September 9, 2026; Kurdish political prisoner "Yousef Ahmadi," who has been in detention for more than 6 years and facing execution for over 3 years, was previously sentenced to death in two separate cases by the Criminal and Revolutionary Courts of Kurdistan Province. In recent days, one of these death sentences, issued in connection with the Criminal Court case, was commuted to 10 years of discretionary imprisonment (taziri) and the payment of blood money (diyya). However, his life remains gravely endangered by a second death sentence under charges of "baghi" (armed rebellion), which has already been upheld twice by the Supreme Court. His lawyers have submitted a third request for judicial review (e'ade-ye dadresi) to the Supreme Court.

An informed source confirmed the news to Kurdpa, stating: On Thursday, September 3, 2026, one of Yousef Ahmadi's death sentences regarding the charge of "qisas" (retribution-in-kind) was overturned by Branch 1 of the Criminal Court of Kurdistan Province and converted to blood money and 10 years of imprisonment. Nevertheless, his life remains at risk due to the second death sentence linked to charges of "baghi." This sentence has been affirmed twice by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court, presided over by Judge Nayeri, and his defense attorneys are currently submitting a third petition for judicial review to overturn the ruling.

According to the source, the death sentence related to the "baghi" charge was upheld by the Supreme Court in the Iranian years 1402 and 1403 (2023–2024), and these decisions were verbally communicated to his lawyers following persistent inquiries.

Four Kurdish political prisoners from Baneh—Yousef Ahmadi, Mohammad Karimi, Abdulbaset Karimi, and Mohammad Feyzi—are co-defendants in a single legal case and face execution or lengthy prison terms. Throughout months of interrogation in security detention centers in Sanandaj, they were deprived of access to legal assistance as well as visits and telephone contact with their families, while being subjected to severe physical torture to extract forced confessions. None of these four prisoners were ever granted temporary release on bail. Yousef Ahmadi, facing two death sentences, has not been granted a single day of temporary leave (morakhasi) and is currently incarcerated in Sanandaj Central Prison.

Background of Arrests and Sentences Against the Four Kurdish Political Prisoners:

In late April 2020, four Kurdish citizens—Yousef Ahmadi, Mohammad Karimi, Abdulbaset Karimi, and Mohammad Feyzi, all from Baneh in Kurdistan Province—were arbitrarily arrested without judicial warrants during a wave of detentions. They were subsequently transferred to a security detention center in Sanandaj for interrogation and subjected to extreme physical torture aimed at extracting forced confessions.

On September 3, 2023, after three years and four months of temporary detention without access to bail or temporary leave, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj, presided over by Judge Saeedi, sentenced Yousef Ahmadi to death on charges of "baghi." In the same case, Mohammad Karimi, Abdulbaset Karimi, and Mohammad Feyzi were convicted of "complicity in baghi" and sentenced to 25 years, 20 years, and 20 years in prison respectively, totaling 65 years of imprisonment for the three co-defendants.

German Member of Parliament Assumes Political Sponsorship of Yousef Ahmadi:

January 25, 2024; Marcel Hopp, political sponsor for Kurdish political prisoner Yousef Ahmadi, posted on X following the Supreme Court's confirmation of Ahmadi's death sentence, warning of the imminent threat of execution: "Yousef Ahmadi's life is in grave danger." The German MP asserted Ahmadi's innocence, demanded his immediate release, and highlighted the physical and psychological torture, denial of legal representation, and violations of due process and international law present throughout his case. Earlier, on October 8, 2023, following Ahmadi's death sentence, Hopp assumed his political sponsorship to draw public awareness to his situation and increase pressure on the Islamic Republic.

March 19, 2024; On Political Prisoners' Day, Marcel Hopp posted on Instagram, reiterating his call for Yousef Ahmadi's immediate release. He noted that Ahmadi was shot in the leg in front of his children before his arrest, subsequently endured months of torture, and was convicted in a sham trial based on forced confessions extracted under coercion. Hopp stated that the death sentence had been upheld by the Supreme Court and that Ahmadi, alongside other political prisoners, faced imminent risk of execution.