Iran Executes Kurdish Porters Amid Controversial Allegations

Iran has executed three Kurdish porters, accused of serious charges including “moharebeh” (enmity against God) and “efsad-e fel-arz” (corruption on earth). The executions occurred on the same day that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was announced, as reported by BBC’s Farsi service. The family of one of the executed men maintains his innocence, asserting that he was wrongfully implicated in a plot involving the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.

According to the family’s statements, the three porters were arrested two years ago and allegedly charged with smuggling equipment intended for the assassination of Iranian officials. The judiciary’s actions have raised significant concerns, as they continue to detain numerous Afghan refugees, Kurdish porters, and Iranian citizens under similar charges that carry the death penalty.

“If someone is even slightly guilty, would they go on their own feet to a place where they know they will be arrested? He was innocent,” claimed a cousin of one of the executed men. The daughter of one of the porters has called upon the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq to assist in repatriating her father’s body. The family has expressed that they will not accept the reality of the execution until they see his body.

The KRG has responded by stating that they have not received a formal request to help with the return of the body. Kurdish porters typically cross the border between the KRG and Iran, carrying pre-packaged goods, which they do not open due to buyer preferences in Iran.

A KRG security official commented on the allegations, stating,

“Even if the Islamic Republic’s claim is true, and these porters were transporting equipment for Mossad, Mossad would never tell them that it is for an assassination. Mossad can hide explosives in a pager, so it certainly can hide it in cigarette or perfume boxes.”

The official further expressed skepticism about the Iranian claims, stating,

“We have no evidence that equipment has been smuggled from Kurdistan to Iran. Mossad has high-level influence in Iran and doesn’t need porters in border villages.”

These recent executions have drawn sharp criticism from various human rights organizations. Activists argue that these actions aim to instill fear among the Iranian populace rather than to penalize actual offenders. The Director of Iran Human Rights, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, highlighted that the three Kurds were executed “without a fair trial and based on confessions extracted under torture.”

The international community is closely monitoring the situation, as the Iranian government faces increasing scrutiny over its human rights practices. The executions have raised alarms that they reflect broader patterns of repression and unjust judicial proceedings within the country.