Vahid Afkari

Summary

Vahid Afkari was arbitrarily arrested for his peaceful participation in protests in his hometown of Shiraz in 2017 and 2018. Slogans chanted at these protests expressed a mix of grievances about inequality and political repression.

Iranian authorities held him in solitary confinement, tortured him and forced him to “confess” to crimes he repeatedly said he did not commit. Vahid Afkari was convicted following grossly unfair trials of a baseless accusation involving murder and sentenced to 33 years and nine months’ imprisonment and 74 lashes. The authorities are holding him in solitary confinement, denying him adequate medical care and ignoring a large body of evidence proving his innocence.

Two of Vahid Afkari’s brothers – Navid Afkari and Habib Afkari – were also arbitrarily arrested in connection with their peaceful participation in the protests. On September, 12th 2020, the Iranian executed Navid Afkari in secret. His execution ignited outrage in Iran and throughout the world and led to escalated campaigning for his brothers. Habib Afkari was released from prison in March 2022.


CALL:

  • Release Vahid Afkari as he is arbitrarily detained, quash his unjust convictions and sentences and drop all charges related to his peaceful participation in protests
  • Pending his release, ensure Vahid Afkari is held in conditions meeting international standards for the treatment of prisoners, including ending his solitary confinement and provide him with access to adequate healthcare.
  • Conduct a prompt, independent and impartial investigation into his allegations of torture and other ill-treatment with those suspected of criminal responsibility brought to justice in fair trials without recourse to death penalty.

TARGET:

Head of Judiciary,

Mr. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei

c/o Embassy of Iran to the European Union

Avenue Franklin Roosevelt No. 15

1050 Brussels, Belgium

Instagram: ejeii_org

Twitter: @khamenei_ir (Iran’s Supreme Leader)

 

Jailing protesters and organizers is a tactic of governments and authorities who are afraid of people’s power, intended to silence dissent and instill fear in the population to deter them from joining further protests. DOWNLOAD THE SAMPLE LETTER

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