In August, we remember the tragic anniversary of the 1988 mass executions in Iran, a dark chapter that resonates with the resurgent wave of death sentences today. This month also marks the 70th anniversary of the 1953 coup, orchestrated by the UK and US, that overthrew Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. As we witness the ongoing military aggression against Iran by the US and Israel, we express our solidarity with the Iranian people and their political prisoners, who continue to face repression both domestically and internationally.
Solidarity Against Oppression
To the activists, students, thinkers, workers, artists, and other prisoners of conscience across Iran, we extend our heartfelt support. We recognize the immense challenges you endure in the nation’s prisons: the torment, systematic neglect, silencing, and the cruelty of fraudulent trials and executions. As a collective of former and current political prisoners, activists, and scholars dedicated to abolition, anti-authoritarianism, and anti-imperialism, we acknowledge your struggle, transcending geographical and communicative barriers imposed by censorship and internet blackouts. Your plight at the intersection of dual oppressions—both from within your country and the external aggressions—deeply resonates with us.
The Dual Nature of Oppression
You face a repressive Islamic Republic that from its inception has imposed strict social and political controls under an exclusionary ideology. This regime claims to oppose imperial power while adopting the very principles of domination it seeks to resist. Concurrently, you are subjected to the violent instigations of foreign imperialist and Zionist forces. The brutal actions by the US and Israel inflict untold suffering, including the destruction of civilian lives and infrastructure, rendering you as collateral damage in geopolitical maneuvers. The horrifying incident of June 23, 2025, when Israel targeted the Evin prison complex, starkly illustrates this dual oppression—wherein you articulated feeling “stuck between the blades of a scissors,” caught between an oppressive regime and foreign bombardments.
The Escalation of Violence and Control
In the past year, we have observed a marked intensification of brutality from both sides. The rise in arbitrary arrests and a severe wave of state executions reflect a disturbing alignment of interests against the working class, particularly targeting marginalized communities such as Kurds, Arabs, and Baloch. This is part of a broader, catastrophic corporate strategy: falling short of addressing societal crises leads these regimes to criminalize and attempt to erase the very individuals they cannot control. This pattern is echoed in various contexts, such as the US’ use of “administrative detention” for Palestinians, and the historic targeting of freedom fighters across multiple movements. Systems in the US, Israel, and Iran share not just tactics but also a commitment to silence dissent through fear and isolation.
Uniting for Collective Liberation
Your struggle is intertwined with our collective aspirations for freedom and dignity. As humans, we are called to reject the false dichotomy of hollow anti-imperialism and imperialism itself. We urge global civil society and anti-imperialist advocates to show unwavering support for all those unjustly imprisoned. We must amplify the voices of Iranian political prisoners, challenge oppressive narratives, and demand that the Islamic Republic halt executions and release all political detainees. Simultaneously, we call for an end to the destructive wars and brutal sanctions enforced by the US and Israel that devastate communities.
The cruelty of the Iranian authorities must cease, as must the imperialistic violence that cripples lives in the region. Together, we can signify our solidarity and commitment to a world where freedom, justice, and dignity prevail for all communities.