Trade Unionist Executed in Iran

Farzad Kamangar executed

Together with four other Kurdish political prisoners, Farzad Kamangar was executed, in secret, on Sunday 9 May at Evin Prison in Tehran. Kamangar, a 35-year-old teacher and member of the Teachers' Trade Association of Kurdistan, was accused of "endangering national security" and "enmity against God". He had lived with the threat of the death penalty since February 2008, when it was imposed upon him after a sham trial that lasted less than five minutes. In prison, Farzad suffered torture and psychological pressure.

Although the Iranian authorities had accepted Farzad’s appeal, the case stalled when it should have been sent to the Supreme Court for review. After further delays, Farzad's lawyer was told that his file had been lost. Despite the evident lack of independent inquiry into the allegations and the absence of a fair judicial process, Farzad has been executed.

Farzads case is particularly troubling because of the opaque and secretive manner in which his trial was conducted, the lack of basic rights he had access to whilst in prison, and the fact that neither his family or legal representatives were informed of his execution.

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