Original Source: kurdistanhumanrights.org
In a haunting plea from behind prison walls, three inmates from Orumiyeh Central Prison—Hadi Rostami, Mehdi Shahivand, and Mehdi Sharafian—have issued a desperate letter to human rights organizations, fearing the imminent execution of their amputation sentences. Sentenced in 2019 for theft, these men face the terrifying prospect of losing four fingers from their right hands. Their anguish has intensified after witnessing the tragic amputation of two brothers just weeks prior.
The brothers, Shahab and Mehrdad Teymouri, suffered the same fate in Orumiyeh Central Prison, deepening the horror for Rostami, Shahivand, and Sharafian. They have languished in prison since September 2017, carrying the burden of their sentences, which have made their lives a perpetual nightmare. Their cries for mercy were met with indifference, only adding to their anxiety and despair.
Despite filing numerous requests for clemency and expressing sincere remorse, the prison authorities dismissed their pleas, insisting that the law mandates such brutal punishments. They challenge the justification provided, invoking the Quran’s messages of forgiveness and mercy, highlighting the stark contradiction between the divine compassion they believe in and the cruelty they face.
As they stand at the precipice of their fate, the prisoners call out to the international community for intervention. They yearn for the chance to reclaim their lives, to be treated not as statistics of a brutal legal system but as human beings deserving of compassion. Without immediate action, they fear that their hope will be extinguished, leaving them with nothing to live for, as the execution of their sentences looms ever closer.
In Iran, harsh punitive measures, including amputation, are enforced for certain offenses under Islamic law, particularly for theft. The practice has drawn international condemnation due to its inhumane nature. The psychological impact on prisoners facing such sentences is profound, characterized by anxiety, fear, and despair. Recent events, such as the enforced amputations of the Teymouri brothers, have ignited fresh concerns among inmates sentenced similarly, sparking public interest in the human rights situation in Iranian prisons.
The plight of Rostami, Shahivand, and Sharafian reveals the deep inhumanity embedded within the judicial practices of Iran. Their open letter underscores a desperate appeal for intervention from human rights organizations and a reminder of the power of mercy over retribution. As their deadline draws near, the looming specter of amputation not only threatens their physical form but also their very will to live. Urgent action is required to halt these sentences and foster a narrative of forgiveness instead of one steeped in punishment.
