Press Release: BCFIF reiterates call on UK Government to intervene to save lives of political prisoners and prevent massacre in Iran's prisons

The British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) is alarmed over reports of Iranian authorities transferring another five political prisoners to Qezelhessar Prison on Friday, which is notorious for being an execution site. The five political prisoners identified by campaigners as Vahid Bani Amerian, 33, Babak Alipour, 34, Shahrokh Daneshvarkar, 58, Mohammad Taghavi, 59, and Pouya Ghobadi, 33, were sentenced to death on charges of membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) following unfair trials.

Their transfer raises fear of the five being at risk of imminent execution as it resembles the cases of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, two political prisoners executed recently by the regime on similar charges. Even behind bars, they took part in the “No to Executions Tuesdays”. Their courage to stand up to injustice and tyranny is a source of hope and inspiration.

As we warned previously, the surge in executions since 2022 nationwide protests, and in particular in recent months, indicate that the regime is preparing another massacre in the country’s prison reminiscent of the 1988 mass executions. Like 37 ago, the regime is using the judiciary and politically motivated charges and execution to eliminate any organised opposition amid growing popular dissent.

This alarming development demands urgent international intervention to save lives and to prevent a repeat of one of the darkest tragedies in Iran’s modern history.

The British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) urges the UK Government to lead these efforts and to take immediate action with international partners to deliver on its commitment to hold the regime in Iran to account.

It is now paramount that the UK and E3 end the culture of impunity the regime enjoys and condition all diplomatic and economic relations with the regime on the immediate cessation of executions and release of political prisoners in Iran. These efforts must include imposing targeted human rights sanctions on the judges and officials responsible for these executions that follow unfair trials, including Supreme Leader Khamenei.

The Iranian authorities should know that its executions only strengthen our resolve to stand with the Iranian people and their organised resistance movement. The Iranian people have the right to endeavour for a better and prosperous future.

British Committee for Iran Freedom

10 August 2025