8 Kurdish political activist sentenced to death

According to reports from the "Campaign to stop the death penalty in Kurdistan", so far 8 political activists have been sentenced to death in the Sanandaj district –West of Iran.

This includes Habibollah Latifi a student from the law faculty of Sanandaj University in Ilam province.

Habibollah , 26 years old , has been in detention since the beginning of September 2007.

He has been charged for being an infidel (The term used against those who oppose the regime through armed struggle). He has also been charged to death for co-operating with Kurdish opposition parties by so called Sanandaj "revolutionary court", on 2 August 2008.

It is noticeable that the charge has not yet been officially issued to his lawyer Mr.Nemat Ahmadi.

During his detention , Mr.Latifi has been subjected to violent torture and punishments , resulting in internal hemorrhage and occasional unconsciousness .

The deterioration of his physical condition forced his transfer to Tohid hospital and later to the public social hospital of Sanandaj.

Political activist who have been sentenced to death are named as follow:
Anan HassanPour- Journalist
Hiwa Boutimar – Civil Rights activist and journalist
Farzad Kamangar- Civil and Human Rights activist
Anvar Hossein Panahi- Civil Rights activist and teacher
Farhad Vakili- Civil Rights activist
Ali Heydarian- Civil Rights activist
Arsalan Oliayee- Civil Rights activist
Habibollah Latifi - Civil Rights and student activist

Iran, after China, holds the top toll of death penalties.