Shaker Behruz, Political Prisoner, Sentenced to Death

Shaker Behruz, a political prisoner held in Urmia Prison, has been sentenced to death by Branch 2 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court. The verdict was delivered to his defense lawyer today, Thursday, September 20.

According to Hrana news agency, the news organ of the Human Rights Activists in Iran collective, Shaker Behruz, a political prisoner held in Urmia Prison, has been sentenced to death.

Based on the verdict issued by Branch 2 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Ali Sheikh Lo, Mr. Behruz was sentenced to death on charges of moharebeh (enmity against God) through membership in one of the opposition parties and the murder of a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. The verdict was delivered today, Thursday, September 20, 1399, to his defense lawyer.

The court hearing to examine Mr. Behruz’s charges took place on September 8, 1399, in Branch 2 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Ali Sheikh Lo and with the presence of his defense lawyer.

An informed source regarding how the court hearing was conducted and the conditions of Mr. Behruz’s case told Hrana: “Mr. Behruz had previously selected a lawyer of his choosing for his case. During the court hearing held in the presence of Vahab Jafar, his lawyer, the judge informed Mr. Behruz of the charge of membership in Komala and put him on trial, but Mr. Behruz did not accept the charge. His lawyer, Mr. Vahab Jafar, said in court, ‘Why did you do this and were a member, but don’t want to admit it.’ Ultimately, a verbal altercation occurred between Mr. Behruz and his lawyer, and he was returned to prison. After four days, Mr. Behruz was again transferred to court and a ruling document was placed before him with instructions to sign it. Mr. Behruz said he would not sign until he read the document. Ultimately, he was allowed to read only the first few lines of the ruling that pertained to the charges, but when he wanted to read the conviction section, the document was taken from him and he was not allowed to read it. For this reason, he refused to sign the document and was again returned to prison. Mr. Behruz wrote a letter to the court from prison, dismissed his previous lawyer, and replaced him with a new one. His new lawyer also went to court today, studied the case file, and told Mr. Behruz that a death sentence has been issued for him.”

Shaker Behruz joined one of the Kurdish opposition parties in Iraq in 2018 and returned to Iran in September of that year after obtaining a amnesty letter. After returning to Iran, he was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence forces and was released after 14 days of interrogation. Mr. Behruz was arrested on March 1, 2019, by security forces on charges of membership in one of the opposition parties (Kurdistan Democratic Party) and was transferred to Urmia Prison on April 1, 2019, after enduring approximately one month of detention at the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Intelligence Department in Urmia.

This Urmia resident was transferred from Urmia Prison to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Intelligence Department in May 2019 and was returned to Ward 8 of Urmia Prison in March 2020 after approximately ten months in detention. Mr. Behruz was transferred to the political ward on April 28, 2020, due to the spread of the coronavirus after spending 14 days in Ward 8 and 4 days in the security ward of the prison. Mr. Behruz was transferred to Branch 2 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court in the fifth month of his detention, and there, after a trial that lasted approximately three minutes, he was sentenced to five years imprisonment on charges of membership in one of the opposition parties (Kurdistan Democratic Party).

Shaker Behruz was again tried in a separate case filed for him in spring of this year on charges of moharebeh through membership in one of the opposition parties (Komala) and the murder of a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in the Margour area of Urmia, and was sentenced to death.

An informed source regarding Mr. Behruz’s situation concerning the issuance of this verdict told Hrana: “Mr. Shaker Behruz’s case, which was being reviewed throughout all interrogation stages on charges of membership in the Kurdistan Democratic Party, changed in spring of this year to charges of moharebeh through membership in Komala and the murder of a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in the Margour area of Urmia.”

According to this informed source, the family of the alleged victim has announced that they are not complainants against Mr. Behruz and do not consider him the murderer. They have even stated their willingness to testify to this matter in court. On the other hand, Mr. Behruz has more than ten witnesses who were in the shop at the exact time of the murder and were not at the murder scene. These individuals have all written letters, and Mr. Behruz’s lawyer has submitted their letters to the court, stating their willingness to swear an oath in court and testify that Mr. Behruz was in the shop at the time of the murder and not at the murder location. However, the court tried Mr. Behruz without the presence of the complainants and his witnesses.

Previously, an informed source regarding Mr. Behruz’s situation told Hrana’s reporter: “Shaker Behruz is under interrogation at the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Intelligence Department and is living in unsuitable conditions. On the other hand, security forces have subjected him to pressure and torture in order to extract a forced confession to the murder of a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.”

Shaker Behruz, son of Salim, 32 years old, unmarried, and from the Dizaj area of Urmia.

Source: Hrana