By Citizens for a Nuclear Free Iran
Citizens for a Nuclear Free Iran (CNFI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapons capability, today launched a new national television advertisement to share growing opposition to the recently announced Iran agreement. The ad features Ahmad Batebi, a well-known Iranian human rights activist, describing the torture he was subjected to by Iran’s government despite the fact that Iran is a signatory to a treaty banning torture.
“I was led blindfolded into a room…a noose placed around my neck,” says Ahmad Batebi in the ad. “Iran had signed a treaty banning torture, but they did it anyway. Now they’ve signed a deal promising no nuclear weapons, but they keep their nuclear facilities and ballistic missiles. What do you think they’ll be doing?”
Ahmad Batebi gained international fame after appearing on the July 17, 1999 cover of The Economist magazine, holding up a shirt soaked with the blood of a fellow protester who was shot during student demonstrations in Tehran. Following the publication of that story, Batebi was arrested, tried in closed-door proceedings, found guilty of “creating street unrest” and sentenced to death. He was tortured by Iranian authorities in prison. While receiving medical attention, Batebi was able to flee Iran and was granted asylum by the U.S. government. Batebi was also designated a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.
“Ahmad Batebi’s story is a powerful reminder of Iran’s long history of breaking promises to the world, and why the entire international community should have no confidence in the commitments Iran purports to make with this nuclear agreement,” said Patrick Dorton, spokesperson for Citizens for a Nuclear Free Iran. “This agreement will give Iran the resources to promote more international terrorism, cause severe regional instability, and most importantly will not stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon. Americans everywhere must make their voices heard by contacting their members of Congress and pressing them to oppose the agreement.”
The advertisement is the second released by CNFI in an ongoing national campaign to oppose the recent Iran agreement and prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. An intensive communications effort supported by members of Congress and human rights groups around the world, the campaign has committed to more than $20 million of national advertising to promote the dangers of the Iran agreement.
For more information about Ahmad Batebi, visit www.ahmadbatebi.com/en/.
For more information about CNFI, visit www.nuclearfreeiran.org.
Watch the full ad here http://youtu.be/vny6BwGhcrA.
ABOUT CNFI:
Citizens for a Nuclear Free Iran (CNFI) is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapons capability. CNFI was founded in 2015 in response to concerns surrounding the nuclear negotiations between the P5+1 (the United States, the United Kingdom, China, France, Russia, plus Germany) and Iran. Following public release of the proposed nuclear agreement in July 2015, CNFI began an intensive communications effort to educate the public about the significant flaws and serious consequences of the proposed deal. The Advisory Board of CNFI includes former Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN), Mark Begich (D-AK), Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), as well as former Congressman Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), Peter Deutsch (D-FL) and former Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV). CNFI is supported by AIPAC, and other organizations and individuals concerned about the proposed Iran deal.
SOURCE Citizens for a Nuclear Free Iran
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