A group of civil rights activists has issued a statement in support of Kurdish political prisoner Verisheh Moradi, who is on the 16th day of an indefinite hunger strike, and called on her to end her hunger strike. 

In the statement, the activists declared their intention to go on hunger strike on 26 October in solidarity with Moradi and asked her to end her strike afterwards.

Moradi, a member of the East Kurdistan Free Women Society (KJAR), began her strike against the death penalty in Iran on 10 October to coincide with World Day Against the Death Penalty. Since then, her health has deteriorated significantly and she is now in a critical condition.

The statement highlighted Moradi’s role as a “symbol of resilience” against the death penalty in Iran, which rights groups say is increasingly being used against political prisoners. 

“We ask her to end her hunger strike, giving us and others the opportunity to stand beside her,” read the statement, adding that Moradi’s continued activism was necessary for the broader struggle for justice and freedom.

Moradi has lost 7 kg since beginning her indefinite hunger strike, and suffers from low blood pressure, migraines, and severe joint and back pain.

Full text of the statement:

Statement by a group of civil rights activists supporting Verisheh Moradi and requesting she ends her hunger strike to continue the civil and rightful struggle

Two weeks have passed since Verisheh Moradi began her hunger strike. For two weeks, she has raised her voice with courage and determination, protesting the cruel death sentences imposed on many civilians.

In these critical and significant moments, we, as part of a community that believes in justice, freedom, and human rights, stand in solidarity with Verisheh Moradi. She has become a symbol of resilience and civil resistance. Over the past two weeks, through her decision to go on hunger strike, she has raised her voice against oppression, inequality, and the growing number of unfair executions.

Her hunger strike is not only a testament to her unwavering resolve in the face of oppression but also a voice that echoes the truth and resilience to the world. We fully understand the difficult and challenging conditions she has endured, as well as the high-risk decision she has made to confront these injustices.

Nevertheless, as her companions on this journey, we are today asking her to end her hunger strike. Her struggle is evident not only in her current hunger strike but in all her efforts and actions to date. She is a figure our society needs to continue the civil struggle; she is a representative of all those who dream of a free and just society.

We have no intention of overlooking the importance and meaning of her protest; quite the contrary, we see her action as a significant step in the path of civil resistance. But, as Verisheh Moradi herself has always emphasized the role of society and the active participation of advocates, we now need her presence and strength on this journey more than ever. Civil resistance requires energy, resilience, and continuity, as this struggle is both long and challenging.

We ask her to end her hunger strike, giving us and others the opportunity to stand beside her and use our full strength to continue the fight for freedom and justice. Nothing should be more valuable than human life, and we need her to continue standing with us, not just now, but throughout this journey of resistance.

In this spirit, we, a group of activists aligned with all pro-freedom forces, have decided to embark on a hunger strike on Saturday, 26 October, as a tribute to her efforts and courageous resistance, and as a symbol of our solidarity and support. Although this action is symbolic and small in scale compared to larger protests, it serves as a meaningful gesture in support of her and the broader civil movements. It reflects our solidarity with Verisheh and all who are fighting for justice and freedom. Nonetheless, we ask her to end her hunger strike after this day, as civil and protest movements are arduous and lengthy, and we need our advocates to remain active to continue down this challenging path. Standing in full solidarity with Verisheh Moradi’s protest against the death penalty, we firmly believe that such inhumane sentences, which unjustly endanger human lives, can only be stopped through solidarity, collective protest, and individual civil actions. Each of us must be a voice for this protest and continue to strive for justice and defend human rights without wavering.

Signatories:

Mohammad Karim Asayesh
Fakhroddin Amidiyan
Masoumeh Ebrahimi
Tayyeb Ahmadi
Dler Eskandari
Shahryar Oskuei
Nazi Oskuei
Mozhgan Aslani
Zara Amjadiyan
Srwa Amjadi
Parastou Allah-Yari
Hasti Amiri
Fariba Babakhani
Shiva Basiri
Sohrab Bahrami
Takattom Bahrami
Soheyla Bahrami
Sima Boyourani
Sharifeh Pashaei
Leyla Pashaei
Srwa Pour-Mohammadi
Soma Pour-Mohammadi
Sara Pour-Nik
Sohrab Jalali
Simin Chaychi
Ferdows Hatami
Nasrin Hosseinzadeh
Arezuo Hosseini
Roya Hashmati
Farideh Hamidi
Mahin Khatouni
Ghaneh Khateri
Sorayya Khedri
Khalil Dourgir
Khabat Dehdar
Farzaneh Raji
Sousan Razani
Zhila Rahimi
Zhaleh Rostami
Sepideh Rashnou
Shahrzad Rezaei
Ali Reza Rezaei
Maryam Rezaei
Ronak Zamani
Kaveh Zahedi
Bzhwen Zandi
Farah Zandi
Bahar Zangiband
Kamran Sakhtemangar
Baran Saedi
Peyman Salem Vishkaei
Favziyeh Sattari
Ramyar Sar-Seyfi
Chenour Saeidi
Ladan Saeidi
Shirin Salimi
Kalsoum Seyyed-Ebrahimi
Shadi Shalawi
Mohammad Sha’aei
Fataneh Sadeghi
Farideh Sadeghi
Soma Safari
Maryam Talebi
Maryam Tehrani
Reza Tahmasebi
Shoresh Tahmasebi
Leila Abbasi
Fataneh Abdol-Hosseini
Ziba Azim-Khani
Ayda Amouei
Leila Enayatzadeh
Jamshid Gholami
Parastou Fajr Sheikhol-Eslami
Simin Forouhar
Dina Ghalibaf
Parastou Ghorbani
Chiako Ghorbeh
Shamsi Ghorbeyi
Golbakhi Kakakhani
Melika Kavandi
Mozhgan Kavousi
Saadat Kurdpour
Shirin Karimi
Majid Karimi
Atiyeh Golchini
Sharafat Lotfi
Saber Lotfi
Zhina Modares Gorji
Arina Modares Gorji
Fayezeh Modares Gorji
Honya Modares Gorji
Marzieh Morad-Veysi
Saadiyeh Moradi
Shadi Moradi
Shaghayegh Moradi
Marzieh Moradian
Sheyda Mardoukhi
Nafiseh Mohammadzadeh
Varan Mohammadnezhad
Vida Mohammadzadeh
Chenour Mohammadi
Zara Mohammadi
Monir Mohammadi
Nishtiman Mohammadi
Noushin Mohammadi
Srwa Majidi
Sogol Meshkin-Ghalam
Seyran Menbari
Maryam Menbari
Nadiyeh Menbari
Fatemeh Mahdavi
Shokrollah Nassehi
Saeid Naderi
Herish Navgaranzad
Shari Najafi
Sorayya Nour
Nafiseh Nouri
Zhila Yousefi
Shilan Yousefi