Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish humanitarian worker sentenced to death by an Iranian court, faces imminent execution after her appeal was rejected. Amnesty International urges global action to halt her execution, highlighting the unjust nature of her trial and allegations of torture. Azizi’s case reflects Iran’s broader approach to using the death penalty for political repression and human rights violations.
Amnesty International reports that Iran’s Supreme Court has dismissed the request for a judicial review regarding the death sentence of humanitarian worker Pakhshan Azizi, aged 40, a member of the Kurdish community. Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty, states that the international community must urgently intervene to prevent Azizi’s execution, which follows an unjust trial in a Revolutionary Court last year. Azizi was convicted solely for her humanitarian efforts aimed at assisting women and children affected by conflict in northeast Syria.
Azizi’s plight highlights the Iranian authorities’ tendency to employ capital punishment as a means of political suppression, aimed at instilling fear within the populace. Her lawyer, Amir Raesian, revealed that the Supreme Court upheld her death sentence without addressing previous court errors and indicated that her execution could occur at any time. Additionally, allegations of torture and gender-based violence during her detention have gone largely uninvestigated, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of her trial.
Her case began when she was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents in Tehran and held in solitary confinement for five months, without access to a lawyer or her family. During this period, she faced severe mistreatment, including threats of execution and forced confessions regarding ties to opposition groups, which she consistently denied. In December 2023, she was moved to the women’s section of Evin prison, where she continues to be confined.
Amnesty International maintains a firm stance against the death penalty in all situations, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Azizi. The organization emphasizes that the use of capital punishment in her case, resulting from a flawed trial process and inadequate legal safeguards, is a stark violation of human rights requirements, highlighting Iran’s disregard for the right to life. Governments globally are urged to denounce this injustice, advocating for the cessation of Azizi’s pending execution.
Pakhshan Azizi was sentenced to death by Iran’s Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in July 2024 under accusations of armed rebellion against the state, stemming solely from her humanitarian work. Her activities included providing aid to displaced populations, particularly women and children affected by the Islamic State’s aggression. Upon her arrest in August 2023, she was detained in Evin prison, where she faced significant violations of her rights, including isolation and physical abuse, compounding the unjust nature of her trial. The rejection of her request for a judicial review by the Supreme Court signaled a continuation of Iran’s repressive use of capital punishment for political ends and undermined assertions of judicial fairness in the country.
The international community must act swiftly to halt the execution of Pakhshan Azizi, a humanitarian worker condemned following a trial marked by significant violations of justice. Her case exemplifies the Iranian regime’s use of the death penalty as a method of political intimidation and repression against its citizens. Addressing this issue is critical not only for Azizi’s life but also for the broader protection of human rights within Iran.
Original Source: www.amnesty.org
