Family denied of their beloved ones corps

On the early hours of Saturday morning 2009, Mehdi Ghassemzadeh , a follower of the "Ahle Hagh" dervishes, was executed on charges of blasphemy, in Urumieh prison.

Neither his arrest, charges nor imprisonment were officially announced by authorities, but it is claimed that Mr.Ghassemzadeh was arrested when he was wounded in an armed clashe with the police in "Ojtapeh" ( A district in Urumieh) . He had been in prison for 4 years till his execution.
His family was denied the corps of their son, and was told to peruse the matter with the Intelligence Ministry.

It is worth noting that three others who shared the same case, sentenced to be hanged have now received a thirteen year prison sentence. These individuals are: ShahandAli Mohammadi, BakhshAli Mohammadi, Ebadollah Ghassemzadeh.

All three are members of the "Atashgera" (Fire lenient) sect in "Ojtapeh" district and have been reported to have been tortured in prison.

According to Azerbaijan websites following news on political prisoners, all three individuals have been on hunger strike in protest to Mr.Ghassemzadehs's sentence for execution.

Parallel to the hanging of Mr.Ghassemzadeh, Human Right activists are expressing concern on the possible hanging of another follower of the dervishes ; Youness Aghayan in the following days.