Secret Execution of Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydranlou Without Family Notification and at an Undisclosed Location

On the evening of Monday, April 21, 2025, Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported the execution of Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydranlou, a Kurdish political prisoner, without disclosing the time or location of the execution.

Hours after the report’s publication, his family still has no knowledge of the exact time, location, or the whereabouts of his body. Carrying out an execution under such opaque conditions not only violates the right to a fair trial but also represents a fundamental breach of human dignity and criminal justice standards.

The news report stated: “This matter was communicated to the family today by competent authorities in West Azerbaijan Province.” However, the family clarifies that this so-called notification came only after the news broke in the media, and it was informal and via a phone call from the Urmia Revolutionary Court.

The Hosseinnezhad family, who have been staging a sit-in for five consecutive days in front of Urmia Central Prison, received no information throughout the day about the execution's status. As of late evening, they remained outside the prison, waiting in anguish and uncertainty.

The lack of an official death certificate, undisclosed execution site, and failure to return the body are clear markers of a "secret execution"—a practice in direct violation of both Iran’s domestic legal framework and internationally recognized criminal procedure and human rights standards.

Background: Arrest, Solitary Confinement, and Unjust Legal Process

Hamid Hosseinnezhad was arrested on April 12, 2023, and held for nearly 11 months and 10 days in solitary confinement at the Urmia Intelligence Detention Center. During this time, he endured:

-Severe physical and psychological torture

-Armed threats

-Denial of access to family and legal counsel

-Forced confessions

-Physical assault during judicial questioning
 

Prior to the Supreme Court’s confirmation of the death sentence, Hamid submitted an official petition for retrial under Article 474 of Iran’s Criminal Procedure Code. His defense included:

Official records of legal border crossing

Eyewitness testimony

Documented inconsistencies in time and location of the alleged incident
 

Nonetheless, the Supreme Court ignored the petition entirely, affirming the death sentence without review.

Family’s Final Efforts and Public Pleas

In the days leading up to the execution, Hamid's family held multiple protests in front of judicial and security institutions in Urmia, stressing that the charges were fabricated and based on confessions obtained under torture.

His daughter, Ronahi Hosseinnezhad, responded publicly to the state-broadcast video of her father's forced confession, publishing videos herself and demanding an immediate halt to the execution.

The independent Kurdish outlet, Kurdpa, has published multiple reports citing evidence from close contacts and legal documentation that highlight the unjust proceedings and the use of torture to obtain forced confessions in the days leading to his execution.

The secretive execution of Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydranlou, without formal notice to his family, withholding the body, and refusing to disclose the site or time of execution, marks a grave violation of legal and human rights norms. Despite substantial legal challenges and credible evidence of coercion and torture, the Iranian judiciary proceeded with a sentence that has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights observers.

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An Account of Torture and Forced Confessions of Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydranlou:

Supreme Court Ignored Hamid Hosseinnezhad’s Formal Appeal Against His Death Sentence: Legal Defenses, Contradictions with Coerced Confessions, and Security Fabrication:

Cries for Justice: Hamid Hosseinnezhad’s Mother Pleads Outside Urmia Revolutionary Court:

"Testimonial Document" Confirms Hamid Hosseinnezhad Was in Turkey – Did the Judiciary Ignore This Evidence?

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

Silenced Evidence, a Voice Cut Off: Hamid Hosseinnezhad’s Final Efforts and His Family’s Cry Today:

Judges Responsible for the Death Sentence of Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou: Qasem Mazinani and Reza Najafzadeh: