TEHRAN, Iran – A Tehran court has handed down death sentences to four Kurdish political prisoners on charges of collaborating with Israel, amid growing tensions between Iran and Israel. The Norwegian-based human rights group Hengaw has warned that the prisoners’ lives are in immediate danger due to political decisions being made by the government and non-judicial entities.
The prisoners, members of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, a social democratic ethnic political party, have been identified as Mohsen Mazloum (27), Mohammad Faramarzi (28), Wafa Azarbar (26), and Pejman Fatehi (28). Iranian state media claims that the four were “detained armed when they tried to commit an explosion at the Isfahan industrial complex” in July 2022. However, the Komala Party has refuted these claims, labeling them as groundless and suggesting that they are being used to suppress more people and protesters.
Hengaw reported that the sentences had already been upheld by a higher court and expressed concerns over the swift execution process, warning of potential exploitation of these cases for political propaganda as the war in Gaza continues. The families of the Kurdish detainees have reportedly received no information about their fate and whereabouts since their detention, and have had no opportunity to meet or telephone their loved ones.
Furthermore, Hengaw has raised the alarm about the serious and imminent risk of execution of these prisoners, highlighting that they have been held in security facilities for almost eighteen months and have been “subjected to all kinds of physical and mental torture without access to the minimum rights of political defendants.” The Iranian government institutions have also been accused of pressuring the families of the detainees, with reports of interrogations and torture.
The situation has raised international concern, with human rights organizations and activists calling for a fair and transparent legal process for the Kurdish prisoners. The escalating tensions between Iran and Israel have added complexity to this case and have sparked fears of potential exploitation for political gains.
In summary, the Tehran court has sentenced four Kurdish political prisoners to death on charges of collaboration with Israel, a move that has been condemned by human rights organizations and activists. The prisoners’ families continue to seek information about their fate and whereabouts while expressing concerns over the lack of transparency in the legal process. The international community is closely monitoring the situation, urging for a fair and just resolution to the case.