#LifeForLife; Protests Against Execution of Ahmadraz Jalali on Social Media

Many Persian-speaking users on social media on Wednesday, May 11, supported political prisoners who have gone on hunger strike in protest of the execution sentence of Ahmadraz Jalali, a dual-nationality researcher, using the hashtag #LifeForLife.

Farhad Meisami, a civil activist, has been on a dry hunger strike since May 7. Last week, by releasing a letter from Rajaei Shahr Prison, he called on all activists and human rights organizations to pay attention to the condition of Ahmadraz Jalali and wrote that he “is these days one of the most defenseless humans on earth. Do not let Jalali be executed.”

Following this action, Hoshang Rezaei, a political prisoner who was initially sentenced to death on charges of “membership in the Kurdistan Democratic Party-Iran” and “waging war against God”, announced on Tuesday that he would also begin a hunger strike.

Mr. Rezaei, who is currently serving a 15-year sentence, wrote in a letter sent from Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj that since he spent 9 years under an execution sentence and has knowledge of the process of “torture and forced confession,” he will go on hunger strike to support Mr. Jalali and to “stop torture that is a thousand times worse than beating and whipping.”

Among users who posted tweets with the hashtag #LifeForLife was Zia Nabavi, a civil activist, who, referring to Farhad Meisami’s lack of furlough during four years of detention and his not requesting conditional release, wrote: “Now he is going on hunger strike to stop the execution of someone who is not even his political ally. Yes, it is hard to believe, but it is true.”

Reza Khandan, a civil activist, also wrote on Twitter: “Farhad said on the first day of his hunger strike that my strike should not cause attention to be diverted from Ahmadraz Jalali and my strike should not be the center of attention. My reason for striking is also because of the danger of executing Jalali’s sentence. Meanwhile, Hoshang Rezaei has also joined Farhad Meisami in protest of Jalali’s sentence.”

Source: Radio Farda