PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 13/054/2005
12 September 2005

UA 235/05 Imminent execution

IRAN Abu Baker Mirza'i Qaderi (m)
Othman Mirza'i Qaderi (m)
Qader Ahmadi (m)
Jahangir Badouzadeh (m)

The four Kurdish men named above are all reportedly facing imminent execution. They are held in Oromiye Prison, in western Iran.

The first three men, from Bokan in West Azerbaijan province, are apparently accused of working for a Kurdish opposition group, the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI). They are thought to have been part of a group of Iranian soldiers who were captured by the KDPI in 1984 and later released because they were Kurds. They went into hiding shortly afterwards, but apparently returned to their home town of Bokan earlier this year. The fact that the KDPI released them is said to have raised the authorities' suspicions that they had become involved with the organization, and has now led, 21 years later, to their arrest.

There are unconfirmed reports that a fourth Kurd held in Oromiye Prison, Jahangir Badouzadeh, is also be facing imminent execution. It is not known what he has been convicted of.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The KDPI seeks the "establishment of a democratic federal Iran and the attainment of Kurdish national rights in Iranian Kurdistan", and states that it (rejects all acts of terrorism and...planting bombs in public places.(

Unrest broke out in the Kurdish areas of Iran following the July 2005 killing of a Kurdish opposition activist, Shivan Qaderi. It has led to scores of deaths, and mass arrests of Kurds, including human rights defenders. On 3 September, Esma'il Mohammadi, a Kurd accused of activities on behalf of a banned Kurdish political party, Komala, was executed in Oromiye Prison (for details see UA 236/03, MDE 13/028/03, 8 August 2003 and follow-ups). Another Kurd, Mohammad Panjavini, was also reportedly executed at the same time, apparently for his activities on behalf of another Kurdish group called Agri Soor. Amnesty International fears that the Iranian authorities may be stepping up the execution of imprisoned Kurdish opposition activists in response to the recent unrest.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Farsi, Arabic, English, French or your own language:
- expressing grave concern that the four men (naming them) may be at risk of imminent execution;
- urging the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to commute the men's death sentences;
- asking for details of the men's trial proceedings, including the specific charges against them, whether they have been granted access to independent lawyers of their choice, and whether they have been allowed to appeal against their convictions and sentences, as required by Article 14 (5) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.


APPEALS TO: (Please note that email servers in Iran are unreliable. If your message bounces, please resend it, regardless of the reason given)

Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 649 5880 (mark 'For the attention of the Office of His Excellency, Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei, Qom')
Email: info@wilayah.org
webmaster@wilayah.org (on the subject line write: For the attention of the Office of His Excellency, Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei, Qom)
Salutation: Your Excellency

Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: irjpr@iranjudiciary.org (mark 'Please forward to HE Ayatollah Shahroudi')
Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO:
Speaker of Parliament
Gholamali Haddad Adel
Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami (Parliament)
Imam Khomeini Avenue,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 646 1746
Salutation: Dear Sir

and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 24 October 2005.