Amnesty International: Death Sentences of Six Prisoners in Evin Must Be Immediately Revoked

Amnesty International, in a letter to Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the head of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, has warned about the imminent execution of six political prisoners in Iran following their "severely unfair" trials, calling for the "immediate revocation" of these sentences. The prisoners include Abolhasan Montazeri (65), Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar (58), Babak Alipour (33), Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi (58), Pouya Ghobadi (31), and Vahid Bani-Amirian (32), who have been charged with "Baghi," which legally means armed rebellion or uprising against the government. Membership in the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization is among the allegations against these prisoners. The international organization emphasized that these six defendants have repeatedly denied all charges related to armed struggle against the government but have also received prison sentences for other crimes such as "gathering information and conspiracy against national security." According to informed sources cited by Amnesty International, Islamic Republic agents subjected these individuals to torture and other ill-treatment during their detention and interrogations, including repeated beatings, flogging, restricting access to toilets, prolonged solitary confinement, and death threats by placing guns to their heads. All six are held in Evin prison and are members of the "No to Execution Tuesdays" campaign. This campaign also stated in a statement last Azar (December) that the "unfair trial process of these political prisoners" becomes even more regrettable when Ebrahim Afshari, head of Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, issued their death sentences based on "judicial knowledge." Amnesty International also pointed out in its letter to the head of the judiciary that the authorities of the Islamic Republic violated the right to a "fair trial" for these six defendants, including their access to a lawyer to challenge the legality of their detention; coercing them into self-incrimination as a result of torture or other ill-treatment; and being tried by an independent, competent, and impartial court. The organization stated that the trial of these individuals was "severely unfair" and that at least three of them met their lawyers for the first time in court, which consisted of only a two-hour session. Amnesty International has obtained information indicating that several of these individuals and their lawyers told the court during this session that their "forced confessions" were obtained under torture and other ill-treatment and cannot be considered as evidence. However, it appears that the court did not investigate these allegations. The international organization emphasized that the authorities of the Islamic Republic have deprived these defendants of adequate healthcare or severely delayed it while some of them are in critical physical condition. Amnesty International has called on the authorities of the Islamic Republic to immediately halt their death sentences and to release them since their detention has been severely arbitrary and in violation of the right to a fair trial. A member of the European Parliament has called for the revocation of the sentences of Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi. Zartosht Ahmadiraghab from prison: Iran will achieve justice and democracy. Narges Mohammadi: Executioners have raised gallows in Iran's prisons. At least seven prisoners have been executed in Iran by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic. Hundreds of civil and political activists have called for the release of political and ideological prisoners. The "No to Execution Tuesdays" campaign has warned about the death sentence of a prisoner charged with Baghi. A university professor protesting against death sentences has been arrested. Female prisoners in Lakan prison in Rasht condemned the issuance of death sentences.