We Demand the Abolition of Pakhshan Azizi’s Death Sentence
279
Signatures
500
Goal
July 29, 2024
We, a group of activists from various fields, demand the abolition of the death sentence for Pakhshan Azizi, a journalist, social worker, and Kurdish women's rights activist. The Tehran Revolutionary Court presided over by Judge Afshari, sentenced Pakhshan to death on charges of "baghi" (rebellion) and collaboration with opposition groups. This sentence is profoundly unjust and far from legal and ethical standards. (The term "baghi" in Islamic jurisprudence means "rebellion against the Muslim Imam," and in the Islamic Penal Code of the Iranian regime, it is defined as an armed uprising against the government.)
Background
Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish women's rights activist from Mahabad (Kurdistan, Iran) and a social work graduate from Allameh Tabatabai University in Tehran, was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence in Tehran on August 4, 2023. She was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Several of her family members were also arrested at the same time but were released after a few days of interrogation.
In early 2024, Pakhshan was formally charged with "baghi" (rebellion) in Branch 5 of the Evin Security Prosecutor's Office. Her court sessions took place on May 28 and June 16, 2024. Throughout this period, from her arrest until her case was referred to the Revolutionary Court, Pakhshan was not allowed to have a lawyer. Eventually, she was sentenced to death by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.
During her detention, Pakhshan was deprived of the right to meet with her family and have a lawyer, and she was subjected to pressure and torture to obtain forced confessions.
This Kurdish political prisoner has been denied the right to contact and visit her family since July 6, 2024, by order of the prison's disciplinary council. Recently, in a letter from prison, she spoke about the ongoing oppression she endures due to being both a woman and a Kurd. She also mentioned being held in solitary confinement for five months.
Security forces had previously arrested Pakhshan Azizi. Her first arrest was on November 19, 2009, during a protest by Kurdish students at the University of Tehran against political executions in Kurdistan. She was released on bail after four months in detention and later left Iran, residing in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in recent years. During the ISIS attack on Rojava (Kurdistan, Syria), she worked as a social worker to help displaced people in the area.
Pakhshan Azizi's death sentence is a clear example of the severe repression of women's rights activists in Iran. Her peaceful efforts and support for women in Rojava, who were under oppression and torture by ISIS forces and faced the threat of abduction and rape like the women of Shengal, are commendable and deserving of praise. Pakhshan should be honored for this work and not punished.
In her letter from prison, Pakhshan advocates for a revolution in social consciousness, democratization of society, overcoming gender discrimination, and democratization of religion. She envisions the liberation of humanity, and these views should be recognized, not censored, nor should she be condemned to death for expressing them. Judge Afshari's sentence is a blatant violation of human rights and an attempt to silence women protesting against gender apartheid and ethnic discrimination in the Islamic Republic.
Our Demands:
1. Immediate Abolition of the Sentence: We demand the immediate abolition of the unjust death sentence for Pakhshan Azizi.
2. International Condemnation: We call on human rights organizations and the international community to condemn this sentence and demand its annulment from the Iranian government.
3. Support for Women Activists: We call for increased support for women's rights activists in Iran so that they can operate without fear of arbitrary arrests and harsh punishments.
We urge human rights organizations, international bodies, and all individuals who believe in justice to join us in the fight against the violence and repression threatening freedom-seeking women. By signing this petition, declare your support for female political prisoners.
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Province Number of signatures Alborz 3 Ardabil 0 Bushehr 0 Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari 0 East Azerbaijan 3 Fars 1 Gilan 4 Golestan 1 Hamadan 0 Hormozgan 0 Ilam 2 Isfahan 3 Kerman 2 Kermanshah 5 Khuzestan 1 Kohgiluyehv And Boyer Ahmad 0 Kurdistan 35 Lorestan 0 Markazi 1 Mazandaran 0 North Khorasan 2 Qazvin 0 Qom 0 Razavi Khorasan 1 Semnan 0 Sistan and Baluchestan 2 South Khorasan 0 Tehran 21 West Azerbaijan 3 Yazd 1 Zanjan 0 This petition has received 279 signatures so far. Approximately 73% of signatures come from Iran. Approximately 27% of signatures come from outside of Iran. Learn how Daadkhast generates signature maps. -
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A group of social activists started this petition
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زنان زندانی سیاسی اوین: با سه شنبه های «نه به اعدام» همراه میشویم
روز سه‌شنبه ۹ مرداد ماه ۱۴۰۳، زنان زندانی سیاسی-عقیدتی زندان اوین در ادامه اعتراض به صدور حکم اعدام پخشان عزیزی، با سه‌شنبه‌های «نه به اعدام» همراه شده و در اعتصاب غذا خواهند بود.
تا لغو حکم اعدام
ایستاده‌ایم تا پایان
زنان زندانی سیاسی اوین
مرداد ۱۴۰۳ -
متن کامل نامەی سرگشادەی پخشان عزیزی
هفتەی گذشتە بخش‌هایی از نامه سرگشادەی پخشان عزیزی، زندانی سیاسی کورد محکوم بە اعدام، تحت عنوان «کتمان حقیقت و آلترناتیو آن» در شبکەهای اجتماعی منتشر شدە بود. متن پیش‌رو نسخەی کامل این نامە است کە برای انتشار در اختیار #بیدارزنی گذاشتە شدە است. این زندانی سیاسی در نامەی خود بە روایت نحوەی بازداشت خشونت‌آمیز خود و خانوادەاش از سوی نیروهای امنیتی، شکنجەهای اعمال شدە در دوران بازداشت و همچنین مواضع و فعالیت‌های سیاسی خود پرداختە است.
- ۶ مرداد ۱۴۰۳
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