civilized objects

URGENT: A KURDISH POLITICAL PRISONER IS SCHEDULED TO BE EXECUTED ON NOVEMBER 11 IN IRAN

Tuesday 10 November 2009

Iran Human Rights, November 9: According to sources in Iran, the Kurdish political prisoner Ehsan (Esmail) Fattahian (28) is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday November 11 in Sanandaj. According to these sources Ehsan Fattahian has started a “dry” hunger strike since Sunday November 8., in protest to the scheduled execution.

Ehsan Fattahian is convicted of “moharebeh” (at war with God) and connection with a Kurdish opposition group.

According to a statement by Amnesty International, Ehsan (Esma’il) Fattahian’s lawyer has been summoned to attend his execution on 11 November at the prison in the city of Sanandaj, the provincial capital of Kordestan. Ehsan Fattahian was detained some time between April and August 2008. Reports suggest that he may have been tortured in detention. Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment to be served in exile, after a trial in which he was denied access to a lawyer. Both Ehsan Fattahian and the prosecutor appealed against this verdict, and in January 2009 Branch 4 of the Kordestan Appeal Court overturned the initial verdict. Instead he was sentenced to death for “enmity against God” in connection with his membership of an illegal armed opposition group – believed to be the the Kurdistan Independent Life Party (PJAK. This new sentence is believed to have been upheld by the Supreme Court.

Accordign to Amnesty International’s statement two other Iranian Kurdish men Habibollah Latifi, arrested in October 2007, and Sherko Moarefi, detained in October 2008, are also feared to be at imminent risk of execution, possibly in reprisal for a spate of assassinations and attempted assassinations of officials which took place in September.

Iran Human Rights urges UN, EU ad the international community to put pressure on the Iranian authorities in order to halt Ehsan’s execution.

SOURCE: www.iranhr.net