Death Sentence of Hooshmand Alipour, Kurdish prisoner, Overthrown by The Supreme Court

International Liberty Association: The death sentence of Hooshmand Alipour, a political prisoner imprisoned in Sanandaj Prison, was overturned by the Supreme Court and referred to the Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj as a branch for retrial. Mr Alipour’s trial will be held on 20 September in this branch of the court.

Hooshmand Alipour was sentenced to death by the Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj in January 2020.

According to a source familiar with Mr Alipour’s condition: “Alipour’s smart lawyer told his family today, Tuesday, 15 September, that his death sentence had been violated in the Supreme Court and that the case had been referred to the Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj. They added: “They have been told that the court hearing will be held in this branch on 20 September.”

Hooshmand Alipour was arrested by security forces on 3 August 2018, along with Mohammad Ostad Qader, on charges of membership in an opposition group.

Four days after his arrest, Iran TV broadcasted a program in which Hooshmand Alipour and Mohammad Ostad Qader, confessed to their role in the attack on a security base in Saqqez.

On 12 September 2018, Amnesty International issued a statement expressing concern over the detention of these citizens and broadcasting their confessions against them on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Radio and Television, saying, “On 3 August, Hooshmand Alipour and Mohammad Ostad Qader near the city of Saqez Kurdistan province was detained by security forces on suspicion of participating in a military attack on a security base in that city.

Mohammad Ostad Qader was shot and wounded during his detention but has been denied medical care. Both men were taken to an unknown location and denied access to family and a lawyer. “Given the nature of the allegations made by the Ministry of Intelligence and the televised confessions, these charges may carry the death penalty.”

---