Prisoners riot to save Kurdish man on death row in Iran
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdish prisoner Ramin Hossein Panahi was injured in a fight in the Sanandaj jail where he is being held, awaiting execution.
The brawl broke out when a group of prisoners tried to prevent guards from taking Panahi out of the prison. His execution was scheduled to take place after Ramadan, which ended Friday.
About 20 prisoners were injured, the Ramin Hossein Panahi Campaign announced on Telegram on Saturday.
Panahi’s brother, Amjad, confirmed to Rudaw that the fight had occurred and his brother was injured. He asked civil activists to continue their efforts to save his brother’s life.
His lawyer denied that Panahi had been armed and said his client was simply visiting family at the time of his arrest.
Membership in an opposition party is not an offence that warrants the death penalty, his lawyer has said.
The case has attracted international attention with UN human rights officials and Amnesty International both advocating for the Kurdish man.
The brawl broke out when a group of prisoners tried to prevent guards from taking Panahi out of the prison. His execution was scheduled to take place after Ramadan, which ended Friday.
About 20 prisoners were injured, the Ramin Hossein Panahi Campaign announced on Telegram on Saturday.
Panahi’s brother, Amjad, confirmed to Rudaw that the fight had occurred and his brother was injured. He asked civil activists to continue their efforts to save his brother’s life.
Panahi, 22, was arrested in June 2017 in Sanandaj and charged with being a member of the Kurdish opposition party Komala. Prosecutors said Panahi had received military training and was carrying a gun and a grenade at the time of his arrest.
His lawyer denied that Panahi had been armed and said his client was simply visiting family at the time of his arrest.
Membership in an opposition party is not an offence that warrants the death penalty, his lawyer has said.
The case has attracted international attention with UN human rights officials and Amnesty International both advocating for the Kurdish man.