Tehran, Iran – Nearly 300 university professor, researchers, artists, and political, cultural and civil activists living abroad signed
a joint statement condemning the recent campaign of arrests
and interrogations targeting what they described as “communist intellectuals” in Iran.
This statement comes in condemnation of the security campaign
launched by the Iranian government against writers and activists.
Their thinking is characterized by a left-wing critical approach to social and economic issues.
Prominent names and accusations of attacking society
The signatories of the statement mentioned the names of some of
those arrested and interrogated, including: Parviz Sedaghat and Shirin Karimi.
Mahsa Asadollahnejad, Mohammad Maljo, and Heman Rahimi.
The statement indicated that their ideology is characterized by “socialism
and a critical left-wing approach to corruption, injustice, and economic,
social, and environmental destruction.”
The statement read: “An attack on intellectuals is an attack on society.”
In a situation where the efficiency crisis has reached
its peak both domestically and internationally
The government is trying hard to deprive the people of the ability to protest
and rise up effectively through repression and control.”
Linking repression to Khamenei’s rhetoric
The signatories also referred to the recent speech by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei,
They believe that what was “absent” from his words is the reality of the state
society, which is the regime’s main concern.
The signatories assert that the security campaign aims to rehabilitate society
intellectually and organizationally in order to control its ability to protest.
Turaj Atabaki, a professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian history
at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences and one of the signatories, explained,
The subject and content of the statement in an interview with “Radio Farda”.
In contrast, this statement comes one day after it was signed
by 170 cultural, political and social activists from inside the country.
In a similar statement, he condemned the campaign, considering
it a reminder of the “historical left-wing hostility towards the Islamic Republic.”
