Official statements from international bodies or credible international news agencies

Iranian Political Prisoners Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani Face Imminent Execution After Transfer from Evin to Ghezel Hesar Prison Over PMOI/MEK Affiliation

Jan 26, 2025, 08:50 PM

Political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani have been transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Iran, where they face imminent execution. The transfer occurred on January 26, 2025, and has raised concerns about their safety. Both men were sentenced to death by Branch 26 of Tehran's Revolutionary Court in September 2024, with their sentences upheld by Iran's Supreme Court three weeks prior to their transfer. Ehsani, aged 70, and Hassani, aged 48, were convicted on charges including rebellion against the state, enmity against God, spreading corruption on earth, and membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). Following their arrests in 2022, both prisoners reported being subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment, including prolonged solitary confinement. In response to their transfer, inmates in Evin Prison staged a protest, chanting slogans against the dictator and calling for an uprising. Amnesty International has called for the immediate cancellation of their death sentences, citing the grossly unfair nature of their trials and the use of coerced confessions. The European Parliament has also condemned the systematic repression of human rights in Iran and demanded the abolition of the death penalty.