Who are The Judges Issuing the Death Sentence for Hamid Hosseinzadeh Haydaranlou, a Kurdish political prisoner?

Qasem Mazeinani, chief justice of Branch 9 of the Supreme Court, and Reza Najafzadeh, chief justice of Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Wirmê (Uurmia)

Hamid Hosseinzadeh Haydaranlou, a Kurdish political prisoner, was sentenced to death in July 2024 by Reza Najafzadeh, chief justice of Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Wirmê (Urumia), on charges of "insurrection” and “membership in the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)." This ruling was issued despite multiple documents, including passport stamps and mobile phone signal logs, indicating that he was in Turkey at the time of the alleged incident and was not even close to the location of the incident in Iran.

The revolutionary court, presided by chief justice Najafzadeh, held a brief session during which the defendant's arguments and evidence were not adequately examined. The death sentence was solely based on coercive confessions obtained under torture during solitary confinement and was justified by the "knowledge of the judge." Throughout this period, the defendant was deprived of access to legal counsel, family visits, and effective judicial recourse.

Subsequently, March 2025, the death sentence for Hamid Hosseinzadeh was confirmed by Branch 9 of the Supreme Court, presided by chief justice Qasem Mazeinani. This ratification occurred despite the existence of justifying evidence in the case file and requests from the defense attorneys for a review or retrial. However, the Supreme Court finalized the sentence without conducting a serious examination of the issues presented.

Qasem Mazeinani has previously been recognized for his role as the head of Branch 9 of the Supreme Court in upholding death sentences for political prisoners, and he is regarded as a significant figure in the establishment of rulings without adhering to fair trial standards.

The case of Hamid Hosseinzadeh, initiated by the initial ruling from Najafzadeh and ultimately affirmed by Mazeinani, has become a prominent example of systemic injustice within the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Reza Najafzadeh; Head of Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia and his Role in Issuing Death Sentences for Political Prisoners.