Growing Concerns Over Possible Execution of Two Political Prisoners in Evin

A source connected to Evin Prison reported on Sunday, January 27, that in recent hours, judicial authorities have taken Mahdi Hasani and Behrouz Ehsani, two political prisoners, to an unknown location, raising concerns about the potential execution of these two political prisoners. According to reports received by the Persian section of Voice of America, Evin Prison officials took Mahdi Hasani and Behrouz Ehsani out of their cells under the pretext of a medical visit and hours later, the two political prisoners have not returned to their cells. Following several hours of uncertainty, their fellow inmates and relatives expressed concern over the risk of execution for them, and a number of political prisoners held a protest in front of the guard officer's office. Meanwhile, Mustafa Nili, a lawyer, announced on social media that a request for a retrial for Behrouz Ehsani was filed last week and referred to one of the branches of the Supreme Court yesterday. The lawyer emphasized that according to Article 478 of the Criminal Procedure Code, a stay of execution must be issued, stating that he would follow up on this matter with the Supreme Court on Monday. Additionally, the news organization of the Human Rights Activists in Iran reported that Evin Prison officials took Mahdi Hasani out of cell eight under the pretext of 'physiotherapy' and Behrouz Ehsani out of cell four for 'transfer to the medical facility,' and 'they have not returned to their cells yet.' The website HRANA quoted a source close to the prisoners' families stating that 'the transfer of these prisoners to an unknown location has caused concern among other inmates' and 'they have chanted slogans in protest against the possible execution of these two prisoners in front of the guard officer's office.' Behrouz Ehsani Islamloo, 69, and Mahdi Hasani, 48, were sentenced to death in late September this year on charges of 'rebellion, waging war against God, and corruption on earth' in Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court presided over by Iman Afshari. Other charges attributed to these two prisoners include 'collecting classified information, conspiracy against national security, and membership' in the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran. In recent days, Amnesty International has pointed to the 'terrifying increase in the number of executions' in Iran and has called on the Iranian authorities to immediately revoke the death sentences of these two political prisoners. According to previous reports from human rights sources, at least 54 'political and security' prisoners are currently on death row in Iranian prisons on charges including 'rebellion, waging war against God, and corruption on earth.' The U.S. State Department condemned the 'increasing use of executions by the [Islamic Republic] regime to suppress the people' and emphasized continued support for the Iranian people in the face of 'relentless human rights violations' by the Islamic Republic.