May 14, 2024
Morteza Parvin Joda, a 33-year-old Azerbaijani artist and civil activist from Ardabil City, is currently imprisoned in room 3 of ward 4 of Evin Prison. On February 6, 2024, Iranian security forces, without a court order, scaled the wall of Mr. Parvin's father's house early in the morning, arrested him in his pajamas, and transferred him to an unknown location. The Public Prosecutor's Office of Tehran has accused Morteza Parvin of "collusion to disrupt the security of the country."
Morteza Parvin is an accomplished painter, designer, and performer who has directed and staged several performance arts, including "Cookie Structure," "Safat," "Kabus-e-man Pabarjast," and "Boogharsaq." Despite facing pressures and threats from security institutions, his works have been well received. His paintings, designs, and calligraphy have also been showcased in virtual spaces and art sites. On May 1, 2024, an exhibition of 40 pen and pencil drawings by this political prisoner was held in Evin Prison to mark Labor Day and Teacher's Day.
Throughout his career, Morteza Parvin has been summoned, threatened, and arrested multiple times for his civic and artistic activities. Notable incidents include his arrest during the 2011 protests against the drying up of Lake Urmia, the 2015 protest against the offensive TV program Fitileh, the annual Babak Castle ceremony in 2018, and the 2020 rally in support of the liberation of occupied Karabagh in Jiral Park, Ardabil. In 2017, he resisted a whipping sentence, successfully preventing its execution due to its inhumane nature. In November 2022, he was arrested again during protests and was later released on bail.
We, the signatories of this petition, demand the unconditional release of Morteza Parvin Joda and the freedom to hold exhibitions of his works within the country.
پروتئستو صنعتی قانونا قارشی دئییل.