IRAN: Nearly a month into hunger strike the health of Iranian political prisoner is deteriorating

24 May 2016

 

Jafar Azimzadeh, imprisoned at the notorious Evin Prison

The health of an Iranian political prisoner on indefinite hunger strike is in grave danger.

Jafar Azimzadeh, imprisoned at the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, is on Day 26 of his hunger strike protesting Tehran’s crackdown on union activity.

On Saturday, he was taken to hospital complaining of kidney pain but refused to have liquid serum administered and was transferred back to the prison, still in pain.

His wife reports that in addition to his kidney problems, Mr. Azimzadeh has lost a considerable of weight, his blood pressure has dropped and he is having vision problems.

The Tehran bus drivers’ union, the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed) called for Mr. Azimzadeh’s release from prison and warned the public that his health had been greatly affected by his strike.

Mr. Azimzadeh, a workers’ rights activist, is being heavily pressured by the regime to end his strike. As previously reported on Stop Fundamentalism, Tehran’s prosecutor's office demanded that he stop the hunger strike after he was unable to walk from his cell on Ward 8 to the visitor’s hall to see his wife, on May 17.

They even offered him the chance to take long-term leave from prison, not out of concern for his health but because they are scared of him becoming a ‘martyr’.

Maryam Rajavi speaks in Women's Role in War against Fundamentalism conference Conference in the European

Maryam Rajavi speaks in Women's Role in War against Fundamentalism

 conference Conference in the European

Below is excerpts of the speech by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance at Conference entitled Women's Role in War against Fundamentalism held on 2 March 2016 in the European Parliament and chaired by Beatriz Becerra, member of EP’s Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality:

Maryam Rajavi:

Extremism under the banner of Islam is a fatal epidemic expanding throughout the world because it has not been confronted. To defeat this epidemic, a comprehensive approach is vital.

Since the 1990s we have been warning that Islamic fundamentalism is the new global threat.

Today, there is a real concern about Daesh, but it should be noted that its expansion is a product of two developments in the region:

The Iranian regime's occupation of Iraq after the war in 2003 and the brutal crackdown on Sunnis by the mullahs' puppet government in Iraq.

Suppression of Syrian people and dissidents by Bashar Assad's government, backed and led by the mullahs' regime.

Therefore, if it was not for the Iranian regime's domination over Iraq and Syria, if the Sunnis were not suppressed in Iraq, if Bashar Assad's dictatorship did not exist, Daesh would not have emerged as a threat.

With the inception of the mullahs' rule in 1979, a concrete, practical model was created for all fundamentalist groups. The history of the past 37 years proves that no other factor has been as effective as a ruling government acting as a role-model for the expansion of fundamentalist groups. Particularly that the mullahs actively try to create these groups and guide them ideologically.

Happy New Year!

Hope 2016 brings us Peace & Success in defeating extremism in D World specially in #Iran and #Syria.

#HappyNewYear Wishing everyone happiness. Hope 2016 will end evils of war, Islamic extremism, so peace & freedom heralds in #Iran and the ME.

Happy 2016

Year of victory of democracy& #Humanrights over fundamentalism under Dname of Islam&its epicenter.

Maryam Rajavi’s New Year and Christmas greetings

Maryam Rajavi’s New Year and Christmas greetings

Dear Christians in Iran and everywhere else,

Supporters of the Iranian Resistance across the world,

I would like to greet you on Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ, which has coincided this year with the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad.

I would also like to extend my greetings for the New Year.

I wish  that 2016  would be a year  of unity and victory  over Islamic extremism  and especially  the religious fascism  ruling Iran  and its evil allies  in the Middle East  who sow  the seeds of enmity  in the world.

We remember Jesus Christ when he said:  “Love one another just as I love you”.

Also in the Quran, God says about Mohammad:  “We sent thee as a Mercy for all mankind”.

This is the message of all divine religions and therefore, the coincidence of the two births, is a feast of brotherhood among all nations. 

Fortunate are those who have found the essence of Christianity and Islam in love, compassion and freedom. 

And we salute Virgin Mary, the symbol of love and sacrifice who is described in the Bible as “loved by God”.

The birth and emergence of every prophet mark a new birth for mankind in social life. 

When our world is under the attack of terror and extremism, we can find the light of freedom and tolerance and perseverance against fundamentalism and extremism in these births.

Muslims and Christians can rely on their common values to stand up to those who pervert their religions 

So, in contrast to what the extremists want, we should make our hope and faith in humanity deeper than ever.

Let us hope for a swift end to extremism and for the freedom of the people of Syria from dictatorships of Bashar Assad, Khamenei and Daesh terrorists. 

