London, 6 October 2025 — The British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) has expressed deep concern over the imminent execution of political prisoner Mohammad Javad Vafaei-Sani, following Iran’s Supreme Court decision to uphold his death sentence over the weekend.

Vafaei-Sani, arrested five years ago in Mashhad, was sentenced to death last year on charges of affiliation with Iran’s democratic opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK). According to reports, he has endured severe torture and pressure in prison. His lawyer confirmed that the sentence was upheld despite evident legal irregularities and violations of due process.

The BCFIF warns that Vafaei-Sani’s case is part of a wider pattern of political persecution in Iran. At least 17 other political prisoners are currently on death row under similar charges, all facing imminent execution. These cases, the Committee notes, are plagued by torture and gross breaches of fair trial standards.

Earlier this year, Iranian authorities executed Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani for alleged membership in the PMOI. In its 28 July statement, the BCFIF condemned these executions and cautioned that the regime’s escalating use of the death penalty could signal preparations for another wave of mass executions reminiscent of the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners.

The statement highlights that the Iranian regime has increasingly weaponized the death penalty to suppress dissent and silence pro-democracy movements. Since President Masoud Pezeshkian took office, Iran has recorded over 1,800 executions, including women and political prisoners — a record number underscoring the regime’s growing brutality.

The BCFIF calls on the UK Government and the international community to take urgent and concrete measures to prevent another crime against humanity in Iran. “Condemnation is not enough,” the Committee stresses, urging immediate action to hold Tehran accountable.

The Committee specifically calls for targeted human rights sanctions against judges and officials responsible for the executions — including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — and for conditioning any future engagement with Tehran on:

• A moratorium on all executions, and

• The immediate release of political prisoners and those detained for exercising their right to protest or advocate democratic change.

British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF)
6 October 2025