More than 4000 prominent political and social figures, including elected representatives, university professors, educators, lawyers, judges, authors, artists, leaders of non-governmental organizations and associations, physicians, nurses, healthcare workers, corporate executives, business owners, and concerned citizens from 62 countries across five continents, have signed a joint statement opposing the death sentence issued against Arghavan Fallahi.
The signatories hail from France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Belgium, Italy, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Germany, extending beyond Europe and North America to Australia, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Morocco, Senegal, Cameroon, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, New Zealand, Mauritius, Singapore, Thailand, China, among others.
They urged international bodies and human rights organizations to take immediate action to end executions in Iran. Specifically, they called for an end to capital punishment for political prisoners and uprising protesters, while explicitly demanding an immediate halt to the execution of 25-year-old political prisoner and PMOI/MEK supporter Arghavan Fallahi.
Among the signatories are 172 prominent political figures, ranging from European and national parliamentarians to former government ministers, officials, lawmakers, and local elected officials.
In accompanying messages, numerous signatories emphasized that no one should face the death penalty for holding or expressing dissident political views, condemning capital punishment as unacceptable and urging the international community not to remain silent in the face of these abuses. Many more expanded their demands beyond a single prisoner, calling for the unconditional release of all political prisoners and detained protesters in Iran.
Notable expressions of support for the statement follow:
- A women’s rights activist from India: “Stop killing young innocent persons branding them anti-national and terrorists.”
- A signatory from Italy: “There are thousands of young political prisoners like her in Iran. I urge us all to join forces to save them from execution and bring them back to the arms of their families.”
- A university professor from Canada: “No to execution! Capital punishment is state-sponsored murder!”
- A signatory from Portugal: “To execute women or any persons because the way they think will only increase the hate against the politics of Iran and many others will need to fight against this injustice.”
Three signatories from the United Kingdom:
- ” We call upon the United Nations, its Member States, and international human rights organizations to take immediate action to overturn the death sentence of Arghavan Fallahi and other political prisoners sentenced to death.”
- ” Under international law mass extrajudicial killings without fair proceedings are considered systematic crimes against humanity and the international community should act to protest and prevent such crimes.”
- “Governments who execute protesters are afraid of the power of people wanting a fair and just life.”
A women’s and human rights activist from Germany:
- “All imprisonments, torture and executions, all violations of human rights in Iran and crimes against humanity need to be stopped, prosecuted and punished by international law institutions. Love and concern in my solidarity feelings for her and all others under Mullah regimes threat. “
Several signatories from France:
- “I want to be kept informed about the fate of this young woman and so many others. We must keep spreading the word and challenging politicians and journalists. This silence is horrifying—it implicitly condones what is happening.”
- “I demand the exact same—an end to the death penalty—for all young Iranians who fought for freedom, are now imprisoned, and face the threat of execution.”
- “Let us rise and mobilize globally on a massive scale against the crimes of the mullahs’ regime in Iran.”
- “Hope gives us the strength to fight; we must stand united against tyranny!”
- “Though words may feel small, your courage—and that of your brothers in arms—against the backward barbarians who have caged your country is a source of immense pride. We will not forget you.”
- “Stay brave! There are so many of us supporting you and those on death row, even if this message may never reach you.”
And finally, a signatory from New Zealand wrote:
- “This is a public outcry and the world needs to know the truth!”
The Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran expresses its gratitude to all the supporters and signatories who, during these critical circumstances, echoed the voice of political prisoners and freedom fighters detained in the prisons of the anti-human, misogynistic regime ruling Iran by signing this statement in line with the “No to Execution” campaign and specifically demanding the revocation of the death sentence for Arghavan Fallahi.
We are pleased to inform you that the statement, along with the petition of signatures, has been officially submitted to relevant international authorities.
Finally, we urge you to continue your awareness-raising efforts and stand with us in the ongoing campaign to stop executions in Iran.
