Iran: QS deputies sponsor political prisoners
Eleven deputies from the Québec solidaire (QS) party have decided to sponsor prisoners of the Iranian regime, in the hope of giving them a remote protection. Since the beginning of the popular uprising in Iran, provoked by the death of the young Mahsa Amini on September 16, the Iranian authorities have continued to increase the arrests and executions of government opponents.
Many citizens had also gathered on December 17 in Montreal to protest against the public executions orchestrated by Tehran.
It’s the Member of Parliament for Mercier and Solidarity Responsible for the Status of Women Ruba Ghazal who was the first to make this “concrete gesture of international solidarity”, last fall, by sponsoring Bita Haghani, a young blogger facing a five-year prison sentence.
“When I saw the massive crackdown that followed the protests in Iran, I thought we had the responsibility to make a gesture of solidarity,” said Ruba Ghazal.
In addition to giving more visibility to the cause defended by Iranian youth, the sponsorship gives protection to political prisoners, according to the elected representatives of the leftist party.
“More their names are known and propagated in the media, the better their protection so that the Iranian regime does not execute them”, explains Ruba Ghazal.
On Twitter, the supportive MP claimed that “the whole caucus of Québec solidaire joins the movement to sponsor Iranian prisoners whose only crime is to fight in the streets for freedom, equality and democracy.”
