IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONERS!
[The United Secretariat of the Fourth International, world party of the socialist revolution founded by Leon Trotsky in 1938, issued the following press release April 15.]
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The Fourth International appeals to workers throughout the world to express themselves against the brutal repressive measures employed ‘by the dictatorship of the shah of Iran, who was returned to power in 19543 with the help of the CIA. ©
Military courts hand down heavy sentences against anyone suspected of being in political opposition. At the end of 1965 two students were condemned to death on charges of complicity in an ~~ attempt to assassinate the shah although there were no proofs whatsoever. Due to worldwide protests, the sentence was not carried out, but the students were given life imprisonment.
Tn March of this’ year, four victims were sentencéd on ‘charges of "high treason" and attempted organization of a party in opposition ~— to the constitutional monarchy. The victims were Professor Khalil Maleki and three members of the Central Committee of the League of Iranian'Socialists, Reza Shaian, a government employee, Ali Djan Shansi, a. building trades worker, ‘and Hossein ‘Sarshar,, a bank employee.’
The aged Professor: Maleki, who is in very poor health, was condemned to three Years in prison-for an act committed thirty-two years ago and for which he was sentenced in 1934 to seven years at hard labor. Shaian and Shansi were given eighteen months in prison; Sarshar, twelve months.
Even more recently; a military court sentenced 54 young Iranians. One of them, Mohammad Bodjnourdi, was given the death penalty; seven were sentenced for life at hard labor; and the 46 others were given sentences ranging from six months to ten years in prison at hard labor. lof. the 55 defendants, only one: was released. J
All the trials have been held behind' virtually closed doors and in violation of the most elementary rights of the defense. Frequently the defendants have been submitted to torture by the Savak, the political police of the dictatorship. Attorneys and _ journalists from ahroad have not been admitted to observe the sessions of the court.
it is necessary to bring this repression to an end. It is necessary to win the release of the victims of Tehran's military courts!
The Fourth International appeals to all workers organizations to participate in the numerous protest actions that have already
been started, and to extend them, as well as placing demands before Iranian embassies and the Ministry of Justice in Tehran to free all the Iranian: political prisoners.
JOHNSON'S MOON DOCTRINE
The proposal | made by. Johnson May. 2 for a United Nations _ treaty on the moon and “other celestial bodies". ought to fire the. imagination of all those who have been agonizing over recent events. in this vale of blood, toil, tears and sweat.
The- president of the United States put it. exactly. right when he said, "The moon and other celestial bodies should be.free for ...... exploration and use by all countries. -No country | should: be permitted to advance: a claim of: sovereignty. " : ; oe
If only that principle could be applied on this earth and ‘in our time! And especially in Vietnam where Johnson is even now violating the sovereignty of the Vietnamese: ‘Peop! er in: the most brutal. ‘and unconscionable: way: : : Lorn:
It was! ‘Likewise most laudable of Johnson to. say , tenn snegia
be freedom:of scientific investigation, and all countries should cooperate in scientific activities relating to celestial bodies."
Couldn't we make a beginning on this right here on earth? Say by doing away with all secrets in the: exploration .and develop=. . ment of nuclear energy? Why not. open the files oF the Atomic Energy: . Commission for the: benefit of all mankind! meet
Again, Johnson deserves the highest praise for asserting, "No country should be permitted to station weapons of mass destruction on a celestial body. Weapons tests and military: maneuvers _. should be forbidden. os Les
It is mankind's misfortune that Johnson does. ‘not rate our own planet as a celestial body. Declaiming a principle like that while escalating a war: that can convert the earth into a radioactive desert, the president sounds. Hike. the preacher offering pie in _ the, sky. : Lod a
Of course “Johnson may not really be thinking of what a. veautin. ful world could be constructed in the heavens. He may.simply be cal- . culating that the Soviet astronauts will get there before the Americans. In which case, the U.S. is for:an "Open Door" policy as in China at the turn of the century when the other powers arrived first, we with their carving knives. mony
But if U.S. astronauts were to win. the race. :to land. on. the moon, then we might hear a different tune; perhaps an-updated version -. of the hallowed Monroe Doctrine: "Hands off! It's our pie!"