Enforced Disappearance of Executed Political Prisoners; A Human Rights Organization: The Islamic Republic Must Be Held Accountable

The human rights organization "Kurdpa" published a report on Saturday, September 8, marking the sixth anniversary of the execution of three Kurdish political prisoners, detailing the "enforced disappearance of their bodies" by the security apparatus of the Islamic Republic. According to Kurdpa, the three Kurdish political prisoners named Ramin Hossein Panahi, Zaniar Moradi, and Luqman Moradi were executed on September 8, 2018, in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj. The charges against these prisoners were "rebellion through membership in a Kurdish party," but they denied these accusations during their "unfair" trials and until their execution. Kurdpa states that after six years, the Iranian government has provided no explanation regarding the execution of these three political prisoners, has refused to hand over their bodies to their families, and the location of their burial remains unknown. This human rights organization asserts that these executions are classified as "secret executions" and, from an international perspective, fall under the crimes of "enforced disappearance" and "crimes against humanity," for which the Iranian government must be held accountable. Kurdpa notes that from the standpoint of international law, "enforced disappearance" is considered a fundamental violation of human rights that is systematically realized against citizens and is also recognized as a "crime against humanity." The report further states that the "International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance," adopted in 2001, is one of the most important documents in this regard. This convention emphasizes the right of individuals to be informed about the fate of their disappeared family members, the realization of justice, and compensation. According to Kurdpa, under international law, not only the disappeared person but also the family of the disappeared person are considered victims of this crime due to sudden separation, lack of information, suspension conditions, and fear of being targeted for revenge. Previously, Amnesty International stated: "The severe mental anguish inflicted on the families of Ramin Hossein Panahi, Zaniar Moradi, and Luqman Moradi by the Iranian authorities' deliberate concealment of their burial sites constitutes a violation of the prohibition of torture as stipulated in Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights." Kurdpa's report also mentions that according to international criminal law, it can be said that acts of torture or at least cruel and inhuman treatment by the authorities of the Islamic Republic have been inflicted on these families. The organization reports that, according to human rights bodies, some families of victims of enforced disappearance in Iran have suffered physical and psychological problems, including heart attacks, depression, psychosis, and suicidal tendencies due to the pressures stemming from the lack of information about their relatives' fate. The report continues that regarding Ramin Hossein Panahi's family, one of his relatives named "Nishtiman Hossein Panahi" (Ramin's niece) ended her life by suicide after Ramin's death sentence was issued and following several summons to the Sanandaj Intelligence Office. Kurdpa emphasizes that the Islamic Republic has not joined the "International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance" and uses enforced disappearance as a "tool" to eliminate opponents. A wave of arrests of citizens in Kurdish regions is occurring ahead of the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death. Moein Khazaeli told Voice of America: The killing of Sadegh Zarei by police gunfire is the result of a "systematic violence-promoting approach." HRANA reports that following the rectification of the case known as "Ekbatān Town," four defendants will be tried. UN experts have warned about the "sharp increase in executions" in Iran: these punishments are "illegal."