Behrouz Alkhani, Kurdish Political Prisoner Executed in Iran
22:39 - 26 August 2015
Kurdpa: There are credible reports that Kurdish political prisoner, Behrouz Alkhani was hanged in the central prison of Wurme, East Kurdistan.
Kurdpa has learned that Behrouz Alkhani’s execution order was carried out early Wednesday morning, August 26 in the central prison of Wurme, where he was held.
Human Rights Defence Organization in Kurdistan has confirmed Behourz Alkhani’s hanging, according to his family.
However, Kurdpa’s attempt in contacting Behrouz’s lawyer, brother and other relatives to confirm his death was unsuccessful.
On Tuesday, Mr. Alkhani had telephoned his relatives from prison asking them to visit him for the last time.
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Behrouz Alkhani\'s execution took place even as the regime\'s Higher Court had not yet responded to an appeal to his sentence.
Amnesty International released a statement on Tuesday, asking the Iranian authorities to urgently halt Behrouz Alkhani’s execution.
\"Carrying out a death sentence while a prisoner is awaiting the outcome of his appeal is a serious violation of both Iranian and international law, and is an affront to justice,” said Said Boumedouha, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Amnesty International.
“The authorities have already carried out nearly 700 executions in Iran so far this year. Allowing Behrouz Alkhani’s death sentence to be implemented will only leave them with more blood on their hands,” the statement further added.
Behrouz Alkhani, a 30 year-old Kurdish dissident, was arrested on January 27, 2010 in Salmas, East Kurdistan. He spent nearly 19 months under physical and psychological torture in detention centers in Salmas, Khoy and Oroumieh.
In 2011, he was convicted and sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court in Wurme on charges of “effective collaboration” with a Kurdish political organization and “enmity against God” (moharebeh) for his alleged role in the assassination of the Prosecutor of Khoy, Wurme (West Azerbaijan) province.
He had consistently denied his involvement in the killing of the Prosecutor, and his last appeal to the death sentence was left unanswered.
On August 9, another Kurdish political prisoner was executed in Tabriz Prison following three years of incommunicado. Sirwan Nejavi, from the city of Sardasht, was arrested two years ago in his hometown by the Iranian Intelligence Agents, infamously known as Etelaat.
There are many other Kurdish political prisoners on death row in Iran, awaiting their execution order.
Iran is the second most prolific executioner in the world after China, according to Amnesty International’s latest global death penalty report.
Writing by Kurdpa Staff Writers and editing by Hazhir B.
###
Stay in touch with Kurdpa with latest news and opinions on Iran and Kurdistan:
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Kurdpa has learned that Behrouz Alkhani’s execution order was carried out early Wednesday morning, August 26 in the central prison of Wurme, where he was held.
Human Rights Defence Organization in Kurdistan has confirmed Behourz Alkhani’s hanging, according to his family.
However, Kurdpa’s attempt in contacting Behrouz’s lawyer, brother and other relatives to confirm his death was unsuccessful.
On Tuesday, Mr. Alkhani had telephoned his relatives from prison asking them to visit him for the last time.
Members of Behrouz\'s family and human rights activists gathered outside the prison gates to demand a halt to his execution.
Also on Tuesday more than 80 members of his family and human rights activists had gathered outside the prison gates to demand a halt to his execution. Prison guards and suppressive anti-riot forces attacked his relatives and other protesters including women and children.Behrouz Alkhani\'s execution took place even as the regime\'s Higher Court had not yet responded to an appeal to his sentence.
Amnesty International released a statement on Tuesday, asking the Iranian authorities to urgently halt Behrouz Alkhani’s execution.
\"Carrying out a death sentence while a prisoner is awaiting the outcome of his appeal is a serious violation of both Iranian and international law, and is an affront to justice,” said Said Boumedouha, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Amnesty International.
“The authorities have already carried out nearly 700 executions in Iran so far this year. Allowing Behrouz Alkhani’s death sentence to be implemented will only leave them with more blood on their hands,” the statement further added.
Behrouz Alkhani, a 30 year-old Kurdish dissident, was arrested on January 27, 2010 in Salmas, East Kurdistan. He spent nearly 19 months under physical and psychological torture in detention centers in Salmas, Khoy and Oroumieh.
In 2011, he was convicted and sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court in Wurme on charges of “effective collaboration” with a Kurdish political organization and “enmity against God” (moharebeh) for his alleged role in the assassination of the Prosecutor of Khoy, Wurme (West Azerbaijan) province.
He had consistently denied his involvement in the killing of the Prosecutor, and his last appeal to the death sentence was left unanswered.
On August 9, another Kurdish political prisoner was executed in Tabriz Prison following three years of incommunicado. Sirwan Nejavi, from the city of Sardasht, was arrested two years ago in his hometown by the Iranian Intelligence Agents, infamously known as Etelaat.
There are many other Kurdish political prisoners on death row in Iran, awaiting their execution order.
Iran is the second most prolific executioner in the world after China, according to Amnesty International’s latest global death penalty report.
Writing by Kurdpa Staff Writers and editing by Hazhir B.
###
Stay in touch with Kurdpa with latest news and opinions on Iran and Kurdistan:
Follow @kurdpa
Email us your news tips, pictures, video, opinions and articles to english(a)kurdpa.com
Share this article:
