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ABF joins  Amnesty International to protest against the scheduled execution of Habibollah Latifi.
The Appeal Court refused to hear defense witnesses in Latifi’s case.

The execution of Habibollah Latifi, a male member of the Kurdish minority in Iran, has been scheduled for 26 December, according to his lawyer. He was sentenced to death following an unfair trial.

Habibollah Latifi, a law student at Azad University in the south western province of Ilam, western Iran, was transferred to solitary confinement on 16 January 2010, prompting fears that he was to be executed. It is not known how long he was held there. His lawyer has now been informed by the Iranian authorities, in accordance with Iranian law, that his execution is scheduled to take place on 26 December,at Sanandaj Prison, Kordestan. Executions usually take place at daybreak. It is not known whether his family has been notified of his planned execution by the authorities.

Habibollah Latifi was arrested on 23 October 2007 in Sanandaj and sentenced to death on 3 July 2008 following an unfair trial by the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court. He was convicted of moharebeh (enmity against God), a vague but capital charge, in connection with his membership of and alleged activities on behalf of the Kurdish Independent Life Party (PJAK), a proscribed armed group. His trial was held behind closed doors and his lawyer was not allowed to be present to defend him. Nor was his family allowed to attend the trial. His death sentence was upheld by the Appeal Court in Sanandaj on 18 February 2009.

Additional Information

According to his lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, Habibillah Latifi denied allegations made in court that he was involved

in setting off acoustic explosions in the city of Sanandaj, and then filming them; as well as attempting to

assassinate a judicial official in Sanandaj.

In October 2009, fears were raised that Habibollah Latifi and other Kurdish political prisoners

Sherko Moarefi and Ehsan Fattahian were at imminent risk of execution after a judge in Sanandaj,

the provincial capital, received orders to carry our their executions. Ehsan Fattahian was executed

on 11 November 2009. Sherko Moarefi, was arrested in October 2008 and subsequently

sentenced to death and remains on death row in Saqqez prison.

At least 16 other Kurdish men and two women are believed to be on death row in connection with their alleged

membership of and activities for proscribed Kurdish organizations. Some have had their prison sentences

increased to death sentences. For further information on some of the Kurds on death row for political offences,
including those named in this UA, please see

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13

/007/2010/en

and

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/012/2009/en.

Kurds are one of Iran’s many minority groups and live mainly in the west and north-west of the country, in the

province of Kordestan and neighbouring provinces bordering Kurdish areas of Turkey and Iraq. They experience

religious, economic and cultural discrimination.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Persian, Kurdish, English, or your own language:

• Urging the authorities to halt Habibollah Latifi’s execution, scheduled for 26 December 2010;
• Calling on the authorities to commute the death sentence of Habibollah Latifi, imposed for political offences after an unfair trial;

• Stating that Amnesty International recognizes that governments’ have a responsibility to bring to justice those who commit crimes, in full conformity with international standards of fair trial, those suspected of criminal offences, but opposes the death penalty in all cases as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 04 FEBRUARY 2010 TO:

Leader of the Islamic Republic

Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei

The Office of the Supreme Leader

Islamic Republic Street – End of Shahid Keshvar Doust Street,

Tehran,

Islamic Republic of Iran

Email: Via website: http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter (English); http://www.leader.ir/langs/fa/index.php?p=letter (Persian)

Salutation: Your Excellency

Head of the Judiciary

Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani

Office of the Head of the Judiciary

Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri,

Tehran, 1316814737

Islamic Republic of Iran

Email: Via website:http://www.bia-judiciary.ir/tabid/62/Default.aspx;

2nd box (starred)=first name,3rd box(starred)=family name,5th box (starred)=email address, last box=substance of message

To send press grey box on left bottom side

Salutation: Your Excellency

And copies to:

Governor of Kordestan Province

Esmail Najjar

Email: In Persian and Kurdish, send via feedback form on the website:
http://www.ostan-kd.ir/Default.aspx?tabId=150&cv=4@0_1 In English, French or other languages, use the feedback form on the website: http://en.ostan-kd.ir/Default.aspx?TabID=59

Salutation: Dear Governor