It was reported on 27 July that Iranian state media had announced the executions of two political prisoners, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani. They were executed on charges of ‘baghy’, or armed rebellion, through collaboration with the Mojahedin Organisation (PMOI/MEK).
Iran human rights condemned their executions in the strongest terms while also warning of more political prisoner executions in coming weeks. They also called on the international community for urgent action.
Iran Human Rights NGO Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam commented:
“Mehdi Hassani and Behrouz Ehsani were sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court in an unfair trial based on confessions extracted under torture, and their execution is considered an extrajudicial killing. Ali Khamenei and the judicial authorities must be held accountable for these crimes. The Islamic Republic is in the most critical state of its rule and attempting to survive through executions and repression. There’s a very strong possibility of the other prisoners being executed in the coming weeks, only serious international pressure and widespread civil campaigns can prevent another human rights disaster in the Islamic Republic’s prisons.”
The hangings of the two political prisoners were reported by the Judiciary’s Mizan News Agency. Mehdi Hassani’s daughter confirmed that they had been executed at Ghezelhesar Prison, to where they had been transferred from Evin Prison in January this year. It was also noted that Mehdi Hassani’s daughter had stated that the hangings were carried out without any prior notice meaning that the families could not make a last visit.
Amnesty International’s concerns
Amnesty International had already voiced concerns in June this year, about the possibility of more executions. On 23 June, Amnesty called for an end to arbitrary executions of those arrested since Israel’s attacks on Iran had begun on 13 June while also expressing grave concerns about those who were already on death row.
Hussein Baoumi, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International commented:
“The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and it should not be used under any circumstances. Its use for espionage or other related offences that do not involve intentional killing is particularly prohibited under international law.
A rush to execute people after torture-tainted ‘confessions’ and grossly unfair trials would be a horrifying abuse of power and a blatant assault on the right to life. The authorities must immediately halt all plans to carry out further executions or to impose death sentences and urgently establish a moratorium on all executions.”
More on Behrouz Ehsani and Medhdi Hassani
Iran Human Rights NGO also noted that Mehdi Hassani, 49 year old father of three was arrested in October 2022, while Behrouz Ehsani, a 70 year old father of two was arrested the following month.
Behrouz and Mehdi were said to be members of the “No Death Penalty Tuesdays” before being placed on death row themselves. Behrouz Ehsani wrote in a letter on 18 September: “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 cells of Ward 240 (under supervision of Ward 209) and after three and a half months I was transferred to Ward 4 of Evin. Finally, after 22 months of uncertainty, they have now issued me a death sentence without any evidence. Nothing else can be expected of this execution regime.
“As long as heads are being hung from the gallows, we will continue our Tuesday hunger strikes. I call on my fellow citizens, international community and human rights organisations to act today against executions in Iran because tomorrow will be too late.”
Newcastle based Iranian activist comment
I asked Newcastle-based Iranian Parisa Panahi, for her comments following the news of the two executions:
“As an Iranian activist, I am heartbroken and enraged by the secret execution of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani. These men were not criminals – they were political prisoners targeted for their beliefs and their resistance to a system built on repression. Their so-called trials were a sham, their confessions extracted under torture, and their lives stolen without even allowing their families a final goodbye. This is not justice – this is murder by the state.
‘We, the people of Iran, know this cruelty too well. But we will not be silenced. I echo Behrouz’s words: “Act today -because tomorrow will be too late’. We call on the international community to stop looking away. This regime thrives in darkness – shine a light before more lives are lost.”
Comment
Sadly, there seems to be no sign of the Iranian regime softening its hardline way of governing what is a very diverse nation. There also seems to be evidence that the regime may well be even harsher on opponents as a result of the attacks on Iran by Israel and the USA. In many countries we have seen that attacks from outside give regimes the excuse to crackdown even more heavily on dissent in their country. It is indeed time that the international community truly put pressure on Iran to improve its dreadful human rights record – before too many more innocent lives are lost.
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