German Representative's Letter to Pakhshan Azizi: Your Commitment Should Be a Shining Example

Inge Blaske, a member of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament in Germany and political sponsor of Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish civil activist facing the death penalty in Iran, praised her "courage and commitment to humanity and justice" in a letter addressed to her. Blaske emphasized that she has worked for years in the field of equality and women's rights, particularly for women oppressed by ISIS. In part of her letter to Azizi, she wrote: "Your commitment to the Yazidi women and girls who have escaped or been rescued from ISIS slavery unites us in a common goal." She commended Azizi for her social work in refugee camps in northeastern Syria and the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The political sponsor of Pakhshan Azizi continued, "Your commitment, filled with empathy, hope, and solidarity, should be a shining example for all of us, not punished by an unjust ruling." Inge Blaske referenced the activities of women like Sophie Scholl, who fought for freedom and human dignity as a member of the "White Rose" resistance group during the Nazi regime, quoting her: "Conscience compels one to rise and act, even if alone." Ms. Blaske told Pakhshan Azizi: "You are not alone. Your voice resonates in the hearts of many people." She committed to narrating Pakhshan Azizi's story so that it may be heard. Pakhshan Azizi was sentenced to death and four years in prison on August 24, 2024, by Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, presided over by Iman Afshari, on charges of "rebellion through membership in opposing groups." She was arrested on August 4, 2023, along with her father, sister, and sister's husband in Tehran. After about four months in solitary confinement at the Ministry of Intelligence detention center (Ward 209 of Evin Prison), she was transferred to the women's ward of this prison. According to the Iran Human Rights Organization website, security officials accused her of being a member of groups that engage in armed activities against the Islamic Republic, but according to Pakhshan Azizi's lawyer, her humanitarian work "in northern Syria in the Shingal refugee camp and other ISIS war refugee camps was peaceful and fundamentally non-political, centered around providing aid against ISIS attacks." Pakhshan Azizi had previously been arrested in 2009 for political activities and was released on bail after four months. The United States had previously called for the cancellation of the death sentence for Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish activist and social worker. May Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, expressed concern on February 8 about the rejection of Pakhshan Azizi's appeal for retrial and urged Iranian authorities to immediately halt her execution. A group of UN experts also expressed deep concern on January 14, 2024, regarding the confirmation of Pakhshan Azizi's death sentence by the Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The UN Special Rapporteur called for the immediate suspension of Pakhshan Azizi's death sentence. The Iran Human Rights Organization reported that Pakhshan Azizi is at risk of execution. Pakhshan Azizi's lawyer warned about the danger of executing the death sentence: the retrial was rejected. A statement by 1,200 activists and political prisoners demanded that the execution of women in Iran must stop. A member of the European Parliament called for the cancellation of the sentences for Pakhshan Azizi and Vrishe Moradi.