Saturday, 01 June 2013

INU – Political prisoners jailed in Zahedan and Orumieh have issued a statement urging Iranian citizens to boycott this June’s presidential election.

The group stressed that especially ethnic minorities, religious groups and women – who are all barred from standing for political office – should shun the forthcoming ballot.

The ban on women standing for election means half the nation’s entire population could not be selected as a candidate and if they vote they ‘oppress themselves’, the statement said.

And because millions of political prisoners and other inmates are deprived of the most basic human rights, their families should also refuse to vote, it added.