The Dutch Group of Friends of a Free Iran (FOFI) has issued an urgent appeal to the United Nations and the international community to intervene in halting the impending execution of two Iranian political prisoners, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani. Both were sentenced to death by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, accused of fabricated charges of rebellion, corruption, and conspiracy due to their association with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
Ehsani, aged 69, and Hassani, 48, have endured severe physical and psychological torture in Evin Prison since their arrests in 2022. Their case is emblematic of a broader crackdown on political dissent under Iran’s regime, which has intensified executions as a method of suppression. The Dutch FOFI, a pro-democracy advocacy group, highlighted the alarming rate of executions in Iran, noting that in 2023 alone, 850 people were executed, with over 160 executions occurring in August 2024.
The FOFI’s statement called for immediate international action, warning that the Iranian regime’s increased reliance on mass executions is a desperate attempt to silence legitimate demands for freedom and justice. The statement is directed towards the United Nations, the European Union, and global human rights organizations, urging them to act before it is too late.
“The imminent executions of Ehsani and Hassani represent a horrifying escalation in the regime’s systematic repression,” the group declared, emphasizing that “international pressure must be exerted on the regime to stop these politically motivated killings.”
The statement also called for “swift and decisive measures” from the global community to halt executions and hold the regime accountable for crimes against humanity, highlighting the 1988 massacre as an example of unpunished atrocities.
Text of the Dutch Group of Friends of a Free Iran’s Statement:
Declaration September 18, 2024
Urgent Appeal for Immediate Action to Halt Political Executions in Iran
We, Dutch Group Friends of a Free Iran (FOFI) issue this urgent call to the United Nations and the international community. The recent surge in executions, including the death sentences of two political prisoners, represents an alarming escalation of the Iranian regime’s systematic repression. These atrocities demand immediate international intervention.
Case of Political Prisoners: Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani
Two political prisoners, Behrouz Ehsani (69) and Mehdi Hassani (48), have been sentenced to death by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on fabricated charges of “rebellion, waging war against God, corruption on earth, and conspiracy against national security” due to their support for the PMOI (People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran). Both have endured severe physical and psychological torture in Evin Prison, a notorious site of inhumane conditions. Their imminent executions, along with others facing similar fates, are part of a broader regime strategy to suppress political dissent.
Iran’s Alarming Execution Rate
In just 2023, 850 executions were carried out, with 440 more recorded by August 2024. Since the new regime president Masoud Pezeshkian took office, 160 executions occurred in August alone, and Khamenei’s regime continues to use mass executions as a tool to instill fear and stifle any uprising. This bloodshed is a desperate attempt to suppress the legitimate demands of the Iranian people for freedom and justice.
Demands for Immediate Action
We urge the United Nations, the European Union, and international human rights organizations to take swift and decisive measures to halt the Iranian regime’s ongoing execution campaign and address the following urgent demands:
- Immediate Suspension of Political Executions
We call for an immediate end to all political executions in Iran, including the cases of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani. International pressure must be exerted on the regime to stop these politically motivated killings and release all political prisoners.
- Accountability for Crimes Against Humanity
The UN must ensure that all leaders of the Iranian regime, including Khamenei and top officials, are prosecuted for their role in crimes against humanity. The 1988 massacre, which saw the execution of over 30,000 political prisoners, was declared genocide by the UN Special Rapporteur, Professor Javaid Rehman. Those responsible continue to hold high positions in the regime, perpetuating the cycle of impunity.
- Support for the Global Campaign Against Executions
We stand firmly behind the “No to Execution” campaign initiated by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). This campaign, actively pursued within Iranian prisons, seeks to strip the regime of its primary tool of terror—execution. We urge human rights defenders and international organizations to join this movement.
- Implementing Comprehensive Sanctions Against the Regime
To hold the Iranian regime accountable, we call for the immediate blacklisting of the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) and for the regime to be placed under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter as a threat to global peace and security. These actions are vital to ending the regime’s nuclear ambitions, terrorism, and internal repression.
- Recognition of the Iranian People’s Struggle
The UN and global community must recognize the legitimate right of the Iranian people to end the mullahs’ regime and support the Resistance Units activities inside Iran for freedom. The international community must stand with the people of Iran in their pursuit of a democratic and free society.
The Only Path Forward:
To end this corrupt Regime. The unprecedented boycott of the Iranian regime’s elections and the rise of popular resistance prove that the people of Iran seek the end of this corrupt regime. Only by dismantling the theocratic rule of the mullahs can peace, security, and democracy be restored to Iran and the region. Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan outlines the foundation for a democratic, secular republic in Iran—a vision that is increasingly embraced by the Iranian people and international politicians and human rights activists. We demand that the United Nations, the European Union, and all member states uphold their obligations to human rights and justice. The time to act is now. The global community must stand with the Iranian people in their fight for freedom, justice, and human dignity.
