Death Sentences for Six Political Prisoners; Two Co-Defendants Sentenced to Imprisonment
30-November-2024
Category: Prisoners
November 30, 2024
Category: Prisoners
Breathing in Confinement, Saturday, November 30, 2024: Six political prisoners held in Evin Prison have been sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari.
According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, the six political prisoners—Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar, Seyyed Mohammad Taqavi Sang Dehi, Babak Alipour, Pouya Ghabadi Bistouni, Vahid Bani Amirian, and Seyyed Abolhassan Montazer—were sentenced to death. Additionally, two of Mohammad Taqavi’s brothers, Seyyed Ali Taqavi Sangdehi and Seyyed Mojtaba Sangdehi, were sentenced to prison terms.
The prisoners were convicted of charges including “armed rebellion (Baghi) through membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI),” “assembly and collusion with intent to disrupt national security,” and “forming groups or organizations with the aim of destabilizing the country.” Seyyed Mojtaba and Seyyed Ali Taqavi were sentenced to imprisonment. The trial for these political prisoners was held on October 6, 2024.
According to the verdicats:
1. Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar was sentenced to death for “armed rebellion through membership in the PMOI.” Five years imprisonment for “assembly and collusion with intent to disrupt national security.” And 10 years for “forming illegal groups.”
2. Babak Alipour was sentenced to death for “armed rebellion through membership in the PMOI,” 5 years imprisonment for “assembly and collusion with intent to disrupt national security, ” and 20 years exile in Khash for “destruction of public property.”
3. Seyyed Mohammad Taqavi Sangdehi was sentenced to death for “armed rebellion through membership in the PMOI,” 5 years of imprisonment for “assembly and collusion with intent to disrupt national security, ” and 10 years for “forming illegal groups.”
4. Vahid Bani Amirian was sentenced to death for “armed rebellion through membership in the PMOI,” 5 years of imprisonment for “assembly and collusion with intent to disrupt national security.”
5. Pouya Ghabadi Bistouni was sentenced to death for “armed rebellion through membership in the PMOI,” 1 year of imprisonment for “illegal border crossing.”
6. Seyyed Abolhassan Montazer was sentenced to death for “armed rebellion through membership in the PMOI.” 5 years of imprisonment for “assembly and collusion with intent to disrupt national security.”
Of these six political prisoners sentenced to execution or imprisonment, Abolhassan Montazer and Seyed Mohammad Taghavi were political prisoners in the 1980s, while Babak Alipour, Vahid Bani Amrian, and Pouya Ghabadi had prior records of arrest and imprisonment.
7. Seyed Mojtaba Taghavi Sangdehi was sentenced to 3 years and 7 months of imprisonment for “assembly and collusion to disrupt national security” and an additional 3 years for “membership in the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization.”
8. Seyed Ali Taghavi Sangdehi was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment for “membership in the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization.”
Following the start of the presidency of Pezeshkian, the number of executions, including those involving political prisoners, has risen, breaking records of recent years.