The news released by the Iranian press on 19 April that nine political prisoners had been shot and killed by prison guards whilst attempting to escape' has sparked off an international movement of protest.
Inside Iran, despite the climate of ruthless repression, the murder of the nine has led to the first signs of a mass protest. Around 5,000 prisoners in the Qasr Prison in Tehran are on hunger strike. In Tehran between the police and demonstrators, leading to at least 100 arrests. The Minister of Education, following the advice of police) has ordered the closing of all the tajor Iranian universities and colleges to avert student demonstrations.
MURDERED
The nine murdered prisoners, seven of bom had been in iail since late 1967.
onged to one of the most prominent Mps of political prisoners They were secretly in a military court early in 968 and sentenced to death for what the rosecutor called 'outlawed and commuistic activities and subversion against the endangering law and order'. Their were only spared after a world-wide ent of protest organised by the Coofederation of Iranian Students.
They were then re-tried in January nging from nine to 15 years. In 1971, in order to terrorise the movement of Execution of political prisoners is just one example of brutality of regime opposition to the Shah's lavish masquerade *celebrating the 2500th anniversary of monarchy in Iran', they were moved to Tehran along with a score of other prominent political prisoners, and threatened with execution. Once again, due to international pressure, the Shah's henchmen were prevented trom carrymg our mese executions.
BRUTAL TORTURE
They did not, however, give up the brutal torture or mese pouncal prisoners. whose severity has been noted even by the bourgeois press in Britain. From the fact that we manlan regime nas not agreca to turn the bodies of the nine over to their relatives, and has refused to allow an independent coroner to examine them, it is clear that they were murdered under TOLLUTC These latest killings are not the only examples of the butchery of Iranian politi cal prisoners by the military dictatorship of the Shah. In the last four years alone over 300 have been murdered in his iails Furthermore, killing political prisoners is not the only example of the brutal repression meted out by the capitalist regime Last September a strike in a mosaics factory was brutally suppressed by killing 14 workers. One month later, a strike in the Land Rover assembly plant was ended WICH UIL WOrKCIS ICOICSCHLEUVCS WCEL arrested by SAVAK and subsequently murdered. Iran is also probably the only country in which there are police stations Supporters of the Iranian 21 picket the court last Thursday Stop British Governments Collaboration With The Fascist Regime of the Shah Free the 21 Iramens Now IRANIAN
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sparks widespread protest-