ALBAWABA - Iran's Supreme Court recently sparked outrage after rejecting a retrial for Pakhshan Azizi, an Iranian-Kurdish activist and social worker who is set to be executed on charges made in July last year, according to Al Hurra.
This marks the second time that Iran's Supreme Court has rejected a retrial for Azizi. The renowned activist was arrested alongside her family on August 4, 2023, after she was accused by Tehran's Revolutionary Court, Branch 26, of "baghy (armed rebellion) through membership in armed opposition groups."
Pakhshan Azizi still faces execution, Iran rejects retrial
After two weeks of Azizi's arrest, Iranian authorities released her family on bail but kept the Kurdish activist detained, denying her access to lawyers and family visits for several months. According to the UN, Reports by human rights experts also indicate that Azizi was subjected to "severe psychological and physical torture" during her confinement.
One of Pakhshan Azizi's lawyers, Maziar Tataei, stated on Sunday that "The Supreme Court has rejected the request for a retrial without even requesting the case file, and the defense arguments presented by Pakhshan's lawyers have been dismissed as baseless."
Rejecting the retrial twice makes Azizi more prone to execution, as concerns over her life flooded social media. Al Hurra reported that Iran's Supreme Court approved Azizi's death sentence, despite international calls from human rights organizations.
A human rights expert said, "The charges against Ms. Pakhshan Azizi do not meet the threshold of ‘most serious crimes’ required by international law for the death penalty."
They further added, "Her death sentence constitutes a serious violation of international human rights law."
