Death Sentence for Pejman Soltani: Systematic Human Rights Violations in Iran
In the ongoing suppression of protesters in Iran, Pejman Soltani, one of those arrested during the nationwide uprising of 2022, has been sentenced to death. This verdict was issued by Branch One of the Juvenile Criminal Court of West Azerbaijan Province on charges of “premeditated murder.” Additionally, Rezgar Beigzadeh Babamiri and Ali (Soran) Ghasemi were sentenced to 15 years and 10 years and one day of imprisonment, respectively, while Kaveh Salehi was acquitted of all charges.
Pejman Soltani and four other citizens from Bukan were arrested in late April and early May 2023 in the cities of Bukan and Baneh by security forces and transferred to the detention center of the Intelligence Office in Urmia. These detainees were subjected to severe physical and psychological torture to coerce forced confessions. During this time, they were deprived of their basic rights, including family visits and access to legal counsel.
In addition to this case, the Revolutionary Court of Urmia has filed another case against these four political prisoners and Javanmard Mam-Khosravi. The charges in this case include “Moharebeh” (waging war against God), “Baghi” (armed rebellion), “sending medical supplies,” “smuggling Starlink devices,” and other similar accusations. This case remains under review due to the prisoners’ complaints against Intelligence Ministry interrogators for torture aimed at extracting forced confessions. It is expected to be referred to a judicial branch responsible for addressing civil rights violations.
The trial session for these prisoners was held on December 29, 2024, in Branch One of the Juvenile Criminal Court of West Azerbaijan Province, and the verdict was issued on January 15, 2025. The judicial process for these detainees failed to adhere to international standards of criminal justice, including the right to independent legal representation, judicial impartiality, and a fair defense.
On July 14, 2024, Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), published a report containing forced confessions of four of these prisoners. The use of coerced confessions obtained under torture is a common tactic employed by Iranian security agencies to suppress dissent.
The death sentence for Pejman Soltani and the heavy sentences for other detainees have once again raised serious concerns about the human rights situation in Iran. The international community, human rights organizations, and advocacy groups for political prisoners must take urgent action to halt the execution of these sentences and call for a fair retrial under the supervision of independent international bodies.
The execution sentence for Pejman Soltani and the harsh sentences for other prisoners highlight the systematic repression of dissent and widespread human rights violations in Iran. Arbitrary arrests, torture, denial of legal representation, and sham trials have repeatedly occurred in political and security-related cases in Iran. The global community must not remain silent in the face of such blatant human rights abuses and should demand fair trials and the unconditional release of these detainees.