Let us hope for end to displacement and homelessness of Christians throughout the Middle East.

And let us hope for the relief of Christian converts in Iran from the oppression of ruling mullahs and for freedom of the whole Iranian nation from this religious dictatorship.

On this occasion,  I call on the world community  to form an international front  against the religious dictatorship in Iran  and its proxies and militia  in Syria and Iraq  and to fight Islamic extremism,  the enemy of true Muslims,  Christians  and all followers  of other divine religions.

May the message of compassion, freedom and tolerance engulf the Middle East.

May the world get relieved from tyranny and fundamentalism and have a new birth and revival.

MerryChristmas and Happy New Year to you all.

Message by Maryam Rajavi -Conference at the United States Senate

Maryam Rajavi

Dear Friends,

I offer my greetings and extend my gratitude for your attention to the issue of Iran and the Iranian people’s resistance movement.

I thank you for supporting the Iranian people in their struggle for freedom and human rights.

It is inspiring to see a significant group of distinguished personalities demonstrating admirable realism, believing that the solution to the vital crisis in the Middle East is to confront Islamic extremism, especially the religious dictatorship ruling Iran as the epicenter of fundamentalism and terrorism, and also to stand with the struggle of the Iranian people and the Iranian Resistance.

This Resistance is committed to liberate Iran from tyranny and barbarism, to restore that nation’s great civilization, to cultivate peace and coexistence, and to end the reign of fear and terror under the name of Islam.

Our world, from Asia, the Middle East and Africa to France, Belgium, Denmark and the United States, has been targeted by a common enemy: extremism under the name of Islam.

Its followers may have different faces – Shiite or Sunni – yet their ideological pillars and their plan of action are essentially one and the same.

Moreover, all of them, from inception to expansion, have relied on the fundamentalist regime ruling Iran.

Without the fundamentalist regime in Iran, the idea of an Islamic Caliphate, or the desire to erase national borders or the massacres under the banner of Jihad would not have existed or happened.

The horrific acts perpetrated by the likes of DAESH or Boko Haram today are all inspired by the mullahs of Iran, who have carried out the same type of crimes against the Iranian people for decades.

The regime is carrying out the same sort of atrocities through its terrorist Qods Force, Hezbollah and so-called Shiite militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.

The mindset that motivated Khomeini’s fatwa calling for the death of Salman Rushdie (in the 1980s) is the same outlook that led to the massacre at Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

The mindset that motivated Khomeini’s fatwa to murder 30,000 Iranian political prisoners (in 1988) also inspired the cleansing of Sunnis in Iraq and the slaughter of people in Paris and health workers in California recently.

This is the same evil spirit that led to assaults on female political prisoners in Iran or Yazidi women in Iraq.

But beyond its ideological impact, let’s consider its practical policies.

If it were not for the massacre of the people in Syria by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is working to keep Assad in power, Syria would not have become the breeding ground for DAESH.

If it were not for the harmful meddling of the mullahs and the horrific suppression carried out by the Iranian regime’s puppet in Iraq, former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, DAESH would not have found the opportunity to occupy swathes of that country’s territory.

The formation of the US-led international coalition in 2014 to confront DAESH was a positive step. But the coalition’s strategy lacked a decisive policy vis-à-vis the mullahs’ regime in Iran, which is the source of the regional crisis.

Destroying DAESH depends on ousting Assad in Syria and on evicting the Iranian regime and its affiliated militias from Iraq.

Despite some differences with Assad and the clerical regime in Iran, DAESH is, in practice, on their side. The prime targets of DAESH have been moderate Syrian forces.

Let me be clear, the ultimate solution to fundamentalism, extremism and terrorism under the name of Islam is the overthrow of the religious fascism ruling Iran at the hands of the Iranian people and Resistance.

For this reason, the mullahs spare no opportunity to commit crimes meant to destroy this Resistance, including missile attacks on its defenseless members in Camp Liberty in Iraq. This is because the mullahs view the Iranian Resistance as an existential threat.

Allow me here to express my gratitude for the decisive positions adopted by Senators McCain, Schumer, Menendez, Blunt, Shaheen and Tillis in condemning the recent missile attack against Liberty.

On behalf of the Iranian people and the residents of Camp Liberty, I would of course like to especially thank Senator McCain and Senator Jack Reed for their initiative concerning the residents of Liberty, which became part of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act.

Today, the residents of Camp Liberty are in an extremely vulnerable and risky situation and they remain under siege.

The United States had made a commitment to protect them officially and in writing, but it has failed to uphold that commitment.

On October 29, 24 residents lost their lives in the missile attack that was directed by the mullahs.

