Over the past 46 years, the Iranian regime has responded to the people’s demands and aspirations only with repression, imprisonment, torture, and execution.

According to reports from human rights organizations, more than 901 people, including 31 women, were executed in Iranian prisons in 2024 alone. Currently, many political prisoners face imminent execution, including Pakhshan Azizi, Varisheh Moradi, Babak Alipour, Pouya Ghobadi Bistouni, Abbas Veys, Abbas (Mojahid) Korkor, Behrouz Ehsani, Mehdi Hassani, Ali Mojdam, Habib Dris, Moein Khanfari, and Adnan Ghabishavi.

The Islamic regime has sentenced Pakhshan Azizi to death on charges of participating in a terrorist group. However, Pakhshan Azizi, a native of Mahabad, Kurdistan and a graduate in Social Work from Allameh Tabataba’i University in Tehran, traveled to the Rojava region of Syrian Kurdistan after ISIS attacks to assist war refugees as a social worker. After some time, she returned to Iran but was arrested and imprisoned on August 4, 2023.

The Islamic Republic’s “strategic depth” policy—once a point of pride despite the enormous financial burden it imposed on the Iranian people—has suffered significant blows. Hamas and Hezbollah have faced serious setbacks, and the fall of the Syrian government, along with Assad's flight to Russia, has dealt another severe blow. At the same time, the regime is struggling with a severe economic crisis. Sanctions have worsened the situation, prices continue to soar, unemployment is rampant, and poverty is crushing ordinary Iranians. Daily protests by workers, retirees, teachers, students, and other social groups persist in cities across the country.

Domestically embattled and regionally weakened, the repressive Islamic regime is increasingly terrified of social and protest movements, particularly the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement. In desperation, it is resorting to a surge in executions to create fear and stifle these uprisings.

We, the two political coalitions “Broad Solidarity for Freedom and Equality” and “The Congress of Iranian Federal Nations,” firmly believe that the death penalty is an inhumane punishment. We must work relentlessly to abolish the death penalty, which amounts to state-sanctioned murder, from the legal system.

We condemn the death sentences issued against Pakhshan Azizi, Varisheh Moradi, and all those who fight for freedom and democracy. We demand the immediate release of all political prisoners. We urge all freedom-loving and democratic individuals and political forces to raise their voices in protest and to use every available means to bring this issue to the international stage. Members and supporters of our coalitions must also actively participate in protests and advocacy efforts abroad to oppose the death sentence of Pakhshan Azizi and others at risk of execution.

Congress of Federal Nationalities for Iran
Broad Solidarity for Freedom and Equality in Iran

January 15, 2025