Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani Face Imminent Execution After January 26 Transfer to Ghezel Hesar Prison

Jan 26, 2025, 03:25 PM

Iranian political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani, 70, and Mehdi Hassani, 48, were forcibly transferred on January 26, 2025, from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison, a facility known for carrying out executions. Both men face imminent execution following death sentences upheld by Iran's Supreme Court on January 7, 2025. Ehsani and Hassani were convicted in September 2024 on charges including "enmity against God," "corruption on earth," and affiliation with the banned opposition group, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). Their trial has been widely criticized for being grossly unfair, with reports of torture, forced confessions, and lack of legal representation. Amnesty International issued urgent calls on January 16 and 23, 2025, for their sentences to be quashed and for immediate international intervention. Protests erupted in Evin Prison following their transfer, with inmates chanting slogans such as "Death to the dictator" and "We stand to the end." The European Parliament recently condemned Iran's human rights abuses and called for the abolition of the death penalty. The international community is urged to intervene immediately to prevent these executions.