Statement from the International Emergency Campaign to Free Iran’s Political Prisoners Now on the “Open Letter to Iran’s Political Prisoners”
We firmly stand with the overall spirit and thrust of the “Open Letter To Iran’s Political Prisoners, trapped between the two blades of a scissors” published in The Guardian August 20, 2026. It reflects the dire reality on the ground for Iran’s political prisoners facing bombs from U.S. and Israel and nooses from the regime. We denounce the multitude of attacks on it that ensued, including by Tehran Times and some “leftists” who claim to be concerned about the people in Iran and what they are going through.
One does not have to agree with every word, imagery, writing style or political analysis in the “Open Letter” to support the fight for Iran’s political prisoners. The letter marks two key anniversaries in Iran: the 1953 U.S.-CIA Coup that installed the brutal Shah, and the 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners by Iran’s current regime. The struggle of Iran’s political prisoners against being entombed, tortured and executed has been a blood drenched through-line in its history down to today. We uphold the letter’s core component in its concluding sentence:
The Iranian authorities must stop their inhumane practice of death and incarceration now. And the U.S. and Israel must end their barbaric wars and brutal sanctions that knowingly devastate our communities.
We strongly condemn the call (by Vijay Prashad https://x.com/i/status/2091649693260341342 and others who are joining with this) for an investigation of the signatories or the organization issuing the “Open Letter” just because they disagree with its content.
It is outrageous and dangerous to settle political differences among activists with such threats as it creates possible interferences by authorities in place of principled and open debate. Such a call for investigation is highly unprincipled as it ends up targeting those for their principled stance of speaking out for the prisoners who are people that have put their lives on the line against repression, oppression including mass executions.
Two things can be – and in this case ARE – true at the same time. Our 2021-published Emergency Appeal, including on our SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY as those living in the U.S., declares that:
We demand of the Islamic Republic of Iran: FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS NOW! We say to the U.S government: NO THREATS OR WAR MOVES AGAINST IRAN, LIFT U.S. SANCTIONS!
And our reasoning was clear from the start:
The governments of the U.S. and Iran act from their national interests. And, in this instance, we the people of the U.S. and Iran, along with the people of the world, have OUR shared interests, as part of getting to a better world: to unite to defend the political prisoners of Iran. In the U.S., we have a special responsibility to unite very broadly against this vile repression by the IRI, and to actively oppose any war moves by the U.S. government that would bring even more unbearable suffering to the people of Iran.
We call on the IEC community to join in sending solidarity to the courageous signatories of the “Open Letter.” In this we are continuing the IEC’s mission of standing with Iran’s political prisoners who repeatedly stand up for justice at great risks, including their on-going anti-execution hunger strikes and the recent hunger strike by 1500 death row inmates at Ghezel Hesar prison against executions. We must not lose sight of the reality that indeed the lives of Iran’s political prisoners are in the balance – now up against death threats from both U.S.-Israeli savage military aggression and intensified state repression. We must all demand their unconditional release NOW!
