Important: Click here to read this clarification about some of our previous statements regarding 'Moharabeh'.
Seven Sunni prisoners, Davud Abdullahi, Khosro Besharat, Kamran Sheikha, Mamousta (Sheikh) Farhad Salimi, Ghasem Abeste, Ayub Karimi and Anvar Khezri, face ongoing uncertainty about their cases.
The men were summoned to branch 6 of Moghadis court, on November 3rd, 2013, after being held for four years without trial. Three have been acquitted of all charges, yet have still not been released
The men, who had endured torture, solitary confinement and the threat of execution, were informed that the reason they had not faced trial yet was because their case had been archived by the Ministry of Intelligence.
“The prosecutor [Mr Naseri] stated that their files have been archived by Intelligence and security service, and that was what prevented the court from processing the case," a source told the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), "[he] promised to summon them [back to court] within 10 days.”
Three of the men, Kamran Sheikhah, Khozro Besharat and Anvar Khezri were acquitted of all charges by branch 28 of the courts on September the 15th, yet they remained imprisoned in Rajai Shahr prison, Karaj, under orders from the Intelligence Agency.
Despite the seven men not being convicted of any crime, the Iranian authorities seemed intent on pressing charges that would carry the death penalty.
In September, several prominent Sunni scholars were forced to announce their approval of the death penalty being enforced on the prisoners.
Sources confirmed that the Iranian authorities arrested and threatened a number of Sunni scholars from the town of Mahabbad, who were forced to sign a petition supporting the death penalty for some of the men, leading to fears that the men would face execution.
The men were detained in solitary confinement for 8 months in Urmia prison, then transferred to solitary confinement in wards 240 and 209 of Evin prison. After 6 further months of solitary confinement, they were transferred to Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj.
Seven Sunni prisoners, Davud Abdullahi, Khosro Besharat, Kamran Sheikha, Mamousta (Sheikh) Farhad Salimi, Ghasem Abeste, Ayub Karimi and Anvar Khezri, face ongoing uncertainty about their cases.
The men were summoned to branch 6 of Moghadis court, on November 3rd, 2013, after being held for four years without trial. Three have been acquitted of all charges, yet have still not been released
The men, who had endured torture, solitary confinement and the threat of execution, were informed that the reason they had not faced trial yet was because their case had been archived by the Ministry of Intelligence.
“The prosecutor [Mr Naseri] stated that their files have been archived by Intelligence and security service, and that was what prevented the court from processing the case," a source told the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), "[he] promised to summon them [back to court] within 10 days.”
Three of the men, Kamran Sheikhah, Khozro Besharat and Anvar Khezri were acquitted of all charges by branch 28 of the courts on September the 15th, yet they remained imprisoned in Rajai Shahr prison, Karaj, under orders from the Intelligence Agency.
Despite the seven men not being convicted of any crime, the Iranian authorities seemed intent on pressing charges that would carry the death penalty.
In September, several prominent Sunni scholars were forced to announce their approval of the death penalty being enforced on the prisoners.
Sources confirmed that the Iranian authorities arrested and threatened a number of Sunni scholars from the town of Mahabbad, who were forced to sign a petition supporting the death penalty for some of the men, leading to fears that the men would face execution.
The men were detained in solitary confinement for 8 months in Urmia prison, then transferred to solitary confinement in wards 240 and 209 of Evin prison. After 6 further months of solitary confinement, they were transferred to Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj.