On the Imminent Risk of Execution for Vahid Bani-Amrian, a Young Kurdish Academic
Ahwaz Human Rights Center – UK
On the Imminent Risk of Execution for Vahid Bani-Amrian, a Young Kurdish Academic
Ahwaz Human Rights Center – UK expresses deep concern over the case of Vahid Bani-Amrian, a Kurdish political prisoner and academically distinguished young man, who now faces the serious threat of a death sentence. This risk comes after his refusal to give false confessions under coercion and his resistance to interrogator pressure. The Center considers the circumstances of his arrest, torture, and legal deprivations as a clear violation of fundamental human rights principles.
Vahid Bani-Amrian, born in 1992 and a native of Sangar, holds a master’s degree in management from K. N. Toosi University of Technology in Tehran. He was arrested on
22, December 2023 (1 Dey 1402) and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, where he was held for four months under severe physical and psychological torture. The intensity of the torture was such that upon his transfer to the prison’s general ward, officials forced him to sign a statement declaring that the torture had occurred before entering the general section—an action clearly intended to cover up the abuse he endured.
According to received reports, Mr. Bani-Amrian has been charged with rebellion (baghi), assembly and collusion against national security, and membership in the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK)—charges presented without access to an independent attorney or a fair trial. He is currently being held under uncertain and dangerous conditions, alternating between Evin and Fashafouyeh prisons.
In addition to enduring torture, Vahid Bani-Amrian suffers from multiple serious health conditions, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a weakened immune system, and severe respiratory infections. However, he has been denied proper medical treatment—an act that directly contravenes Article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules).
Ahwaz Human Rights Center – UK stresses that Vahid Bani-Amrian is from the Kurdish nation and belongs to the intellectually gifted youth among non-Persian peoples in Iran. It must be emphasized that the youth of these nations—particularly Kurds, Arabs, Baluch, and Turks of South Azerbaijan—are frequently and disproportionately targeted by discriminatory state policies, organized repression based on national identity, and security-driven crackdowns. These policies stand in direct contradiction to Iran’s international commitments and human rights obligations.
We urge all international human rights bodies, UN Special Rapporteurs, and civil society organizations to take urgent and effective action. Immediate attention to this case and others like it is necessary to:
Prevent the issuance and execution of death sentences,
Ensure the legal rights and physical safety of political prisoners, especially among non-Persian youth.
19 August 2025 / 29 Mordad 1404
Ahwaz Human Rights Center – UK
https://acfh.info
