Amnesty International released a statement today asking the Iranian government to review the October 8th death sentence handed down to Mohammad Reza Ali-Zamani. The release states that,
Zamani, 37, was sentenced to death by a Tehran Revolutionary Court on Thursday after he was convicted of “enmity against God for membership of and activities to further the aims of the terrorist grouplet Anjoman-e Padeshahi-e Iran (API)”.
The API is an exiled opposition group which advocates the ending of the Islamic Republic and the establishment of an Iranian monarchy.
He was also convicted of “propaganda against the system”, “insulting the holy sanctities”, “gathering and colluding with intent to harm national internal security ” as well as of leaving the country illegally to visit Iraq where he was alleged to have met US military officials.
Mr. Zamani is the first of the 100 prisoners arrested after the June election protests to be sentenced to death. Amnesty accurately describes the trials that led to Mr. Zamani’s conviction as “show trials,” as well as a “mockery of justice.”
The international community must loudly condemn the conviction of Mr. Zamani based on a confession that was almost certainly obtained through torture. It’s unconscionable to think that a government would execute one of its citizens for exercising their right to voice their opinion. Tehran’s decision to proceed down this path shows that it has truly gone beyond the pale in its efforts to repress dissent and hide from the legitimate suspicions that surround the disputed elections that took place in June of this year.