Reports have emerged from Kurdish rights organisations that the Iranian regime’s Intelligence Ministry has tortured two Kurdish civilians to death.
Musa Esmaeili and Peyman Galvani were tortured to death in the Intelligence Ministry’s detention centre in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan province, north-west Iran.
Musa Esmaeili, a 31-year-old* father of two, was arrested by the security forces on May 7th in Pasvi, a village in Piranshahr County, West Azerbaijan province.
On July 8th, Mr Esmaeili’s father was summoned to the Intelligence Ministry centre in Orumiyeh and told that his son had “lost his life under torture”.
During his two months’ detention Mr Esmaeili was denied any access to his family or a lawyer. Even though his family repeatedly went to the courts and security agencies in Piranshahr and Orumiyeh, they never had any clear answers about his situation.
The Iranian regime’s security forces have accused Mr Esmaeili of “membership of a Kurdish opposition party” and have so far refused to return his body to his family. They have also threatened the family about holding a funeral.
The Intelligence Ministry’s detention centre in Orumiyeh has also killed 24-year-old** Peyman Galvani, from Mahabad, West Azerbaijan province. Mr Galvani was arrested without a warrant on June 25th.
On July 5th, an unconsciousness Mr Galvani was transferred to Khomeini Hospital in Orumiyeh. He died four days later (on July 9th) as a result of the severe injuries he had sustained during his interrogation.
After Mr Galvani was admitted to hospital, Intelligence Ministry agents phoned his family, telling them that their son had been hospitalised after “falling from a height”. Despite Mr Galvani’s hands and feet being tied to the hospital bed, and security agents trying to prevent the family from visiting him, Peyman Galvani’s relatives were able to ascertain that his injuries with consistent with being tortured. His body has not yet been returned to his family.
Mr Galvani was reportedly a former member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) and had returned to Mahabad about three years ago after receiving a letter making assurances about his safety once he returned to Iran. He had got married about seven months ago.
* Some sources give Esmaeili’s age as 35.
** Some sources give Galvani’s age as 20.
Shahrokh Zamani Action Campaign
11 July 2023
Source: Kurdistan Human Rights Network, Hengaw and other Kurdish rights committees
Shahrokh Zamani Action Campaign 