The U.S. Condemns Death Sentences for Four Political Prisoners

Abram Pili, the Deputy Special Representative of the U.S. for Iran, condemned the death sentences issued for "four Iranian Kurdish citizens named Mohsen Mazloom, Pejman Fatehi, Vafa Azarbar, and Mohammad (Hajir) Farahmandi" on Thursday, January 12. Mr. Pili wrote on his messaging platform on 'X': 'The Iranian regime continues to use false accusations, forced confessions, and unfair trials to silence political opponents and peaceful protesters.' He stated: 'We urge Iranian authorities to release all political prisoners who have been unjustly detained and to cease the repression of their own people.' The individuals Mazloom, Fatehi, Azarbar, and Farahmandi have been sentenced to death on charges such as 'collaboration with Israel' and membership in the Kurdish party 'Komala' in Iran. They were arrested on July 23, 2022, in Urmia by agents of the 'FARAJA' intelligence organization. In this context, Joanna Timisi, the wife of Mohsen Mazloom, told Voice of America about the death sentences for these four political prisoners: 'The issuance of this unjust and extrajudicial sentence comes while they have not had access to an independent lawyer and have not been able to meet with their families, and we have no information about their whereabouts and health.' Ms. Timisi pointed out that 'the only clue about them is the forced confession similar to other confessions that we all know were obtained under what conditions and have no validity or credibility.' The wife of Mr. Mazloom told Voice of America: 'For a year and a half, not only I but also the families of all three of these dear ones have been unaware of their whereabouts and condition until now, in complete ignorance, and after a sham trial, their death sentences were issued in Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court presided over by Judge Iman Afshari and confirmed in less than 24 hours in Branch 9 of the Supreme Court presided over by Judge Qasem Mozeinani.' Joanna Timisi noted that the face of the Islamic Republic is clear and evident to everyone, adding: 'The pain of all of us is shared, and in fact, there is no family that has not been wounded by this regime.' She added: 'It is clear to everyone that the Islamic Republic takes revenge on political prisoners for the protests of Zhina and also for the failures of its intelligence and security in the region, which unfortunately, Kurds and Baluchs have always borne the brunt of these confrontations and repressions.' Previously, the Iran Human Rights Organization condemned the issuance of death sentences for these four political prisoners and called for an appropriate response from the international community to the excessive executions in Iran. Mahmoud Amiri-Moghaddam, the director of this organization, stated: 'In addition to the inhumanity of the death penalty, these four prisoners, like many other death row inmates, have not been afforded the slightest standards of fair trial, and their sentences are even illegal under the laws of the Islamic Republic.' He added: 'Given the government's increased need for intimidation to prevent protests on one hand and to cover up its incompetence in maintaining the security of the people on the other, the likelihood of executing the sentences of these prisoners and many others with political and security charges in the near future is very high.' The wife of Mr. Mazloom, at the end of her conversation with Voice of America, urged 'public opinion, the international community, and all freedom lovers' not to allow the Islamic Republic to take the lives of these four Kurdish political prisoners and also four other political prisoners who are at risk of execution. According to reports, Reza Rasayi, Mojahid Korkor, Farshid Hosseinzehi, and Mansour Dahmarde have recently been sentenced to death. The issuance and execution of death sentences have always faced international condemnation.