News

The sudden execution of five Iranian political prisoners today
appears to signal a government policy of relying on
politically-motivated executions to strengthen its position vis-à-vis
its opposition through terror and intimidation, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said.

The Campaign condemned the execution of five political
prisoners, including Farzad Kamangar, a 34-year-old teacher and social
worker, who was charged with Moharebeh (taking up arms
against God), convicted and sentenced to death in February 2008, after
a seven-minute long trial in which “zero evidence” was presented. Four
others also executed included Shirin Alam Holi, Ali Heidarian, Farhad
Vakili and Mehdi Eslamian.

“Kamangar was arbitrarily arrested and set up to be killed in a
staged trial, with no opportunity to present a defense,” stated Aaron
Rhodes, a spokesperson for the Campaign.

“These secret executions are, in reality, nothing more than
state-sanctioned murders, and provide more evidence of the Islamic
Republic’s brazen contempt for international human rights standards,”
he said.

Kamangar’s lawyer, Khalil Bahramian, told the Campaign that
he was in shock because judicial authorities had reassured him and
Kamanger that the charges against his client have been found to be
baseless and he was n... >>>