Activists in Iran Express Support for June 27 Gathering in Paris

PARIS, June 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Reports from throughout Iran indicate that a growing number of activists are expressing their support for the major international event to be held in Paris on June 27.

Messages of solidarity and support for the event have been sent to its organizers by hundreds of organizations, communities and associations of students, professionals, tradesmen, labor syndicates, scores of families of political prisoners, families of those killed in the mass protests across Iran in 2009, and families of the residents of the Iranian dissident community in Camp Liberty, Iraq.

The associations have expressed their collective opposition to Iran's "corrupt and authoritarian mullahs" and issued their support for democracy in Iran.  In their announcements, the associations widely condemned the "steep rise in repression" and particularly the number of executions since Hassan Rouhani came to power in August 2013.

Letters of support from more than 200 student organizations from Azad and other universities across Iran have called on "all the world's freedom-loving people to raise their voices in support of the Iranian resistance led by its President-elect, Maryam Rajavi, and her plan for a free and democratic Iran."

The graduate student association in East Azarbyjan province praised the efforts that have gone into organizing the Paris gathering, and asked that "freedom loving Iranians living abroad join the gathering and be the voice of oppressed students."

In another letter, a group of students at the University of Tehran asked the Iranian diaspora to be their voice "by participating at the grand gathering on June 27 in Paris". The letter continued: "We live under absolute suppression in Iran, and it has been getting worse since Rouhani took office. We urge the international community to end its support for the dictatorship in Iran. We also call on the UN to protect the residents of Camp Liberty."

The Women's Association in Kurdistan has expressed support for the event in order to protest the deteriorating situation and gross human rights violations in Iran, and particularly in Kurdistan. Their letter stated, "In spring of the current year, 2014, more than 500 prisoners have been taken to the gallows. Political prisoners are deprived of minimum security and human rights. We call for the release of political prisoners."

"We, the Women's Association of Kurdistan Province, with the slogan 'All for Freedom', ask all freedom-loving Iranians to participate in this grand gathering and be our voice, the voice of the people of Kurdistan Province. Freedom is the inalienable right of us Kurds and Iranians. Viva Freedom," said the letter.

The Teacher's Organization of Hormozgan Province also wrote to say: "We are adding our voices to the unique gathering of the Iranian resistance on June 27. We want the P5+1 to know that this regime, with its internal crisis, is approaching its downfall and the sole solution for Iran is the overthrow of this dictatorship."

In the past year, during Rouhani's tenure, almost 800 people have been executed and many thousands more have been imprisoned.  Iran now has the fourth largest prison population in the world (800 per 100,000 people).  The regime is arresting journalists and bloggers and imprisoning them without charge or trial.  Newspapers have also been closed down, including Bahr, Aseman, Ebtakar, Neshat and Ghannon.  

All for Freedom 

Hundreds of dignitaries and political figures from the US, France, Europe, Canada, Australia, Arabic countries and other parts of the Middle East will participate in the All for Freedom Grand Gathering.

Among the issues they will discuss are:

The Iraqi revolt against the al-Maliki regime and what this means for the future of Iraq and Iran.

Elements that must be included in a nuclear agreement to ensure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon.

Assessing Rouhani's first year: Real change or Tehran's actions to prevent a downfall?

International responsibilities and Iran's deteriorating human rights situation under Rouhani's rule.

The need for protection and safety for Iranian refugees at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

Participants in the Gathering will provide their personal views of Rouhani's track record over the past year on such issues as human rights, freedom of expression, repression, and economic conditions.

For more information, visit http://www.irangathering.com