Hengaw alerts that the life of Four inmates in Sanandaj, convicted of insurrection are in imminent risk

Hengaw; Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

Concerns have been raised by human rights activists regarding the potential execution verdicts for four individuals accused of "moharebeh" (enmity against God) during the past year's nationwide protests in Sanandaj. The four detainees - Keywan Zandkarimi, Sardar Shahmoradi, Aram Azad, and Houshang ChaharGorgeh are currently held in Sanandaj's central prison, facing serious risks due to the charged accusation, which could lead to the possibly death penalty.
 

According to reports obtained by the Hengaw organization for Human Rights, Keywan Zandkarimi (29), Sardar Shahmoradi (26), Houshang ChaharGorgeh (44), and Aram Azad, all residents of Sanandaj, have been accused of "moharebeh" (enmity against god) by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
 

Currently, separate cases for Sardar Shahmoradi, a medical Ph.D. student, Keywan Zandkarimi, a local business owner, Houshang ChaharGorgeh, and Aram Azad, are under investigation at the first branch of the revolutionary court in Sanandaj, by chief Judge Saeidi.
 

These four individuals, have been arrested for eighth month, have faced multiple instances of severe physical and psychological torture at the “Shahram Far” Intelligence Detention Center of the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) in Sanandaj, with the aim of extracting forced confessions. Under such torture which, all four have been compelled to false confess against themselves.
 

Earlier, Hengaw reported on the detention conditions of Aram Azad, stating that this young individual was coerced into "reconstructing the crime scene" by security forces.
 

These detainees were arrested by government authorities in December of last year, with Keywan Zandkarimi being temporarily released in May of 2023 on a bail of 3 billion Iranian Toman. However, just days after attending court for the follow-up on his case under the pressure of IRGC intelligence, he was re-arrested by security forces on Monday, May 17, and transferred to Sanandaj Central Prison.
 

While these individuals are accused of killing a government agent on November 26, 2022, media outlets affiliated with the IRGC had previously reported the detention of four protesters in Sanandaj in connection with the death of an armed government agent named Hassan Yousefi.
 

It is important to note that on November 25th, 2022, while returning from a commemoration ceremony of the fallen protesters in Sanandaj Aram Habibi, Shahou Bahmani, and Omid Hosseini were deliberately shot and killed by the Iranian authorities. Additionally, on the same day, another protester named Aryan Khoshgawar (18) was subjected to brutal violence by government forces and succumbed to his injuries on March 14, 2023, after four months of hospitalization at Sanandaj's Kowsar Hospital.
 

Under Article 282 of the Islamic Penal Code enacted in 2013, the charge of "moharebeh" (enmity against god) can carry punishments such as "execution, crucifixion, amputation of the right hand and left foot, and banishment." The selection of these punishments "in proportion to the committed crime" is left to the discretion of the judge. Given that the IRGC is the complainant in their case, Keywan Zandkarimi, Sardar Shahmoradi, Aram Azad, and Houshang Chahargorgeh are now facing imminent life-threatening risks.