A human rights activist told Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) that the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Orumiyeh and Mahabad confirmed jail sentences for two Kurdish citizens accused of having carried out “activities against national security and collaboration with a Kurdish political party”.
Raof Mohamad Ali, a Kurdish political prisoner currently serving his sentence in central prison of Orumiyeh was sentenced to 10 years behind bars for alleged links with Party of Free Life of Kurdistan” (PJAK) just a few days ago, the human rights activist said.
Mohamad, a native of Orumiyeh, was arrested six months ago in Kermanshah city by security forces and transferred to a detention centre in the same city known as “Meydoon Naft, where he was interrogated for around one month, the activist said.
The authorities had then sent him to the Oroumiyeh intelligence agency and on the day of his transfer to Orumiyeh the security forces had told him that he was “sentenced to death”, therefore he was to be “taken to the place where he would be executed”, the activist explained.
Upon hearing the threat, Mohamad had decided to commit suicide by throwing himself out of the car that resulted in “breaking his arm and serious injuries to his leg”.
He had been hospitalized then again sent to the intelligence agency office, where he was detained and constantly interrogated for two more months, after which he was transferred to the central prison of Orumiyeh.
After arrival, the prison authorities had ordered his placement at ward 10, which the activist said that “it is reserved for inmates charged with drug-trafficking offences and he has since been detained at this ward”.
The activist said that the Kurdish prisoner was “summoned a few days ago to be officially informed of his 10-year prison sentence”.
Meanwhile, Kurdish civil rights activist Pishwa Salehzadeh was sentenced to 30 months behind bars by section 10 of the appeal court of Orumiyeh, which was officially announced to his defence lawyer on 29 September.
KHRN sources on the ground said that Salehzadeh was head of “Tiroj” Civil Rights Association and Director of Information and Analysis at the “Sharonews” website.
Agents of the security forces of the city of Mahabad had arrested him in public on one of the main streets of the border town of Sardasht on the Iraqi-Kurdistan Region border on 25 February.
He was afterward transferred to a detention centre in Mahabad where he was detained for 50 days.
The security forces had then searched his house and confiscated some of his belongings.
According to our sources, Salehzadeh was temporarily released on bail, the payment of which amounted to 150 million Iranian rial (toman).
His trial took place in section 2 of Mahabad court under the presidency of the judge Mohamadkhah.
The judge sentenced him to two- years-and-a-half in prison for the following charges:
– Gathering and collusion against the state.
– PJAK Membership.
– Propaganda against the state.
Salehzadeh had appealed the verdict, but the court officially confirmed his sentence on 29 September.