Protester Reza Rasayi at Imminent Risk of Execution; 23 Execution Recorded in 5 Days

(Gholam) Reza Rasayi is a 34-year-old Kurdish protester of the Yarsani faith who was arrested in relation to the death of IRGC member Nader Beirami at a ceremony held for Yarsani leader, Seyed Khalil Alinejad, which people used as an opportunity to protest, holding “Woman, Life, Freedom” signs. Authorities falsely claimed the gathering which they violently crushed, was unrelated to protests.

Reza was the first defendant in a group trial of 11 defendants for charges of “participating in the murder of Nader Beirami with a cold weapon, participating in intentional bodily harm to the aforementioned with a knife and participating in disruption of public order by creating conflict, controversy and uproar” at Branch 2 of the Kermanshah province Criminal Court. In court documents obtained by IHRNGO, Reza denies the charges but after “investigations” he confesses to stabbing the officer. His co-defendants in the case were compelled to testify against Reza and were subsequently released or faced lighter sentences. One defendant later states that he never saw Reza stab the victim and his testimony was made “out of fear.” Reza did not testify against anyone else himself and denied the charges in later investigations and in court, stating clearly that his confessions had been extracted under torture. All other defendants also later retracted their testimonies which had been made “under torture.” The court also dismissed two expert testimonies in Reza’s favour including that of the  Kermanshah Forensic Medical Examiner whose testimony meant the fatal blow could not have been committed by Reza. 

In the judgement, the testimonies of torture were dismissed and despite a lack of evidence, the judge relied on elme qazi (knowledge of the judge- see page 41 of this report) to sentence him to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder on 7 October 2023. The IRGC officer’s family, who are the plaintiffs in the case, requested qisas, Reza’s execution.

Reza’s family were informed that his sentence had been upheld by Branch 17 of the Supreme Court on 24 December 2023. His appeal was rejected by Branch One of the Supreme Court without addressing the legal flaws and contradictions” according to HRANA news agency.