Political Prisoner’s Statement on Execution Order of Saremi

n the memory of God
Salute to all those who lost their lives for freedom.
Hello to all freedom-loving, democratic, and benevolent humans in the world, and reaffirmation of my pact with all Iranian republican democrats and secularists.

I announce to all my fellow countrymen that I was the prison inmate of Hojat Zamani, who lost his life for the freedom of our country.

In the winter of the year that I was serving my exile term in the central prison of Bandar Abbas in the Hormozgan province, which corresponded to the Ashura period, I was shocked to hear the news of the unjust hanging of this 27 year old youth.

Now, in the winter of 2010, again corresponding to Ashura, I was notified that the 62 year old Mr. Ali Saremi, another one of my prison inmates in the Rajaei Shahr prison in section 4, has been sentenced to death by the 15th branch of the Revolutionary Court under Judge Salvati.

In addition to condemning such cruel verdicts from the courts of the regime, I will emphasize that solitary confinement, imprisonment, torture, exile, and even execution, has never had and will never have any effect on the strong will of those fighting for freedom and democracy in all countries that have been under the rule of a dictatorship.

Issuing sentences like these only sadly reinforces the righteousness of all those who fight for freedom, and in our country, too, only further disgraces the regime of the Supreme Leader.

Despite this, in view of the current situation of the country, with the regime facing various political, economic, social, and cultural crises, and the lack of internal and international validity of the regime, I fear that the logic which led to the dark decade of the 80’s, which started with scattered executions and ended with mass murder of the political prisoners in the summer of ‘89, is again being used by the power-stricken clergies. The plan to kill political prisoners, social and cultural activists, especially the youth and students, both inside and outside of the country, is very likely.

Thus I hold out my hopeful hands from the Rajaei Shahr prison to all freedom-loving and democratic people in the world and all international organizations of human rights. The respected Secretary-General of the United Nations is especially expected to think of a solution before another disaster strikes in this dangerous situation.

He who
defends the flowers
with the loudest voice
is greater than
to die with death
in the pool of his own burning blood

Arjang Davood, teacher, poet, writer, political prisoner
Rajaei Shahr Prison

Translation: Banafsheh B., Persian2English.co