As young Kurdish Iranian dissident Ramin Hossein Panahi heads to his death, a look at the desperate efforts, locally and internationally to save him.
According to the Iran Human Rights Monitor, there has been a call to Iran from the United Nations (UN) human rights experts. The call is for an annulment of the death sentence for the Iranian Kurd Ramin Hossein Panahi, who is 24-years-old. There is reportage on Panahi being executed after the end of the month of Ramadan. It was originally set for May 3, but was postponed.
Iran Human Rights Monitor stated that the request for a judicial review has been rejected by the Iranian Supreme Court in late May. Now, the death sentence was referred to the office responsible for completion of the penalty.
The UN human rights experts stated, “The Iranian authorities must now halt the execution of Mr. Panahi and annul the death sentence against him.”
This follows one appeal made by Agnes Callamard, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. Callamard explained the concerns about Panahi being given an unfair trial or not being given a fair trial.
In fact, Panahi was put into detention and then “mistreated and tortured.”
Callamard continued, “While acknowledging the postponement of the sentence in May, we regret that Iran seems intent on executing Mr. Panahi, disregarding previous calls to annul the death sentence, and ensure he is given a fair trial.”
In Erbil, Kurdistan region, there have been protests. The protesters released a statement based on their disagreements and frustrations with the case, treatment, and death penalty for their Kurdish fellow in Iran at the moment.
The protestors’ statement stated the purpose for the protests in Kerbil, as follows:
Today we have gathered here to protest and call on the UN to put tough pressure on halting the verdict of the execution of Ramin Hossein Panahi, as in a so-called court and in an unjust way an execution verdict was issued to him and it could be implemented at any time and on any date… All the preparations have been made to carry out the execution.
With the denial of access to medical care and a lawyer, being held incommunicado, and the poor handling of the case with the torture of Panahi, too, UN experts and human rights campaigners echoed many of the same sentiments.
“The experts also stressed their concern that the charges against Mr. Panahi did not meet international standards, which specify that the death penalty must be limited to cases of intentional killing,” the Iran Human Rights Monitor explained, “Mr. Panahi was arrested in June last year for alleged membership of the Kurdish nationalist group Komala. He was convicted of taking up arms against the State, and sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court in January 2018.”
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