In an urgent appeal, a group of 152 distinguished international experts and NGOs has addressed a letter to High Commissioner Volker Türk of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The letter highlights the critical plight of two Iranian political prisoners, Behrouz Ehsani, 69, and Mehdi Hassani, 48, who face imminent execution following an unjust trial and death sentences confirmed by the Iranian regime’s Supreme Court earlier this month.
The appeal, sent via email and marked “urgent,” underscores the dire urgency of the situation. On the same day, Ehsani and Hassani were forcibly transferred from Evin to Ghezel Hessar Prison, a facility infamous for its executions. The suspicious circumstances of their transfer, compounded by the sudden severance of communication lines, raise serious concerns that the executions may be carried out in secret within days or even hours. Protests among fellow prisoners erupted in response to the transfer.
A Call for Immediate Intervention
The letter outlines the extensive human rights abuses surrounding this case. Both Ehsani and Hassani were convicted on politically motivated charges such as “rebellion,” “spreading corruption on earth,” and membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The two men endured torture and were denied fair trials, blatant violations of international human rights norms.
The coalition of experts and NGOs urges the High Commissioner to:
- Unequivocally condemn the imminent executions and call on Iranian authorities to halt them immediately.
- Mobilize the international community to pressure Iran to comply with its human rights obligations and end the use of the death penalty as a political weapon.
- Secure immediate access for independent monitors to assess the conditions of political prisoners in Iran.
The letter is co-signed by 152 renowned individuals and organizations, including former political leaders, prominent jurists, human rights advocates, academics, and Nobel laureates.
Their collective message underscores the global significance of this crisis and the moral imperative for immediate action.
Iran’s Alarming Escalation of Executions
This appeal comes amid Iran’s alarming trend of escalating executions. In 2024, the Iranian regime executed nearly 1,000 individuals, using mass executions as a tool to suppress dissent and intimidate the populace.
Both Ehsani and Hassani are recognized for their courageous activism, particularly their leadership in the grassroots “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign. This initiative, now active across 34 Iranian prisons, reflects the growing resistance to the regime’s use of capital punishment. Their activism has made them targets of the government’s oppressive judicial system.
Time is Running Out
The appeal closes with a stark warning: the silence of the international community risks emboldening further human rights abuses in Iran. With time running out, the coalition calls on the High Commissioner to act swiftly to prevent these executions and set a precedent for holding Iran accountable for its actions.
As the world watches, the fate of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani serves as a test of the international community’s resolve to stand against injustice and uphold the principles of human rights.