TTB to Iran Medical Council: 'Death Sentence should be abolished'

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Medical Association of Türkiye (TTB) sent a letter to the Islamic Republic of Iran Medical Council (IRIMC) related to the people who are sentenced to death in connection with the protests in Iran.

TTB has in its letter dated Decembre 14 requested that efforts be made in order to stop the execution of the death penalties that the people participating in the Jîna Mahsa Amini protests and that of Dr. Hamid Qarahasanlou got and in order for the death penalty to be abolished completely.

The letter called for the inhumane treatment towards Dr. Hamid Qarahasanlou and his family who was tortured after being accused of killing a security official and sentenced to death to be stopped and death penalty to be abolished in Iran.

"Doctor's wife also tortured"

The full text of the letter signed by Dr. Ali İhsan Ökten, the vice-president of TTB Central Council and addressing Dr. Mohammad Raiszahed who is the Chairperson of the IRIMC is as follows:

"Dear Dr. Raiszadeh,

I am writing to you regarding the current situation of our colleague Dr. Hamid Qarahasanlou who was recently sentenced to death.

According to Dr. Qarahasanlou's brother, interrogators severely tortured the doctor's wife, who was also sentenced to 25 years in prison, to extract a confession from her against her husband about the death of a security member.

Turkish Medical Association strongly opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception.

Our association had a major role in the abolition of the death penalty in Turkey. I invite you to take action on this matter. Our colleague Dr. Hamid Qarahasanlou should be saved from this cruel action and the death penalty must be abolished in Iran."

Two people executed

Death sentences were executed of two people in connection with the protests that started with the death of Jîna Mahsa Amini who lost her life after being detained by the morality police.

The first was Muhsin Shikari who was detained during the protests in Tehran and sentenced to death for "threatening citizens with a non-firearm and injuring a security personnel."

Shikari was executed on the morning of December 8.

Iran officials announced that the protestor Majidreza Rahnavard who stood trial for "killing two policemen with a knife" in Mashhad was executed on December 12 "in the presence of a group of citizens."

BBC reported quoting lawyer Pegah Bani Haşimi from Iran that Rahnavard was executed only 23 days after he was detained and that never before was such a quick death sentence execution seen in the country.

At least 20 people under threat of death penalty

Amnesty International has announced that at least 20 people are risking a death sentence in connection with the latest protests.

According to the organization, 11 people have been sentenced to death in this period and three are charged with crimes that will result in the death penalty; these people have either got the death penalty or risk getting it.

Accordingly, 26-year-old soccer player Amir Nasr-Azadani is among those who risk getting the death penalty in the trials they stand. Azadani is charged with killing three security officials during the protests in Esfahan. (SD/PE)