Iran Human Rights Organization Expresses Concern Over Possible Execution of Two Political Prisoners

The Iran Human Rights Organization has expressed serious concern over the rejection of the request for retrial for Behrouz Ehsani-Islamloo and Mehdi Hasani, two political prisoners, and the possibility of their execution. The organization described the issuance and execution of death sentences as part of the Islamic Republic of Iran's "policy of intimidation." This human rights organization called on Iranian civil society, human rights defenders, and the international community to intensify their efforts to abolish the death sentences of political prisoners and halt executions in Iran. These two political prisoners have been sentenced to death on charges such as "baghy (rebellion), moharebeh (waging war against God), ifsad fil-arz (corruption on earth)," "membership" in the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, "gathering classified information," and "conspiracy against national security." Previously, the 39th branch of the Supreme Court had announced that it rejected the retrial requests of Behrouz Ehsani-Islamloo and Mehdi Hasani. Maryam Hasani, the daughter of Mehdi Hasani, in an interview with the Persian section of Voice of America, called the Supreme Court's ruling "completely contrary to legal standards" and noted: "My father has not had access to his chosen lawyer for two and a half years. Moreover, my father has not yet been informed of the charges against him; even his last defense has not been taken, and there is no evidence regarding the charges against him." Mehdi Hasani, born in 1976 in Zanjan, was arrested on September 11, 2022, in Zanjan County and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. This political prisoner was sentenced to death in late September of this year by the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran. This sentence had been suspended following the acceptance of a retrial request by his defense lawyer in the Supreme Court. Behrouz Ehsani-Islamloo, a 70-year-old political prisoner, was arrested in November 2022 during widespread protests by the Islamic Republic's security forces at his home and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is related to the Ministry of Intelligence. He was moved to Ward 4 of Evin three and a half months later and, after 22 months of uncertainty, was sentenced to death in late September 2023. In a letter sent from prison recently, Mr. Ehsani wrote: "After 22 months of uncertainty, a death sentence was issued against me without evidence. Nothing else can be expected from this executioner regime." Amnesty International, in a statement released this month, called for the immediate halt of the execution of Mehdi Hasani and Behrouz Ehsani-Islamloo. The "No to Executions on Tuesdays" campaign, consisting of prisoners from 34 prisons in Iran, announced in its fifty-seventh statement that the Islamic Republic government has begun a new wave of executions after the end of government ceremonies in February. In a statement received by Voice of America, it was mentioned that only in the first two days of March, 17 prisoners were executed in the country, of which 10 were hanged in Qazalhasar Prison in Karaj. On Thursday, February 22, the "Iran Human Rights Organization" and the French group "Solidarity Against the Death Penalty" announced that the Iranian government executed at least 975 individuals in 2024; a figure that, according to these two organizations, is the highest since 2008. The Iran Human Rights Organization also stated that in 2024, at least 31 individuals were executed on charges related to national security. This figure was 39 in 2023. Warning of a new wave of executions: 17 executions in two days. Javid Rahman: The crimes of the Islamic Republic of Iran against humanity have been documented. The Iran Human Rights Campaign: 3 female political prisoners are at serious risk of execution. France has called for a halt to executions in Iran. 975 executions in Iran in 2024; the highest number in 16 years.