German Pen Association: A street in Berlin should be named after Ruhollah Zam
The German branch of the International PEN Association has proposed to the Berlin Senate that the name of the street where the Islamic Republic's embassy is located be changed to Ruhollah Zam so that any correspondence with the embassy will be a reminder of the crime that took place.
The German branch of the International Pen Association (PEN), headquartered in Darmstadt, condemned the execution of Ruhollah Zam, a journalist opposed to the Islamic Republic. The association expressed deep regret over the execution of this sentence and emphasized that Zam's killing should not remain without consequences and political and economic costs for Iran.
Penn has also suggested that a section of the wide Podbielskiallee boulevard in Berlin be named after Ruhollah Zam, the street where the Islamic Republic's embassy is located.
Linder Sukov, vice president of the German PEN Association, says: "We ask the Berlin Senate to make a decision on this matter as soon as possible so that every letter and message to the embassy of the Islamic Republic bears the name of Ruhollah Zam and this heinous crime is not forgotten."
Ruhollah Zam, the manager of the “Amadnews” Telegram channel with more than one million users, was executed on the morning of Saturday, December 12.
He had gone to France after the suppression of the Green Movement, but was arrested and extradited to Iran by the Revolutionary Guards in a complex operation while traveling to Iraq. In February 2019, a court headed by Abolghasem Salavati tried him on more than 15 security charges and sentenced him to death.
During the 13 months that Zam was in prison, several videos of his "forced confessions" were released, which sparked protests from human rights organizations.
Amnesty International called his execution a “fatal blow” to freedom of expression. The European Union, Germany, France, Canada and the United States also condemned the execution. In response, Europe canceled a three-day economic summit with Iran that was scheduled to begin in Tehran on Monday, December 14.
Source: DW
