URGENT ACTION

Iran: Imminent execution

PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 13/054/2005
12 September 2005

UA 235/05 Imminent execution

IRAN Abu Baker Mirza'i Qaderi (m)
Othman Mirza'i Qaderi (m)
Qader Ahmadi (m)
Jahangir Badouzadeh (m)

The four Kurdish men named above are all reportedly facing imminent execution.
They are held in Oromiye Prison, in western Iran.

The first three men, from Bokan in West Azerbaijan province, are apparently
accused of working for a Kurdish opposition group, the Kurdistan Democratic
Party of Iran (KDPI). They are thought to have been part of a group of Iranian
soldiers who were captured by the KDPI in 1984 and later released because they
were Kurds. They went into hiding shortly afterwards, but apparently returned
to their home town of Bokan earlier this year. The fact that the KDPI released
them is said to have raised the authorities’ suspicions that they had become
involved with the organization, and has now led, 21 years later, to their
arrest.

There are unconfirmed reports that a fourth Kurd held in Oromiye Prison,
Jahangir Badouzadeh, is also be facing imminent execution. It is not known what
he has been convicted of.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The KDPI seeks the "establishment of a democratic federal Iran and the
attainment of Kurdish national rights in Iranian Kurdistan", and states that it
rejects all acts of terrorism and...planting bombs in public places.

Unrest broke out in the Kurdish areas of Iran following the July 2005 killing
of a Kurdish opposition activist, Shivan Qaderi. It has led to scores of
deaths, and mass arrests of Kurds, including human rights defenders. On 3
September, Esma’il Mohammadi, a Kurd accused of activities on behalf of a
banned Kurdish political party, Komala, was executed in Oromiye Prison (for
details see UA 236/03, MDE 13/028/03, 8 August 2003 and follow-ups). Another
Kurd, Mohammad Panjavini, was also reportedly executed at the same time,
apparently for his activities on behalf of another Kurdish group called Agri
Soor. Amnesty International fears that the Iranian authorities may be stepping
up the execution of imprisoned Kurdish opposition activists in response to the
recent unrest.