Habibollah Latifi, a Kurdish-Iranian political prisoner is to be executed in Iran on Sunday for the charge of “enmity against God.”
Iranian judicial authorities have issued the execution order and informed his lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht that the order will be carried out on Sunday, December 26.
Kurdistan Human Rights Organization has expressed grave concern over Latifi’s imminent execution and in a statement has called on all human rights organizations and international bodies as well as social activists to make every effort to save Latifi who is now in Sanandaj Prison.
Rawa News reports that Saleh Nikbakht has announced that the only avenue left to him is to apply for a pardon.
Amnesty International which had already reported that Latifi is in imminent danger of execution since he has been transferred to solitary confinement reported that Latifi, a law student at Ilam Open University was sentenced to death in a court behind closed doors without the presence of his lawyer. He is accused of membership in Pezhak organization, a Kurdish separatist group.
17 prisoners are currently in imminent danger of execution in Iran. The execution of Farzad Kamangar along with four other prisoners last May led to a general strike in Kurdistan protesting the executions.
Recenetly, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on the violations of human rights in Iran warning against the increase in the use of the death penalty in Iran while stressing that public executions and stoning are against international standards.
