Supreme Court Confirms Death Sentences for Six Prisoners Accused of 'Baghi'

On Thursday, August 9, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran announced that Branch 39 of the Supreme Court has upheld the death sentences of six political prisoners held in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, accused of 'Baghi'. The prisoners are identified as Malek-Ali Fadaei-Nasab, Farhad Shakeri, Eisa Eid-Mohammadi, Abdul-Hakim Azim Gorgij, Abdul-Rahman Gorgij, and Taj-Mohammad Khormali. These six individuals were first sentenced to death in 2019 by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Mashhad, presided over by Judge Mahmoud Davood Abadi, for membership in the 'Salafi Party of Al-Furqan' and the 'National Solidarity Front of Sunni Iranians' under the charge of 'Baghi'. According to reports, this ruling was later overturned by Branch 41 of the Supreme Court, led by Judge Ali Razini, and the case was referred for retrial. However, in early August 2023, Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court in Mashhad, presided over by Judge Ahmadian Salami, confirmed the death sentences after a retrial and referred the case back to Branch 39 of the Supreme Court for further review. A source close to the families of these prisoners previously told HRANA that the case has fundamental flaws and lacks sufficient evidence to convict these citizens of the alleged charges, and that they have been subjected to torture, the effects of which remain on their bodies after years. According to Islamic Penal Code, any group that violently opposes the foundation of the Islamic Republic and rises against it is considered 'Baghi' and is sentenced to death. Recent statistics indicate that the number of executions in Iran has increased unprecedentedly following the election of Masoud Pezeshkian to succeed Ebrahim Raisi; human rights organizations have called for decisive action from the global community. The Hengaw Human Rights Organization announced on Wednesday, August 8, that 'from one day after the presidential election in Iran until August 8, at least 81 prisoners have been executed in the prisons of the Islamic Republic, with 20 of these executions occurring solely in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj.' The early morning executions in Iranian prisons continue to claim victims; an unprecedented number of executions in recent years includes the mass execution of 23 prisoners in Gohardasht and Sabzevar prisons; 240 executions in just the past five months. Consequences of the attack by agents on female political prisoners in Evin Prison; the family of Narges Mohammadi is concerned about her health status. The blows from the Evin guards to the chest of the Nobel Peace Prize winner; Taghi Rahmani reported on Narges Mohammadi's 'respiratory attack'. Mass execution of 22 prisoners for non-political crimes, including 7 Sunni prisoners and 3 Afghan nationals in Gohardasht Prison. Two human rights organizations: 21 prisoners in Gohardasht have been transferred to solitary confinement for execution. Statement from 31 human rights organizations in support of Sharifeh Mohammadi: her activities have been peaceful and legal. Iran Human Rights Organization: the execution machine of the Islamic Republic has once again accelerated.