Iran’s Revolutionary Court has sentenced two political prisoners, Behrouz Ehsani, 67, and Mehdi Hassani, 48, to death, sparking outrage among human rights advocates. The court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, issued the verdict on September 18, 2024, convicting the men on charges including “enmity against God,” “corruption on earth,” and “rebellion.”
Mehdi Hassani, arrested in Zanjan on September 11, 2022, was subjected to intense psychological and physical torture in Evin Prison’s Ward 209, notorious for its harsh conditions. He remains incarcerated in Ward 8, where many political prisoners are held. Behrouz Ehsani, detained at his home on December 6, 2022, also endured time in Ward 209. Ehsani, who is the sole provider for his elderly mother and family, has had minimal contact with his loved ones throughout his imprisonment.
The court’s decision has been met with sharp condemnation from political prisoners in Evin Prison, who argue that these death sentences reflect the regime’s desperation to suppress dissent. In a joint statement, they emphasized that the sentencing coincides with the anniversary of Iran’s 2022 protests, triggered by growing discontent with the government. The prisoners declared: “The era of fear has passed. These death sentences will only fuel the flames of resistance.”
They have called on the international community to intervene and prevent the executions, urging human rights organizations to take action. With the Iranian government intensifying its crackdown on political opposition, activists continue to demand stronger global pressure to curb the regime’s use of capital punishment as a tool of repression.