Iranian of the Day

ICHRI: Rashid Akhkandi, 55, married, and a resident of Saqqez in Kurdistan Province is on death row inside Saqqez Prison.

Security forces arrested Rashid Akhkandi in Isfahan on April 10, 2008 . On July 22, 2009, Rashid Akhkandi was put on trial in Branch One of Saqqez Revolutionary Court under Judge Shaegh. He was sentenced to death and 30 years in prison in exile inside Minab Prison in Hormozgan Province, on charges of "moharebeh (enmity with God) through membership in opposition Kurdish parties."

After his lawyer appealed the ruling, his case was referred to Branch 5 of Kurdistan Province appeals Court, and his sentence was upheld in full. As a result of a further appeal on the decision, the case was sent to to Branch 8 of the Supreme Court and his death sentence was confirmed on August 2, 2011.

Rashid Akhkandi's case has been forwarded to the Enforcement Unit and he may be executed any moment.

In a report about the cases of Rashid Akhkandi and 27 other Kurdish prisoners, the Campaign wrote: "Campaign research indicates that in many of the referenced cases, due process has not been observed, the suspects have not had access to lawyers, and their statements during the process have not been noted. In some of the cases, the suspects have claimed that they were physically abused and tortured during the interrogations. According to families of some of the suspects who have made such claims, some through writing letters from prison, the Judiciary has not launched independent investigations to review the claims. By publishing this report, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran asks the Iranian Judiciary authorities to pay detailed attention in reviewing the claims of these prisoners and to seriously review the said sentences in order to ensure the legality of the judicial and sentencing process. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran also asks the Iranian Judiciary to launch an independent investigation into the claims of suspects who have stated that their actions regarding their charges were carried out under pressure and physical and psychological torture, and to release the results of their investigations to the public opinion."