Call for the release of imprisoned environmental activists in Iran ahead of the Glasgow Climate Conference

In recent days, on the eve of the Glasgow Climate Conference, the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners wrote a letter to Hon. Alok Sharma, the president of the conference, and sent a copy to Greta Thunberg, a well-known environmental activist, and to the governments participating in the conference, calling on governments to pressure the Islamic Republic to release imprisoned environmental activists.

The letter, a copy of which was also sent to Voice of America, calls on people around the world to send a message to the Glasgow Climate Conference and their governments, to make the voices of imprisoned environmental activists heard around the world, and to demand their immediate and unconditional release.

Shiva Mahboubi, spokesperson for the Committee to Fight for the Release of Political Prisoners, pointed out the importance of sending this letter to the conference and the participating governments, telling VOA that the purpose of sending this letter is to inform governments and the United Nations about the torture and imprisonment of environmental activists in Iran, in order to pressure the Islamic Republic's authorities to end the "harassment and harassment" of the families of these activists and to release the imprisoned environmental activists.

Ms. Mahboubi declared government profitability to be the main reason for the environmental crisis and climate change, adding that the Islamic Republic considers environmental activists' efforts to raise awareness as propaganda against itself, and in order to prevent the government from exposing "embezzlement and profiteering," it not only does not support these activists but also considers them its opponents.

The Committee to Fight for the Release of Political Prisoners wrote in this letter, referring to the issuance of long prison sentences to 8 environmental activists imprisoned in Iran: "While important issues related to climate change are being discussed at this conference and representatives of the Islamic regime have also been invited to this conference, environmental activists who raise awareness about the impact of climate change on Iran are being arrested and tortured."

Referring to the conviction of these activists, the spokesperson for the committee added that the situation of these activists in Iran and the issue of their freedom should be highlighted by linking the issue of imprisoned environmental activists to the protests currently being held in various countries for the environment and climate change.

In late February 2019, after more than two years of temporary detention of Hooman Jokar, Sam Rajabi, Sepideh Kashani, and Amir Hossein Khaleghi Hamidi, Taher Ghadirian, Abdolreza Kouhpayeh, Morad Tahbaz, and Niloufar Bayani, eight environmental activists in Iran, Gholam Hossein Esmaili, spokesman for the judiciary, announced the issuance of a total of 58 years in prison sentences for these environmental activists, charging some of them with "collaboration with the United States" and others with "espionage" and "gathering and colluding with the intention of acting against security."

After the news of the conviction of these activists was published, Niloufar Bayani wrote a letter to several officials of the Islamic Republic, describing the "severe mental and psychological torture, threats of physical torture, and sexual threats." The letter drew widespread reactions on social media.