In Iran, a Kurdish humanitarian worker, Pakhshan Azizi, faces imminent execution after an unjust trial, marking the potential first execution of a woman political prisoner in over a decade. Her death sentence was upheld despite clear evidence of innocence and allegations of torture during her coerced confessions. The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) condemns this escalation of capital punishment against activists and women and urges a global response to halt the execution.
Azizi, 40, was accused of charges linked to her humanitarian work in refugee camps and subjected to severe violations of due process including forced confessions and lack of legal representation. Hadi Ghaemi of CHRI states that this miscarriage of justice starkly illustrates how the Iranian judiciary overlooks vital evidence that her work was solely for humanitarian aid, devoid of political affiliations.
Her lawyer highlighted the Supreme Court’s disregard of investigative flaws and evidence of her non-political activities, which ultimately led to the death sentence being affirmed by the Iranian judiciary. Azizi’s brutal arrest involved harassment and torture to extract false confessions, which are common practices within the regime to suppress voices opposing their authority.
Despite the lack of credible evidence tying her to any crime, the court decided her fate based on political motives and systemic discrimination against women and minorities, particularly the Kurdish population. As executions ramp up in Iran, with over 900 reported in 2024 alone, there is a troubling trend of targeting political prisoners and women through sham trials.
Ghaemi warns that executing Azizi would not merely perpetuate injustice but send ripples of fear throughout the humanitarian community, as Iranian authorities exploit judicial mechanisms for repression. The need for international intervention has never been more urgent, as activists like Azizi find themselves on the precipice of execution under unfounded accusations.
Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish women activist, faces imminent execution in Iran after an unjust trial marked by torture and coerced confessions. CHRI condemns the use of capital punishment against women and political prisoners, highlighting systemic judicial abuses. The urgency for international intervention grows as executions surge, with calls for the annulment of Azizi’s death sentence amidst a stark repression of dissent in Iran.
The case of Pakhshan Azizi symbolizes the grim reality faced by political prisoners in Iran, particularly women from minority backgrounds. With the Iranian judiciary disregarding important evidence and relying on coerced confessions, the international community must urgently respond to prevent her execution and uphold human rights standards. The alarming increase in capital punishment and its targeted nature against activists demonstrate a pressing need for global intervention to safeguard justice and human rights in Iran.
The article discusses the imminent execution of Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish woman activist in Iran, following a severely flawed judicial process. It highlights the persistent issue of capital punishment in Iran, especially against political prisoners and women, amidst widespread human rights violations. The context of her work in humanitarian aid, coupled with the systemic abuse of judicial processes, exposes the harsh repressive tactics employed by the Iranian regime and the need for international advocacy against such acts.
Original Source: iranhumanrights.org
