Hengaw's report on the death of Kurdish political prisoner Mousa Esmaili, who was tortured by Iranian security forces

Hengaw: Saturday, July 8, 2023

An Iranian government institution tortured and killed  Mousa Esmaili, a political prisoner from Pasve village in Piranshahr city.

According to information obtained by Hangaw, on July 8, 2023, 62 days after Musa Esmaili was taken into custody, Urmia's intelligence department contacted his family and informed them to get their son's body at their security facility without providing any other information. After visiting the security facility, they reported that their child had died. Not only were they unwilling to give the body to the family, but they also threatened not to hold a funeral ceremony at the mosque.
 

Musa Esmaili, a 35-year-old from the Pasve village in Piranshahr, was detained on Sunday evening, May 7, 2023, by forces of the Intelligence Department without providing an arrest warrant. His personal vehicle was also seized.
 

A source close to the Ismaili family reportedly said, "The security officers have informed the family that Musa has been executed without presenting any justification or documentation connected to going through any legal process and trial. However, according to Ismaili's family, which has constantly followed their son's custodial status throughout his arrest, there has been no trial or additional proceeding against their son."
 

In essence, Musa hasn't appeared in any court for any appeals to be processed quickly so that the Supreme Court can accept and carry out the verdict. Even the potential allegation against Musa is unknown. The family strongly claims that their child was murdered while being tortured by security forces. It is also noteworthy that the family was only notified today about the body, which has been kept at the mortuary for an extended period of time.

The Ismaili family has been warned by regional security agencies that any knowledge about this subject and media attention to this issue will have catastrophic consequences for them.

It is important to note that Musa Esmaili has been deprived of contacting his family since his detention, and his family's follow-up with several security and legal institutions has been fruitless.

Hengaw will continue its investigation and publish its legal theory while strongly condemning the "self-inflicted murder" of Musa Esmaili.

In the first half of 2023, at least 20 detainees were killed in Iranian prisons, of whom 13 (65%) were Kurdish prisoners, according to a report previously released by Hengaw.