* Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan
* 09/11/2009
His Excellency Ayatollah Saed Sadeq Amoli Larijani
Your Excellency:
We write to express our grave concern over the imminent execution of Ehsan Fatahian, a Kurdish political prisoner, which is due to take place in Sanandaj prison on Wednesday the 22th of Aban 1388 (11th of November) according to his lawyer and the news released in the press over the last 2 days.
This distressing news has caused immense anxiety to his family and has worried enormously the human rights activists’ community.
Ehsan Fatahian is 28 years of age and was born in Kermanshah and resided in Sanandaj until his arrest last spring in Kamyaran in Kurdistan province. He was initially held in Ettelaat (Intelligence Service) prison in Sanandaj and was transferred later to the central prison in the same city.
He was tried by Judge Babaei in the First branch of the Revolutionary court of Sanandaj being accused of “plotting against national security” by allegedly becoming a member of an armed opposition party for which he was given 10 years imprisonment in exile. Astonishingly, this sentence was changed to execution after the charge of “waging war against god” was added to his indictment at the 4th Branch of appeal court in Kurdistan province.
This is despite the existing regulation in the section 258 of penal code, which states that the appeal court is not allowed to increase the severity of sentence handed down in the court of first instance. However, we are aware that there are exceptions to this rule, but it appears that these exceptions do not apply to Mr Fatahian as he has not been able to defend himself and has not confessed to the charges brought against him.
Your Excellency Ayatollah Larijani, according to the rules because Ehsan Fatahian and his lawyer have been informed about the sentence and the date of the execution, you are the only official as the head of the Islamic Republic’s judiciary who has the power to stop Ehsan Fatahian execution.
Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan as a civil and independent organization, which is active in the field of defending the human rights of citizens in the Kurdish region of Iran, expresses its grave concern over the prospect of Ehsan Fatahian’s execution. We kindly request that you as the head of the judiciary order this execution to be stopped so Mr Fatahian can have a fair hearing according to the correct rules and regulations which we strongly believe will result in the repealing of his execution.
It is without doubt that your swift and firm order in stopping and revoking the execution of this Kurdish young man will show your good faith and your resolve to implement reforms based on justice under your leadership at the judiciary. Furthermore, by stopping and cancelling this execution and other Kurdish activists being sentenced to death, it is possible to be hopeful to change the view that perceives Kurdistan and Kurdish activists as a security threat.
Sincerely,
Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan
Monday 18th of Aban (9th, November 2009)
C.C to
Kurdish Members of Parliament
* Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan
* 09/11/2009 00:00:00
