Another Political Prisoner on Death Row

Valiollah Feiz-MahdaviAccording to sources in Iran, the prison officials in Gohardash, west of Tehran, have notified a political prisoner that he will be executed on May 6.

Mr. Valiollah Feiz-Mahdavi was notified of his execution on March 24, sources say.

Another prisoner of conscience, Hojjat Zamani, was hanged in Gohardasht Prison on February 7. Zamani, 31 at the time he was hanged, had undergone severe physical and psychological torture to break his morale and compel him to express remorse and surrender.

In February, the human rights group Amnesty International announced that it had “grave concern” about the “alarming rate” of executions in Iran, in particular highlighting the cases of a number of political prisoners, several of whom are on death row.

“Hojjat Zamani’s execution has fuelled fears that other political prisoners may be at risk of imminent execution,” Amnesty International said.

The rights group said that there had been reports circulating since the start of February that “a number of political and other prisoners who are under death sentence have been told by prison officials that they would be executed if Iran should be referred to the UN Security Council over the resumption of its nuclear program.”

Sources indicate that the prison authorities had told Mr. Feiz-Mahdavi that he would commit suicide soon.  In a letter he wrote along with another political prisoner to the attention of the international community, he emphasized that he does not intend to kill himself.

Stop Fundamentalism, condemns the violations of Human Rights in Iran and specifically the execution of prisoners of conscience and invites all organizations to join hands to help stop such atrocities.

Amnesty International: Imminent execution/unfair trial: Valiollah Feyz Mahdavi (m), aged 28