SANANDAJ, Iranian Kurdistan – Sharafat Zarini, mother of Iranian-Kurdish detainee, Ramin Hossein Panahi who is sentenced to death, wrote a letter on Thursday to Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the EU for Foreign, asking her to discuss Ramin’s case with Iranian authorities during the on-going meetings.
“As you are negotiating with Iranian officials these days, I would kindly ask you to consider Ramin’s fate as a part of issues on the negotiation table with the Iranians,” Zarini asked Mogherini. “I am sure you have heard about Ramin, and you have seen his pictures. He is my son. He is a political activist who is just one step away from being executed.”
Panahi has been sentenced to death in January for “taking up arms against the sate” after speedy and unfair trial. He was reportedly forced to convince his his link to the Kurdish political party, Komala, under harsh torture
“I have heard that you are a mother yourself and have two daughters. So please let’s stop thinking about politic for a moment and talk like mothers do. I would kindly ask you to use your power mixed with your maternal sympathy, and work to halt my son’s execution that is scheduled by the end of Ramadan,” read the letter.
Panahi’s family have been under constant pressure form the security forces in Iran. They have been threatened by security forces not to talk with Media. His parents have publicly warned the state that they will burn themselves to death if they implement their son’s unfair sentence.
Last month Amnesty International has condemned the Iran’s decision to execute Panahi, calling the sentence “a breath taking miscarriage of justice from start to finish.”
