Iranian Kurdish journalists sentenced to death

Kurdish journalists Adnan Hassanpur (L) and Hiwa Botimar sentenced to death by the Iranian Islamic regime.

AFP

Two Iranian Kurdish journalists sentenced to death have been on hunger strike in prison for more than a month.

I saw Adnan Hassanpour and (Abdolvahed) Hiwa Botimar in prison two days ago. I confirm they have been on hunger strike as they had severely lost weight and looked very pale," Saleh Nikbakht said.

"For the past couple of days they have not had anything but water and it is very alarming as they will not hold out very long," he said.

The two men were sentenced to death for being "enemies of God" on July 16 by a revolutionary court in Mariwan, in Iran's northeastern Kurdistan province.
Kurdish journalists Adnan Hassanpur (L) and Hiwa Botimar sentenced to death by the Iranian Islamic regime

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon asked to intercede on behalf of the two Kurdish journalists under sentence of death in Iran.

"After the death sentence they were transferred to the detention centre of the Kurdistan intelligence bureau," the lawyer said.

An Iranian human rights group the Defence of Prisoners' Rights Society also voiced concern over the two men's plight on Monday.

"The society, regardless of their accusations, sees it as its duty to raise alarm over their health and life," a statement
said.

"Their demands are limited and can be met. They want to be transferred to the general section of the prison and meet
their families and lawyers."

After the death sentence they were transferred to the detention centre of the Kurdistan intelligence bureau.

The lawyer said.

The death sentences against the two men have drawn condemnation in Europe.

But the Iranian judiciary has said the pair were prosecuted not for their work as journalists but for taking up arms against
Iran's Islamic system.

According to Reporters Without Borders, the two journalists wrote for the magazine Aso (Horizons) before it was banned
in August 2005.