The event "Nazanin Fatehi is Free" provides first-hand information on the successful campaign "Save Nazanin! A successful campaign against the death penalty in Iran", which will take place on Sunday, February 11, at the University of Frankfurt. First and foremost, the two main activists of the rescue campaign will describe their experiences: Nazanin Afshin-Jam, who represented the action very professionally in the media worldwide, thanks to her experience as a singer and former Miss Canada, and Mina Ahadi, who established necessary connections in the background as coordinator of the International Committee against Executions and Stoning.

The case of Nazanin Fatehi generated headlines worldwide thanks to the commitment of Afshin-Jam and Ahadi: In March 2005 Nazanin Fatehi defended herself against three men who wanted to rape her, killing one of the attackers in self-defense. In January 2006, the under-age prisoner was sentenced to death by hanging in an Iranian court. Not least because of great public and political pressure - the petition of the campaign was ultimately supported by about 350,000 people - the execution was suspended in June 2006 and a resumption of proceedings was ordered for January 2007. In the course of this retrial, the judges concluded that the March 2005 incident was an act of self-defense. However, Fatehi had used "disproportionate means", which is why she had to pay "blood money". The campaign by Afshin-Jam and Ahadi was faced with the challenging task of raising 43,000 US dollars at short notice before Nazanin Fatehi could finally leave prison on January 31, 2007.

Conclusion of a European lecture series lasting several days

The event in Frankfurt marks the end of a several-day European series of lectures by Afshin-Jam and Ahadi. Yesterday they addressed the European parliament in Brussels, today they are speaking in Stockholm, the day after that in Gothenburg. The purpose of the lecture trip is not only to show a particular example of how a human life can be saved in Iran. The two activists also emphasize that the Fatehi case is by no means an isolated one, that there are many people in Iran, but also in other parts of the world, who are dependent on "outside help", and that a corresponding humanitarian commitment does not have to be in vain, but, as the Fatehi case shows, can very well prove successful.

The event at Frankfurt University (main building at Bockenheimer Warte, Aulasaal 2nd floor) starts on Sunday at 3 pm. The main organizer is the International Committee against Execution and the Death Penalty; cooperation partners are Amnesty International, Terre des Femmes, and the Giordano Bruno Stiftung.