Executions carried out by Iranian judiciary without proper notification

Mother of Farzad Kamangar

The Islamic Republic judiciary did not notify the family and defence attorney of Farzad Kamangar that this political prisoner was being executed.

Khalil Bahramian, the defence attorney of the prisoner told Radio Zamaneh that they only found out about the execution through Fars news agency.

Bahramian also commented on the Fars report that “all the legal steps were followed” with regard to yesterday’s five executions, saying: “The judiciary is the one place were there is no regard for the law.”

Farzad Kamangar

Yesterday morning, Farzad Kamangar, Shirin Alam Holi, Ali Heydarian, Farhad Vakili and Mehdi Eslamian were executed for the charge of “participation in bombing and terrorist operations.”

Tehran prosecutor’s office announced that these five individuals “were involved in terrorist operations including bombing of government and public centres.”

Farzad Kamangar was a teacher and a social worker in Kamyaran.

His brother, Mehrdad Kamangar told Jaras website: “If the country had a law, Farzad would not be executed; if there was justice, they shouldn’t have executed Farzad or at least they would tell us now where he is.”

He added: “Since I heard the news this morning, I have been calling everywhere but no one will answer us.”

According to Mehrdad Kamangar, Kamyaran representative at the Parliament has refused to follow up on the matter.

Farzad Kamangar’s attorney also said that he was not informed about his client’s execution and will contact Tehran prosecutor’s office to verify the matter.

Jaras reports that Evin prison officials have cut off all telephone communication with the prison in the past two days in order to carry out the five executions.

The executions were carried out while three of these cases were being reviewed, according to Article 18 of the law, and their families and attorneys were not informed about the executions.

Following Farzad Kamangar’s sentencing at the Supreme Court two years ago, his attorney, Khalil Bahramian said that the case was not tried under accurate legal observations and the Revolutionary Court had issued the sentence within five to six minutes.”

Ehsan Fatahian and Fasih Yasamani are two other Kurdish political prisoners who have been executed in recent months in Iran.

Following the news of the two executions, Hadi Ghaemi, spokesman for International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran had warned: “The judiciary is speeding up its steps toward carrying out a wave of political executions, especially execution of Kurdish political prisoners.”

Hadi Ghaemi maintained: “These executions have a blatant political nature that help consolidate the power of extremists which are in charge in majority of the country’s institutions.”

Earlier, a group of Sunni Kurdish Member’s of Parliament had written a letter to Sadegh Larijani, Head of Iran’s Judiciary, to reconsider the execution sentences issued for a number of Kurdish political prisoners.