Iranian authorities executed a political prisoner in his 40s this week following his conviction on charges of spying for Israel’s intelligence services.
Iranian security forces alleged Pedram Madani provided intelligence to Israel and was convicted by a Revolutionary Court on charges of “corruption on earth” and “Moharebeh” (waging war against God). Madani, who was arrested in 2019, had been held in Tehran’s Evin Prison before being transferred to Ghezelhesar Prison days before his execution on Wednesday.
According to Iran International, Madani’s death sentence had been overturned by the Supreme Court on three occasions, but the case was reassigned to other branches that reinstated the verdict. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nargess Mohammadi contested the allegations, saying Madani was denied access to an independent lawyer and coerced into confessing under pressure and prolonged solitary confinement.
Since the Islamic Republic’s founding in 1979, international observers have cataloged widespread abuse of political detainees in Iranian prisons, frequently causing lasting physical trauma or death.
“These are death sentences without due process,” said IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam. “They amount to extrajudicial killings.” Iran Human Rights’ 2024 annual report noted that “forced confessions, especially those aired live on television, have become a propaganda tool aimed at creating fear and justifying the heavy sentences handed down to its political opponents and activists.”
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