Execution of Death Sentence for Four Kurdish Political Prisoners

Hengaw: Monday, January 29, 2024

The death sentences of four Kurdish political prisoners, Mohsen Mazloum, Mohammad Faramarzi, Vafa Azarbar, and Pejman Fatehi, have been carried out in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj. Their case, marred by ambiguity, saw a lack of access to legal representation throughout their 18-month detention.

According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on the early morning of Monday, January 29, 2024, the execution of the death sentences took place for Pejman Fatehi (28 years old, from Kamyaran), Mohsen Mazloum (27 years old, from Mahabad), Vafa Azarbar (26 years old, from Bukan), and Mohammad (Hajir) Faramarzi (28 years old, from Dehgolan) in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj. The Mizan website, the official platform of the Iranian judiciary, has verified the executions of these four political prisoners.

After 18 months of detention, these four political prisoners had their initial and last meeting with their families at Evin prison on Sunday, January 28, 2024. Subsequently, they were transferred from Tehran's Evin prison to Karaj's Ghezel Hesar prison for the execution of the death sentence, amidst stringent security measures.

Hengaw Organization for Human Rights vehemently condemns the execution of these four Kurdish political prisoners, emphasizing that even by the standards of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the minimum requirements for a fair trial were not met in their case. The proceedings of the case were shrouded in complete secrecy, as the death sentences were both issued and confirmed by the Supreme Court. Throughout the process, the prisoners were deprived of their fundamental rights to legal representation, visits, and even communication with their families. Executions conducted without adherence to these essential principles not only display inhumanity but also stand in direct contradiction to international laws and human rights agreements to which Iran is a signatory.

These four political prisoners were condemned to death by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, led by Judge Iman Afshari, on September 18, 2023. The charges included "corruption on earth" through cooperation and espionage for Israel. Recently, Branch 9 of the Supreme Court of Iran, headed by Judge Qasim Mazinani, silently confirmed the death sentences. Additionally, each of these individuals received 10 years of imprisonment for "forming a gang" and 5 years for being a member of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan.

Members of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, these individuals were apprehended on July 23, 2023, in the village of "Yengajah" within the Sumay-ye Beradust district of Urmia by the security agencies of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In August 2023, government media released a report alleging that these four Kurdish political prisoners, affiliated with the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, were arrested under charges of being "armed while attempting to explode Isfahan's industrial facilities."

Responding to these claims, the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan issued an official statement categorically dismissing the assertions made by the Islamic Republic of Iran government as baseless. The party emphasized that such allegations were part of a fabricated scenario aimed at suppressing more people and protesters.

It is crucial to note that during their detention, these four political prisoners faced severe torture, leading them to confess against themselves on camera. Subsequently, these coerced confessions were publicized through the media channels of the Islamic Republic of Iran.