Civil activist, Afshin Hosseinpanahi’s eight and half years’ prison sentence was confirmed by the Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj.
According to the Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civilian, Afshin Hosseinpanahi, a civil activist, has been sentenced to eight and a half years imprisonment by Branch 1 of Revolution court. He was charged for organizing the Nowrouz ceremony and working with environmental institutions.
On July 27th, 2018, after the arrest of his brother Ramin Hosseinpanahi, Afshin Hosseinpanahi was arrested by security guards in his own house.
Afshin Hosseinpanahi, who has a history of collaboration with environmental institutions, in 2011, after pursuing his brother Ashraf Hosseinpanahi suspicious death was sentenced to one year in jail, charged with “propaganda against the state”.
It should be noted that Ramin Hosseinpanahi, a Kurdish political activist, was arrested on June 23rd, 2018 by the Islamic Republic’s forces.
On January 25th, 2018, the political prisoner, in only one court session was charged with acting against National Security and Komeleh membership and was sentenced to death by Branch of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Saeedi and another judge.
Ramin Hosseinpanahi ‘s case was sent to Qom’s Supreme Court Branch 39 for review. According to the family of the political prisoner, the judiciary intends to execute him by sending his case to Qom.
Ramin Hosseinpanahi ‘s death sentence was issued even though he denied all his alleged charges, such as participation in the armed conflict. The lawyer of the Kurdish political prisoner also considered the sentence unexpected and unjust
Ahmadi Niaz, the defense lawyer had already said that the death penalty was imposed on his client, Ramin Hosseinpanahi, by Revolutionary Guard influence and infiltrating. According to Iran’s internal and criminal laws, if the case’s judges had independence, Ramin Hosseinpanahi would not deserve death penalty.
Following the announcement of Ramin Hosseinpanahi’s death sentence, a new wave of protest was formed inside and outside Iran. A wide range of Kurdish organizations, including the Center of Kurdish Parties Alliance, different populist clubs, civil and political citizens centers, educational group, writers, artists, various social institutions, poets, marketers, guilds, ex-representatives of various parliamentary time, cultural activists, The Iranian Democratic Council, and dozens of other political and civil organizations, issued various statements and announcements in Kurdistan, Iran, and some provincial cities and towns in Europe and Canada. They have protested, condemning Ramin Hosseinpanahi’s death sentence and other execution sentences of political, civil and different believer’s prisoners in Iran. They also announced their support for Ramin Hosseinpanahi.
Amnesty International in an announcement demanded immediate action against the imminent execution of Ramin Hosseinpanahi. According to the announcement, the verdict issued to Ramin Hosseinpanahi was followed by a severely unfair trial following four months of compulsory disappearance. The organization has affirmed that security and judicial authorities have transferred Ramin Hosseinpanahi to solidarity confinement in revenge and his conviction and punishment are in contravention of international law and should be lifted.