In a letter dated December 5, 2024, Judy Sgro, Member of the Canadian Parliament, urged the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, to take immediate action to save six political prisoners in Iran who have been sentenced to death. The individuals—Abolhassan Montazer, Pouya Ghobadi, Vahid Bani-Amrian, Babak Alipour, Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar, and Mohammad Taghavi—were condemned to execution by Iran’s judiciary in what Sgro called a “sham trial.”
Highlighting Iran’s grim record as the world’s largest executioner per capita, MP Sgro expressed grave concern over the recent surge in executions, describing the punishment as “a form of revenge against a restless population who wants to enjoy its basic rights.” She further stressed the need for international accountability for Iran’s leaders, citing widespread internal repression and rampant use of capital punishment.
The former Canadian Minister called on the UN to intervene immediately to save the lives of these political prisoners and ensure the freedom of all political detainees in Iran. She emphasized that this escalation of executions underscores the Iranian regime’s attempt to silence dissent ahead of International Human Rights Day.
The full text of MP Judy Sgro’s letter follows below: