European MPs sponsor jailed Iranian protestors in bid to save them from execution

European lawmakers are sponsoring jailed Iranian protesters in the hope that highlighting individual cases of injustice might prevent Iranian authorities from handing out lengthy prison terms or executions. 

Iran has jailed more than 18,000 people during the protests and executed at least two so far.

Authorities have reportedly threatened to execute several others in an attempt to use fear and repression to quell the mass protests in the country. 

از مزایای کفالت سیاسی این است که از بازی روانی رژیم با اسامی و احکام تا حد زیادی جلوگیری میکند
اخبار و نگرانی های عزیزان در بند را میشود فقط به کفیل سیاسی اش انتقال داد و از همان طریق هم پیگیر آخرین وضعیت‌ پرونده شد
در حالی که تمرکز روی فراخوان ها و قدم های بعدی است#مهسا_امینی

— Dr. Iman Taheri (@TheDrIman) December 14, 2022

Around 30 Iranian prisoners are being sponsored by a European MP, according to The Guardian. 

The sponsoring politicians take responsibility for lobbying and the safety of individual prisoners, and demand information on their whereabouts to spread the details of their plight. 

The lawmakers want to highlight that Iran is not following its own penal code, and is arbitrarily arresting lawyers or denying the accused proper legal representation. 

Massive demonstrations against the Iranian government erupted across the country following the alleged killing in detention of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman who died soon after being arrested for wearing her headscarf 'improperly'. 

The protests are into their fourth month and show little sign of slowing down, despite a brutal crackdown by security forces that have killed nearly 500 people so far, including scores of women and children.