Publishing the Emergency Appeal right now —with its powerful political content and world-renowned signers— is the best way to impact the international political terrain and build broad awareness and support for all of Iran’s political prisoners.  Its stance of proceeding from the interests of humanity, not of those of any reactionary government, and stressing the “special responsibility” people in the U.S. have to oppose the IRI’s vile repression while also actively opposing “any war moves by the U.S. government that would bring even more unbearable suffering to the people of Iran” is even more important now given the current situation in Iran and the world... The ad will highlight some of its prominent signers, such as Nobel Laureates Jody Williams and Shirin Ebadi, Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, Cornel West, Judith Butler, Raymond Lotta, as well as Gloria Steinem, an early signer of the Emergency Appeal and founder of Ms. magazine.

The Ms. magazine ad will appear in the 50th anniversary summer issue, be mailed to subscribers in late July, and available on newsstands on August 9.  It could reach over 100,000 readers.  Due to the generosity of dozens of donors, in the U.S., Europe, Canada, from the Iranian diaspora and elsewhere, the IEC has successfully raised the funds for this ad as well as ads on msmagazine.com.  To meet our operating costs and expand the IEC into new areas, including campuses in the fall, we ask that donations and regular monthly sustainers to this campaign continue being made through our website.

We especially urge students and academics to volunteer to do campus outreach, internet research, and Farsi-English translations by contacting us at freeiranspoliticalprisoners@gmail.com. See the report on our June 10 program at DePauw University for an example of the type of campus program we hope to hold in the fall. For example, student clubs or classes might stage campus screenings of the amazing films of Panahi and Rasoulof.  Contact us with your ideas and plans.