Amirhossein Moradi, a prominent political prisoner and former Sharif University student, has publicly rejected any possibility of seeking a pardon or furlough from the Iranian government. In a statement released from within the notorious Evin Prison, Moradi emphasized that it is the Iranian government, not the prisoners, that should be seeking forgiveness from the people of Iran for its actions.
Amirhossein Moradi, a physics student, and Ali Younesi, a computer engineering student, both from the prestigious Sharif University of Technology, were arrested on April 10, 2020, by Iranian intelligence forces on charges of supporting the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The arrest, which was carried out without a legal warrant, involved significant violence. Both students have since been held in solitary confinement and regular detention within Evin Prison for over four years.
In his latest statement, Moradi passionately declared, “Even one day of holding political prisoners in captivity is unlawful. I have not, and will not, request a pardon or furlough because I firmly believe that, given the crimes committed by this regime—of which I have witnessed only a fraction during these years—it is the government that should be seeking pardon from the Iranian people.”
Moradi’s words underscore his steadfast stance against the government’s treatment of political prisoners, highlighting the ongoing injustice that he and many others endure. “The perpetrators and those who ordered these crimes must be held accountable for their actions, the least of which is robbing us of our youth. As far as we are concerned, we neither forgive nor forget,” Moradi added, reflecting a sentiment of deep resentment and a call for justice.
Moradi’s case has garnered significant attention due to his status as a top student at one of Iran’s leading universities, and his imprisonment, along with Younesi’s, has been widely condemned by human rights organizations. Their ongoing detention is emblematic of the broader repression faced by political dissidents in Iran, where arrests, torture, and prolonged imprisonment without due process are common.
