Posted @withrepost • @franslanting Photos by @FransLanting and friends, Eight conservationists in Iran have been in prison now for 18 months, wrongfully accused of using wildlife camera traps for espionage. I worked with them in Iran on assignment for @NatGeo, and with their help I was able to make this portrait of the highly endangered Asiatic cheetah, which occurs only in Iran. Fewer than 50 remain. These scientists are not spies. They are patriots dedicated to saving from extinction one of the most powerful symbols of Iran’s rich natural heritage. Many conservationists around the world and many other people inside Iran have spoken up for these scientists, but they remain in Tehran’s Evin prison without conviction and have spent months in solitary confinement. In protest, two of them, both women—Niloufar Bayani and Sepideh Kashani (shown after the cheetah photo)—started a hunger strike in prison on August 3. Tomorrow, Friday August 9, @ChristineEckstrom and I will join their hunger strike for 24 hours, to show solidarity and draw attention to their plight. Please consider joining us for a day or even just skipping a meal, and posting or tweeting about it. You can sign a petition at the Scholars at Risk Network to show support for Niloufar. The link is in my bio. #FastForAnyHopeforNature #AnyHopeForNature #HungerStrike #Iran_Conservationists @hrouhani @jzarif_ir @hediyehtehrany @Reza_Kianian_Official @mitra.hajjar @raisi_org @richardbranson @leonardodicaprio @hope4nature #ConservationIsNotaCrime #Free_Iran_Conservationists #hope4nature #ConservationNeedsCameratraps #cheetahs اميد_براى_طبيعت #امید_برای_طبیعت #فعالان_محیط_زیست #فعالان_محیط_زیستی #امیرحسین_خالقی #هومن_جوکار #طاهر_قدیریان #نیلوفر_بیانی #سام_رجبی #سپیده_کاشانی #مراد_طاهباز #عبدالرضا_کوهپایه #کاووس_سیدامامی #اميد_براى_طبيعت #فعالان_محيط_زيست #اميرحسين_خالقي #سپيده_كاشانى #اميرحسين_خالقي #هومن_جوكار #سپيد (presso Iran) https://www.instagram.com/p/B07hZSmFsIg/?igshid=x54iqv8xqxk9
