Iranian Regime Executed Hossein Khezri in Secret

Persian2English/2011-01-16 - 28 year old Hossein Khezri, an Iranian Kurdish political activist was hanged this morning in Orumiyeh central prison. According to reports by HRANA, on January 2, 2011, a team was sent from Tehran to Orumiyeh central prison to perform Khezri’s execution over night. However, due to unknown reasons, prison officials decided to postpone the implementation of the sentence.

Hossein Khezri was born in 1983 and sentenced to death by branch 1 of the Orumiyeh Revolutionary Court under the charge of acting against national security. His sentence was later upheld by branch 10 of the Appeals Court in the Western Azerbaijan province and then by branch 31 of the Supreme Court.

Khezri was transferred to solitary confinement in Orumiyeh central prison sixteen days ago. After several inquiries by his family, Khezri was allowed to meet with his brother for the last time, then he was transferred back to solitary confinement.

Although Khezri was executed early this morning in Orumiyeh prison, his family and lawyers were unaware that he had been secretly executed.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported in a news program that Khezri had been charged with “participation in the armed killing of a police officer at the outpost in Gol Sheykhan in Orumiyeh in 2005″.

It is worth mentioning that Khezri had denied all charges against him. During one of the visitations with his family, Khezri informed them of the fact that Intelligence agents had tried to force him to falsely confess on state television. In a conversation that took place last night, Khezri’s brother told HRANA that it is highly likely that his brother will be executed secretly. Authorities had failed to provide his family with exact information on Khezri’s condition since he was transferred out of the ward [he was held in].

Hossein Khezri was arrested in Kermanshah on July 31, 2008 by the Nabi Akram Sepah branch. He suffered inhuman and despicable physical and psychological torture while under interrogation for 49 days in the Kermanshah detention center.

In a letter given to HRANA, Khezri described the abuses he endured during interrogation:

1. He was beaten for several hours a day

2. He endured psychological and physical pressure during interrogations

3. He was threatened during interrogations that his brother and brother-in-law would also be charged with illegal activities if he did not accept the terms of the interrogators.

4. He experienced bleeding and swelling in various parts of the body as a result of being kicked repeatedly over a period of 14 days.

5. He experienced 8cm laceration in the right leg as a result of being kicked viciously by an interrogator.

6. He endured repeated beatings by batons.