/ IHRights#Iran: Hossein Amaninejad and Hamed Yavari were executed in Hamedan Central Prison on 11 June. Hossein was arrested… https://t.co/3lnMTwFH6z13 Jun

Political Prisoners Behrouz Ehsani, Mehdi Hassani and Mohammad Javad Vafayi-Sani Sentenced to Death in Iran

24 Sep 24
Political Prisoners Behrouz Ehsani, Mehdi Hassani and Mohammad Javad Vafayi-Sani Sentenced to Death in Iran

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); September 24, 2024: Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court recently sentenced political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani Eslamlu and Mehdi Hassani to death for charges of “baghy (armed rebellion), moharebeh (enmity against god), efsad-fil-arz (corruption on earth), membership in Mojahedin organisation, collecting classified information, and assembly and collusion against national security.”

Furthermore, November 2019 protester Mohammad Javad Vafayi has been resentenced to death for the third time for charges of “efsad-fil-arz through intentional destruction” by Branch 3 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court.

Iran Human Rights condemns the three political prisoners’ death sentences in the strongest terms and calls on the international community and human rights institutions to try to save political prisoners from execution.

According to HRANA news agency, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court has issued death sentences against two supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organisation, Behrouz Ehsani Eslamulu and Mehdi Hassani. The two political prisoners are currently held in Evin Prison in Tehran.

Behrouz Ehsani was arrested at his home in Tehran in October 2022 and Mehdi Hassani was arrested in Zanjan.

In a defiant response, Behrouz Ehsani wrote a letter from prison that reads: “I, Behrouz Ehsani, imprisoned in Ward 4 of Evin Prison, was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence in October 2022 and transferred to the solitary confinement of Ward 240 (under the control of 209) and transferred to Ward 4 after three and a half months. After 22 months of limbo, they’ve  sentenced me to death without evidence. Nothing else could come from this execution system. As I said under interrogations, I will not haggle for my life at 70 years old and am not worried about the 10% remainder of it, I’m ready to sacrifice my life for the freedom of the Iranian people.”

In the letter, he says that they were notified of their death sentences on the second anniversary of the 2022 nationwide protests. Behrouz states that he and Mehdi have been protesting the death penalty on “No Death Penalty Tuesdays” for 34 weeks which they will continue as long as executions take place. “I call on all my compatriots, international community and human rights organisations to take action against the death penalty in Iran because tomorrow is too late.”

The third political prisoner to have received a death sentence recently is Mohammad Javad Vafayi-Sani who has been resentenced to death for the third time. Mohammad Javad is a 28-year-old protester arrested in February 2020 in relation to the November 2019 nationwide protests. He was a boxer prior to his arrest.

Mohammad Javad was sentenced to death for charges of “efsad-fil-arz through intentional destruction” by Branch 3 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court. According to his lawyer, the sentence can be appealed. He is held in Mashhad Central Prison.

The charges of moharebeh (enmity against God), efsad-fil-arz (corruption on Earth) and baghy (armed rebellion) are used for a wide range of offences. And as they are within the Revolutionary Courts’ jurisdiction, there is considerable subjectivity in the judgements made in the cases.

Efsad-fil-arz is used by Revolutionary Court judges in cases where a death sentence would otherwise be difficult to justify based on other charges and irrefutable evidence.

In 2023, at least 39 people were executed on charges of moharebehefsad-fil-arz and baghy. Those executed on security charges include members of opposition groups and religious and ethnic minorities.