The “Week in brief” by Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) is a weekly review of the most important human rights news and developments from and about Iran’s Kurdish areas.

Kurdish political prisoner sentenced to death in Iran

Kurdish political prisoner Ramin Hossein Panahi has been sentenced to death in Iran’s Kurdish Sanandaj city on charges of membership in an outlawed armed Kurdish opposition party.

The Branch One of the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj issued the death penalty for Panahi on charges of membership in the Iranian Kurdish Komala party.

“My client has been sentenced to death by hanging per Articles 279 and 288 of the Islamic Penal Code. I have 20 days to contest it,” his lawyer, Hossein Ahmadi Niaz, told KHRN.

“I believe my client does not deserve such a harsh punishment. The sentence is against the law and I will contest it,” he said.

Read more:

http://kurdistanhumanrights.net/en/ramin-hossein-panahi-sentenced-to-death/

Execution, jail sentences reinstated for Iran’s Kurdish political prisoners

The Branch Two of the Revolutionary Court of Orumiyeh reinstated sentences issued for seven Kurdish detainees from Oshnavieh on charges of “assisting armed actions” of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), an outlawed Iranian Kurdish armed party.

The sentences that had been issued included years and two days imprisonment in total for six of them and the execution of one of the defendants, although the Supreme Court had previously dismissed the verdict.

The court found the Kurdish defendants guilty of having provided shelter, food and supplies to the PDKI party, in addition to acting as PDKI’s main members to spread the party’s propaganda activities.

Read more:

http://kurdistanhumanrights.net/en/finalization-of-more-than-100-years-of-imprisonment-in-total-and-execution-sentence-for-seven-kurdish-citizens/

Iran to release death row Kurdish political prisoner

Kurdish political prisoner Saman Naseem’s death sentence has been commuted to imprisonment and he may be released soon.

According to reports obtained by the KHRN, Naseem’s court hearing was held at Branch Twelve of Orumiyeh Court of Appeal in the the presence of his defence lawyer.

The hearing lasted around 30 minutes and his death sentence was commuted to five years in prison.

He expects to be released soon because he has already spent some seven years behind bars.

Read more:

http://kurdistanhumanrights.net/en/saman-naseem-the-political-prisoner-may-be-released-in-the-coming-days/