India Gazette – Fellow Protesters Call For Ali Zarei’s Life To Be Spared
Fellow Protesters Call For Ali Zarei’s Life To Be Spared
Nine Iranians who suffered eye injuries during the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom protest movement have called for international and domestic action to prevent the execution of fellow protester Ali Zarei Doozdarrehsi.
Zarei, who is being held at Ghezel Hesar Prison near Karaj, was transferred to solitary confinement on September 21, prompting concerns that his execution could be imminent. The Iran Human Rights group and HRANA reported the transfer, while Iran Human Rights said Zarei had previously sent a voice message from prison stating that his death sentence had been upheld.
Zarei was injured in one eye during the 2022 protests and later lived in Germany. He returned to Iran this year and was arrested by Intelligence Ministry agents on April 28. Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court subsequently sentenced him to death on the charge of “corruption on Earth.” HRANA said the verdict was formally communicated to him on August 23.
The nine protesters who recorded messages supporting Zarei are Ghazal Ranjkesh, Erfan Ramizipour, Mersedeh Shahinkar, Majid Movafegh, Hossein Noori-Nikoo, Hamidreza Heydari, Salar Vatan-Shenas, Parsa Ghobadi and Ali Delpasand. Their appeal was published by Reza Pahlavi’s communications account on X.
The protesters also appealed to international organizations, including the UN, to intervene on Zarei’s behalf.