The New York City Bar Association (“City Bar”) has issued an urgent condemnation of the impending executions of Iranian political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani. These individuals have been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republic of Iran on politically motivated charges linked to their peaceful activism and alleged affiliation with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). Their cases exemplify the Iranian government’s systematic suppression of dissent and blatant disregard for international human rights law. The City Bar is particularly alarmed by their recent transfer to Ghezel Hesar Prison, a facility notorious for executions, indicating that their execution may be imminent.
🚨 The New York City Bar (@NYCBarAssn) urges the UN to take immediate action to prevent the execution of political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani & Mehdi Hassani in Iran
CC: @volker_turk @drmaisato#SaveMehdiHassani #SaveBehrouzEhsani #StopExecutionsInIran pic.twitter.com/FFDdIfjZy4
— M. Hanif Jazayeri (@HanifJazayeri) January 30, 2025
Background and Charges
Behrouz Ehsani, 69, a former political prisoner from the 1980s, was arrested in Tehran on December 6, 2022, and subjected to torture in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Mehdi Hassani, 48, a father of three, was arrested in Zanjan on September 11, 2022, and endured severe physical and psychological torture before being placed in Ward 8 of Evin Prison. Both men were convicted on charges of “rebellion (baghi),” “waging war against God (moharebeh),” and “spreading corruption on Earth (efsad-e-fel-arz),” along with fabricated allegations of possessing illegal weapons and classified information.
Ehsani and Hassani played key roles in the grassroots “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, a movement opposing Iran’s excessive use of the death penalty. While imprisoned, they wrote letters exposing inhumane conditions in Iranian prisons and calling for international efforts to abolish capital punishment.
Unfair Trials and Imminent Danger
After prolonged solitary confinement and forced confessions obtained under duress, Ehsani and Hassani were sentenced to death by Iran’s Revolutionary Court on September 16, 2024. Their sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court on January 7, 2025. Their recent transfer to Ghezel Hesar Prison—a facility infamous for mass executions—has raised urgent concerns about their fate.
On January 11, 2025, 68 political prisoners in Iran issued a joint letter denouncing the death sentences as “state-sponsored premeditated murder,” noting that Iran was responsible for nearly 75% of the world’s recorded executions in 2024. Judge Afshari of Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, who presided over their case, has a documented record of issuing harsh sentences against political dissidents.
Systemic Violations of Due Process
The cases of Ehsani and Hassani reflect the Iranian regime’s widespread violations of fair trial standards, including:
- Denial of access to legal counsel and fair trials
- Torture and coerced confessions
- Prolonged solitary confinement and medical neglect
- Secretive and summary trials leading to executions
Evin Prison, where they were initially detained, is notorious for its overcrowding, inhumane conditions, and psychological abuse of political prisoners. Ghezel Hesar Prison, where they now face execution, is even more infamous for its high execution rates and brutal treatment of detainees.
Violations of International Law
Iran’s actions violate multiple international legal obligations, including:
- The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits torture, arbitrary detention, and guarantees the right to a fair trial.
- The Convention Against Torture (CAT), which, while Iran is not a signatory, is considered a binding peremptory norm of international law.
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which upholds the rights to due process and protection from inhumane treatment.
- The UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, ensuring humane conditions and access to legal representation.
The Iranian government’s persecution of Ehsani and Hassani for their peaceful activism is a direct violation of Article 19 of both the ICCPR and the UDHR, which guarantee the right to freedom of expression and dissent.
Call to Action
The New York City Bar Association calls on the Iranian government to:
- Immediately halt the executions of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani and overturn their convictions.
- Cease the criminalization of peaceful political activism and ensure detainees receive legal representation, medical care, and humane treatment.
- Comply with its international human rights obligations, including the ICCPR and the Convention Against Torture.
Furthermore, the City Bar urges the United Nations, human rights organizations, and the global community to take decisive action against Iran’s egregious human rights violations and to intervene urgently to prevent these executions.