Sayeh Hassan is a Toronto based Barrister & Solicitor and owner of Shiro-khorshid-forever.
According to various reliable news sources, a prisoner was executed in the Orumiye Prison this morning. Although the name of this prisoner has not yet been confirmed various websites have reported that the person executed may very well be a Kurdish political activist and prisoner Mr. Hossein Khezri.
There is still a question mark, as numerous news sources have reported in the past few weeks that Mr. Khezri had been removed from Orumiye Prison and taken to an "unknown" location. Mr. Khezri's brother has denied any knowledge of his execution this morning, and has stated that there is no news from his brother to confirm whether he is alive or has been executed.
Tonight hundreds of Iranians gathered in the Westin Prince Hotel in Toronto to commemorate the passing of Shahpour Alireza Pahlavi, the second son of the former Shah of Iran. It was a wonderful event, where people from clearly different political and ideological fractions came together to mark this very tragic event. Shahpour Alireza Pahlavi, was highly educated, and loved Iran very much; These are two things that can never be disputed. It is still difficult to believe that Mr. Pahlavi took his own life and I am truly saddened by this tragic event.
The news of the death of Shahpour Alireza Pahlavi, the younger son of the late Shah of Iran came as a great surprise and disappointment.
I am still having a difficult time believing that he committed suicide, and feel truly sad for the loss of a young man who truly loved Iran.
My condolence to Alireza Pahlavi’s family, friends and loved ones.
A memorial service has been organized in honour of Mr. Pahlavi in Toronto on Friday January 7th from 6-8 p.m. in the Westin Prince Toronto Hotel, for anyone who might want to attend and honour his memory.
Today (January 3rd 2010) I attended a protest which had been organized by leftists activists in front of the Islamic Regime Embassy in Ottawa. The protest lasted an hour from 1-2pm and despite the bitter cold tens of activists, many of whom including myself had travelled from Toronto gathered in front of the Embassy to show solidarity with Habibollah Latifi a Kurdish student activist who is facing imminent execution.
I had the opportunity to speak briefly at the protest and I started with saying that even though we were there with different political stands and may not agree on many things, we defiantly agreed on one thing, and that was that the Islamic Regime is not capable of reform and that it must be overthrown by the people, Regime Change is the only viable option for the Iranian people.
Dear Friends,
There will be a protest tomorrow in front of the Islamic Regime Embassy (245 Metcalf street) in Ottawa, Canada from 1pm-3pm in support of Habibollah Latifi a Kurdish student activist who is facing imminent execution as well as other Kurdish activists such as Hossein Khezri who may be in danger of execution.
According to reliable news from activists in Iran Mr. Hossein Khazri, a Kurdish Iranian political prisoner was transferred to an “unknown location” in the Orumiyeh Prison. Mr. Khezri was transferred to the Orumiye Prison about a month and a half ago from Mahabad Prison.
According to news reports from “Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran” Mr. Ali Saremi (63) a political prisoner was executed this morning (Tehran time) in the notorious Evin Prison.
Mr. Saremi had spent more than 20 years in Islamic Regime prisons, subjected to brutal torture and solitary confinement for months after each arrest after which he was sentenced to long prison terms.
Throughout the arrests, torture, solitary confinement and imprisonment he never gave up on his ideals and beliefs and continued to fight against the Regime.
According to news received from Habbibolah Latifi’s lawyer Mr. Nikbakht, Mr. Latifi is set to be executed on Sunday December 26th 2010 in Sanandaj Prison, in Iran.
Habibollah Latifi is a 29 years old Kurdish activist who was majoring in engineering in Eylam University when he was arrested on October 23rd 2007 in the city of Sanandaj. Mr. Latifi was charged with “endangering state security” and was brutally tortured in order to force a confession from him. Eight months after his arrest he was sentenced to death by the “Revolutionary Court” in the city of Sanandaj and the death sentence was upheld by the “Court of Appeal” in Sanandaj in February of 2009. Mr. Latifi’s full biography can be found here.
When I started my blog almost four years ago I decided to call it “Shiro-Khorshid Forever” (Lion and Sun Forever), because of the unifying aspect of the Lion and Sun Flag. One of the first things the Islamic Regime did after coming to power was to change the symbols of our national flag (Lion and Sun) and replace it with Arabic Symbols in an attempt to strip us of our history and nationality.
The Regime was not successful in its quest, and 31 years later Iranians from almost all political fractions including monarchists to modern leftist groups to those who support a republic to armed opposition groups such as the MKO all unite under this flag. All these groups and organizations may have different beliefs and ideologies which divide them, but the Lion and Sun, this unifying symbol always brings them together under one umbrella.
While there are hundreds of political prisoners and non-political prisoners in Iran who are awaiting execution, these days the focus has been shifted on only one person, leaving everyone else, especially political prisoners far behind.
While it may be easier and more politically correct to jump on a single popular band wagon, I think it is crucial for us to keep in mind the fact that these hundreds (if not more) prisoners and in particular political prisoners are at risk of imminent execution. This is especially so because while all eyes are on the campaign for Ms. Sakineh Ashtinani, it is much easier for the Regime to execute other political prisoners without having to worry about a negative reaction from the international community.
Last year on this day Ehsan Fatahiyan a Kurdish political activist in Iran was executed by Islamic Regime officials. Ehsan spent 18 months in prison before his execution and was subjected to torture for many months in order to force a false confession from him, however he never confessed. He had originally been sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment on the charges of being a “mohareb” (enemy of god) however; on appeal the death sentence was imposed.
Days before his execution a global campaign was started to stop his execution, thousands of signatures were gathered only in a few days, and people from all walks of life came together in an attempt to stop his execution. Unfortunately the campaign was not successful and on November 11, 2009 the execution was carried out in the central Sanandaj Prison.
According to news reports from Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran this morning at 10:00am Behrouz Javid Tehrani, a long time political prisoner and pro-democracy activist was sentenced to 74 lashes, and the sentence was immediately carried out by Hassan Akhriyan a notorious prison official.