Families of 4 Executed Political Prisoners: We Will Continue Our Pursuit of Justice

The campaign for justice for four political prisoners executed in the Islamic Republic of Iran announced on Tuesday, February 9, with a statement marking the first anniversary of the execution of Vafa Azbar, Mohsen Mazloom, Pejman Fatehi, and Mohammad Farahmarzi, that the families of these victims, in collaboration with their lawyers, are seeking to utilize international legal mechanisms for justice. The statement revealed that a meeting will be held on February 1 in Cologne, Germany, addressing the issue of "enforced disappearance of bodies and international legal solutions." The campaign, based in Germany, emphasized that the families of these four executed Kurdish political prisoners have had no information about the burial locations of their bodies. This act, described by the campaign as a "heinous crime and violation of fundamental human rights," is one of the reasons for the families' complaint to the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances. The statement, released on the eve of the anniversary of the execution of these four political prisoners, characterized the actions taken against them as a case of "severe human rights violations" and "international crimes." Additionally, it mentioned calls for sanctions and international prosecution of judges who issued the death sentences for the four Kurdish political prisoners. These four Kurdish political prisoners were executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj under conditions that the campaign labeled as a "clear violation of global ethical and legal principles." According to the campaign, these prisoners were held in secret detention centers of the Ministry of Intelligence during their detention, referred to as "enforced disappearance," and were deprived of basic rights, including access to a lawyer and a fair trial. The campaign for justice for the four executed Kurdish political prisoners asserts that severe torture was inflicted to obtain forced confessions from these individuals, who were sentenced to death in what the campaign described as "show trials." Following these executions, cities in Iranian Kurdistan witnessed widespread strikes and protests. The campaign views these strikes as a sign of "the solidarity of the people of Kurdistan in opposition to these inhumane sentences and their deep-rooted belief in freedom, human dignity, and human rights." However, the campaign reported that the Islamic Republic government has intensified its crackdown on protesters instead of being accountable, leading to widespread arrests and arbitrary summonses. In conclusion, the campaign, emphasizing its commitment to the principles of justice, called on all human rights organizations and activists for support and urged global attention to human rights violations in Iran and necessary actions to prevent the continuation of this trend. The campaign stated, "The right to life is the most fundamental human right, and we must strive to hold the Islamic Republic of Iran accountable in international courts." The wife of Vafa Azbar called for public support to retrieve the bodies of her husband and the three other Kurdish prisoners. The Human Rights Defenders Center supported the families' complaint to the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances. The execution of Pakhshan Azizi was "halted" amid strikes by shopkeepers in Kurdish cities. The transfer of prisoners from Qazal Hesar Prison in Karaj was conducted for an "unclear purpose," with their belongings "confiscated." Louis Arnaud stated that the Islamic Republic treats prisoners like "animals." A letter from Reza Mohammadi from prison stated that executions cannot silence voices.