Conflicting Reports on the Status of Saman Nasim

Kamal Hosseini, an independent journalist in Iran, told Radio Farda on Friday, February 19, that in a phone call with Saman Nasim's brother, he was informed to be prepared to receive the body of this prisoner on Saturday. Meanwhile, Saman Nasim's family denied the news about his execution and the phone call from the Urmia prison officials regarding the return of Saman Nasim's belongings in an interview with the Persian section of Voice of America. According to Mr. Hosseini, on Thursday, another brother of Saman Nasim was also told in a phone call to prepare to collect his personal belongings on Saturday. Saman Nasim was sentenced to death for moharebeh (waging war against God) due to his membership in the PJAK group. However, human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have emphasized that Mr. Saman Nasim was only 17 years old at the time of his trial and, according to international laws that Iran has accepted, he should not have been subject to the death penalty due to his age. In recent days, following Saman Nasim's transfer from Urmia prison to an unknown location, the likelihood of his execution increased, and it is now believed that this sentence has been carried out. Saman Rasoulpour, a Kurdish journalist residing in Europe, quoted a close relative of Saman Nasim on his Facebook page, stating that his family has 'fully accepted that Saman is no longer alive.' He mentioned that Saman Nasim's family has 'been severely threatened to remain silent on this matter.' The International Federation for Human Rights also announced that it has learned that Saman Nasim was executed on Thursday morning 'in the presence of representatives from the prosecutor's office and the Ministry of Intelligence.' This organization condemned Saman Nasim's execution as 'illegal.' Abdolkarim Lahiji, the president of the International Federation for Human Rights, stated, 'The continued execution of political prisoners and juvenile offenders by Iranian authorities is illegal and shameful. Furthermore, the regime's deliberate policy of depriving the families of condemned prisoners of information, aimed at intimidating the Iranian people, violates international law and fundamental human rights.' Previously, Saman Nasim had published a letter from Urmia Central Prison stating that his confessions were obtained under severe torture. In this letter, he said, 'During the entire time I was in detention, I was tortured by every means and method. In the early days, the level of torture was such that I could not walk. All parts of my body were black and blue. I was hung by my hands and feet for hours...' Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch had urged Iranian authorities to halt Saman Nasim's execution. Washington also expressed concern about the possibility of his execution yesterday.