Amnesty International Condemns the Execution of Four Kurdish Political Prisoners in Iran 'After a Severely Unjust Secret Trial'

In response to the execution of four Kurdish political prisoners in Qazal Hessar prison in Karaj, Amnesty International stated that it is 'horrified by the arbitrary execution' of Pejman Fatehi, Vafa Azarbar, Mohammad (Hojir) Farahmandi, and Mohsen Mazloom 'after a severely unjust secret trial' and called on the international community to pressure the Iranian government to immediately halt executions. The human rights organization said that 'Iranian authorities subjected these four men to enforced disappearance since their arrest, which constitutes a crime under international law.' It added that the Iranian government has harassed and intimidated the families of these four Kurdish dissidents for supporting their loved ones. Amnesty International noted that the 'arbitrary execution' of these four individuals occurs amid a concerning rise in executions by Iranian authorities, which are used as a 'tool of political repression against protesters, dissenters, and members of oppressed ethnic minorities, particularly Kurds and Baluchis, who are disproportionately targeted for the death penalty.' The organization further urged the international community to condemn the 'mass killings and increased use of the death penalty as a tool of repression by Iranian authorities' and to pressure the Islamic Republic of Iran for an immediate halt to executions and a complete abolition of the death penalty. Following the 'execution of the sentence' of Pejman Fatehi, Mohammad Farahmandi, Vafa Azarbar, and Mohsen Mazloom, four Kurdish political prisoners in Qazal Hessar prison in Karaj, despite widespread international protests regarding their situation, human rights organizations and figures condemned this action by the Islamic Republic. According to reports, these four individuals were members of the 'Komala Party of Kurdistan' who were arrested last year in Urmia and accused of 'spying for Israel,' an accusation that they have strongly denied multiple times. Additionally, their lawyer protested the 'unfair trial process' regarding these accusations. Based on statements from relatives of these four Iranian citizens, they have been deprived of visiting their families since their arrest in August 2022. Meanwhile, the families of the four political prisoners met with them in Evin prison on January 28 after '19 months' of not knowing their fate, and they were told 'this is the last visit.' These prisoners were transferred from Evin to Qazal Hessar prison in Karaj on Sunday afternoon, and their death sentences were executed simultaneously with the morning call to prayer on Monday, January 29. Exclusive | Details of the 'madness project' of a political prisoner; Reza Mohammad Hosseini: My father's death was 'government murder.' Widespread reactions to the execution of four political prisoners; Gohar Eshghi: Damn you, Khamenei. The execution of four Kurdish political prisoners occurred simultaneously with the morning call to prayer on Monday in Tehran's horizon. Warning from 25 human rights organizations: The Islamic Republic will use Al-Nashif's visit to Iran for propaganda purposes. Execution of four political prisoners; Iran Human Rights Organization: Khamenei and the judiciary of the corrupt Islamic Republic must be held accountable.