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| Gholamreza Khosravi |
Iran Human Rights, June 1, 2014: The political prisoner Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani who was transferred to solitary confinement yesterday, was executed in the Rajaishahr prison of Karaj (west of Tehran) early this morning. The office of Tehran’s Prosecutor confirmed the execution and wrote that Mr. Khosravi “was convicted of
moharebeh (waging war against the God) through cooperation with Mujahedin-e-Khalgh (PMOI/MEK) organization.
Iran Human Rights (IHR) and several Iranian and international human rights organizations had reported about Mr. Khosravi’s scheduled execution and asked for international reactions.
Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani was arrested in 2007 and sentenced to 6 years in prison for having given information and economic support to the Iranian opposition group PMOI. However, while he was in prison in 2010, he was tried again for the same charges and sentenced to death convicted of moharebeh. This is a clear violation of the international and Iranian laws. Reports indicate that he was subjected to physical and psychological torture after his arrest. Mr. Khosravi was among the prisoners who was beaten and transferred to solitary confinement under the brutal raid of the security forces in the ward 350 of the Evin prison on April 17.
IHR strongly condemns the execution of Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani and asks for a broad international condemnation of the execution. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR said: “Mr. Khosravi had been subjected to torture, unfair trial and a death sentence which is in violation of the Iranian and international laws. Ali Khamenei, the Supreme leader of the Iranian authorities, is responsible for Mr. Khosravi’s unlawful execution and must be hold accountable for this crime”. Amiry-Moghaddam added: “The judicial process leading to Mr. Khosravi’s death sentence and his execution shows that the Iranian authorities not only violate the international norms and obligations, they are not even capable of following their own laws”.
Iran Human Rights (IHR) strongly condemns Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani’s unlawful execution and holds the Iranian authorities’ leader Ali Khamenei responsible for his death. “The judicial process leading to Mr. Khosravi’s death sentence and his execution shows that the Iranian authorities not only violate the international norms and obligations, they are not even capable of following their own laws” said IHR’s spokesperson.
Background:
Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani was arrested in 2008 in Rafsanjan, Kerman for his alleged cooperation with the exile TV station Simay-e Azadi (Voice of Freedom), which is in connection with The Mujahedin-e-Khalgh organization (PMOI or MEK). In 2008, Mr. Khosravi was sentenced to a total of six years in prison. He was charged with espionage for cooperation with the pro-MEK TV channel. Despite the fact that he already had been sentenced, he was re-tried for the same accusations, this time charged with “Moharebeh” (enmity against God), and sentenced to death. The death sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court on April 21. 2012 and eventually sent to the implementations of sentences office in Evin Prison
Mr. Khosravi was scheduled to be executed in September 2012, but his execution was later postponed.
At that time, Mr. Khosravi had reportedly spent more than 40 months in solitary confinement in different locations in the prisons, including ward 240 of Evin Prison. Close sources state that Mr. Khosravi has been under torture and pressure to make televised confessions. It is believed that Mr. Khosravi’s refusal to make confessions is the reason why he is sentenced to death.
Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani was transferred from the ward 350 of Evin Prison to the Rajaishahr Prison some days ago. He was then transferred to solitary confinement at Rajaishahr Prison and his family were informed that they could visit him for the last time. Abdolfattah Soltani, one of Mr. Khosravi’s lawyers, is currently held the Evin Prison.
Sources within the prison say that Mr. Khosravi’s scheduled execution could be the authorities’ reaction to the prisoners’ resistance towards the brutal raid by the Iranian security on April 17, where many prisoners were brutally beaten.
Amnesty International calls for halt of execution of Khosravi
Iranian authorities must urgently halt the execution of Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani, who was sentenced to death in an unfair trial on the charge of “enmity against God” (moharebeh), said Amnesty International amid fears that he may be executed as soon as Sunday 1 June.
The family members of Gholamreza Khosravi were informed by prison officials on Saturday 31 May that they must go to Raja’i Shahr Prison, near Tehran, in order to meet him outside the regular visitation hours, sparking fears that his execution may be imminent. He is currently held in solitary confinement. Death row prisoners are generally transferred to solitary isolation units before their executions take place.
“Yet again Iranian authorities are about to execute a man who did not even receive a fair trial in total disregard of both international law and the Iranian law,” said Hassiba Hadj Saharoui, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
The definition of the charge of “enmity against God” under the new Islamic Penal Code is more restrictive and imposes the death penalty only for those who have actively taken up arms. The execution of Gholamreza Khosravi will be a breach of Iran’s domestic law as well as International law, which stipulates that an offender should benefit from a subsequent law that imposes lighter penalties.
Background
Gholamreza Khosravi was reportedly held for over 40 months in solitary confinement in various detention centres since his arrest in 2008. During his detention, he said to have been tortured or otherwise ill-treated, reportedly after refusing to make a “confession”. He was sentenced to death in 2010 on the charge of “enmity against God” (moharebeh) for his alleged support of a banned Iranian opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI).
He was among the prisoners reportedly injured during the 17 April raid on Section 350 of Evin prison. Following the incident, he was reportedly warned by a Ministry of Intelligence official that his death sentence would be carried out.
He was transferred from Section 350 of Tehran’s Evin Prison to the ‘Quarantine’ Section of Raja’i Shahr on 28 May. Amnesty International understands that neither the family members nor his lawyer have been informed of his transfer from Evin Prison to Raja’i Shahr Prison or the reasons for it. Under Iranian laws, lawyers must receive a 48 hours notification of a client’s execution.
Iran remains the second biggest executioner in the world, after China. As of 25 May 2014, 151 executions have been acknowledged by the authorities or state-sanctioned media. However, reliable sources have reported at least 180 additional executions.
Source: Amnesty International, May 31, 2014
