In London, 4 February, there was an action for #FreeSoheilArabi #FreePoliticalPrisonersinIran
Film by Reason4Freedom
It includes messages of solidarity with Soheil and political prisoners in Iran. Please continue to send us messages of support to Soheil. Also, please continue contacting elected representatives to take action. Actions took place in other cities too and by organisations that are politically sponsoring Soheil Arabi – see below. Actions took place in other cities and on social media on the day too.
UPDATE: Soheil Arabi was beaten so badly during his arrest that he reportedly had a heart attack and was taken to hospital. Since 7 January, he is being held in Greater Tehran Prison. He is at risk and being tortured. On 3 February, Soheil was again transferred to another prison in the usual violent and inhuman manner that is normal for the Islamic regime of Iran.
POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP
We, the undersigned ex-Muslim, atheist, secularist and freethought organisations, have joined together to politically sponsor the well-known Iranian atheist and ex-Muslim Soheil Arabi, who was re-arrested from his home on 2 January 2023 by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s security forces.
Sources have informed us that he was violently beaten during the arrest, denied much-needed medicine and moved to an unknown location.
We are extremely concerned about his well-being given the increased risk of execution for many protestors and critics in an effort to quell the revolutionary uprising since the murder of Mahsa Jina Amini. As a long-term political prisoner previously on death row, Soheil’s life is at grave risk.
A political sponsorship system has proven effective in protecting Iranian political prisoners. As Soheil Arabi’s political sponsors, we will continue to advocate and mobilise support and solidarity for him and put pressure on the Islamic regime of Iran to free him immediately and unconditionally.
#WhereIsSoheilArabi #FreeSoheil #FreePoliticalPrisoners #Iran #MahsaAmini
Arab Humanists USA
Ateizm Dernegi (Association of Atheism, Turkey)
Ateizm Dernegi International Foundation
Atheist Ireland
Atheist Refugee Relief
Black Skeptics
Bread and Roses TV
Center for Inquiry
Center for Inquiry Canada
Central Committee of Ex-Muslims in Scandinavia
Centre for Civic Courage, Croatia
Council of Ex-Muslims of Germany
Council of Ex-Muslims of Singapore
Council of Ex-Muslims of Sri Lanka
Ex-Muslims of Netherlands
Ex-Muslims Of Norway
Ex-Muslims of Toronto
Faithless Hijabi
FEMEN
Freedom From Religion Foundation
Freethought Lebanon
Giordano Bruno Foundation
Humanist Ottawa
Inara association of Tunisian atheists and freethinkers
Indian Rationalist Association
International League of Non-Religious and Atheists
Kazimierz Lyszczynski Foundation
Kent Community Secular Alliance
Liberals Mauritania
Libres penseurs athées (Atheist Freethinkers)
Livonia Arabic Salon
Manaarah Initiative
Muslimish
National Secular Society
One Law for All
Peter Tatchell Foundation
Quebec Humanist Association
Rationalist International
Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science
Secular Connexion Séculière
Secular Underground Network, a project of the Fix Foundation
Secularism is a Women’s Issue
Southall Black Sisters
For more information contact Maryam Namazie, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain at m.namazie@ex-muslim.org.uk and Susanna McIntyre, Atheist Republic at susanna@atheistrepublic.com.