Seventeen human rights organizations have expressed concern over the imminent execution of Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi, two civil activists in Iran, in an open letter to the German government, the European Parliament, and United Nations human rights bodies.
According to the human rights organization Hengaw, these 17 organizations have called on the German government, the European Parliament, and UN human rights bodies to take action to save the lives of these two Kurdish political prisoners.
Iranian Political Prisoner Varisheh Moradi in Critical Conditions on 16 Day of Hunger Strike
Charge: Fighting for Justice and Human Rights
The letter, published on Monday, March 3, states that Azizi and Moradi’s alleged crime is “fighting for justice and human rights.” The execution sentences are described as “not only a direct attack on their lives but also an unprecedented violation of the fundamental rights of women, ethnic minorities, and activists worldwide.”
UN Experts Challenge Death Sentence of Iranian Political Prisoner Pakhshan Azizi
The organizations stressed: “Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi symbolically represent many brave women and men in Iran who stand for freedom and justice, enduring unimaginable personal risks in the process.”
Global Call to Halt the Execution of Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi
The statement added: “The Iranian regime systematically uses the death penalty as a tool of repression to silence dissenting voices—a practice that must not be ignored by the international community.”
Calls for Action from Germany, the EU, and the UN
The letter urged the German federal government and the European Union to use “all diplomatic tools to ensure the immediate suspension of the death sentences of Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi.”
The letter also called on the United Nations to “urgently demand” that Iranian authorities respect international human rights standards and abolish the death penalty.
Appeal to Iranian Civil Society for Solidarity
The letter also called on Iranian civil society to “join this call and its demands, show solidarity, and take a stand against oppression in Iran.”
Message to Pakhshan, Varisheh, and the People of Iran: “The World Will Not Stay Silent”
The signatories concluded by stating their intent to “send a clear message to Pakhshan, Varisheh, and all the brave people of Iran that when lives are at risk, the world will not stay silent.”
Sentences Against Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi
On July 23, 2024, Pakhshan Azizi was sentenced to death and four years in prison by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, on charges of “Baghi (armed rebellion) through membership in anti-government groups.”
Similarly, on November 10, Varisheh Moradi was sentenced to death by Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on charges of “Baghi”
