The International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights (IOPHR) unequivocally condemns the extrajudicial execution of Mojahed Kourkour, a young Iranian protester, who was put to death today by the Islamic Republic of Iran following a grossly flawed and politically motivated legal process.
Undoubtedly, the extrajudicial execution of Mojahed Kourkour on the anniversary of the killing of Kian Pirfalak, the 11-year-old boy who was shot and killed by security forces, was carried out with the aim of protecting the true perpetrators of this innocent child’s death.
According to Iranian law, in a murder case, if the victim’s family grants forgiveness, the accused may be pardoned. In this case, Kian Pirfalak’s family never sought the execution of Mojahed Kourkour and, in fact, never believed he was responsible for their son’s death. Therefore, the true killer of Mojahed Kourkour is the same person who killed Kian Pirfalak.
Mr. Kourkour’s arrest, prolonged solitary confinement, torture, coerced confessions, and denial of due process all constitute clear violations of international human rights and legal standards.
His execution, despite widespread domestic and international appeals and grave doubts surrounding the legitimacy of the charges, marks yet another deliberate and unlawful act of state violence by a regime increasingly reliant on fear and repression to maintain its grip on power.
This act must be recognized for what it is: a state-sanctioned killing without fair trial, and therefore an extrajudicial execution under international law.
IOPHR considers this not only a human tragedy but a serious crime of the state that warrants international accountability.
We call upon the United Nations, the European Union, and all democratic governments to publicly condemn the execution of Mojahed Kourkour in the strongest possible terms, to initiate a thorough investigation of this case through international legal mechanisms, and to impose targeted sanctions on Iranian officials responsible for systematic violations of the right to life, due process, and fair trial standards.
Furthermore, IOPHR commits to pursuing all available legal and diplomatic avenues to ensure that those responsible for the unlawful killing of Mojahed Kourkour are held accountable before international forums, including the International Criminal Court and the UN Human Rights Council.
This tragic event is not an isolated incident, it is part of a systematic pattern of state-sponsored repression. Let it be known: we will not forget, we will not remain silent, and we will not stop until justice is served.
The International Organisation To Preserve Human Rights
London, Brussels, Berlin, Toronto, Washington
11th June 2025