Iran is preparing to hang another Jin Jiyan Azadi protester on 1 March. This comes as a wave of executions continues since the outbreak of war in Gaza.
Amnesty International has issued an urgent appeal for global action to prevent the imminent execution of Mojahed (Abbas) Kourkouri, a man facing the death penalty in connection with the uprisings of September and December 2022, which were sparked by the death in custody of Jina Mahsa Amini.
Kourkouri’s family learned on 24 December that his conviction and death sentence had been upheld. Kourkouri is currently being held in solitary confinement and has reportedly been subjected to repeated torture and ill-treatment, including severe beatings.
The call for action includes a model letter to the head of Iran’s judiciary urging immediate intervention. The letter outlines serious concerns about Kourkouri’s case, highlighting the lack of a fair trial, the denial of access to his chosen lawyer and the broadcast of forced confessions on state media.
Kourkouri’s arrest on 20 December 2022 near Ghalehtol, Khuzestan Province, was marked by an “armed clash” and he was injured during his arrest. Allegations of denial of information to his family and prolonged solitary confinement are among the reported human rights violations in this case.
Amnesty International has highlighted the urgency of the situation, pointing to the imminent risk of execution and the ongoing spree of executions in Iran. The organisation is calling on the international community to take immediate action, urging the authorities to halt the execution plans, quash the conviction and death sentence, and allow Kourkouri access to his family, legal representation and medical care. The appeal also includes a call for an investigation into allegations of torture and a wider call for an official moratorium on executions, with the ultimate aim of abolishing the death penalty.
Iran has so far hanged eight people who were arrested during the Jin Jiyan Azadi protests.
