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Increasing Violence and Mass Executions of Political Prisoners as Five Are Executed in Iran
By IHRV | May 18, 2010
On May 10, Tehran’s general and Revolutionary Court issued a statement announcing the executions of five political prisoners. The condemned prisoners were identified as Farzad Kamangar (son of Baghi), Ali Haydariani (son of Ahad), Farhad Vakili (son of Mohammad-Saeed), Shirin Alam-Hoi (daughter of Khadar) and Mehdi Islamian (son of Mohammad).
The announcement underscored the fact that all legal proceedings prior to the issuing and enforcing of the sentences against the political prisoners had been observed. However, three of the executed prisoners, Mr. Kamangar, Mr. Haydariani and Mr. Vakili, during a sensational court hearing that was not open to public, and which lasted for only six minutes for all three men, all received death sentences without any viable evidence. Though both the prisoners showed ample evidence of torture by the Intelligence agents during their incarceration.
All of the accused, citing their innocence, refused to ask the court for clemency; however, beginning 18 months ago, through efforts made by Mr. Kamangar’s lawyer, citing article 18 (the right to appeals) all of the sentences were appealed, thus blocking the executions until all of the cases are reviewed and heard by the appeals court.
Previously, the Coalition of Human Rights Advocates issued a report on efforts by Tehran’s prosecutor at the time, Saeed Motazavi, to promote policies pursued by the Ministry of Intelligence, demanding the execution of this group of political prisoners. The high-profile cases had practically been lost in the labyrinth of the legal system, making efforts by family members and Mr. Kamangar’s lawyer of little use.
Among this group of prisoners, Mr. Kamangar was a known as a teacher and a defender of human rights who had received words of support from many different professionals, labors, and human rights and political organizations after his name appeared in a report on Iran’s human rights record which was presented before the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations.
Another individual whose name also appeared in the announcement was Ms. Alam-Hoi, who had been accused of armed struggle in Tehran, a charge that could have never been proven in an open and transparent court. In recent days, Ms. Alam-Hoi has written letters in which she had complains about unceasing pressure by her interrogation team to make a forced confession before television cameras.
Mr. Islamian, another prisoner sentenced to death, is a resident of the city of Shiraz. Mr. Islamian was accused of assisting his brother with a sum of 200 USD. Mr. Islamian’s brother had been involved in the planting and explosion of a bomb in a religious center in Shiraz. Mr. Islamian was subjected to torture and denied of access to a legal counselor of his own choice.
On Saturday, May 8, one day prior to the executions, all telephone communications from Evin Prison were terminated at 4:00 pm.
Mr. Islamian was transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison; Ms. Alam-Hoi was moved from section 209 in Evin Prison; Mr. Kamangar, Mr. Haydarian, and Mr. Vakili were moved from section 7 to section 240 in the same prison and their executions were carried out at 5:00 am the next day. In an illegal move, none of the family members or the lawyers had been informed of the execution.
Other prisoners whose names have already been identified are as follows:
• Rashid Akhkandi
• Mohammad-Amin Agooshi
• Rostam Arkia
• Ahmad Pouladkhani
• Zainab Jalalian
• Sami Hosseini
• Hossein Khazari-Nour-Rostami
• Abduljalil Rigi
• Abdulhamid Rigi
• Mohammad Rigi
• Ali Saedi
• Aziz Saedi
• Ahmad Saedi,
• Mostafa Salimi
• Ali Savari
• Ali Sarmi
• Hasan Talei
• Mohammad-Amin Abdulahi,
• Majad Faradipour
• Hossein Farvahideh (Khatibi)
• Abed Gahramzehi
• Habibullah Latifi
• Yousef Loftehpour
• Ghader Mohammad-Zadeh
• Jamal Mohammadi
• Iraj Mohammadi
• Shirko Moaarefi
• Dair Mohavi, Maher Mohavi
• Abdulrahman Naroi,
• Valid Nici
• Mohammad-Amin Valian,
• Jaafar Kazemi
• Mohammad-Ali Haj-Aghai
Source: Harana
Topics: analysis |