Geneva, 14 January 2025 – A collective of independent human rights experts has voiced profound concern over the Iranian Supreme Court’s recent decision to uphold the death sentence of Ms. Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish activist and social worker. The experts condemned the decision as a severe violation of international human rights law.
“The charges against Ms. Pakhshan Azizi do not meet the threshold of ‘most serious crimes’ required by international law for the death penalty,” the experts stated. “Her death sentence constitutes a serious breach of international human rights standards.”
Ms. Azizi was apprehended in Tehran on 4 August 2023 by Iranian Intelligence Services. She endured five months of solitary confinement in the notorious Ward 209 of Evin Prison, where reports indicate she was subjected to severe physical and psychological torture. On 23 July 2024, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to death for “armed rebellion against the state (baghy)” and “membership of opposition groups,” along with a four-year prison term for her alleged affiliation with the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK). This death sentence was upheld on 8 January 2025 by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court.
The experts highlighted that Ms. Azizi’s activities as a social worker, including her humanitarian efforts supporting refugees in Iraq and Syria, were legitimate and did not justify the charges brought against her.
Alarmingly, her detention has been marked by egregious human rights violations, including forced confessions obtained through torture, denial of access to legal representation of her choice, and restrictions on family visits. Several members of her family were also reportedly detained temporarily and faced national security charges, seemingly as part of efforts to coerce her into confessing.
“The use of torture to extract confessions and the denial of fair trial rights render the death sentence against Ms. Azizi arbitrary in nature,” the experts noted.
The case of Ms. Azizi reflects a broader, troubling trend in Iran. Over 900 executions were carried out in 2024, with a notable increase in the execution of women. The targeting of Kurdish women activists with politically motivated charges has further underscored the systematic persecution of minority women in the country.
“We are deeply concerned by the specific targeting of Kurdish women activists,” the experts said. “Ms. Azizi’s prosecution exemplifies the intensified persecution minority women activists face in Iran and the regime’s intent to silence them through a climate of fear.”
The experts called on Iranian authorities to:
- Revoke the death sentence against Ms. Pakhshan Azizi immediately.
- Conduct an impartial investigation into allegations of torture and violations of fair trial rights.
- Cease the harassment and targeting of women activists and ensure their protection.
The group of experts includes Mai Sato, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran; Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial summary or arbitrary executions; Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls; Nicolas Levrat, Special Rapporteur on minority issues; and Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, among others.
They remain in contact with the Iranian regime on this matter, urging adherence to international human rights obligations and immediate redress of the situation.
