WASHINGTON, January 31, 2025 – U.S. Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Tom McClintock (R-CA), co-chairs of the Congressional Iran Human Rights and Democracy Caucus, issued a strong condemnation of the Iranian regime’s escalating crackdown on political prisoners. In a joint statement, the lawmakers denounced the recent death sentences handed down by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court and called on the international community to intervene.
“As the co-chairs of the Congressional Iran Human Rights and Democracy Caucus, we again condemn the Iranian regime’s brutal treatment of political prisoners, particularly the six men recently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran: Abolhassan Montazer, Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, Babak Alipour, Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi, Pouya Ghobadi, and Vahid Bani Amerian,” the statement read.
The lawmakers also raised the alarm over the transfer of two additional political prisoners, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj—a facility notorious for carrying out executions. “These men have endured grave violations of their fundamental rights, including arbitrary arrest, torture, and the denial of a fair trial,” they emphasized, describing their cases as part of a broader pattern of systematic human rights violations in Iran.
US Congress➡️ Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-9) and Tom McClintock (CA-5), the Co-Chairmen of the Iran Human Rights and Democracy Caucus, today released the following statement. @VOAfarsi @IranIntl @OrgIAC @SecRubio @StateDRL @mdubowitz @RepStefanik https://t.co/guEfCYdyGP pic.twitter.com/PjvvAdcgYZ
— OIAC: Organization of Iranian American Communities (@OrgIAC) January 31, 2025
The statement further urged the international community to exert all available pressure on the Iranian regime to halt these executions and protect political prisoners from further harm.
The Iranian regime has intensified its use of capital punishment in recent months. According to human rights organizations, Iran executed nearly 1,000 individuals in 2024 alone, making it one of the world’s leading executioners. Advocacy groups warn that Tehran is using mass executions as a tool to suppress dissent and instill fear among its population.
Cohen and McClintock’s call for action follows a growing international outcry over Iran’s human rights abuses. The European Parliament recently passed a resolution condemning the regime’s repression and urging sanctions against top officials responsible for these violations. Meanwhile, human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have issued urgent appeals demanding clemency for those on death row.
As the clerical regime in Iran continues to defy international norms, pressure is mounting for governments worldwide to take decisive measures against its leadership.