Second Court Session for 8 Defendants Charged with 'Baqi'; Iran Human Rights Organization: The International Community Should Respond to the Death Sentence of Pakhshan Azizi

As the second court session for eight defendants charged with 'baqi', including one woman and seven men, convened in Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, the Iran Human Rights Organization called for a global response to the death sentence of Pakhshan Azizi, a civil activist and imprisoned social worker accused of 'baqi'. According to human rights sources, seven of the defendants, including Gholamreza Simiyari, Ehsan Ravazgian, Amin Sokhanvar, Hossein Mohammadi, Amir Shah Valayati, Ali Herati Mokhtari, and Hossein Ardestani, defended themselves in court on Saturday, July 27. One of the defendants, Hamidreza Sahl Abadi, who is hospitalized due to a suicide attempt in protest, did not attend the court. Amir Shah Valayati, an injured protester from the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests, has been arrested and imprisoned several times. The first court session for these political defendants, most of whom were arrested last year, was held on June 30, less than a month ago. Additionally, six political prisoners in Evin Prison are in limbo, charged with 'baqi'. Their charges include 'baqi and membership in a rebellious group', 'conspiracy and collusion to commit crimes against national security', 'disturbing public order', 'propaganda against the regime', and 'destruction of public property'. The reason for the co-defendant status of these political defendants is unclear. Typically, the security and judicial apparatus of the Islamic Republic condemns activists and detainees in protests to prison, execution, flogging, and exile by imposing security charges. This action has been criticized by human rights organizations worldwide. In July of this year, political prisoners participating in the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign issued a statement naming 15 prisoners accused of 'baqi', including these eight political defendants, warning against the issuance of a 'medieval death sentence' for them. Concurrently, the Iran Human Rights Organization, based in Norway, criticized the issuance of the death sentence for Pakhshan Azizi, a political prisoner accused of 'baqi', urging the international community to respond 'in the strongest terms' to the issuance of death sentences for civil activities. Mahmoud Amiri Moghadam, the director of the Iran Human Rights Organization, deemed the death sentence for Pakhshan Azizi 'legally unfounded' and 'based on the orders of security forces to suppress civil movements'. According to this organization, Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish social worker and civil activist imprisoned in Evin Prison, has been accused of 'baqi through membership in opposition groups', despite 'never having held a weapon and only having participated as a social worker and humanitarian activist in Syria.' The death sentence and four years of imprisonment for Pakhshan Azizi, issued by Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court under Judge Iman Afshari, was communicated to his lawyers on Tuesday, July 23. This civil activist, who returned to Iran after ten years, was arrested on August 4, 2023, along with several family members at his family home. In addition to Pakhshan Azizi, Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist, has also been sentenced to death on charges of 'baqi'. The issuance of a death sentence for this imprisoned labor activist has drawn widespread criticism from human rights organizations and labor unions worldwide. Concurrently, independent labor, teacher, and retiree organizations condemned this ruling and have held protests demanding its annulment and the release of Ms. Mohammadi. Despite domestic and international protests against executions, the judiciary of the Islamic Republic continues to issue death sentences, including for political prisoners. Previously, the Iran Human Rights Organization, based in Norway, had warned about the resumption of a new wave of executions following the election of Ibrahim Raisi's successor. Mahmoud Amiri Moghadam, the director of this organization, urged the Iranian people and the global community to be 'prepared for appropriate responses to a potential wave of executions.'