression and imprisonment.
Our organizations, together with the people of our country, strongly condemn the suppression of the uprising by the leaders of the Islamic Republic and express our deep sympathy with the families of the protesters, especially in light of the poor conditions in the prisons of the Islamic Republic.
We call on the United Nations and international human rights defenders to take immediate action to prevent the killing of protesters and the torture and persecution of detainees in Iran.
We emphasize that they must:
• Release all detainees arrested for recent protests, and all political, press, and civil prisoners;
• Retract the decision to increase gasoline prices, which has also led to higher prices for other consumer goods;
• Discontinue the country’s unofficial but pervasive martial law;
• Recognize the freedom of demonstration, assembly, and the freedom of expression and right to protest;
• Discontinue press censorship and intimidation of journalists by security agencies;
• The right to public access to the Internet and the free flow of information;
• Establish a fact-finding commission be set up under the auspices of the United Nations to investigate recent events and publicize the results of such investigations.
• Provide for the families of the injured and allow the victims of such mistreatment to access reparations
We, the four Iranian Secular Democratic and Republican Organizations, call on the people of our country to stand up for the fundamental rights of the Iranian people against invasions of the state; We call on all our compatriots, and human rights organizations and institutions to condemn the unjust imprisonment, killing and torture of Iranian people. By widely spreading the news of Iranian people’s struggles and protests, we can raise their voice against the authoritarian rule and repressive regime. By creating a solidarity network with the Iranian people’s protests, we are defending the Iranian people’s struggle against the dictatorship to achieve freedom, and the establishment of democracy and justice in Iran.
Executive Political Boards:
United Republicans of Iran
The Left Party of Iran (People’s Fadaiyan)
Iran National Front - organizations abroad
Union for Secular Republic and Human Rights in Iran
November, 27 2019
