Kurdish female prisoner , Mohabbat Mahmoudi, imprisoned for 20 years , at risk of execution

Hengaw: A Kurdish woman from Urmia has been sentenced to death for premeditated murder committed in self-defense, has been imprisoned in Urmia Central Prison for 20 years.

According to a report received by Hengaw Human Rights Organization, a 64-year-old woman from Urmia, identified as "Mohabbat Mahmoudi", has been sentenced to death for premeditated murder 20 years ago and has been  on the execution row for two decades and has also been denied the right to leave.

Mohabbat Mahmoudi, who is currently being held in the women's ward of Urmia Central Prison, was arrested on Saturday, April 21, 2001, on charges of murdering a man who had gone to their home with the intention of stabbing and raping her, and was later sentenced to death by 22nd branch of Urmia’s criminal court headed by Judge Rezaei.

During her 20 years in prison she was allowed on a leave only once about 18 years ago and for a few days, which she  returned to the prison upon the complaint of the victim's family.

This sentence was later overturned by the Supreme Court of Iran due to widespread international protests, and the case was referred to 106th Branch of  Urmia’s Criminal Court, which was again sentenced to death for premeditated murder, and the sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court.

A relative of Mahmoudi's family told Hengaw that : "On the day of the incident, only Mohabbat and her daughter in law were at home, and the victim, identified as Hatem Mahmoudi Gonbady, a resident of Serow Region , who was also their relative ,  went to their home with a knife on purpose of raping . she threatened  Hatem Mahmoudi with a shotgun but he refused to leave and later he was shot “

Mohabbat Mahmoudi is a mother of five.  One of his children told Hengaw in this regard: "On the day of the incident, the killer stabbed my mother three times in her stomach and in the abdomen, and even when the police forces arrived at the scene of the murder, the knife was in the victim's hand.  However The court sentenced my mother to death."

Ms. Mahmoudi's son further stated that "the victim had two wives and 16 children and they have agreed to receive 1.2 billion tomans ( $48,000) as ransom , but it is very difficult for us to provide this amount, even if we sell our house we will not be able to provide half of this amount, and for this reason, we ask people to help "

According to a recent report by Hengaw, 12 women sentenced to death are currently being held in the women's ward of Urmia Central Prison.