Death sentence issued for a Kurdish citizen; three other citizens sentenced to a total of more than 4 years in prison
Three Kurdish citizens, Iran Rahpaykar, Hamid Balkhkanloo, and Jafar Pakand, were sentenced to a total of 4 years and 6 months in prison. On the other hand, the death sentence of Arsalan Khodkam, a citizen of Mahabad, was upheld by the Supreme Court.
According to news published by the Hengaw human rights organization, in recent days, Iran Rahpeykar, a imprisoned citizen of Marivan, has been sentenced to 3 years in prison by the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Saeedi, on charges of "collaborating with the Kurdistan Free Life Party."
Ms. Rahpaykar was arrested on May 14 upon her return from the Kurdistan Region by Marivan Intelligence Agency agents and after a while was transferred to Sanandaj Central Prison.
According to an informed source, the trial of this political prisoner was held without the presence of a lawyer.
A citizen from Mako, named "Hamid Balkhkanloo", has also been sentenced to one year in prison by the Urmia Revolutionary Court on charges of "collaborating with one of the Kurdish parties opposing the Iranian government."
Hamid Balkhkanloo was arrested on Tuesday, June 18, by officers from the Urmia Intelligence Department and, after a month of detention, was temporarily released on bail of 300 million Tomans until the end of the trial.
On the other hand, "Jafar Pakand", a citizen of Bukan, who had previously been arrested on July 9 by Bukan Intelligence Agency agents, was sentenced to 6 months in prison on Sunday, September 10, by Branch 101 of the city's General Court on charges of "collaborating with one of the Kurdish opposition parties to the Iranian government."
According to an informed source, at the time of Mr. Pakand's arrest, intelligence agents searched his home and shop, and confiscated two cars and a number of his personal belongings and took them away.
In another report, Hengaw announced that the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of a citizen from Mahabad named "Arsalan Khodkam" on charges of "espionage" and "collaboration with the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran," and the Amnesty Commission opposed the request for a retrial and pardon for this political prisoner.
An informed source said that on Wednesday, September 4, officials at Urmia Central Prison notified Mr. Khodkam of the confirmed verdict that had been sent to the prison for execution.
Arsalan Khodkam was arrested by Mahabad security forces in April 2018 and sentenced to death by Branch 32 of the Urmia Military Prosecution in late August of last year.
According to published information, this political prisoner was a Peshmerga member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran who, after surrendering, had been a member of the Revolutionary Guards since 1991.
Previously, on Monday, September 1, Branch 1 of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court sentenced "Vali Nasri," a citizen from the village of Tangisar, who was arrested in late March last year on charges of holding Nowruz ceremonies, to 6 years in prison on charges of "collaborating with one of the Kurdish opposition parties of the Iranian government" and "acting against national security."
In a report last month, Amnesty International called 2018 the Islamic Republic's "year of shame" and announced that more than seven thousand people, including participants in demonstrations, students, journalists, women's rights activists, environmental activists, labor activists, and ethnic and religious minority rights activists, have been arrested in Iran this year.
The US State Department has also repeatedly condemned human rights violations in Iran, including the repression of ethnic and religious minorities, women, and civil activists.
Source: Voice of America
