Kurdish Activist Habibollah Golparipour Sentences to Death in Iran

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In late April, the Revolutionary Court in Mahabad sentenced the Kurdish activist Habibollah Golparipour to death on charges of “mohareb” (waging war against God).

Golparipour, a native of Sanandaj, was arrested six months ago and first held in the Sanandaj central prison and then transferred to Mahabad prison. Golparipour was convicted according to articles 186 and 190 of Iran’s penal code. Article 186 states that “when any group or organization attempts armed confrontation against the Islamic Republic of Iran, so long as its leadership is intact, all its members and supporters who are aware of the organization’s positions and take steps to further its objectives, are ‘enemies of God,’ even if they are not involved in its military branch.” This article has been used extensively by the Iranian regime to silence dissent following the June 2009 elections.

Article 190 of Islamic Penal Code states that there are four possible punishments for “war against God or corruption on earth”: death, death by hanging; amputation of the right hand and then the left foot; or permanent internal exile.

Golparipour joins 18 other Kurdish political prisoners on death row in Iran: 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. Golparipour and his lawyer have 20 days to appeal his verdict.