Iran’s regime is escalating human rights abuses in its prisons, particularly against political prisoners, alongside its warmongering in the region. The trend of barbaric behavior shows no sign of abating as the new year begins.
On Tuesday, January 2, regime authorities in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj executed political prisoner Davood Abdollahi, a Sunni Kurd from Mahabad who had been in prison for 14 years and was on a hunger strike for six days before his execution.
In 2009, Abdollahi and six others were arrested, tortured, and forced to make false confessions. They were then sentenced to death under trumped-up charges by judge Mohammad Moghiseh. In 2018, another judge, Abolghassem Salavati, upheld their death sentence, and in 2019, the regime’s supreme court affirmed it.
Another prisoner, Ghassem Abesteh, was executed on November 5, and Ayoub Karimi was hanged on November 29. The remaining four prisoners are also under threat of execution.
Between December 27 and 31, the regime executed at least 30 prisoners. The total number of declared executions for 2023 was at least 850, signaling a significant increase in the death penalty since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.
The regime is also intensifying pressure on other political prisoners. Maryam Akbari Monfared recently had her prison sentence extended by three years. She was due to be released after completing a 15-year sentence, but the regime fabricated new cases against her to prevent her release.
The regime has also targeted Akbari Monfared because she sought justice for her siblings, who were murdered by the regime. Three of her brothers and a sister were executed by the regime, and she was supposed to be released in 2019 after serving 10 years of her sentence, but is now facing a total of 18 years in prison.
Akbari Monfared is just one of many political prisoners persecuted by the regime due to their association with supporters of the PMOI. The regime is also denying much-needed medical care to 70-year-old political prisoner Ali Moezi.
Despite the regime’s oppressive measures, protests continue across the country, and the ranks of PMOI Resistance Units are growing.