On January 26, 2025, a coalition of prominent human rights advocates sent an urgent letter to H.E. Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, calling for immediate intervention to prevent the imminent execution of two Iranian political prisoners, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani.
This letter highlights serious concerns regarding the unjust legal proceedings and treatment faced by these individuals.
Background of the Case
Behrouz Ehsani, 69, and Mehdi Hassani, 48, were sentenced to death after a trial that lacked fairness and transparency. Their convictions were confirmed by Iran’s Supreme Court on January 7, 2025, based on charges related to their political activism, including “rebellion,” “waging war against God,” and “spreading corruption on earth.”
The trial was presided over by Judge Iman Afshari at the Tehran Revolutionary Court on September 16, 2024.
Reports indicate that both men suffered physical and psychological torture during their detention at Evin Prison after their arrests in late 2022.
On January 26, both prisoners were forcibly transferred from Evin Prison to Qezelhessar Prison, notorious for carrying out executions. This transfer occurred under suspicious conditions and has led to protests among fellow inmates. The cutting of communication lines further suggests that authorities may be preparing for secret executions.
Urgent Appeal
In their letter, the signatories urged High Commissioner Türk to take decisive action by:
Condemning the imminent executions of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani.
Mobilizing international pressure on Iran to adhere to its human rights obligations.
Requesting access for independent monitors to assess the conditions faced by political prisoners in Iran.
The authors emphasized that the international community cannot remain silent in the face of such blatant human rights violations.
Signatories
The letter was signed by a diverse group of distinguished individuals, including:
- Lord Alton of Liverpool – United Kingdom
- Dr. Mark Ellis – United Kingdom
- Prof. William A. Schabas – Canada
- Anne Ramberg – Sweden
- Hon. Richard J. Goldstone – South Africa
- Prof. Wolfgang Schomburg – Germany
- Dr. Rowan Williams – United Kingdom
- Dainius Pūras – Lithuania
- Anand Grover – India
- Maud De Boer-Buquicchio – The Netherlands
- Prof. Robert K. Goldman – United States
- Prof. Heiner Bielefeldt – Germany
- Tahar Boumedra – United Kingdom
- Prof. Christian Tomuschat – Germany
- Prof. David M. Crane – United States
- Kate Mackintosh – United Kingdom
- Sir Richard J. Roberts – United Kingdom
- Elfriede Jelinek – Austria
- Prof. Jean-Pierre Sauvage – France
- Prof. David Wineland – United States
- Prof. Barry C. Barish – United States
- Ingrid Betancourt – Colombia
- Stanislav Pavlovschi – Moldova
- Miriam Ekiudoko – Hungary
- Francisco Assis – Portugal
- Petras Auštrevičius – Lithuania
- Sebastian Everding – Germany
- Veronika Vrecionová – Czech Republic
- Dr. Jessika van Leeuwen – Netherlands
- Villy Søvndal – Denmark
- Loucas Fourlas – Cyprus
- Niels Geuking – Germany
- Milan Zver – Slovenia
- Marc Angel – Luxembourg
- Katrin Langensiepen – Germany
- Per Clausen – Denmark
- Benedetta Scuderi – Italy
- Andrey Kovatchev – Bulgaria
- Rasa Juknevičienė – Lithuania
- Arkadiusz Mularczyk – Poland
- Amb. Zorica Marić-Djordjević – Montenegro
- Amb. Amanda Ellis – New Zealand
- Amb. Filloreta Kodra – Albania
- Amb. Ken Blackwell – United States
- Amb. Tudor Ulianovschi – Moldova
- Amb. Lincoln P. Bloomfield, Jr. – United States
- Dr. Maude Barlow – Canada
- Prof. Rebecca Cook – Canada
- Prof. Brice Dickson – United Kingdom
- Prof. Nicholas Grief – United Kingdom
- Amos Waldman – United Kingdom
- Dominique Attias – France
- Prof. Errol P. Mendes – Canada
- Prof. Steven Leonard Jacobs – United States
- Malcolm Fowler – United Kingdom
- Prof. Ben Kiernan – United States
- Jonathan Arkush – United Kingdom
- Paulo Casaca – Portugal
- Prof. Stephen Eric Bronner – United States
This extensive coalition underscores a unified stance against human rights abuses in Iran and calls for urgent action from the international community.
Conclusion
The situation surrounding Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani highlights critical issues regarding human rights violations in Iran and reflects a broader pattern of repression against political dissenters in the country.
The letter serves as a vital reminder of the need for immediate international action to safeguard human rights and prevent further injustices against individuals like Ehsani and Hassani, whose lives hang in the balance as they face imminent execution under a flawed judicial system.
The urgency of this appeal cannot be overstated; time is running out for Ehsani and Hassani as advocates call for decisive measures to halt their executions and uphold justice in Iran.
