UN human rights experts condemn execution of Navid Afkari

Five UN human rights experts have called for an end to extrajudicial executions by the Iranian government, calling for the government to stop issuing such sentences to protesters in Iran.

Five UN human rights experts issued a statement strongly condemning the execution of Navid Afkari, expressing condolences and solidarity with his family. The statement of these five human rights experts was published in English and Persian on the official UN website.

Javed Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, as well as Agnes Callamard, the rapporteur on extrajudicial and arbitrary executions, are among the people who have signed the aforementioned statement.

In addition to these two, Clement Nyaltsosi-Wool, Rapporteur on the Holding of Peaceful Assemblies, Nils Melzer, Rapporteur on Torture, and Irene Khan, Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Expression, are among the other experts who have signed a statement condemning the Iranian government and calling the execution of Navid Afkari unlawful.

Text of the experts' statement

The statement by UN human rights experts said, among other things: "It is deeply disturbing that the authorities apparently used the execution of an athlete to intimidate the public in a situation of social unrest."

At the same time, UN human rights experts have pointed to the way the Navid Afkari case was handled and the use of torture to extract a confession, and have considered the use of such tools to issue a death sentence to be arbitrary and extralegal measures.

The statement states that the execution of Navid Afkari is the second execution in the last two months in connection with the recent protests in Iran.

The signatories of the aforementioned statement did not consider addressing such cases of gross violations of international law and disregard for the obligations and obligations of international law by the Iranian government as interference in Iran's internal affairs and declared it the duty of international institutions.

The statement also states: "If Afkari committed murder, why was he tried in secret and based on confessions obtained under torture? Navid Afkari's execution was extrajudicial and arbitrary, and was issued in a court that lacked the minimum formal and substantive principles of a fair trial and under the guise of a murder charge."

In addition, UN human rights experts have considered the fact that the trial of Navid Afkari's case was held behind closed doors as another reason for this extrajudicial execution.

UN human rights experts have also identified the hasty and secret execution of Navid Afkari as one of the other cases that indicate the arbitrary nature of this execution.

The statement also refers to the torture of Navid Afkari and his complaint against the judiciary. The statement quotes Navid Afkari as saying: “The officers severely beat his hands, stomach, and legs with batons and hard objects, put plastic on his face, pushed him to the point of suffocation and death, and poured alcohol into his nose.”

In their statement, the aforementioned experts also called on the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately halt all executions of protesters.

The publication of news of Navid Afkari's execution on Saturday, September 12, sparked a strong international reaction, including from human rights and sports organizations.

Source: DW