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The brother of Iranian physician Hamid Qarahasanlou says interrogators severly tortured his brother’s spouse to extract a confession from her in opposition to her husband as safety forces seemed to pin the blame on protesters for the dying of a member of the Basij paramilitary power throughout nationwide demonstrations.
Iran’s judiciary stated on December 6 that it had sentenced 16 individuals to sentences starting from long-term imprisonment to dying for his or her alleged roles within the killing of Ruhollah Ajamian, who was a part of the Basij, a volunteer militia beneath the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Hamid Qarahasanlou, who’s in hospital recovering after reportedly being tortured as nicely, was one in all 5 accused to be handed dying sentences over the killing of Ajamian.
Qarahasanlu’s brother stated in an interview with RFERL’s Radio Farda that, in the course of the interrogations, Farzaneh, Hamid’s spouse, was tortured to the purpose the place to save lots of herself, she lied and stated that her husband might have kicked the sufferer.
“She resisted the primary day. On the second day, they instructed her that we all know your son is within the dormitory of Tabriz College, and should you do not confess by tonight that Hamid hit the sufferer, we’ll arrest your son and he’ll undergo the identical torture that you’re struggling, and he could also be killed,” Farzaneh Qarahasanlou’s brother in regulation instructed Radio Farda.
“That is the one proof they’ve in opposition to Hamid, and Farzaneh later recanted the assertion and instructed the court docket that her confession was obtained beneath torture and has no validity,” he added.
Hassan Qarahasanlou additionally instructed Radio Farda that the judicial authorities threatened their attorneys and eventually, upon the withdrawal of the attorneys, they pressured them to simply accept a public defender.
“The general public defender spoke in opposition to my brother in court docket. He instructed Hamid that you’re mendacity, and that you just hit Ajamian and weren’t tortured.”
Based on Qarahasanlou’s brother, the general public defender personally went to the hospital the place Hamid was admitted and with out considering medical opinions, decided that Hamid Qarahasanlou was able to showing in court docket.
“The forensic physician had stated that Hamid couldn’t be current within the court docket, that he couldn’t also have a video name. That’s why he was absent from the primary session of the trial, however nonetheless, they took him to the court docket for the second session,” Hassan Qarahasanlou stated.
Prosecutors stated Ajamian, 27, was stripped bare and killed by a gaggle of mourners who had been paying tribute to a slain protester, Hadis Najafi, throughout ceremonies marking the fortieth day since her dying.
The 4 others sentenced to dying weren’t named. Of the 11 individuals sentenced within the case, three had been minors, judiciary spokesman Massud Setayeshi instructed a information convention, including that the sentences may be appealed.
Hamid Qarahasanlou, who’s a radiologist, was severely injured in the course of the arrest and interrogation.
Based on his brother, one in all Hamid’s ribs was damaged throughout detention and 5 extra throughout interrogation. Lastly, these fractures resulted in inside bleeding and he was taken to hospital.
After Qarahasanlou regained consciousness following surgical procedure, judicial authorities got here to the hospital in the course of the evening to wake him and hand him the dying sentence, Hassan Qarahasanlou stated.
The instances had been rushed via three hearings inside six days earlier than the sentences had been handed down.
Human rights organizations have strongly objected to the dying sentences being issued in opposition to protesters in Iran after “sham trials.”
The decision comes after weeks of elevated threats by authorities that they’ll react harshly to any unrest. Lawmakers have pushed the judiciary to render harsh penalties — together with the dying penalty — in trials for these arrested throughout protests over the dying of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
The Mizan information company, which is affiliated with the judiciary, reported on December 8 that 24-year-old Mohsen Shekhari had develop into the primary protester to be executed after an enchantment of his sentence was rejected by the Supreme Courtroom.
Iran is presently within the throes of unrest as individuals take to the streets throughout the nation to protest Amini’s dying on September 16.
Police have met the unrest with lethal power.
The activist HRANA information company stated that, as of November 29, no less than 459 protesters had been killed in the course of the unrest, together with 64 minors, as safety forces attempt to stifle widespread dissent.
The Oslo-based Iran Human Rights Group says the variety of executions in Iran exceeds 500 this 12 months.
Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based mostly on an unique story in Persian by RFE/RL’s Radio Farda
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