UK Parliamentarians Condemn Executions of Iranian Political Prisoners, Call for Urgent International Action

In a powerful statement issued on July 28, 2025, the British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) strongly condemned the execution of two political prisoners in Iran—Behrouz Ehsani, 70, and Mehdi Hassani, 48—both of whom were affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). The executions took place on Sunday morning following convictions based solely on their political association with the democratic opposition group.

The committee also condemned a violent raid conducted a day earlier by Iranian special forces on the political prisoners’ ward in Qezelhessar Prison. The assault led to the forcible transfer of the two prisoners to solitary confinement ahead of their execution, and the relocation of another political prisoner, Saeed Masouri, to Zahedan Prison.

Reports indicate that at least 14 more political prisoners face imminent execution on fabricated charges such as “enmity against God” and “corruption on earth,” prompting grave concern among human rights observers and UK lawmakers.

The timing of these executions, coinciding with the anniversary of the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners—primarily PMOI members—has further raised alarms. The British committee warned that the Iranian regime may be preparing for a new wave of mass executions, echoing the tragic events of 1988. A recent editorial published by Fars News Agency, affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), even praised the 1988 massacre, calling it a “commendable judicial act.”

Citing recent warnings by UN experts, the BCFIF emphasized that Iran’s use of executions has become increasingly politicized, especially since the nationwide protests in 2022. The regime has weaponized the judiciary and state media to justify executions and suppress dissent, aiming to dismantle the country’s growing pro-democracy resistance.

In its statement, the BCFIF urged the UK Government and international allies to move beyond verbal condemnation and take concrete measures to prevent further atrocities. These measures include:

• Imposing targeted human rights sanctions against Iranian judges and officials involved in unlawful executions.

• Holding Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei accountable for the crackdown.

• Conditioning all diplomatic and economic relations on Iran’s immediate cessation of executions and the release of political prisoners.

The Committee also endorsed the recommendations made by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), during her speech in the UK Parliament on July 16. These recommendations emphasize a democratic future for Iran and the urgent need for international solidarity with those facing persecution under the regime.

The BCFIF’s call to action underlines a critical moment for UK foreign policy toward Iran, stressing that failure to act decisively may result in another crime against humanity within the regime’s prison system.