Report on the Stockholm protests against the execution and impending execution of Shirko Maarefi and Mostafa Salimi
Following a nationwide protest call against the execution of political prisoners in Iranian prisons and to save the lives of two Kurdish political prisoners, Shirko Maarefi and Mostafa Salimi, who are on the verge of execution, a demonstration was held in front of the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. In this demonstration, which was held in both Swedish and Persian, the crowd chanted slogans such as “The political prisoner must be released” and “The Islamic Republic must be destroyed” and demanded the cancellation of the death sentences of political prisoners. Representatives of the calling parties and organizations gave speeches at this ceremony and, while listing the crimes of the regime in prisons, warned the regime against executing two Kurdish political prisoners on International Workers’ Day. Ahmad Mousavi, representing the Iranian Political Prisoners Association (in exile), spoke at the demonstration. The text of his speech is included in the rest of this report. Members of the association in Stockholm and Ourobro actively participated in the demonstration, distributing hundreds of leaflets in both Swedish and English, and speaking to the crowd passing by the demonstration, informing them about the crimes of the Islamic Republic in prisons and in society. The Stockholm demonstration was held in the old part of downtown Stockholm in front of the Swedish Parliament, which is one of the busiest areas in central Stockholm.
The Iranian Political Prisoners Association (in exile), the Communist Party of Iran, the Communist Workers’ Party of Iran, the Communist Workers’ Union Party of Communist Fighters, the Committee for the Defense of Political Prisoners, and Sokhan Rooz were the ones who called for the nationwide protest. The Minority Core and the Council for Solidarity with the Struggles of the Iranian People – Stockholm supported this call and participated in the Stockholm demonstration.