Brother of executed political prisoner Ramin Hossein Panahi: They want to bring our family to its knees

The brother of Ramin Hossein Panahi, a Kurdish political prisoner who was executed in Iran in 2018, says that the security agencies and the ruling regime in Iran have been trying to bring his family to their knees for years, in response to the announcement that his elderly parents were banned from leaving.

Amjad Hosseinpanahi, Ramin Hosseinpanahi's brother, pointed out that the pressure exerted against his family by security agencies is not new, telling VOA: "For more than 15 years, there has been continuous pressure from security agencies in Kurdistan against my family."

Referring to the deaths of his two brothers, he said: "The last example was Ramin Hossein Panahi, a prominent Kurdish activist, who was unfortunately executed on September 8, 2018... They have not yet returned the body to us, and pressure is still being exerted against my elderly parents."

Mr. Hossein Panahi, who lives outside Iran, added that this is not the first time his parents’ passports have been confiscated. According to Mr. Hossein Panahi, their passports were confiscated last year as well. He added that when they went to the Sanandaj Passport Office on Sunday, May 25, to retrieve their passports, they were told that “not only will we not return the passports, but the Ministry of Intelligence in Tehran has notified us that you are banned from leaving for five years,” and that this matter “is out of our hands and is an order that we received from Tehran and the Ministry of Intelligence.”

According to Mr. Hossein Panahi, not only have his parents not been allowed to leave the country during these years, but they have also been prevented from traveling between cities, and the Ministry of Intelligence has not allowed them to travel to other cities in Kurdistan or Tehran. In the most recent encounter, when his mother was planning to visit the mother of Loghman Moradi, another Kurdish political prisoner who was executed along with Ramin in 2018, she was returned to Dehgolan, their city of residence, by Ministry of Intelligence agents.

Ramin Hossein Panahi's brother, emphasizing that the Islamic Republic is using every lever to put pressure on his family, told VOA that his parents have been summoned many times over the years and security agents have forced them to speak against their children in front of television cameras. Amjad Hossein Panahi says: "The pressure on my elderly parents has been ongoing for years and has become part of the routine program of the Ministry of Intelligence in Sanandaj."

He continued: "The only sin we have committed in these years as the family of Hossein Panahi is that we have been with the people and have always defended the people, defended women, defended children, defended the strata of society, and we have never surrendered to the regime ruling Iran, whether it was my parents, my brothers, or other family members."

Amjad Hossein Panahi attributed all the harassment and pressure that the authorities have inflicted on his parents to their “resistance and insubordination” to the ruling and security apparatuses in Kurdistan, saying: “We see day by day that solidarity with the families of the victims, the families of prisoners, and families like us is increasing in all parts of Iran. In these years, we have witnessed people from all over Iran, from all political, civil, and human rights groups, coming to Kurdistan, standing by my parents, and telling the ruling apparatus that this family is not alone and that justice is not with you, but with Ramin’s parents, Ramin, Anvar, Afshin, and with the family of Hossein Panahi.”

According to available information, Ramin Hossein Panahi was shot and wounded by IRGC forces in Sanandaj on Friday, July 2, 2017, and then arrested. IRGC agents claimed that he had an armed conflict with them, but his family denied this claim. Ramin was sentenced to death in a few minutes of trial on charges of “acting against national security.” This sentence was carried out on September 8, 2018, along with the death sentences of Loghman Moradi and Zaniar Moradi.

The execution of Ramin Hossein Panahi, Loghman Moradi, and Xaniar Moradi drew reactions from some human rights organizations, political and ideological activists, and US officials.

The US State Department has repeatedly and on various occasions condemned the violent confrontations and widespread repression of protesters, as well as the repeated and persistent violations of the rights of Iranian citizens by the Islamic Republic.

Source: Voice of America