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Pakhshan Azizi
Pakhshan Azizi (Persian: پخشان عزیزی; Sorani Kurdish: پهخشان عهزیزی; born 7 August 1984 in Mahabad, Iran) is a Kurdish-Iranian human rights activist currently recognized as a political prisoner in Iran. In July 2024, she was sentenced to death on charges of "armed rebellion against the state". She was additionally given a four-year prison term for alleged affiliation with the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK). Her legal representatives have denied these allegations.
Pakhshan Azizi was born on 7 August 1984, to a Kurdish family living in Mahabad, Iran. She attended and graduated from Allameh Tabataba'i University in Tehran with a degree in social work. On 16 November 2009, while attending the university, Azizi protested alongside other Kurdish students against political executions in Kurdistan. She was arrested and detained for her participation in the protest. After being released on bail on March 19, 2010, after four months of detention, Azizi moved to the Kurdistan region of Iraq. In 2015, Azizi began working in northeast Syria as a social worker, supporting refugees and victims of the Islamic State.
Azizi was arrested at her parents' home in Shahrak-e Kharrazi, Tehran by the Ministry of Intelligence on 4 August 2023. Azizi's father, Aziz Azizi, sister Pershang (also referred to as Pashang) Azizi and husband Hossein Abbasi, were also arrested. Azizi's family members were released after several days of interrogation, while Azizi was detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison in solitary confinement for several months, during which time she reported being physically beaten and tortured to extract confessions, denied legal representation, and denied visits with family. On 11 December 2023, Azizi was transferred to the women's ward of Evin Prison. In February 2024, Azizi was formally charged with baghi, armed insurrection, by Branch Five of the Evin Security Prosecutor's Office. On July 23, 2024, Azizi's lawyers were informed that Azizi had been sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court.
On 17 January 2025, Khaled Ali-Panah, a cousin of Verisheh Moradi and spokesperson for the "Campaign for Freedom," informed BBC Persian that Moradi, Azizi, and seven other women imprisoned in Evin Prison had been placed incommunicado. They were deprived of the right to communicate with their families and legal representatives.This followed the broadcast of a program by the Fars News Agency, an outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which targeted Azizi and Moradi which he said was a fabrication. The program accused them of being affiliated with the PJAK organization, participating in the Mahsa Amini protests, and returning to Iran to advance their activities against the government, alleging their presence in "safe houses."
In January 2025, Azizi's Article 474 appeal request was rejected by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court of Iran. Her lawyers were informed of the decision on 5 February. Azizi's lawyer, Amir Raeesian, published a statement to social media stating that the judge of Branch 39 had mistakenly believed Azizi was a member of ISIS when, in fact, Azizi's humanitarian work had focused on providing aid to people displaced by ISIS. Raeesian believed this false belief led to the ruling against Azizi's appeal.
The Kurdish Red Crescent and the Shams Rehabilitation Organization, located in northeastern Syria, provided translated official letters that attest to Azizi's humanitarian work. Her brother, Asu Azizi, presented these documents to the BBC Persian. In a social media statement, Asu urged the public to assist his sister, who was being falsely accused. He further informed the BBC that a laptop, containing vital documents related to her work with international organizations was confiscated by the Ministry of Intelligence. This evidence has not been presented in court or formally documented.
Asu Azizi has also provided various confirmations from three international organizations operating in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and Syria, which affirm that Pakhshan has engaged in voluntary social work with their entities.
One particular letter, signed by Maja Hess, the founder of a Swiss non-profit humanitarian organization engaged in health-related initiatives across several countries, including northeastern Syria, affirms that Pakhshan Azizi volunteered in social work, specifically aiding women and children in distress at the Nowruz camp located in the Derik area for refugees from Shingal. Another letter from the Shams Rehabilitation and Development Organization indicates that Pakhshan Azizi provided social work services at the Al-Hawl refugee camp in Al-Hasakah from September 2017 to December 2021, where she assisted women and children who had been victims of war and violence. Additionally, correspondence from the Red Crescent of Northeast Syria confirms Pakhshan Azizi's role as a volunteer social worker at the Nowruz camp from December 2014 to August 2017.
