On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, Iran regime’s judiciary reaffirmed the death sentences of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, citing their alleged membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). This decision has intensified international concern over Iran’s human rights abuses and the repression of political dissent.
Background and Charges
The initial death sentences for Ehsani and Hassani were handed down on September 16, 2024, by Judge Iman Afshari, who presides over Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The charges against them included:
- Rebellion (baghi)
- Waging war against God (moharebeh)
- Spreading corruption on earth
- Membership in the PMOI
- Gathering and colluding against national security
- Possession of classified information
- Illegal possession of weapons and ammunition
Arrest and Imprisonment
Behrouz Ehsani, 69, a political prisoner during the 1980s, was arrested in Tehran in December 2022. Mehdi Hassani, 48, was detained in Zanjan two months earlier, in October 2022. Following their arrests, both were transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, where they endured severe physical and psychological torture.
Advocacy and Campaign Involvement
Both Ehsani and Hassani were active members of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, advocating against the Iranian regime’s use of capital punishment. In letters penned last September and October, they called on international human rights organizations to amplify the voices of prisoners participating in this campaign.
Ehsani’s Defiant Message
Following his death sentence, Ehsani issued a message to the Iranian people, demonstrating unwavering resolve:
“This execution-driven regime can do nothing else. I will not bargain over my life with anyone and am ready to sacrifice my insignificant life for the liberation of the Iranian people.”
Calls for International Action
The Iranian Resistance has repeatedly urged global intervention to save the lives of Ehsani and Hassani. In previous appeals on April 8 and September 17 and 19, 2024, they called on:
- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
- The UN Human Rights Council
- Other relevant UN bodies
- The European Union and its member states
The Resistance’s latest appeal reiterates the urgency of coordinated international action to halt these executions and protect fundamental human rights in Iran.
Escalating Repression in Iran
This case highlights the Iranian regime’s ongoing crackdown on political dissent and its systematic use of capital punishment as a tool of oppression. The reaffirmation of these death sentences not only threatens the lives of Ehsani and Hassani but also underscores the broader human rights crisis faced by political activists and dissidents in Iran.
The international community must act decisively to hold the Iranian regime accountable and prevent further loss of life.
