Concern of Amnesty International over the Execution Sentences of Behrouz Ehsanloo and Mehdi Hasani

On Friday, March 1, Amnesty International expressed concern over the sudden transfer of 69-year-old Behrouz Ehsanloo-Islamloo and 48-year-old Mehdi Hasani, two political prisoners sentenced to death, from Evin Prison to Qazalhasar Prison; an action that is usually a precursor to the execution of death sentences in Iran. Amnesty International, citing published reports, stated that these two political prisoners were transferred from Evin Prison to Qazalhasar Prison on January 27 without prior notice to their families and lawyers. This transfer occurred while they had been participating in the 'Tuesdays Against Execution' campaign for about a year, an initiative formed in protest against the widespread executions in Iran. Reports indicate that Evin Prison officials had asked Behrouz Ehsanloo-Islamloo and Mehdi Hasani to express remorse in a letter to have their death sentences annulled, but these two political prisoners insisted on their innocence and refused to write such a letter. According to Amnesty International, on September 18 of this year, Behrouz Ehsanloo-Islamloo warned in a letter published from prison about the increase in arbitrary executions and called on the international community to act to stop the wave of executions. He wrote: 'After 22 months of uncertainty, I have now been sentenced to death without any evidence... The silence of the international community emboldens this regime to continue executions.' UN experts on Tuesday, March 1, called on the Islamic Republic of Iran to halt the death sentences of Behrouz Ehsanloo-Islamloo and Mehdi Hasani. On their social media account, these experts emphasized that Mr. Ehsanloo-Islamloo and Hasani were sentenced to death following trials that were marred by torture and forced confessions, which were confirmed by the Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The UN experts also stated that they are in contact with Iranian government officials regarding this matter. These two political prisoners have been sentenced to death on charges such as '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 statistics, at least 853 people were executed in Iran in 2023, indicating a 48% increase compared to the previous year. In 2024, the wave of executions continued, and hundreds, including protesters and civil activists, were executed after unfair trials in revolutionary courts. Human rights activists have warned that the execution of Behrouz Ehsanloo-Islamloo and Mehdi Hasani could be a precursor to a new wave of executions. Human rights organizations continue to call for international pressure to stop the implementation of death sentences in Iran. Amnesty International emphasized that the death penalty is a blatant violation of the right to life and called for its immediate abolition in Iran.