Trent Park event to raise awareness of executions in Iran

The 5km race aims to show solidarity with people facing human rights violations, reports Belle Lun

The event in Trent Park is raising money to support Alireza Raisi (inset left) and Alireza Sepahi (inset right) — The event in Trent Park is raising awareness of the plight of Alireza Raisi (inset left) and Alireza Sepahi (inset right)

A community event being held in support of people facing execution in Iran will take place at Trent Park this weekend.

The Academics in Exile Association is organising the free ‘Walk & Run for Justice in Iran’ event takes place from 12pm on Saturday (10th), which coincides with World Day Against the Death Penalty.

The 5km race aims to raise awareness of executions in Iran and show solidarity with people facing human rights violations.

“These are not just numbers. They are young people, students, protesters, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters whose lives are being taken away,” said Rosa Zara, director of the Academics in Exile Association.

“We did not want to simply sit and watch these executions happen. We wanted to bring people together and show that these people have not been forgotten.”

The organisers said the run is intended as a peaceful way of standing with people in Iran who cannot safely speak for themselves.

“We want people to think about those who are currently sitting in prison, waiting to find out whether they will live or die, and about the families who are living through the unbearable fear of losing someone they love,” said Zara.

The event is also part of a co-ordinated international initiative taking place in nine cities, including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, Stockholm, Oslo, Rome, Luxembourg City and Sydney.

“The idea was to show that this is not an issue that belongs only to one community or one country,” said Zara.

“Even when people are separated by borders, they are not alone.”

The UN’s Iran fact-finding mission said at least 29 men arrested in connection with large protests at the start of this year have since been executed, with five of the executions carried out publicly. More than 70 people remained at imminent risk of execution in relation to the protests.

Human Rights Watch said some of the executions had been carried out publicly “to further instil fear”, and described the death penalty as part of efforts to deter further dissent.

The event organisers have also highlighted the case of 25-year-old Alireza Sepahi, who was executed in Isfahan on 5th October.
According to Zara, Sepahi had previously been taken towards a public execution in July when he suffered a heart attack shortly before the planned hanging and was taken to hospital. His execution was stopped at the time, but he was returned to custody before being executed this month.

“It is honestly difficult to put the horror of that into words,” said Zara. “Imagine being taken to your execution, suffering a heart attack from the terror of what you are facing, being taken to hospital, surviving, and then being brought back weeks later and executed anyway.”

The Walk & Run for Justice in Iran event is free to attend. For more information:
Visit runforfreeiran.manus.space/

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