26 Human Rights Organizations Urge the International Community: Prevent the Execution of Pakhshan Azizi

The Justice for Iran organization, along with 25 other human rights organizations, issued a statement criticizing the death sentence for Pakhshan Azizi and called on the international community and human rights organizations to take immediate and effective action to prevent the execution of this sentence. The signatories of this statement strongly condemned the death sentence for this Kurdish women's rights activist and social worker, stating: 'This sentence is a blatant violation of human rights principles and international conventions and reflects the systematic repression of freedom of expression and the right to life in the Islamic Republic.' They added: 'Pakhshan Azizi, who has always worked in defense of women's rights and the promotion of social justice, has been subjected to torture and pressure for forced confessions since the moment of her arrest and was ultimately sentenced to death in an unfair trial without access to basic rights.' The human rights organizations that signed this statement emphasized the need for the immediate and unconditional cancellation of Pakhshan Azizi's death sentence and her release, stating: 'This sentence reflects the government's efforts to suppress the freedom-seeking movement of women, life, freedom, and the ongoing violation of women's rights in Iran.' Pakhshan Azizi was arrested on August 4, 2023, in the Kharazi neighborhood of Tehran and was accused of 'rebellion through membership in opposition groups' by Branch 5 of the Evin Security Prosecutor's Office in the winter of 2023. This political prisoner was sentenced to death in June of this year. According to Islamic Penal Code, any group that armedly stands against the foundation and principles of the Islamic Republic and rises against it is considered 'rebellious' and is charged with 'rebellion' and sentenced to death. Pakhshan Azizi has denied any involvement in armed operations, and her lawyers have emphasized that she has been working as a social worker assisting war refugees in Iraq and Syria in recent years and has had no connection to armed conflicts. Five female political prisoners, despite being summoned for 'clarification of charges,' refused to attend the Evin Prosecutor's Office. UN experts have warned about the 'sharp increase in executions' in Iran: these punishments are 'illegal.' Two human rights organizations have warned about the 'alarming situation' in Iran: immediate international attention is needed. A representative of the Catalan Parliament in Spain has taken political sponsorship of Pakhshan Azizi. New charges have been filed against Pakhshan Azizi, the condemned political prisoner.