Kurdish political prisoners Soran Qasemi and Pejman Soltani held under harsh conditions on death row in Urmia Prison

Hengaw — Friday, July 25, 2025

Soran Qasemi and Pejman Soltani, two Kurdish political prisoners from Bukan who have recently been sentenced to death by Iran’s judiciary, are being held under harsh and unsafe conditions in the general ward of Urmia Central Prison. Both men were arrested in connection with the "Women, Life, Freedom" (Jin, Jiyan, Azadi) movement.

According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, 28-year-old Soran Qasemi, a volunteer Kurdish language teacher, and 30-year-old Pejman Soltani were transferred last week from the prison’s political ward to the general ward—a move widely seen as deliberate and punitive.

A source close to the case reported that the transfer has exposed both prisoners to increased psychological pressure and a heightened risk to their safety.

In July, Soran Qasemi was sentenced by Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court to three death sentences and 15 years in prison on charges of rebellion (baghi), Waging war against the God (moharebeh), and leading a dissident armed group. Pejman Soltani received two death sentences and 15 years in prison from the same court on similar charges. He had previously been sentenced to death in a separate case by Branch 1 of the West Azerbaijan Juvenile Criminal Court.

Qasemi and Soltani were arrested on April 14, 2023, for alleged involvement in the Women, Life, Freedom movement and were transferred to Urmia. During their detention, both men were subjected to months of severe torture and were forced to make self-incriminating confessions. Throughout this period, they were denied contact with their families.