A Member of the European Parliament Becomes the Guardian of Two Political Prisoners Sentenced to Death in Iran

Per Klausen, a member of the European Parliament from the Danish 'Unity List' party, announced that he has taken on the political guardianship of two political prisoners sentenced to death, Mehdi Hasani and Behrouz Ehsani-Islamloo. On Monday, March 4, he wrote on the social media platform 'X' that today he decided to take on the political guardianship of these two prisoners who are at immediate risk of execution, referencing the annual execution of one thousand individuals by the Iranian government. Previously, Branch 39 of the Supreme Court had announced that it had rejected the request for retrial for Behrouz Ehsani-Islamloo and Mehdi Hasani. Both men were sentenced to death on charges including 'rebellion, waging war against God, corruption on earth,' 'membership' in the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, 'collecting classified information,' and 'conspiracy against national security.' According to Amnesty International, at least 853 people were executed in Iran in 2023, indicating a 48% increase compared to the previous year. The wave of executions continued into 2024, with hundreds, including protesters and civil activists, executed following unfair trials in Islamic Revolutionary Courts. Human rights activists have warned that the execution of Behrouz Ehsani-Islamloo and Mehdi Hasani could be a precursor to a new wave of executions. Human rights organizations continue to call for international pressure to halt the implementation of death sentences in Iran. Amnesty International has emphasized that the death penalty is a blatant violation of the right to life and has called for its immediate abolition in Iran. In addition to Mehdi Hasani and Behrouz Ehsani-Islamloo, several other political prisoners, such as Pakhshan Azizi and Varishe Moradi, are also at risk of execution. Mehdi Hasani, a political prisoner sentenced to death, expressed, 'I have no wish other than the freedom of Iran and the happiness of its people.' Concerns from Amnesty International regarding the execution of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hasani, and UN experts have called for the suspension of their sentences. The Iranian Human Rights Organization has also expressed concern over the potential execution of these two political prisoners.