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Showing posts with label Soheil Arabi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soheil Arabi. Show all posts
From Maryam Namazie a report of an online protest ins support of a jailed Iranian blogger. 

A three-hour online protest took place on 4 April reaching out to thousands on social media to highlight the urgent plight of Soheil Arabi in prison in Iran since 2013. Arabi was initially sentenced to death for “insulting the prophet.”

He was eventually acquitted of this charge and his sentence reduced on appeal to seven and a half years in prison, a two-year travel ban and two years of religious study to evaluate his repentance upon his release. He was then sentenced to lashes, an additional 3 years prison and a fine for “insulting Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic” and “propaganda against the regime.”


Arabi has been seriously tortured and in need of urgent medical attention. This urgent action took place while he is currently on hunger strike to protest the injustice of his case, the denial of medical attention and leave due to Coronavirus, the torture and mistreatment of political prisoners and prison conditions, amongst others. You can read more about his case here.

The protest was hosted by Veedu Vidz, Shahin Mohamadi and Maryam Namazie and was the first online protest of its kind in both Persian and English.






























Those joining the online protest included Activist Abbas Mohamadpour, Activist Armin Enayati, Activist Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, Cemal Knudsen Yucel of Ex-Muslims of Norway, Actress Elika Ashoori, Activist Faryad Ostovar, Youtuber Fay Rahman, Poet Halima Salat, Council of Ex-Muslims of Scandinavia’s Hamed Jamali and Milad Resaeimanesh, Lawyer Iman Soleymani Amiri, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain’s Jimmy Bangash, Artist Mahshad Afshar, Iran Tribunal London Spokesperson Mersedeh Ghaedi, Activist Mohsen Safarelahi, Marea Review Editor Monica Lanfranco, Activist Peyman Partovi, Rishvin Ismath of Council of Ex-Muslims of Sri Lanka, Poet Rock N Roll Sailor, Activist Samaneh Nateghi, Council of Ex-Muslims of Netherlands Savalan Ghodsi who also did a performance for Soheil, Activist Shabnam Shajarizadeh, Activist Shakila Salimi, Women’s Rights Activist Shaparak Shajarizadeh and Zara Kay of Faithless Hijabi.

Many sent messages or acts of solidarity, including Our House Founder Arash Hampay, Codou Bop – Human Rights Defender from Senegal, Filmmaker Deeyah Khan, Freethought Lebanon, Spokesperson of One Law for All Gita Sahgal, Middle Eastern Women and Society Organisation Founder Halaleh Taheri, Harris Sultan, Australian ex-Muslim atheist of Pakistani descent, Ibtissame Betty Lachgar of MALI, Founder of Secularism is a Women’s Issue Marieme Helie Lucas, Atheist Ireland’s Michael Nugent, Youtuber Mimzy Vidz, Activist Mina Ahadi, Muslimish, Nada Perat Radfrau of Centre for Civil Courage, Human Rights Activist Nazanin Afshin Jam, Human Rights Campaigner Peter Tatchell, Pragna Patel – Director of Southall Black Sisters, Writer and Activist Rahila Gupta, Founder of Atheist Refugee Relief Rana Ahmad, Robyn E. Blumner – President and CEO, Center for Inquiry and Executive Director, Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science, Saadiq Samad – Coordinator, Ex-Muslims of Tamil Nadu, India, Shuddhashar, Former Charlie Hebdo Journalist Zineb El Rhazoui…

See some of the Messages Of Solidarity can be seen @ Maryam Namazie.


Maryam Namazie is an activist with the Council of Ex-Muslims and other secularist groups. 
Follow Maryam Namazie on Twitter @MaryamNamazie

First Online Protest To Save the Life Of Atheist Soheil Arabi

TPQ is too late out of the traps with this important appeal from Maryam Namazie,  but the piece provides important background information.

Iranian atheist, activist and blogger Soheil Arabi has resumed his hunger strike on April 4 in protest to the Iranian regime’s denial of medical care and leave during the Coronavirus epidemic, inhuman prison conditions and unjust sentencing. In addition to physical problems caused by various hunger strikes, Arabi has been tortured, resulting in blunt trauma to his testicles and a broken nose, amongst other injuries. He is in need of urgent medical attention.

Arabi was arrested in December 2013 and sentenced to death for blasphemy, namely insulting the prophet, Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei and other Iranian officials in a Facebook post.

Upon appeal, his death sentence was reduced to seven and a half years in prison and two years of religious studies as well as a two-year ban from traveling abroad.

He was later sentenced to an additional 3 years in prison, exile and a fine on charges of “propaganda against the state” and “insulting the sacred and the supreme leader” because of his brave open letters highlighting injustice, inhumane prison conditions, torture and the situation of political prisoners in Iran.

Join our online protest action on Tuesday 14 April 2020, 3:00-6:00pm London time/6:30-9:30pm Tehran time by sending photos, videos, messages… of solidarity to be broadcast during the three-hour livestream. Do a drawing, take a photo, sing a song, recite a poem… Anything to save his life and secure his freedom. The livestream will be hosted by Veedu Vidz, Shahin Mohamadi and Maryam Namazie.

Soheil Arabi has done nothing wrong. He has a right to his opinion, belief and expression and must be released immediately as must all political prisoners and those imprisoned because of their conscience and opinion.

Join the livestream on Youtube.

Sign the Petition to save Soheil’s life as well as this petition please.

#FreeSoheil

#Iran

#EndBlasphemyLaws

Maryam Namazie is an activist with the Council of Ex-Muslims and other secularist groups. 
Follow Maryam Namazie on Twitter @MaryamNamazie

Save Atheist Soheil Arabi’s Life

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