URGENT- Mass-Execution of Ethnic Prisoners in Iran: At Least 17 People Hanged Convicted of "Enemity Against God" in Iran

They are beleived to belong to be Sunni Muslims of Baluchi ethnicity. None of the prisoners were identified by name.

A Kurdish political prisoner executed today:

There are also unofficial reports regarding execution of the Kurdish political prisoner "Habibollah Golparipour". According to these reports Golparipour was hanged early this morning. Iran Human Rights (IHR) had yesterday received reports about the transfer of Mr. Golparipourfrom the Urmia Prison to an unknown location. On March 15, 2009, Habibollah Golparipour was sentenced to death by branch 1 of the Mahabad Revolutionary Court (in the Western Azerbaijan province) in a trial that lasted a few minutes. He was sentenced to death charged with "Enmity against the God" and membership in a Kurdish dissident group".

Danger of imminent execution for several other prisoners of conscience:

IHR has issued concern about imminent risk of execution for at least four Sunni Muslim Kurdish prisoners of consience who are currently being held in the Ghezel Hesar Prison (near Tehran).

There is also strong concern that two other death row Kurdish political prisoners Zanyar and Loghman Moradi might be in danger of execution.

All these prisoners have been sentenced by the Revolutionary Courts to death charged with enmity against the God.

All these prisoners have been subjected to torture, forced confessions and sentenced to death by sham trials.

IHR urges the international community to condemn today’s executions and react towards the wave of executions in Iran. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR said: "The silence of the international community sends the wrong signal to the Iranian regime and we are concerned that more prisoners will be executed in the near future. The international community must react now".