Sentences of finger amputation executed on two brothers in Urmia Central Prison

Hengaw: Tuesday, October 29, 2024

The sentence to amputate the four fingers of the right hands of two Kurdish brothers, Mehrdad Taimuri, aged 34, and Shahab Taimuri, aged 40, from Sarpol-e Zahab and residents of Karaj, was executed in Urmia Central Prison.

According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the amputation was carried out via a guillotine on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. 

Following the procedure, both brothers were transferred to the prisoners reception section of Khomeini Hospital in Urmia.

The right to communication and visitation has been denied to Mehrdad and Shahab Taimuri since the finger amputation sentence was carried out. 

Under the influence and coercion of Khanzadeh, the head of Urmia Central Prison, and Hussain Majidi, the district attorney for Urmia, this sentence was executed.

Reports indicate that the guillotine machine has allegedly been moved to Urmia Central Prison, heightening concerns about the potential execution of amputation sentences for five additional inmates: Hadi Rostami, Mehdi Sharfian, Mehdi Shahiwand, Kasra Karmi, and Mortaza Ismailian.

The two brothers, Mehrdad and Shahab Taimuri, along with a third individual, Iraj Khatibi, were arrested on charges of theft in Malard, Karaj, on December 6, 2018. On July 24, 2019, Branch 1 of the Juvenile Criminal Court in Urmia sentenced all three to the amputation of four fingers from their right hands as punishment for theft.

In April 2020, Branch 24 of the Supreme Court upheld the amputation sentences for Mehrdad Teimouri and Shahab Teimouri. However, Iraj Khatibi’s sentence did not meet the threshold for hadd (prescribed punishment under Islamic law) and was subsequently overturned.