Iranian authorities executed a Baluchi political prisoner today in Zahedan, in Southeast Iran.
Abdulvaset Dahani, 30, charged with moharebeh (enmity with God) was hanged today in Zhedan Prison. He had been on death row since four year ago.
His family were allowed to go to the prison on Wednesday for a final visit.
Abdulvaset Dahani was arrested in June 2016 and was later sentenced to death in the charge of “moharebeh (enmity with God)”
The sentence was issued by the Branch 1 of Zahedan’s Revolutionary Court.
The execution took place despite the fact that the prisoner had previously said that he was tortured to make false confession.
In an open letter, Abdulvaset Dahani wrote: “I, Abdulvaset Dahani, am being held in Zahedan Central Prison on charges of collaborating with anti-regime groups. I was arrested by intelligence and security forces and was taken to Zahedan’s criminal investigation department where I was severely tortured. They tied my hands and suspended me from the ceiling. They subjected me to “grilled chicken” torture. They hit on the soles of my feet with a cable burned it with atomic lighters. They arrested my family and threatened me to confess and accept whatever they said. I could not stand all these tortures, I was forced to make false confessions, and now I am sentenced to death in court, on false charges.”
Abdolvaset Dahani, a Baluchi political prisoner charged with moharebeh (enmity with God), was executed today in the Central Prison of Zahedan, SE #Iran@UNHumanRights @JavaidRehman @AgnesCallamard @mbachelet pic.twitter.com/21EoqnjlWp
— IRAN HRM (@IranHrm) April 24, 2020
Members of ethnic or religious minorities in Iran who criticize the regime are harshly treated by the authorities.
Additionally, the regime has a long and documented history of forcing detainees to make false confessions.
Amnesty International recently published its annual Death Penalty report, highlighting that although there had been a fall in the total number of global executions, Iran remained the world’s second most prolific executioner after China.
Spokesperson of the European Union foreign policy issued a statement on April 21 describing the execution of Shayan Saeedpour in violation of international human rights laws.
“Death penalty sentences for and executions of juvenile offenders are inconsistent with Iran’s international obligations under the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
“The European Union reaffirms its strong opposition against the application of capital punishment in any circumstance. We will continue to work for its abolition in the few remaining countries, including Iran, that still apply it.
“The death penalty violates the inalienable right to life enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. Capital punishment also fails to act as a deterrent to crime. Any miscarriages of justice are irreversible.”
