We, the undersigned human rights organizations, express our profound concern regarding the issuance of multiple death sentences and long-term prison terms by Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Orumiyeh and Branch One of the Juvenile Criminal Court in West Azerbaijan Province against Kurdish political detainees. These verdicts follow the defendants’ alleged involvement in the 2022 “Women, Life, Freedom” protests in Bukan and Baneh and reflect a deeply alarming pattern of politically motivated judicial repression.
According to credible reports, five Kurdish men—Ali (Soran) Ghassemi, Pezhman Soltani, Kaveh Salehi, Rizgar Beigzadeh Baba-Miri, and Teyfur Salimi Baba-Miri—have received a total of 11 death sentences on charges including armed insurrection (baghi), enmity against God (moharebeh), espionage for Israel, and membership in hostile armed groups. An additional death sentence had previously been issued by the Juvenile Criminal Court against Mr. Soltani on the basis of qisas (retribution in kind) for alleged premeditated murder. Eight further individuals were sentenced to prison terms and financial penalties under similar national security-related accusations.
These verdicts raise serious concerns about violations of fundamental due process guarantees and the right to a fair trial, as enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which the Islamic Republic of Iran is a State Party. Reports indicate that the convictions were based exclusively on intelligence reports and confessions allegedly obtained under torture and coercion during prolonged incommunicado detention at the Ministry of Intelligence’s facility in Orumiyeh. Several defendants were denied access to legal counsel, subjected to physical and psychological abuse, and held without access to their families throughout the pre-trial phase.
Furthermore, the charges brought forth—including “collaboration with the hostile government of Israel,” “propaganda against the state,” and “membership in armed groups” such as Komala and PAK—are framed in vague, overly broad terms that fail to meet international standards for criminal accountability. The extensive reliance on coerced confessions, the lack of independent evidence, and the public broadcasting of these statements by state-affiliated media (e.g., Tasnim News Agency) represent a grave miscarriage of justice and a clear violation of the principle of non-admissibility of evidence obtained through torture under international law.
This mass sentencing occurs in the context of an intensifying post-war crackdown within Iran, particularly targeting Kurdish regions. Following Iran’s recent military and intelligence setbacks in the regional conflict, state authorities have escalated internal repression, disproportionately targeting ethnic minorities under the guise of national security. The judicial system is being weaponized to silence dissent and to punish those associated—directly or indirectly—with protest movements and minority activism.
We therefore call on the Iranian authorities to:
- Immediately halt all scheduled executions in this case and impose a moratorium on the death penalty in line with global human rights trends.
- Conduct an independent, impartial review of the legal proceedings, with full transparency and access to international observers, ensuring compliance with fair trial standards.
- Investigate all allegations of torture, incommunicado detention, and coerced confessions, and hold accountable those responsible for such violations.
- Guarantee all detainees the right to effective legal representation, contact with their families, and protection from further abuse.
- Refrain from using the judiciary as an instrument of political suppression and cease the discriminatory targeting of Kurdish and other minority communities.
We further urge the United Nations Special Rapporteurs—particularly on extrajudicial executions, torture, and minority rights—as well as the European Union, international human rights bodies, and civil society actors to take immediate and coordinated action to address this escalating crisis and prevent irreversible harm to the individuals affected.
The imposition of mass death sentences based on tortured confessions and politicized charges constitutes an egregious violation of international legal norms and must not go unanswered. We stand in solidarity withat-risk Kurdish activists and all those in Iran who are subjected to unlawful repression, and we reiterate our commitment to pursuing justice, accountability, and the protection of fundamental rights.
July 11, 2025
- 1- Abdorrahman Boroumand Center (ABC)
- 2- Ahwazi Centre for Human Rights
- 3- BASC
- 4- Campaign Against the Enforced Disappearance of Four Executed Kurdish Activists
- 5- Free Human
- 6- Global Campaign Against Execution in Iran
- 7- Hal Wash
- 8- Hana Human Rights Organization
- 9- Hengaw Organizationfor Human Rights
- 10- Iranian Human Rights Activists
- 11- Kurdistan Human Rights Reporters Centre
- 12- Kulturverein Ostkurdistan e.V.
- 13- No To Execution Campaign
- 14- Shiwar
- 15- The Baloch Activists campaign
- 16- United To End Execution in Iran
- 17- World Kurd Organisation