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 pressure throughout nationwide demonstrations.
Iran’s judiciary mentioned on December 6 that it had sentenced 16 folks 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 underneath the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Hamid Qarahasanlou, who’s in hospital recovering after reportedly being tortured as properly, was considered one of 5 accused to be handed dying sentences over the killing of Ajamian.
Qarahasanlu’s brother mentioned in an interview with RFERL’s Radio Farda that, through the interrogations, Farzaneh, Hamid’s spouse, was tortured to the purpose the place to avoid wasting herself, she lied and mentioned 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 when you do not confess by tonight that Hamid hit the sufferer, we’ll arrest your son and he’ll endure 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 underneath torture and has no validity,” he added.
Hassan Qarahasanlou additionally instructed Radio Farda that the judicial authorities threatened their attorneys and at last, upon the withdrawal of the attorneys, they compelled them to just 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 mentioned that Hamid couldn’t be current within the court docket, that he couldn’t actually 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 mentioned.
Prosecutors mentioned Ajamian, 27, was stripped bare and killed by a bunch 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 folks sentenced within the case, three have been minors, judiciary spokesman Massud Setayeshi instructed a information convention, including that the sentences will be appealed.
Hamid Qarahasanlou, who’s a radiologist, was significantly injured through the arrest and interrogation.
Based on his brother, considered one of 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 night time to wake him and hand him the dying sentence, Hassan Qarahasanlou mentioned.
The circumstances have been rushed by way of three hearings inside six days earlier than the sentences have 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 are going to 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 turn into the primary protester to be executed after an enchantment of his sentence was rejected by the Supreme Courtroom.
Iran is at present within the throes of unrest as folks take to the streets throughout the nation to protest Amini’s dying on September 16.
Police have met the unrest with lethal pressure.
The activist HRANA information company mentioned that, as of November 29, a minimum of 459 protesters had been killed through 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 yr.
