Petition for the Release of Abbas Lesani, an Azerbaijani Political Prisoner
351
Signatures
On January 15, 2019, Abbas Lesani, an activist for the rights of citizens of Azerbaijan, went to the second branch of the Revolutionary Court of Tabriz following a summons regarding his speech at the funeral of the late Hasan Demirchi (Azerbaijani activist). Before leaving the court, the security agents arrested him and transferred him to Ardabil, where he faced false accusations, such as forming an illegal political group.
Ardabil's first branch of the Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Khodadadi, sentenced Abbas Lesani to 8 years of imprisonment and two years of exile to Yazd under the supervision of the Intelligence Department. Mr. Lesani's appeal court unexpectedly increased his sentence to 15 years of prison and two years of exile. After repeated requests by Seyyed Mohammad Reza Faqihi, the defendant's lawyer, the initial sentence of 8 years imprisonment and two years of exile was upheld.
Abbas Lesani has suffered high blood pressure, heart rate, and chronic knee and back disc pain in Ardabil prison. After serving more than three years of imprisonment, on February 13, 2022, based on the opinion of a three-member forensic medical panel, Mr. Lesani went on a six-month medical leave. He underwent ozone therapy and laser therapy for the lumbar disc on three occasions.
On August 27, 2022, despite his second leave's approval and the attending physician's order, Abdullah Tabatabai, the prosecutor of Ardabil, canceled the medical leave, and Mr. Lesani returned to Ardabil's Central Prison.
Denial of medical leave during the covid-19 epidemic in Ardabil prison, denial of the right to attend close relatives' funerals, denial of family visits at different times, and several bans on telephone conversations are among the pressures that the prison authorities have put on this Azerbaijani political prisoner. For more psychological stress, Ardabil security forces have harassed Abbas Lesani's family, including sealing the business place of his eldest son.
Abbas Lesani has resisted the inhuman sentence of flogging. He has requested the right to defend himself in Turkish with the presence of an interpreter before the Farsi-speaking judge. He has been on hunger strike several times, protecting his rights peacefully in prison.
Abbas Lesani has been one of the pioneers of non-violence and civil disobedience in Iran. This steadfast Azerbaijani activist has been effective in multiplying the spirit of resistance. He has given courage to the supporters of the rights of the oppressed people.
By inviting and participating in cultural gatherings, leading peaceful street demonstrations, and emphasizing the right of Azerbaijanis to protest, Abbas Lesani has caused the wrath of the security forces. He has criticized the judiciary's lack of independence by refusing to answer the indictment papers during his arrest and openly criticizing the "national security faction of the parliament." He insists on the right to use the Turkish mother tongue in Iran and recognizes all the currents of thought in Azerbaijan. These characteristics have caused the enemies of freedom and equality in Iran to decide on his heavy prison sentences and exile.
We, the signatories of this petition, ask the Iranian judiciary to re-examine the case of Abbas Lesani, free from the pressure of the security forces, to speed up the fair trial process, and to provide the right to medical leave for this Azerbaijani political prisoner. We ask the international human rights organizations to call the Islamic Republic to account for these unjust verdicts and to use everything in their power to free Abbas Lesani.
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See where all the votes are coming from
Province Number of signatures Alborz 1 Ardabil 5 Bushehr 1 Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari 0 East Azerbaijan 12 Fars 3 Gilan 2 Golestan 0 Hamadan 0 Hormozgan 0 Ilam 0 Isfahan 0 Kerman 0 Kermanshah 0 Khuzestan 1 Kohgiluyehv And Boyer Ahmad 0 Kurdistan 0 Lorestan 2 Markazi 0 Mazandaran 0 North Khorasan 0 Qazvin 0 Qom 0 Razavi Khorasan 1 Semnan 0 Sistan and Baluchestan 0 South Khorasan 0 Tehran 7 West Azerbaijan 4 Yazd 0 Zanjan 0 This petition has received 351 signatures so far. Approximately 60% of signatures come from Iran. Approximately 40% of signatures come from outside of Iran. Learn how Daadkhast generates signature maps. -
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امضا با تلگرام
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started this petition
امضا با تلگرام