On-the-Ground Account: Final Family Visit and the Transfer of Hamid Hosseinnezhad to Intelligence Custody

On Thursday, April 18, 2025, with only hours remaining before the scheduled execution of Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou, his Kurdish family, acting without any official notice, gathered in front of Urmia Central Prison to protest the serious risk of his imminent execution. They publicly declared his innocence, demanding evidence for the verdict. Despite no formal authorization for visitation, persistent pressure and resilience from the family resulted in a brief meeting being granted.

During this short encounter, Hamid told his family:

“I am innocent. I do not fear death.”

That same evening, without prior notice, Hamid was transferred out of prison to the custody of Iran’s Intelligence Ministry. As of now, the family has no information about his current location or condition.

A Brief Visit: Chained and Surrounded by Security:

After hours of waiting, the family was allowed just 3 to 4 minutes with Hamid. He was brought into the prison visitation room in chains, escorted by approximately 30 government security officers.

In those fleeting minutes, Hamid raised his voice and declared to his family and the surrounding officials:

“I am innocent. I am not afraid of death. God knows I am innocent.”
 “My innocence is more important than anything else. Execute me if you must; I stand with honor before God.”
 “I was orphaned as a child. And now my own children must become orphans too? That’s the only thing that pains me.”

Transfer Without Transparency: Intelligence Takes Over:‌

According to a source who spoke to Kurdpa, after 4:00 PM on Thursday, Hamid was removed from solitary confinement and taken to the Intelligence Office. Since that transfer, there has been no official communication, no contact, and no information from authorities.

The same source quoted Khan-Zadeh, the prison director of Urmia, as saying:

“The Intelligence Office took him. We’ve received no updates. His case is now entirely under their control.”

The source also noted that, as of that day, the Prosecutor of Urmia had not yet signed the final execution order, and a meeting among the officials involved in the case had been scheduled for Thursday night.

Hamid's Wife and Children: Living Under Threat, Poverty, and Isolation:‌

Hamid’s wife, originally from Chaldoran, has lived through extreme psychological and security pressures over the past two years. Without a father or brother, Hamid was her only protector.

On Thursday, as the family protested outside the prison, she shouted through the crowd:

“You execute innocent people? Where’s your evidence? Why won’t you listen?”

In a moment of desperation and rage, she removed her headscarf in public—a powerful act of protest—and denounced the so-called justice that was preparing to execute her husband. Security forces immediately intervened, threatening and attempting to disperse the family.

Three Children Left Behind: A Father's Absence and a Child’s Simple Wish:‌

Hamid is the father of three children—two daughters and one son, all under the age of 18. His youngest daughter, still a child, has just one repeated question for her mother each night:

“When will Dad come take me to the park?”

During the brief visit, Hamid confided his deepest sorrow:

“I didn’t get to raise my youngest child with my own hands. That regret is always with me.”

For the past two years, his children have lived through a crisis—facing constant security harassment, economic instability, and the emotional toll of their father’s absence.

The family has been repeatedly threatened throughout Hamid’s detention. At one point, the eldest daughter was interrogated for four hours by security forces. They also warned the family not to speak publicly or share the case with media.