More than 600 writers, civil society and political activists demanded the release of imprisoned writers
More than 600 writers, poets, journalists, artists, and civil and political activists supported the statement of the "Iranian Writers' Association in Exile" and the "Iranian Pen Association in Exile" and called for the release of imprisoned writers, including Reza Khandan Mahabadi, Bektash Abtin, and Keyvan Bajan, three members of the Iranian Writers' Association.
According to HRANA news agency, citing the Iranian Writers in Exile Association, more than 600 writers, poets, journalists, artists, and civil and political activists called for the release of imprisoned writers.
In part of this statement, referring to the arrest of three members of the Iranian Writers' Association, Reza Khandan Mahabadi, Bektash Abtin, and Keyvan Bajan, for the execution of their prison sentences, it is stated: "The baseless accusations of these three writers are "propaganda against the system" and "gathering and colluding with the intention of acting against the security of the country," which include "publishing the association's internal publication, participating in compiling the association's history book, issuing statements, and attending the anniversary ceremonies of Mohammad Jafar Poyandeh, Mohammad Mokhtari, and Ahmad Shamloo." In recent weeks, other writers, poets, and journalists have also been summoned to the courts of the Islamic Republic or imprisoned: Arash Ganji, Giti Pourfazel, Arman Esmaili, Shabnam Ashuri, Elvargholi Vand, Neda Pirkhezraeian, Arash Johari, Andishe Sadri, Mina Rad (released on Monday, October 11), Khosrow Sadeghi Borujeni, and... are among these dear ones."
Another part of this statement, which was also signed by the Writers in Exile Association and the Iranian Pen Association in Exile, notes that the Islamic Republic government “has murdered dozens of writers, poets, and journalists over the course of more than fourteen decades of criminal and human rights-violating rule, and subjected hundreds of these dear ones to beatings, insults, humiliation, social deprivation, exile, imprisonment, and torture.” It states: “Let us stand firm in our belief in defending these writers, that is, in defending freedom of thought, expression, and the pen, and human dignity, and strengthen our covenant with imprisoned writers. We, the signatories of this “statement,” call for the immediate cancellation of the sentences issued against imprisoned writers and the release of all political and ideological prisoners, dissidents, and activists of trade union and civil movements.”
Bektash Abtin, Reza Khandan Mahabadi, and Keyvan Bazhan, three members of the Writers' Association, were arrested on Saturday, October 25, after appearing at the Evin Courthouse's sentence execution unit and transferred to Evin Prison to serve their sentence.
Earlier, on January 29, 2019, the Tehran Provincial Court of Appeal sentenced these individuals to a total of 15 years and six months in prison. According to the verdict, which was notified to their defense lawyers on Saturday, January 29, Bektash Abtin and Reza Khandan Mahabadi, two members of the Board of Secretaries of the Iranian Writers' Association, were sentenced to 6 years in prison each, and Keyvan Bajan to 3 years and six months in prison. These citizens had previously been sentenced to a total of 18 years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.
Source: HRANA
