Feb 21, 2007

West Balochistan: Appeals Execution


The Balochistan People’s Party appeals to the international community to urge Iran to discontinue persecution of the Baloch people, following a recent execution.

In a press statement released 20 February 2007, the Balochistan People’s Party (BPP) condemns the execution of Nasrollah Shanbehzai and the persecution of the Baloch community by Iranian authorities. The statement was further forwarded to the European Parliament, UNPO, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Mr. Shanbehzai was executed on 19 February 2007 following what is reported to have been an unlawful trial which lacked the representation of an independent defense lawyer. Alleged ties with the People’s Resistance Movement of Iran (PRMI) are speculated to have been the reasoning behind Iran’s execution verdict.

The Balochistan People’s Party appeals to the international community to exert diplomatic pressure on Iranian authorities to halt human rights violations against the Baloch people and requests human rights organizations to consider sending fact-missions to Balochistan.

The following are excerpts from the press release:

“Nasrollah Shanbezahi has been executed by hanging in public on Monday (19-02-2007; 10:00 AM) at local time in capital of Balochistan, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

[…] It is widely known that there are no civil courts or defence [defense] lawyers available in Iran for any defendant to prove his innocence, it was also unfortunately the case for Mr. Shanbezhai too. He has been beaten, tortured and forced by Iranian secret police to read a written confession of guilt on TV.

According to local people Mr. Shanbezhai[‘s] [..] only crime was that he was a relative of one of the members of PRMI movement. According to the Iranian official news agencies the secret police have rounded up more then 65 Baloch people allegedly in connection to the PRMI organization.

[…] Balochistan People Party condemns this show trial and execution by hanging of Nasrollah Shanbehzai and appeals to the international community specially the security council of the United Nations:

1-To put diplomatic pressure on the Iranian state to stop human rights violations in Balochistan and release all political prisoners including the recent arrested Baloch people […]

2-In order to highlight the situation and suffering of Baloch people in Iran, we request the international Human Right Organisations to send a fact finding delegation to Balochistan.” 

Link to BPP Press Release