In a stark and alarming turn of events, three prisoners sentenced to amputation—Hadi Rostami, Mehdi Shahivand, and Mehdi Sharafian—have only a month to obtain the consent of their accuser to avoid the grim fate that looms over them. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) reports that on 13 March 2025, these men were called to the Enforcement of Judgements Office at Orumiyeh Central Prison and delivered a letter from Nouri, the Deputy Prosecutor, outlining their precarious deadline.
Prison authorities have made it clear: if the prisoners do not secure consent by the deadline, their amputation sentences will be enforced. This development resonates painfully with the recent amputation of two brothers, Shahab and Mehrdad Teymouri, whose fingers were severed following a similar sentence executed on 29 October 2024 at the very same prison.
The Teymouri brothers’ ordeal prompted Rostami, Shahivand, and Sharafian to pen an open letter to human rights organisations, raising alarms about the imminent threat of their own sentences being enacted. Arrested in 2015 by the Criminal Investigation Department in Orumiyeh, these men were tried together and, on 19 November 2019, were sentenced to the amputation of four fingers of their right hand, with the requirement to return stolen property.
The Supreme Court later upheld this disturbing ruling on 10 May 2020. Currently, not only the three men but also at least two others, Kasra Karami and Morteza Esmaeilian, face similar fates, highlighting a grim atmosphere at Orumiyeh Central Prison where prisoners accused of theft live under the constant shadow of brutality—amputation.
Three prisoners, Hadi Rostami, Mehdi Shahivand, and Mehdi Sharafian, are facing imminent amputation sentences unless they secure consent from the plaintiff within a month. This follows other recent severe penalties in Orumiyeh Central Prison, where similar sentences have been executed. Their case highlights the critical human rights issues faced by those accused of theft in Iran, making it crucial for awareness and advocacy from global organisations.
This dire situation faced by Hadi Rostami, Mehdi Shahivand, and Mehdi Sharafian underscores the ongoing struggles against harsh sentencing practices in Iran. The urgency placed upon these prisoners to obtain consent hints at a broken system where lives are dictated by legalistic outcomes rather than justice. As public awareness grows, the appeal for human rights becomes ever more critical, urging international attention and intervention.
Original Source: kurdistanhumanrights.org
