Afghan Nationals at Imminent Risk of Execution

According to the Judiciary’s Mizan news agency quoting the Fars Chief Justice, Seyed Kazem Mousavi, the death sentences of Afghan nationals, Mohammad Ramez Rashidi and Naeim Hashem Ghotali are due to be carried out “soon.”

Mohammad and Naeim were sentenced to public executions without due process and after grossly unfair trials where no evidence was presented against them. The forced confessions of Mohammad Ramez Rashidi were aired prior to any legal proceedings. After the confirmation of their sentences on 21 May, Iran Human Rights called for practical punitive measures in order to stop the Iranian authorities’ killing machine.

1st defendant in the case, Mohammad Ramez Rashidi in court and in his aired forced confessions

On 15 February, the Judiciary’s Mizan news agency reported that Afghan nationals Mohammad Ramez Rashidi and Naeim Hashem Ghotali were sentenced to death for charges of efsad-fil-arz (corruption on earth), baghy (armed rebellion) and action against national security by Branch One of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court. Their sentence was upheld on 21 May.

Mohammad Ramez Rashidi seated on the far left. It is not clear which of the other four defendants Naeim Hashem Ghotali is though as he is the 3rd defendant in the case, he could be the one standing.

Background: 

On 26 October 2022, Iranian state media reported a terrorist attack on a shrine called “Shahcheragh” in Shiraz which they claimed the protests had paved the way for. Shortly after, they claimed ISIS was responsible for the attack. In the published video footage of the attack, one shooter was identified as a lone wolf. According to the authorities, he was injured at the scene and later died of his injuries in hospital. However there are discrepancies about the shooter’s identity and nationality. Days later, official sources reported the arrest of six others. Mohammad Ramez Rashidi’s torture-tainted forced confessions were first aired on 2 November but he could not be identified in any of the videos aired as evidence of his involvement. In a documentary named “For ISIS,” which was aired on 9 December, Mohammad’s forced confessions were aired along with three Tajik nationals, one Uzbek and an Azeri national. 

However, when the trial was reported on 15 February, Mohammad Ramez Rashidi was the only defendant from the documentary, and his co-defendants were all Afghan nationals. Of the five, Mohammad Ramez Rashidi, 24 and the first defendant, and Naeim Hashem Ghotali, 27 and the third defendant, received death sentences. They were denied due process and fair trial rights by the Revolutionary Court and their forced confessions used as proof of guilt. There is no information available about the men prior to their arrests.

The two men were tried along with three other Afghan nationals in the “Shahcheragh” case. Mohammad Rahmani was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment, Mostafa Jan Amani to 15 years and Hamid Ala Kaboli to five years. 

On 12 May, Iran Human Rights warned of the imminent execution of 12 political prisoners including Mohammad Ramez Rashidi and Naeim Hashem Ghotali. Three others were executed on 19 May. 

It is important to note that Afghan nationals constitute the largest group of non-Iranian executions and death row cases in Iranian prisons. In 2021, no execution of Afghan nationals was recorded until September, when five men were executed in the space of 35 days. On 10 October 2021, Iran Human Rights expressed its concern that the Taliban takeover in August had facilitated the execution of Afghan nationals. That number more than tripled in 2022, with 16 Afghan nationals including a juvenile offender and a woman executed. At least six Afghans have been executed in 2023 so far, with four executed in May.