According to reports, two Kurdish women activists, Varişe Moradi and Pakhshan Azizi, have been sentenced to death by the Iranian authorities for their political activities and advocacy for women’s rights. The decision has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights activists and organisations, who view it as part of a broader pattern of oppression against minorities in Iran.
Vrisheh or Varişe Moradi: Advocate for Women’s Rights
According to Kurdish media, Vrisheh Moradi was a prominent advocate for women’s liberation and rights in eastern Kurdistan (Rojhelat). She was forcibly disappeared by Iranian intelligence forces near Sanandaj (Sine) in August 2023.
Eyewitnesses reported that Moradi was taken away in an unmarked vehicle to an undisclosed location, with no information provided to her family. During her enforced disappearance, she was charged with serious offences that ultimately led to her death sentence. Human rights organisations have criticised the decision as politically motivated and unjust.
Pakhshan Azizi: Journalist and Political Activist
Pakhshan Azizi, a journalist and activist, was detained by Iranian authorities for her political and social activities. Reports suggest that she was subjected to severe torture during her detention and was sentenced to death without a fair trial.
Kurdish political parties have condemned the treatment of Azizi, labelling it a grave violation of human rights and highlighting the increasing repression faced by minorities in Iran.
In response to the death sentences, six Kurdish political parties have announced a general strike in eastern Kurdistan on 22 January. They have urged the public to join the protest by suspending business operations, schools, and other activities.
Capital Punishment and Minority Discrimination
The Iranian government has previously been accused of targeting Kurdish, Baloch, and other minority groups for their activism and advocacy of human rights. Human rights organisations report that a significant proportion of those executed in Iran belong to minority communities, underscoring systemic discrimination.
According to reports received by The Balochistan Post, at least 34 Baloch individuals were executed in Iranian prisons in the first half of 2024. Of these, 27 were convicted on drug-related charges, while seven faced execution for murder.
Activists argue that the use of capital punishment disproportionately affects ethnic and religious minorities, including Kurds in the northwest, Arabs in the southwest, and Baloch in the southeast.
The death sentences for Vrisheh Moradi and Pakhshan Azizi have intensified calls for international intervention and increased scrutiny of Iran’s human rights record.