Qasem Abesteh, a political-ideological Kurdish prisoner, was executed in Qezelhesar prison in Karaj

Ghasem Abesteh, a Kurdish ideological prisoner from Mahabad, was executed in Qezelhesar prison in Karaj after 14 years of imprisonment on Sunday, November 5th.

This political prisoner was transferred to one of the solitary cells of Qezelhesar prison in Karaj on Sunday, October 29th, to carry out the death sentence.

Ghasem Abesteh, along with six other Kurdish citizens named Anwar Khezri, Ayoub Karimi, Davoud Abdullahi, Farhad Salimi, Kamran Sheikheh, and Khosrow Besharat from the cities of Saqqez and Mahabad, were arrested by security forces on December 7, 2009, and were interrogated for eight months at the Urmia Intelligence Detention Center.

These seven Kurdish political prisoners were then transferred to Evin Prison and after six months of interrogation, they were transferred to Rajayi Shahr Prison in Karaj on March 24, 2012.

In February 2016, these seven Kurdish prisoners were sentenced to death by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of "acting against national security," "propaganda against the system," "membership in Salafi groups," and "corruption on earth," and this sentence was officially communicated to them on May 26, 2016.

After the protest of these seven Kurdish political prisoners, this sentence was overturned by the Supreme Court of the country in 2017 and was referred to Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court under the presidency of Judge "Salavati" for retrial.

In May 2018, these seven Kurdish political prisoners were sentenced to death likewise on charges of "corruption on earth" and crimes related to national security, and despite numerous serious violations of fair trial procedures, on February 3, 2020, Branch 41 of the Supreme Court of the country confirmed the sentences issued against these seven prisoners, and in September 2020, Branch 38 of the Supreme Court rejected their request for retrial.

These seven Kurdish political prisoners were transferred to Qazalhessar prison after the closure of Rajayi Shahr prison in Karaj earlier this year.