To date, a total of 141 innocent refugees have been killed in seven attacks and 27 have lost their lives as a result of the inhumane siege.

I call upon lawmakers to urge the U.S. government to put Camp Liberty under the aerial protection of the U.S. Air Force.

The prevention of another humanitarian catastrophe at Camp Liberty and providing protection for the Iranian freedom fighters transcends the interests of the Iranian people alone.

Such measures are vital to confronting the evil of Islamic fundamentalism orchestrated by the mullahs of Iran, who in order to prevent their overthrow in Iran, are setting the whole region on fire. 

The overthrow of the mullahs in Iran will guarantee peace and security in the region and the world.

I thank you all very much.

West must end wrong policy toward Iran: Ex Prominent European lawmaker

Dr. Alejo Vidal-quadras, former vice-president of the European Parliament

Dr.Alejo Vidal-quadras, former vice-president of the European Parliament and current president of In Search of Justice NGO, at a conference entitled “United Against Islamic Fundamentalism,” held in Paris on 8 December 2015.

We have to admit that what this happened at least from the 9/11 tragedy onwards was predicted by the Iranian Resistance long time ago.

They had shown us the solution, in early 90s, when the term “Islamic fundamentalism” was not even familiar to many people.

They declared – the PMOI [The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran] – they declared the Islamic fundamentalism as the new global threat.

My distinguished friend Mohammad Mohaddessin, wrote a book under this title, more than 20 years ago; a book that I strongly recommend, really, because many of his insights are still valid today. But the western analysts were saying it was an exaggeration. Unfortunately, the biter reality of 9/11 proved that Mohammad Mohaddessin and the PMOI were right.

But again, the United States and Europe took a wrong path and instead of focusing on the heart of this evil phenomenon, which is the regime in Tehran, they deviated their attention onto other problems and objectives.

Twelve years ago, Mrs. Rajavi warned that the threat of the mullahs interference in Iraq is many times more dangerous that their nuclear bomb. But there was no one to listen. We have opened, naively, Iraq’s gates to Iranian influence and control.

Despite many warning by the PMOI, we closed our eyes on the invasion of Iraq by the Iranian regime. This broad regime, hundreds of kilometers closer to Israel, and the Mediterranean had increased its influence in Lebanon and in Syria. Had we got the regime’s hands in Iraq at the time, we wouldn’t have Daesh today, nor would we have Assad or Hezbollah in Syria.

Very recently, hundreds of thousands of Iranians have crossed the Iraqi borders in a large operation of invasion organized by the Quds Force and led by General Soleimani.

In spite of all that, we see high representatives Federica Mogherini or Secretary John Kerry or many ministers of Western governments rush to Tehran to appear in photographs shaking hands and smiling to the Iranian authorities.

In Spanish we have a saying that says in English “there is no worse blindness as that of those who do not want to see”. And this is what is happening. What Senator Lieberman said to us some minutes ago, was so clear, so convincing, so… it was so impossible to deny. But I’m sure if he has a conversation on this with President Obama or Secretary Kerry, a conversation that he can’t obviously have, I’m sure they would not listen. Because in Europe we have the same problem. Governments, do not listen. The PMOI has a large support in parliamentarians. And also in local authorities as well. But governments do not listen. This is something we must change and perhaps you can guide us in how to make governments listen.

Today, we must put an end to this wrong policy. Anything that would bolster Iranian terrorism, be it Shiites or Sunnis, anything that prolongs the life of Assad will reinforce Daesh.

Nobody has paid the price that the PMOI, a truly democratic movement, and President Rajavi have paid in fighting against Islamic fundamentalism. No one is so much familiar with the geography and history of the people of these regions, and with Sunnis and with Shiites Muslims. They have been fighting against religious dictatorship for 37 years. So, if we do not listen to their call today after all these tragedies, history will not forgive us.

Maryam Rajavi meets and holds talks with Senator Joseph Lieberman

Maryam Rajavi meets and holds talks with Senator Joseph Lieberman

Auvers-sur-Oise- Maryam Rajavi and Senator Lieberman met on December 8, 2015, and discussed the latest developments in the region including the crisis in Syria, the Iranian regime’s destructive role as well as solutions to the current crisis.They also discussed the role of the Iranian Resistance in confronting Islamic fundamentalism in the region.

Maryam Rajavi enumerated the clerical regime's anti-human crimes in Iran and its systematic violations of human rights.

She stressed that the consequences of the medieval regime’s rule have not been limited to Iranian boundaries but the religious fascist regime is the heart of the octopus of terrorism and fundamentalism acting under the banner of Islam and acts as the epicenter of the crises in the region and the world.

