Amnesty International has issued an urgent appeal to halt the impending execution of six men in Iran, a case previously covered in our reports. The six men—Abolhassan Montazer, 65, Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, 58, Babak Alipour, 33, Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi, 58, Pouya Ghobadi, 31, and Vahid Bani Amerian, 32—are at imminent risk of execution following their October 2024 convictions by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on charges of “armed rebellion against the state” (baghi). Amnesty International describes the trial as grossly unfair, citing severe violations of due process and credible allegations of torture used to extract forced confessions.
Amnesty International Condemns Torture and Fair Trial Violations
In their urgent appeal, Amnesty International highlights the use of torture and other ill-treatment against the six men during their detention and interrogation in section 209 of Evin Prison, a facility controlled by the Ministry of Intelligence. Reports reveal that the men endured beatings, floggings, prolonged solitary confinement, denial of toilet access, and death threats at gunpoint.
Amnesty International’s findings align with our earlier reports, which documented how the men were denied access to lawyers from the time of arrest and saw their legal counsel for the first time during a single, two-hour trial session. Allegations of coerced confessions were brought to the court but dismissed without investigation. Amnesty International stresses that these gross violations undermine the integrity of the judicial process and render the convictions unreliable.
Health Concerns for Detainees Persist
The six men continue to be denied adequate healthcare despite serious medical needs. Abolhassan Montazer reportedly suffers from severe chest and lung pain that impacts his breathing, while Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi was denied essential medication for gout during his interrogations. Amnesty International has reiterated its concern about the harsh detention conditions, including insufficient heating during the winter.
As previously reported, the men were accused of affiliation with the banned opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), which advocates for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic. Amnesty International has noted that authorities regularly target individuals with real or perceived ties to the PMOI, using derogatory language to vilify them.
Call to Action
Amnesty International is urging Iranian authorities to:
- Immediately halt all plans to execute the six men, quash their convictions, and release them.
- Ensure they have access to their families, lawyers, and necessary medical care.
- Conduct independent investigations into allegations of torture and ill-treatment, holding perpetrators accountable in fair trials without resorting to the death penalty.
In addition, Amnesty International is calling for an official moratorium on executions in Iran with the ultimate aim of abolishing the death penalty.
