Campaign for the Freedom of Varisheh Moradi: The Life of This Political Prisoner Remains in Danger

"The Campaign for the Freedom of Varisheh Moradi," a political prisoner sentenced to death in Evin Prison, announced on Wednesday, January 23, that no developments have occurred in his case and his life remains in danger. The campaign's statement referred to a general strike in Kurdish cities on Wednesday in protest against the issuance and confirmation of the death sentences for Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi, stating: "The news of a joyful development" regarding the acceptance of Pakhshan Azizi's request for retrial by his lawyers was publicly announced, but no changes have been made in Varisheh Moradi's case. The campaign wrote that this civil activist was sentenced to death in the primary court, and the risk of confirmation and execution of this sentence remains intact. Earlier, the government news agency Tasnim, close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claimed on Wednesday that the execution of Pakhshan Azizi's sentence had been postponed. This government media reported that "according to news received from informed sources in the National Security Council," the execution of Pakhshan Azizi's sentence was postponed. This news was published at a time when images released on Wednesday showed that shopkeepers in Kurdish cities, including in the Sanandaj market, refrained from opening their shops and went on strike in response to calls from Kurdish parties to protest against the issuance of death sentences for Varisheh Moradi and Pakhshan Azizi. Additionally, Maziar Tataei, Pakhshan Azizi's lawyer, announced on his social media account that the request to halt the execution of his client and Amir Reisi had been approved. Mr. Tataei wrote: "Today, during a visit to the Supreme Court with my esteemed colleague Mr. Amir Reisi, to follow up on the request for retrial for Ms. Pakhshan Azizi, the court handling the retrial agreed to the request to halt the execution of the sentence in accordance with Article 478 of the Code of Criminal Procedure." Varisheh Moradi, a 39-year-old political prisoner, was sentenced to death on November 10 by Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran on charges of "Baghi" (armed rebellion against the government). He was arrested on July 31 last year in the outskirts of Sanandaj and was transferred from the Ministry of Intelligence detention center known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison to the women's ward of this prison on December 26 of the same year. This political prisoner revealed in an open letter from prison that during his detention, he was subjected to physical and psychological torture, threats of execution, and gender-based violence. General strikes by merchants in Kamyaran in protest against the death sentences of Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi. General strike of shopkeepers in Saqqez in protest against the death sentences of Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi. Another image of the strike by merchants in Mahabad in protest against the sentences of Varisheh Moradi and Pakhshan Azizi. Strike by merchants in Boukan in protest against the death sentences of Varisheh Moradi and Pakhshan Azizi. Continuation of the strike by merchants in Kurdish cities; closure of businesses in Islamabad-e Gharb. Strike by merchants in Kurdish areas; protests in Mahabad and Divandareh against the death sentences. Closure of shops in Kermanshah; protests in Kurdish cities against the death sentences. Images from the strike in Saqqez condemning the death sentences of Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi.