Jafar Kazemi and Mohammad Ali Haj-Aqai were hanged at dawn on the charge of “moharebeh”, or ‘waging war on God’, a direct result of their affiliation with the main Iranian opposition group People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI) and visiting their relatives in Camp Ashraf, Iraq.
The Tehran prosecutor’s office said the two men had distributed pictures and banners related to the PMOI and taken photos and films in anti-government protests as well as chanted slogans in favour of the group. It added that Mr. Kazemi had admitted putting up pictures supporting members of the PMOI as well as filming the street protests in Azadi (Freedom) Square and Enqelab (Revolution) Street in Tehran, and having interviewed families of some of the PMOI members in Camp Ashraf.
Today’s hangings follow the execution of Iran’s most prominent political prisoner, Ali Saremi, 63, who was hanged in December in Evin Prison after spending some 24 years behind bars. His only crime was to have visited his son in Camp Ashraf and peacefully campaigned in support of the PMOI.
By executing these innocent men, the mullahs’ brutal regime has shown that it is willing to violate even its own draconian laws. Innocent men, women and children are hanged both secretly and in public in a futile bid to contain the society’s simmering tensions and the will of millions of young Iranians to achieve regime change. The regime greatly fears the potential of the PMOI to mobilise Iranian youths to take part in anti-government protests. It fears Ashraf is seen as a beacon of hope inspiring millions in Iran who cry freedom.
The British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom calls on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to make urgent representations to ensure an immediate halt to the execution of other political prisoners in Iran, in particular those at urgent risk due to their ties with members of the opposition PMOI in Camp Ashraf.
British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom
24 January 2011