Kurdistan Human Rights Network

The second court session of Verisheh Moradi, a member of the East Kurdistan Free Women Society (KJAR), took place on 5 October in Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, despite her legal team’s limited access to her case.

Moradi faces charges of “armed insurrection” (baghi) through her alleged membership of the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK).

The session, presided over by Judge Abolghassem Salavati, was previously adjourned on 28 August due to the absence of both the prosecution’s representative and the court’s advisor, Judge Amouzad.

The case resumed on 5 October 2024, with the prosecutor’s representative and Amouzad present in the courtroom.

However, reports received by the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) indicate that Judge Salavati did not allow Moradi or her legal team to present a defence during the hearing. 

Her lawyers, who had previously been denied access to the case files, were given only a few hours after the session to review the documents.

Moradi’s first hearing, on charges of “armed insurrection” (baghi) through membership of the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), was held on 16 June at Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran.

During this session, Judge Salavati did not allow Moradi or her lawyers to present a defence.

Since 6 May, Moradi has been prevented from contacting her family and lawyers by order of Judge Salavati. 

The activist had previously refused to attend an earlier hearing on 4 August in protest against the death sentences handed to fellow Kurdish political prisoners, Pakshan Azizi and Sharifeh Mohammadi, leading to the postponement of the session.

On the same day, Moradi had her letter and defence statement published on the Bidarzani website, announcing her refusal to attend the court session as a form of protest against the death sentences handed down to Azizi and Mohammadi.

In part of her letter published by Bidarzani website, Moradi wrote: “The unjust execution sentences of activists Sharifeh Mohammadi and Pakhshan Azizi within less than a month is the Islamic Republic’s admission of its political ineffectiveness and helplessness. The new government’s pretence of strength, fear-mongering and expansion of repression on the brink of the Women, Life and Freedom revolution is nothing but a vain illusion. In this context, I have been accused of ‘armed insurrection’ because I am a woman, a Kurd and I want to live in freedom. Now, after a year of temporary detention, I am waiting for the second court session in Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Salavati, on 4 August. Although I know that not attending the court could be interpreted as a refusal to defend myself, I will not go to court in protest against the death sentences handed down to my comrades Sharifeh Mohammadi and Pakhshan Azizi, and I do not recognise a court that does not issue fair judgments.”

Continuing her letter, she wrote: “On 1 August 2023, I was arrested by the forces of the Ministry of Intelligence at the Sanandaj-Kamyaran checkpoint. Shooting, breaking car windows, torture and physical assault at the moment of arrest, psychological warfare, interrogation in solitary confinement (white torture) away from cameras to prevent recording of their misconduct and unethical assaults, and humiliation in front of the camera to break my will – these were part of the pressures I endured during the 13 days I spent in the Ministry of Intelligence in Sanandaj. They called me savage and said I had lost my femininity! Why do you not cry? When was the last time you cried? When did you last smell a flower? Then they transferred me to Ward 209 of Evin House of Detention, where I spent four and a half months under intense pressure during interrogations that included torture, contradictory and deceptive fabricated scenarios, threats of character assassination and forced confessions. Severe headaches and constant bleeding (from the nose), worsening neck and back pain were the gifts of my days in solitary confinement.”

The first hearing, originally scheduled for 13 May, was cancelled for undisclosed reasons, and on 14 May Judge Salavati ordered Moradi’s transfer to solitary confinement in Ward 209 for further interrogation.

Pakhshan Azizi and Moradi went on a hunger strike for two days in protest at the transfer.

Moradi, a member of the East Kurdistan Free Women Society (KJAR) from Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence on 1 August 2023 at the entrance to Sanandaj upon her return from Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province, where she had been involved in political and organisational activities.

She spent the first 13 days of her detention in the detention centre of this security institution in Sanandaj, and afterwards was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison in Tehran.

During this period, she was subjected to pressure and threats to make forced confessions, and on 26 December 2023, after five months of solitary confinement, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison.