Kurdish Activists Face Executions and Heavy Prison Sentences in Iran

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According to Human Rights Activist in Iran, until now, eighteen Kurdish political activists in prisons in western Iran are awaiting their death sentences to be carried out: Ali Heidarian, Farzad Kamangar, Farhad Vakili, Shirin Alamhouyi, Zeinab Jalalian, Habib Latifi, Shirkou Maarefi, Jamal Mohammadi, Sami Hosseini, Rostam Arkia, Rashid Akhkandi, Hossein Khazri, Mostafa Salimi, Anvar Rostami, Mohammad Amin Agoushi, Iraj Mohammadi, Ahmad Pouladkhani and Hasan Talei.

In addition, Kurdish activist Habibollah Golparipour was sentenced to death last week.

Iranian courts have also handed down heavy prison sentences for five individuals arrested following the post-election protests. They are: Kiarash Kamrani, Omid Yavari, Arash Ghasemi, Abolfazl Ghasemi and Ozra Sadat Ghazi Mirsaeid.

Ozra Sadati Mirsaeid was arrested on 20 June 2009 during the people’s peaceful demonstration at Enghelab (Revolution) square. A revolutionary court in Tehran sentenced her to three years in prison which was later approved after appeal. She is currently being held in Evin prison and under severe physical and psychological torture.

Also, student activist from a university in Tehran, Milad Fadaei has been sentenced by branch 28 of the revolutionary courts to a year in prison for “propagating” against the Islamic Republic. He is currently being held in Evin prison.

Nima Nahvi (Babol Noshirvani University of Technology) and Hossein Jalil Nataj (Babol University of Medical Sciences) also commenced their ten-month long prison sentences on Tuesday 20 April. The two also face university suspension from university for a period of one year.

In total, there are five students from the city of Babol who are currently completing their prison sentences in a prison in the northern city. Mohsen Barzegar and Mohammad Esmailzadeh have already begun completing their sentences in city’s Mata Kala prison.

Mohsen Barzegar had previously been beaten severely by inmates at the prison which led to his transfer to the prison’s infirmary.

This originally appeared on The Green Voice of Freedom