The mother of three young Iran protesters has gone public to save the lives of her sons, after the Iranian Judiciary handed down unfair sentences for them for participating in public protests in 2018 in Kazerun and Shiraz.
In her video recording posted on the internet on August 30, Mrs. Afkari (Bahieh Namjou) said:
My name is Bahieh Namjou. I am the mother of Navid, Vahid and Habib Afkari.
Plain clothes agents broke into our house at 5 a.m. in September 2018, without showing a warrant, and took away two of my sons, Vahid and Navid.
After some time, they came and took away my husband and son-in-law. After three months, they came and arrested Habib.
My son, Habib, had been married for only three months. They tortured Habib psychologically and physically so much that three times, he committed suicide in prison…
Now, I am appealing to the people around the world, to all the people of Iran and to anyone who hears my voice. I appeal for a fair and genuine trial which could prove the innocence of my children.
And I earnestly appeal to anyone who can hear my voice to help overturn the unfair and unjust sentences issued for my sons.
Navid Afkari, 27 and a wrestling champion, has been sentenced to double executions and 6.4 years in prison and 74 lashes.
His brother, Vahid Afkari, 35, has been sentenced to 54.5 years in prison and 74 lashes.
Habib Afkari, 29, has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison and 74 lashes.
The three brothers have been in jail since 2018 and all three have been viciously tortured. They are accused of membership in opposition groups, participation in opposition gatherings, writing slogans, propaganda against the state, insulting the mullahs’ supreme leader, insulting the regime’s agents, inciting the public to revolt, disobedience, assaulting and beating the repressive agents, and “waging war on God.”