The British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) expresses deep concern for the life of political prisoner Mohammad Javad Vafaei-Sani, after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld his death sentence over the weekend.

Mr Vafaei-Sani was reportedly arrested five years ago in Mashhad and sentenced to death last year on charges of affiliation with Iran’s democratic opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK). He has been subjected to torture and severe pressure in prison, and according to his lawyer, the death sentence was upheld despite clear legal irregularities and violations of due process.

Reports indicate that at least 17 other political prisoners are currently on death row on similar charges, all facing imminent risk of execution. Their cases are also marred by torture and gross violations of fair trial standards.

Earlier this year, Iranian authorities executed Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani for alleged membership in the PMOI. In our 28 July statement condemning these executions, we warned that the timing and the target suggest the regime could be preparing another series of mass executions reminiscent of the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners.

The regime is increasingly using the death penalty as a political tool to suppress dissent and crush the growing, pro-democracy protest and resistance movements. This alarming trend is underscored by the record number of more than 1,800 executions since Masoud Pezeshkian took office, including of women and political prisoners.

The British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) calls on the UK Government and the international community to act urgently to prevent another crime against humanity in Iran and save the lives of political prisoners on death row. Condemnation is not enough, concrete action is needed to hold the regime accountable.

We again urge the UK Government to impose targeted human rights sanctions on the judges, and officials responsible for these executions including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and to condition any future engagement with Tehran on a moratorium on all executions, and the immediate release of those imprisoned for political reasons or for exercising their right to protest and advocate democratic change.

British Committee for Iran Freedom

6 October 2025