Iranian of the Day

persian2english.com: Sadly, as part of a political ploy initiated by the IRGC “Cyber Counterattack” team, Saeed Malekpour, a 36-year-old Canadian resident and freelance computer programmer, who has been illegally imprisoned in Iran for the past three years, is once again faced with the danger of execution. Last year, Judge Moghiseh in branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Saeed to die based on lengthy and unfounded charges including “Insulting and desecrating the principles of Islam…”.

With great relief, one of Saeed’s lawyers officially announced in summer 2011 that the Supreme Court had “quashed” the death sentence. However, in a turn of events, the Supreme Court declared months later it was unable to reach a voting decision on Saeed’s case due to existing discrepancies in the file that required resolving. The problem for the Supreme Court judges was that they were unable to state affirmatively if Saeed’s trial was fair and legal. Additionally, Saeed’s lawyer had stated in his report to the Supreme Court that his client’s hours of self-incriminating confessions were false and extracted under torture. In order for the discrepancies to be resolved, the Supreme Court returned Saeed’s case file to the same branch and judge in the Revolutionary Court.

Judge Moghiseh, ignoring the need to fix the discrepancies, re-issued the death sentence to Saeed in a brief and illegal court hearing. Saeed’s case file was then returned to the Supreme Court for a new decision to be made.

Now, Saeed and his family and friends wait apprehensively. They are hoping that the Supreme Court will act in the legal manner of addressing the unresolved discrepancies. The Supreme Court’s decision can arrive as early as this week.

As the internal political and economical tensions rise in Iran, regime authorities are visibly becoming more desperate to carry out new suppressive measures against Iranian citizens. Human rights activists and analysts believe that the regime’s main objective is to further vilify the act of information-spreading so Iranians become increasingly silenced by their own fear. Fortunately, brutal assaults on the free-flow of information have moved the international community to speak louder in support of suppressed citizens.

Due to the sensitive nature surrounding Saeed Malekpour’s case, world leaders are urged to act immediately to save him from imminent execution. People like Saeed, who have never received legal treatment by the Iranian Judiciary, risk execution because they are being used as scapegoats to fulfill the oppressive regime’s shameful crusade against humanity.

For the chance to remain alive, Saeed requires the supportive voices of concerned citizens around the world.

Video: BBC's report on Malekpour and interview with his wife:



CONTACT:
Maryam Nayeb Yazdi
Saeed Malekpour Campaign Coordinator
Phone | +14168450453
Email | maryam.nayebyazdi {at} gmail.com