Monday, November 11, 2024 

In TRUSU’s latest Urgent Action Letter, the union calls on Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, Iran’s Head of Judiciary, to immediately and unconditionally release Kurdish activist Pakhshan Azizi, who faces a death sentence for supporting displaced women and children.  

 “I think it is important that we stand against human rights violations and make sure our voices support those silenced by injustice” says Noori Arora, the Racialized Person Representative. 

Azizi, a dedicated humanitarian, was sentenced to death in July 2024 after an unfair trial for her peaceful efforts to support displaced women and children in northeast Syria. Since her detention, Azizi has reported experiencing torture, and her case has not received a fair investigation. Her conviction is based solely on her peaceful activism, making her continued detention and death sentence a violation of fundamental human rights. 

Azizi’s case is part of a broader pattern of disproportionate executions in Iran, particularly targeting ethnic minorities. In 2023, Iran executed at least 853 people, with minority communities, accounting for 20% of those executions despite representing only 5% of the population. This trend of politically motivated executions and mistreatment has continued into 2024, highlighting an urgent need for judicial reform and greater international awareness of Iran’s treatment of minority groups. 

“I hope Mr. Ejei will act as a leader for justice and human rights, ensuring cases like Azizi’s are handled with fairness and transparency. His role is critical in upholding these values and inspiring trust in Iran’s judicial system,” says Arora. 

The Union awaits a response from the Iranian Judiciary on this urgent matter. 

The Amnesty Urgent Actions Program allows for the Union to consistently take solidarity action regarding international human rights injustices that matter to students. Click this link to see injustices we have addressed previously, and for further information about this issue or to see a copy of the letter, contact the Equity Coordinator here.