Saeed Sedighi and 9 Other Prisoners Hanged in Tehran

Iran Human Rights, October 22: According to reports from Iran, Saeed Sedighi and nine other prisoners were hanged in Tehran’s Evin Prison early this morning.

Iran Human Rights (IHR) strongly condemns today’s executions. IHR calls these executions "unlawful" because reports indicate that the prisoners had confessed under torture and were sentenced to death in sham trials each one lasting less than 30 minutes.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR said: ”I send my condolences to the families of those executed today. The leadership of the Iranian authorities, particularly Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, and Gholamhossein Eje’ei, the Chief Prosecutor, are responsible for these executions. They must be held accountable." Amiry-Moghaddam continued: ”We urge the international community to strongly condemn the executions and act to stop future executions." He added: "We also urge the European Parliamentary delegation to cancel its scheduled visit to Iran on October 27 as a protest to these executions. Traveling to Iran at this time may send the regime in Iran the wrong signals."

Iranian state media has confirmed the news. According to IRIB NEWS, the prisoners who were executed this morning belonged to two different narcotic leagues:

Farshid Rostami, Farhad Mashhadi Abolghasem, Ali Darvishi, Abbas Abbasi Namaki, Saeed Sedighi, Hami Rabiei and Mohammad Ali Rabiei belonged to the first league; convicted of possession of one ton of Shishe (synthetic heroin) in Tehran. The other group was convicted of trafficking more than one ton of opium from one of the southern harbors to Tehran. They were identified as: Alireza Molaei, Eshagh (Isac) Lorgi, and Yousef Parmar.

Saeed Sedighi and nine other prisoners were scheduled to be executed on Thursday October 11, but the executions were postponed becauseof the international attention.

On October 21, the families were told to visit their death row family members for the last time. Iran Human Rights (IHR) and several other human rights organizations published urgent appeals and requested from the international community to react.

Saeed Sedighi’s mother gave several interviews crying and begging for her son’s life. She also wrote a letter to the "world community". She wrote: "Since their father passed away, Saeed has been the family’s only hope. After 10 months of severe torture in prison, including two months in solitary confinement, my son is now awaiting his execution. I ask the world community to save my son’s life."