Senator Lieberman noted Tehran’s role as the main parameter causing instability in the region. He described the regime as the prime threat to global peace and security and reiterated his view on the need for regime change by the Iranian people.He further stressed on MEK’s role in confronting Islamic fundamentalism by advocating a democratic and tolerant Islam.

Senator Lieberman expressed confidence that change in Iran will have a great impact on developments throughout the region.

The road to defeating ISIS runs through epicenter of Islamic extremism in Iran

Ali-Safavi

By Ali Safavi

Published December 14, 2015

FoxNews.com

The heinous terrorist attacks in San Bernardino 12 days ago and in Paris last month were clear reminders of the growing threat of Islamic extremism. This vicious ideology continues to take new physical forms - once Al Qaeda, now ISIS. Their goal is to create an Islamic "state" capable of enforcing Sharia law by force and unwinding humanity's democratic achievements.

While the Sunni variant of fundamentalism desperately seeks to achieve this objective, the Shiite version in Tehran is well on its way. It should be confronted, not engaged.

Hotspots like Syria, Iraq, and Yemen have become a breeding ground for ISIS. In all of them, Tehran's fundamentalist regime - the world's largest state sponsor terror  plays a key role in the mayhem.

The Iranian regime’s regional agenda is, in the words of its Supreme Leader, “diametrically opposed” to that of the U.S.

In fact, after the deadly Paris attacks, Tehran's officials and media quickly blamed France itself, with some suggesting that the French "deserved" these attacks because Paris supported ISIS against Syrian dictator Bashar Assad - a key Iranian ally.

Tehran is now trying to push a new narrative. For it, ISIS is a blessing in disguise because it conveniently justifies its destructive involvement in Syria and other countries. Now, the mullahs are attempting to convince western governments to join them in backing Assad. That is a dangerous proposition.

Yet in the aftermath of the nuclear deal, some in the West are optimistic about the theocracy being more open to political reforms. But the facts and the evidence do not support this perception. Instead of changing course in the region, Tehran is even more adamant that others should follow its destructive policies.

And if improved human rights are a sign of moderation, the situation in Iran has in fact worsened significantly under the supposedly “moderate” president Hassan Rouhani.

A new United Nations report says in the first nine months of this year, more than 690 people were executed in Iran, “likely putting the execution rate during the first half of 2015 at its highest in some 25 years.” This month, Tehran was censured for the 62nd time by the United Nations.

The U.N.’s special rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed made a chilling reminder that juveniles continue to be executed by the regime, and Amnesty International has called Iran one of the last remaining executioners of children in the world.

Women continue to be treated as second-class citizens. Last year, dozens of women had acid splashed on their faces because they were seen as violating the regime’s strict veiling laws.

Young girls are prevented from attending certain university courses like business management and English translation. And, the parliament (Majlis), under Rouhani, has passed a series of laws further marginalizing and disenfranchising half of the population.

Journalists, bloggers and opposition activists are routinely arrested by the regime. In one high-profile incident, a young blogger, Sattar Beheshti, was killed under torture.

According to the U.N. report, the regime continues to use a variety of torture methods, including the surgical removal of eyes and hand amputations - much like ISIS does in its "caliphate."

So much for moderation!

The Iranian regime is controlled by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei -- an equivalent of the "caliph" of the "caliphate." He makes all the final decisions that determine the strategic direction of the "Islamic" state. 

A few days after the nuclear deal was announced, Khamenei warned, “We will never stop supporting our friends in the region and the people of Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and Lebanon. Even after this deal our policy towards the arrogant U.S. will not change.”

Iran's medieval regime cannot be reformed because any sign of moderation would provide an opening for the emergence of popular demands, which would mature into protests for democracy.

Many leading observers agree that the real alternative to fundamentalism lies within the larger Iranian society, and not within the shrinking confines of a dying theocracy. Just as the curtain of communism finally fell in Eastern Europe by that region’s restive population, so can the curtain of fundamentalism in Iran.

Unless and until the U.S. government looks to solve the Iranian problem by falling back on the problem itself – the regime in Tehran – it will fail to instigate genuine change. It should start by challenging Tehran’s involvement in Syria and working to remove Assad from power as quickly as possible. That is the real solution to the growing threat of ISIS.

Ultimately, the answer to Islamic fundamentalism lies in the hands of the Iranian people and Iran’s organized opposition, which is led by a Muslim woman, Maryam Rajavi. The removal of the epicenter of fundamentalism in Iran will ensure that the world is free of the vile threat of extremism for good.

Ali Safavi is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which seeks the establishment of a democratic, secular and non-nuclear Iran.