Nasrin Sotoudeh Protests 'Unjust and Illegal' Sentences and Execution of Three Kurdish Prisoners

Nasrin Sotoudeh, a imprisoned lawyer, announced in a letter from prison that the execution of three Kurdish prisoners coinciding with the anniversary of the political prisoners' massacre in 1988 once again highlighted the 'unjust and illegal' process of Iran's judicial system. According to the Iran Human Rights Campaign website, Ms. Sotoudeh wrote in this letter: 'Once again, on the anniversary of the 1988 massacre, the Iranian judiciary executed three of our Kurdish compatriots, who have been subjected to repression and numerous injustices for decades.' According to this lawyer, the sentences against these three prisoners, which were issued in an illegal process, were unjust and contrary to human rights standards and the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran. She noted that these three prisoners, who had been on hunger strike before their execution, were 'handed over to the gallows after enduring days of hunger, which is further evidence of the inherent violence of Iran's judicial system that must avoid all forms of violence.' Zaniar Moradi, Luqman Moradi, and Ramin Hossein Panahi, three Kurdish political prisoners, were executed on Saturday, September 8. Zaniar Moradi and Luqman Moradi were sentenced to death for 'moharebeh' (waging war against God) and the murder of the son of the Friday prayer leader of Marivan. They denied these charges. Meanwhile, according to the Zeytoon website, an individual named Behzad, a friend of the son of the Friday prayer leader of Marivan, who witnessed the attackers that night with his wife, stated that these two had 'no resemblance' to the attackers. Ramin Hossein Panahi was arrested last July on charges of membership in the 'Komala Party' and 'baghi,' meaning armed rebellion against the Islamic government, and was sentenced to death in the first branch of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court. Meanwhile, his brother, Amjad Hossein Panahi, introduced Ramin as 'a political and civil activist' and called for a public trial for him. Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested on June 13 and, according to reports, was sentenced to five years in prison in a case where the ruling was issued in absentia on October 5, 2016. Reza Khandan, Nasrin Sotoudeh's husband, was also arrested on the morning of Tuesday, September 3. His charges include 'collusion and conspiracy against national security,' 'propaganda against the regime,' and 'promoting and spreading non-observance of hijab,' and the seventh branch of the Evin Prosecutor's Office issued a bail of 700 million tomans for him. In this context, Mohammad Moqimi, Reza Khandan's lawyer, announced on Tuesday in an interview with ISNA that the indictment of his client has been issued and this case will be sent to the Revolutionary Court. Mr. Moqimi also stated that the charge against Farhad Mithaami, another of his clients, has been declared as 'collusion and conspiracy to commit a crime against national security.' According to Mr. Moqimi, this case has been sent to the Revolutionary Court, but the branch handling it has not yet been determined. Farhad Mithaami, a 48-year-old civil activist and physician, was arrested on August 1 and, according to his mother, has been on hunger strike since then in protest against his arrest and 'unjust charges' and has been transferred to medical care. Sediqeh Pishnamaz, Mr. Mithaami's mother, stated in an interview with Radio Farda that the reason for her son's arrest was having several badges that read 'I protest against compulsory hijab.'