Hossein Ahmadi Niaz, Hossein Panahi’s lawyer, announced that Ramin’s death sentence has been confirmed by Branch 39 the Supreme Court in Qom.
“During a very quick procedure and without holding a hearing, on Wednesday April 11, the verdict was verbally served to me and my client’s brother at Branch 39 of the Supreme Court based in Qom .” , the lawyer announced in an interview with Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN).
He added that the approval of the verdict was very unfair and unjust due to numerous legal and material reasons and he would contest the verdict once it is officially served.
According to the lawyer, following finalisation of the verdict by the Supreme Court, his client is at the risk of imminent execution unless his application for a trial is approved in which case the enforcement of the sentence will be suspended.
On Friday, June 22, Ramin Hossein Panahi was wounded and arrested by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Sanandaj. The political prisoner was transferred to one of IRGC Intelligence Detention Centres in Sanandaj. He was transferred to Sanandaj central Prison on January 09 after 200 days.
According to the family of this political prisoner, as well as his statements in the court, Ramin’s health has deteriorated due to torture and medical negligence during his time in solitary confinement. As a result, he is now suffering from kidney failure and amnesia. He is in poor physical health and he has not been offered any medical treatment in prison despite suffering from persistent pain due to kidney problems.
“According to his lawyer, Ahmad Hossein Niyazi, the verdict, issued by Judge Saeedi and another judge at the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj (Branch 1), Ramin Hossein Panahi has been sentenced to death by hanging per Articles 279 and 288 of the Islamic Penal Code.
It is worth noting that Ramin’s brother known as Afshin Hossein Panahi, who has a background in cooperation with environmental NGO’s, was sentenced to eight and a half years imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court on charges of holding a Nowruz ceremony and supporting the Kurdish parties. He is now in the central prison of Sanandaj. Zubair Hussein Panahi (Ramin’s cousin) has been also sentenced to six years in prison while Ahmad Amin Panah (the family’s son-in-law) was sentenced to five years in prison.
