To the courageous men and women of Iran and to those detained for their political beliefs, we send our greetings of solidarity.
We stand with you and salute your struggles and we demand justice for all political detainees in Iran, across Kurdistan and, in fact, in countries around the world wherever people are unjustly detained for their political views.
Political prisoners face unremitting aggression and merciless hostility from repressive regimes; they are subject to appalling acts of torture, intimidation, threats to their families, threats of being disappeared and summary execution without trial.
In the face of such unimaginable horrors, the courage of political prisoners to resist is all the more inspiring and their fight for justice despite what may at times appear to be overwhelming odds are an inspiration to the growing popular movement that are demanding change in Iran and leading to a rising groundswell around the world.
No political prisoner is forgotten. No matter how long you have been detained, how they have been silenced, forbidden from accessing even the most basic rights that you are entitled as human beings and under international law, there are many who stand with you. We are proud to lend our support to this international solidarity action.
Days of action, international solidarity and persistent campaigns are all absolutely vital to ensure that the names of individual prisoners remain at the forefront of our consciousness. It is all the most important to stand in support with those prisoners who are held in solitary confinement, removed entirely from public view and denied even to contact family and friends.
The mass movement for social justice draws strength from the recognition that it is a weak regime that resorts to locking up its citizens without due process and that such regimes live in fear and dread of their own people. They also fear the exposure of their crimes and recoil at the prospect of being held to account for their actions.
Peace in Kurdistan stands firm in solidarity now and until all political prisoners are freed.
Peace in Kurdistan
Campaign for a political solution of the Kurdish Question
Email: estella@gn.apc.org
https://www.peaceinkurdistancampaign.com
Contacts Estella Schmid: 07846 666 804 & Melanie Gingell: 07572 430903
Patrons: John Austin, Baroness Blower of Starch Green, former GS NUT, Prof Bill Bowring, Julie Christie, Noam Chomsky, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Maggie Cook, UNISON women activist; Prof Mary Davis, Lord Dholakia, Simon Dubbins, UNITE International Director, Dr Radha D’Souza, writer, Desmond Fernandes, Lindsey German, Convenor STWC, Melanie Gingell, Christopher Gingell, Prof Dr. Michael Gunter, Secretary-General, EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC), Rahila Gupta, journalist, Lord Hylton, Nick Hildyard, policy advisor, Dafydd Iwan, Former President Plaid Cymru: Doug Jewell, GFTU General Secretary, James Kelman, novelist, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Jean Lambert, former MEP, Dr Les Levidow, Open University, Elfyn Llwyd; John McDonnell MP, Mike Mansfield QC, David Morgan, journalist, Doug Nicholls, General Secretary, GFTU, Dr. Jessica Ayesha Northey, Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy, Dr Thomas Jeffrey Miley, Kate Osamor MP, Margaret Owen OBE, Ali Gul Ozbek, Former Councillor and Mayor of Haringey; Gareth Peirce, Dr Felix Padel, anthropologist, Maxine Peake, actor, Dr Thomas Phillips, Liverpool John Moores University, Father Joe Ryan; Dr Thomas Schmidt, ELDH Europe, Bert Schouwenburg, International Trade Union Adviser, Tony Simpson, Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, Stephen Smellie, PIK Trade Union Liaison Officer, Jonathan Steele, journalist, Chris Stephens SNP MP, Steve Sweeney, journalist, Gianni Tognoni, General Secretary Permanent People’s Tribunal, Dr Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, Dr Federico Venturini, Associate Researcher, University of Udine, Italy; Dr Tom Wakeford, Dr Derek Wall, Julie Ward, former MEP, Kariane Westrheim, Chair, EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC); Hywel Williams MP.