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Pakhshan Azizi
Pakhshan Azizi (Persian: پخشان عزیزی; Sorani Kurdish: پهخشان عهزیزی; born 7 August 1984 in Mahabad, Iran) is a Kurdish-Iranian human rights activist currently recognized as a political prisoner in Iran. In July 2024, she was sentenced to death on charges of "armed rebellion against the state". She was additionally given a four-year prison term for alleged affiliation with the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK). Her legal representatives have denied these allegations.
Pakhshan Azizi was born on 7 August 1984, to a Kurdish family living in Mahabad, Iran. She attended and graduated from Allameh Tabataba'i University in Tehran with a degree in social work. On 16 November 2009, while attending the university, Azizi protested alongside other Kurdish students against political executions in Kurdistan. She was arrested and detained for her participation in the protest. After being released on bail on March 19, 2010, after four months of detention, Azizi moved to the Kurdistan region of Iraq. In 2015, Azizi began working in northeast Syria as a social worker, supporting refugees and victims of the Islamic State.
Azizi was arrested at her parents' home in Shahrak-e Kharrazi, Tehran by the Ministry of Intelligence on 4 August 2023. Azizi's father, Aziz Azizi, sister Pershang (also referred to as Pashang) Azizi and husband Hossein Abbasi, were also arrested. Azizi's family members were released after several days of interrogation, while Azizi was detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison in solitary confinement for several months, during which time she reported being physically beaten and tortured to extract confessions, denied legal representation, and denied visits with family. On 11 December 2023, Azizi was transferred to the women's ward of Evin Prison. In February 2024, Azizi was formally charged with baghi, armed insurrection, by Branch Five of the Evin Security Prosecutor's Office. On July 23, 2024, Azizi's lawyers were informed that Azizi had been sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court.
On 17 January 2025, Khaled Ali-Panah, a cousin of Verisheh Moradi and spokesperson for the "Campaign for Freedom," informed BBC Persian that Moradi, Azizi, and seven other women imprisoned in Evin Prison had been placed incommunicado. They were deprived of the right to communicate with their families and legal representatives.This followed the broadcast of a program by the Fars News Agency, an outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which targeted Azizi and Moradi which he said was a fabrication. The program accused them of being affiliated with the PJAK organization, participating in the Mahsa Amini protests, and returning to Iran to advance their activities against the government, alleging their presence in "safe houses."
In January 2025, Azizi's Article 474 appeal request was rejected by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court of Iran. Her lawyers were informed of the decision on 5 February. Azizi's lawyer, Amir Raeesian, published a statement to social media stating that the judge of Branch 39 had mistakenly believed Azizi was a member of ISIS when, in fact, Azizi's humanitarian work had focused on providing aid to people displaced by ISIS. Raeesian believed this false belief led to the ruling against Azizi's appeal.
The Kurdish Red Crescent and the Shams Rehabilitation Organization, located in northeastern Syria, provided translated official letters that attest to Azizi's humanitarian work. Her brother, Asu Azizi, presented these documents to the BBC Persian. In a social media statement, Asu urged the public to assist his sister, who was being falsely accused. He further informed the BBC that a laptop, containing vital documents related to her work with international organizations was confiscated by the Ministry of Intelligence. This evidence has not been presented in court or formally documented.
Asu Azizi has also provided various confirmations from three international organizations operating in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and Syria, which affirm that Pakhshan has engaged in voluntary social work with their entities.
One particular letter, signed by Maja Hess, the founder of a Swiss non-profit humanitarian organization engaged in health-related initiatives across several countries, including northeastern Syria, affirms that Pakhshan Azizi volunteered in social work, specifically aiding women and children in distress at the Nowruz camp located in the Derik area for refugees from Shingal. Another letter from the Shams Rehabilitation and Development Organization indicates that Pakhshan Azizi provided social work services at the Al-Hawl refugee camp in Al-Hasakah from September 2017 to December 2021, where she assisted women and children who had been victims of war and violence. Additionally, correspondence from the Red Crescent of Northeast Syria confirms Pakhshan Azizi's role as a volunteer social worker at the Nowruz camp from December 2014 to August 2017.