Iran Must Halt Imminent Execution Of Kurdish Prisoner - UN Human Rights Office

Iran should immediately act to cancel the scheduled execution of Kurdish prisoner Heidar Ghorbani, a panel of experts at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Friday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd September, 2021) Iran should immediately act to cancel the scheduled execution of Kurdish prisoner Heidar Ghorbani, a panel of experts at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Friday.

"The Iranian authorities must immediately halt the execution of Heidar Ghorbani and annul the death sentence against him and grant him a retrial in compliance with their international obligations," the experts said in a statement.

Ghorbani, 48, was arrested in October 2016 in connection with the alleged killing of three men affiliated to the Basij paramilitary forces reportedly by individuals associated with an armed opposition group. He was reportedly held in solitary confinement and subjected to torture and ill-treatment, the OHCHR said.

"We are seriously concerned that Mr. Ghorbani's eventual confession was forced as a result of torture and ill-treatment," the statement said.

The OHCHR also expressed concerns about reports that Mr. Ghorbani was denied access to a lawyer during the investigation, the statement added.

In October 2019, a Criminal Court convicted Ghorbani of aiding and abetting murder and attempted kidnapping. He was sentenced to 118 years and 6 months in prison. In January 2020, a court in Kurdistan Province convicted him of baghi, or armed rebellion against the state and sentenced him to death, according to the statement.