Zahra Tabari, a 67-year-old political prisoner currently held in Lakan Prison in Rasht, has issued a heartfelt message, urging the international community and all “awakened consciences” around the world to stand with the people of Iran and amplify the call for justice and freedom.
Zahra Tabari, a retired engineer from the Gilan Regional Electricity Company and mother of two, has been sentenced to death solely for possessing a banner inscribed with the slogan “Woman, Resistance, Freedom” and for keeping an unpublished audio file.
She was charged with “supporting the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI)” and condemned to death following a ten-minute court hearing.
Prior to this, she had already served one year of imprisonment under electronic surveillance.
In her recent audio message, Zahra Tabari referred to her death sentence, saying that she was condemned merely for being labeled “Baghi” — a term used by regime authorities to mean “rebel” or “protester”:
“Dear friends, this is a voice calling for justice and freedom. They sentenced me to death penalty just by a single word called Baghi.
This is just enough to sentence all those who are politically opposite or even with their own mental beliefs to this penalty. I applied for bail, but I don’t rely for further process reversed it. I rely on you as a jury member of my trial in Worldwide court hall. To me, it’s not a matter of saving lives of an individual but saving lives of many others.
This reminded me once a man, I think it was Neil Armstrong sent us a message far, far away from the earth. A small step for a man, a giant move for mankind, he said. Now I could tell just a small step for saving a life, carry us to a movement in order to condemn human rights violence in this world, in this corner of the world. So please raise your voice for justice and freedom on behalf of us. Thank you all.”
