Amnesty International Calls Iran to Release Tortured Protesters
Published by Ali on June 9, 2021
International Liberty Association: Amnesty International has issued a call for global pressure on the Iranian authorities, including the head of the judiciary, to release Navi Afkari’s brothers Vahid and Habib Afkari.
The human rights organization declared on Monday, 7 June, that Habib and Vahid Afkari must be held in conditions meeting international standards for the treatment of prisoners, including access to adequate health care and their families.
Vahid Afkari and Habib Afkari were convicted of “Enmity against God” and participation in anti-state street protests that took place in Shiraz, Fars province, between late December 2017 and early January 2018, and also between late July and early August 2018.
It should be mentioned that, Navid Afkari was executed in Adelabad Prison in September 2020 after being accused of killing a security guard during the protests. Before being hanged, he had filed a complaint stating that he had been tortured to provide the false confession that was used to convict him.
However, his death shocked and broke the hearts of Iranians and many politicians, famous athletes, and organizations across the world.
In addition, Habib has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison and Vahid to 25 years in prison. Both have also been sentenced to 74 lashes.
ILA: Amnesty International stated that “Vahid Afkari and Habib Afkari are being subjected to torture and other ill-treatment in Adelabad prison in Shiraz. Since September 2020, they have been held in windowless solitary confinement cells and denied access to adequate healthcare, fresh air, telephone calls and face to face family visits.”
“Authorities arbitrarily arrested them in 2018 after their participation in protests, forcibly disappeared them and repeatedly tortured them for months. They were sentenced to lengthy imprisonment after grossly unfair trials.”
