The Iran Human Rights Organization has called for the abolition of the death sentences of six political prisoners: Babak Alipour, Vahid Bani-Amarian, Pouya Ghobadi, Abolhassan Montazer, Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar, and Mohammad Taghavi.
On Thursday, January 30, the organization stated in a press release that these political prisoners had been sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of “rebellion” and “support for the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).”
According to the organization, the relatives of some of these political prisoners have reported that they were held in prolonged solitary confinement and subjected to “violent interrogations and torture.” They also stated that these prisoners were denied access to legal representation during the investigation process.
The human rights organization’s statement also highlights the imminent risk of execution for Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani.
The Iran Human Rights Organization strongly condemned the issuance of death sentences for these political prisoners and urged the international community and countries maintaining diplomatic relations with the Iranian regime to take action for the immediate annulment of these sentences.
Amnesty International also issued an open letter on Monday, January 27, addressed to Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, the head of the Iranian regime’s judiciary, calling for the annulment of the death sentences of the six political prisoners and their immediate release.
In this letter, Amnesty International referred to the death sentences issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court in the fall of this year against Abdolhassan Montazer, Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, Babak Alipour, Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi, Pouya Ghobadi, and Vahid Bani-Amarian on charges of “rebellion” (Baghi). It described their arrests as arbitrary and a violation of their right to a fair trial.
Abdolhassan Montazer, 65, Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, 58, Babak Alipour, 33, Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi, 58, Pouya Ghobadi, 31, and Vahid Bani-Amarian, 32, are among the prisoners convicted of “Baghi,” a legal term referring to armed rebellion or uprising against the government.
“Membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK)” is among the charges brought against these prisoners.
Meanwhile, human rights media outlets have reported that two other political prisoners in Iran, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, have been transferred to the death row section of Ghezel Hesar Prison.
According to some reports, these two death-row prisoners were transferred on Thursday, January 30, from the “secure ward” of Ghezel Hesar Prison to “Hall 1, Ward 10, Unit 3,” where prisoners awaiting execution are held.
Iran: Confirmation of Death Sentences for Political Prisoners – 54 Political Prisoners on Death Row
Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani had been abruptly transferred to the “secure ward” on January 26. However, a day later, their lawyers announced that the execution of their death sentences had been halted following the Supreme Court’s acceptance of their retrial request.
Behrouz Ehsani Eslamloo, a 70-year-old political prisoner, was arrested at his home in November 2022 during the height of nationwide protests and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is controlled by the Ministry of Intelligence.
