Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, on Sunday, November 15, criticized the continued repression of writers in Iran, referring to the arrest, trial and issuing of prison terms and death sentences against a number of writers, poets and journalists.
Mohammadi wrote: "Animosity with a pen and thought was and is typical of autocratic governments."
He pointed to the retrial of five journalists and poets in Abadan, including Arash Gallov and Mandana Sadagi, and announced the transfer of the death sentence of Fayman Farhabar, the imprisoned songwriter, to the execution branch.
Mohammadi also mentioned the incident with Jaafar Panhi, the arrest of Elias Kanawati, Mehdi Nasri, Arif Nasri and Mohammad Kaabi, the sentencing of Rozba Gilsian and Nima Safar to four years and eight months in prison and the issuing of a prison sentence to Mohammad Maljo.
He saw in these cases only a small part of the repression of writers in recent weeks, and pointed to the awarding of the World Writers' Association award to Gulruk Irai and Ali Asadullahi, and emphasized the importance of supporting imprisoned writers. Mohammadi wrote in the end: "You can talk forcefully with the writer and the pen, but his thoughts and ideals will always find their way."