Call to Save Four Arab Political Prisoners Sentenced to Death

Amid rising military tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Israel, and widespread public concern about the potential outbreak of a large-scale war between the two countries, four Arab Ahwazi political prisoners have been transferred to solitary confinement in Sepidar Prison. These individuals, sentenced to death in a highly opaque case without a fair trial, are at risk of execution under inhumane conditions.

The use of capital punishment as a political tool has long been a response by the Islamic Republic of Iran to major political and social events. Statistics show that in recent years, the number of executions in Iran has been disproportionately higher among ethnic minorities, including Arabs, Baluch, and Kurds, compared to their share of the population.

Now, in the midst of a major political and social event (Iran’s military confrontation with Israel) that could threaten the regime’s survival, the Islamic Republic has once again used execution as a means to demonstrate the continued use of coercive power and to instill fear among the public. Following a pattern repeatedly observed in the past, the authorities have targeted citizens who have less public support and limited media coverage.

Ali Majdam, Moein Khanfari, Mohammad Reza Moghadam, and Adnan Ghabishavi (Mousavi) are the four political prisoners who have been transferred to solitary confinement in Sepidar Prison in preparation for their execution. A review of their cases by the Karun Human Rights Organization indicates that their right to a fair trial has been violated. These political prisoners were subjected to arbitrary violence during arrest, forced to provide confessions under torture and cruel, inhumane treatment. Some of their family members were detained, threatened, and harassed to pressure the prisoners. They were denied access to appointed legal counsel, and the court, despite being aware that the confessions were extracted under torture, used these forced statements as the basis for issuing verdicts.

These four political prisoners were arrested and sentenced to death as a direct result of the Islamic Republic’s ongoing discriminatory policies and systematic repression of political opponents and cultural and civil activists in Iran.

The signatories of this statement call for the immediate annulment of the death sentences issued against these political prisoners, guaranteed access to legal counsel, the ability to meet with family, and a fair and public trial for these Ahwazi Arab citizens.

The signatories also urge other human rights organizations, international bodies, and UN officials to intervene immediately, actively, and effectively to help prevent the inhumane use of capital punishment in Iran and to block the extrajudicial execution of Ali Majdam, Moein Khanfari, Mohammad Reza Moghadam, and Adnan Ghabishavi (Mousavi).

The organizations signing this statement include:

• Karun Human Rights Organization

• Azerbaijan Human Rights Society (ARK)

• Tohra, Turkmen Sahra Human Rights Activists

• Halvash

• Kurdpa Human Rights Organization

• Kurdistan Human Rights Society – Geneva

• Resanak

• Organization for the Defense of Free Information Flow

• Baluch Activists Campaign

• Hana Human Rights Organization

• Shivar News

• Iranian Human Rights Association