In a statement, Pen Australia protests the prison sentence for three members of the Iranian Writers’ Association (IWA)
18-October-2020
Category: Freedom of Expression، Prisoners
Breathing in Confinement: In a statement, Pen Australian, reacted to the prison sentence for three members of the Iranian Writers’ Association, Reza Khandan Mahabadi, Baktash Abtin, and Keyvan Bazhan.
According to HRANA news agency, quoting the Iranian Writers’ Association, Pen Australian, calling for immediate action, released a statement in protest against the prison sentence for three members of the Iranian Writers’ Association, Reza Khandan Mahabadi, Baktash Abtin, and Keyvan Bazhan.
PEN Sydney, on behalf of the Australian PEN Centres in Melbourne and Perth, released a statement saying that three writers in Iran have been imprisoned because of their objection to censorship and their advocacy of freedom of expression. In its statement PEN Sydney has called all organizations and writers who advocate freedom of expression, to support these three writers. PEN Sydney has also called for the immediate release of these writers.
The association also urged its members to raise their voices against the prison sentence for these three Iranian writers, and has called them to take immediate action in writing a letter to the Iranian ambassador in Australia, in order to have their voices be heard by the Iranian government.
Below is the full text of this statement:
“October 12, 2020
Statement by Pen Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth
On 4th October 2020, three members of the Iranian Writers Association (IWA) – Reza Khandan Mehabadi, Baktash Abtin and Kayvan Bazhan – were transferred to Evin prison. In what was an unfair trial and a wrongful conviction, their imprisonment during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has put their lives at serious risk.
These three writers were imprisoned because of their objection to censorship and their advocacy of freedom of expression, and all organisations and writers supporting and favoring freedom are required to support them. PEN centres in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth call upon the Iranian government to release the writers immediately.
Mark Isaacs
President, PEN Sydney”
It should be mentioned that Baktash Abtin, Reza Khandan Mahabadi and Keyvan Bazhan, three members of the Iranian Writers’ Association, were arrested on Saturday, September 26, after appearing at Sentence Implementation Unit in Evin Prison Court, and were transferred to Evin Prison to serve their sentences.
According to the verdicts handed out to these writers’ lawyers, Baktash Abtin and Reza Khandan Mahabadi, two members of the board of directors of the Iranian Writers’ Association, have each been sentenced to six years in prison, while Keyvan Bazhan to three years and six months. Having said that they had previously been sentenced to a total of 18 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran.