Iran may execute another political prisoner

Shirkooh Moarefi

Shirkooh Moarefi, another Kurdish political dissident may be the next political prisoner to be executed, according to several reports.

Khalil Bahramian, court attorney, informed Zamaneh that Shirkooh Moarefi has been transferred to solitary confinement. He is sentenced to death for “activities against national security and armed combat.”

Shirkooh Moarefi’s lawyer told Zamaneh that he has not received any court orders regarding his execution; however, the appeals court has approved his death sentence.

Thirty-year-old Moarefi was arrested last year charged with membership in the Komalah Party, a dissident political party. However, his lawyer claims that Shirkooh Moarefi is not a member of the said party and is in effect just a supporter. Furthermore “witness reports signed by villagers state that when the Revolutionary Guards came to arrest the accused, he surrendered his weapon. Therefore the charge of armed combat does not apply in his case.”

Khalil Bahramian maintains that an “extremist” movement in the Kurdistan region is acting “vengefully” through these executions trying to destroy the peace in the area. Mr. Bahramian urged the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei to stop these “extremisms.”

Khalil Bahramian also called on head of judiciary, Ayatollah Larijani not to act "shamefully" regarding these sentences and stop these “irregular executions.”

On Monday, Ehsan Fatahian was executed for the charge of “activities against national security and armed combat” through collaboration with Komalah Party. Twelve other Kurdish political prisoners are now on death row in Iran.