Twitter storm in support of Navid Afkari brothers; "End the arrest, threats, and torture of the Afkari brothers"
A number of Twitter users launched a Twitter storm in support of Habib and Vahid Afkari with the hashtags "Afkari_brothers" and "saveafkaribrothers," calling on the Islamic Republic's authorities to end the threats, torture, and long-term detention of the Afkari brothers in solitary confinement, and to release the two brothers from prison.
Saeed Afkari, the brother of these two prisoners imprisoned in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, wrote on Twitter at the beginning of this campaign, referring to the 246 days of his brothers' detention in solitary confinement: "My brothers Vahid and Habib Afkari were imprisoned in solitary confinement in the basement of Adelabad, handcuffed and shackled, day and night, after being beaten for 21 days."
Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestler and one of those arrested during the popular protests, was executed in Shiraz on Saturday, September 12. He was buried in Sangar village, Sepidan, Fars province, under tight security, with some family members present.
The Islamic Republic had accused Navid Afkari of killing a security officer. However, Mr. Afkari, his family, and his lawyers insisted that there was no solid evidence of his role in the murder and that only confessions made under torture were used to convict him.
Masih Alinejad, commentator and host of the Voice of America Persian program Tablet, also wrote on Twitter in support of the Afkari brothers: "A government has come after this family and is torturing them. Let's not leave the mother of Navid, Vahid, and Habib alone."
Faezeh Abdipour, the wife of Mohammad Sharifi Moghaddam, a Gonabadi dervish imprisoned in Iran, also wrote: "They are keeping Habib and Vahid in solitary confinement because they are afraid of them, afraid that they will gain access to the phone and shout about their crimes again."
Previously, an informed source close to the Afkari family, referring to the months that have passed since the Afkari brothers were transferred to solitary confinement in Adel Abad Prison, told VOA: "It is unclear what the authorities' intentions are in keeping Habib and Vahid in solitary confinement. They are deprived of treatment and are not even transferred to a health center or hospital for treatment. Ultimately, their intention is to exert pressure... to achieve their desires and goals."
On the other hand, Mehdi Hajati, a civil activist and former member of the Shiraz City Council, who was detained for a while in October 2018 for supporting two Baha'i citizens, wrote in support of the two imprisoned brothers, referring to the unfavorable conditions of a cell called "Ebrat" where he says the Afkari brothers are also imprisoned: "End the inhumane conditions of my brothers."
Hanieh Qaraoghlani, the sister of political prisoner Hamed Qaraoghlani, also wrote on her Twitter page: "The Afkari brothers are a symbol of the rulers' fear of the truth of freedom and anti-oppression."
Ebrahim Allahbakhshi, one of the Gonabadi dervishes, also wrote on Twitter in support of Vahid and Habib Afkari: "Beatings, threats, solitary confinement, etc., it seems that he could not stand up to the Afkari brothers and the government intended to kill them."
Navid Afkari's brothers, Vahid and Habib, who are currently being held in solitary confinement in Adelabad Prison, have also been sentenced to 54 and 27 years in prison with whipping, respectively, on similar charges. The Afkari brothers, while denying the charges, particularly the murder of a security officer, have repeatedly said that they were forced to make false confessions under severe pressure and torture.
Human rights organizations say the Islamic Republic does not handle accusations fairly and that innocent people have sometimes been tried and even executed. For example, in the 1960s, the Islamic Republic executed thousands of people who had been sentenced to prison.
