The European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA) has signed an open letter urging the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to intervene in the imminent executions of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, two Iranian political prisoners.
Alexis Anagnostakis, ECBA’s Human Rights Officer, along with 302 international figures, has endorsed the urgent appeal to save the lives of the two activists.
Ehsani and Hassani are both recognized for their peaceful activism against the death penalty through the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign. However, following what has been described as a deeply flawed legal process, they now face imminent execution. Their legal representatives have filed an emergency motion for retrial, but under the Iranian regime’s judiciary—widely criticized for its lack of transparency and fairness—there is no certainty that due process will be followed.
European Criminal Bar Association signs open letter to UN High Commissioner @Volker_Turk against death penalty in Iran for Behrouz Ehsani & Mehdi Hassani
CC: @drmaisato @DavidLammy @kajakallas #SaveMehdiHassani #SaveBehrouzEhsani #StopExecutionsInIran pic.twitter.com/0Yn6GPSKBm
— M. Hanif Jazayeri (@HanifJazayeri) February 3, 2025
The ECBA, along with other human rights advocates worldwide, is calling on UN High Commissioner Volker Türk and UN Special Rapporteur Dr. Mai Sato to take immediate action to halt these executions.
In a plea to the international community, the ECBA encourages individuals to support the campaign by:
- Reading and sharing the open letter
- Raising awareness on social media using the hashtags #SaveMehdiHassani #SaveBehrouzEhsani #StopExecutionsInIran
“The global legal community cannot remain silent while these men face an unjust death sentence,” the ECBA stated. “We urge immediate action to prevent this grave violation of human rights.”