IIran announced on Wednesday the execution of a Kurdish activist accused of the murder of a policeman, denounced by human rights defenders who described the convicted person as a “political prisoner”.
“Arash Ahmadi, also known as Sarkot, a member of the terrorist group Komala, was executed this morning,” state television said. This 29-year-old man was accused of having murdered a police officer, Hassan Maleki, in August 2018 in Ravansar, a city in the province of Kermanshah (west).
Television broadcast images presented as showing confessions by the accused. Such videos are frequently denounced by human rights groups, according to which these confessions are often coerced and obtained under torture.
Overseas-based human rights groups claimed the convict was arrested in early 2021 attempting to flee to Europe, after being found guilty of the murder. He has always denied these accusations.
Arash Ahmadi was hanged Wednesday morning in Kermanshah prison, according to separate statements from Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR), Hengaw, which campaigns for the rights of Iranian Kurds, and Kurdistan Human. Rights Network, based in France. The execution took place in secret, according to these groups.
