Iran executed Kurdish political prisoner Mostafa Salimi in Saqqez Prison on Saturday morning, April 11, 2020.

Mr. Salimi, 53, was on death row for 17 years. Recently, he managed to break out of prison during the riots in the Prison of Saqqez on March 27. He was extradited to Iran several days ago by the Kurdistan Authority of Iraq.

Mostafa Salimi was taken to solitary confinement. He was given a last visitation with his family on Friday, April 10.

Mostafa Salimi was born on June 25, 1967 and was a contractor for the National Gas Company. He was arrested on April 6, 2003 in the city of Nahavand, in the western Hamadan Province, on the charge of Moharebeh (waging war on God) and collaboration with the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran.

His charges included two separate cases of armed clashes which left two State Security Force agents dead. He was also accused of 18 years of unarmed activities in support of the KDPI in Iran and five years of armed activities for the party in Iraq and Iran-Iraq border regions. He was a member of the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran but returned to Saqqez, Iran, after splitting from the group.

Sources close to Mr. Salimi say he was subjected to vicious physical and psychological torture during his detention.

A group of prisoners in the Prison of Saqqez clashed with prison guards at noon on Friday, March 27, and broke out of prison, after smashing the gates. Some 80 prisoners managed to successfully escape prison.

At least 10 prison riots have erupted since late last month in Iran as the prisoners have begun to speak out to demand temporary leave, hygienic supplies and separation of sick and healthy detainees.

Numerous prisoners have begun to test positive for coronavirus in recent weeks, with several died of Covid-19 in Iranian prisons.

Local media reported a major prison break on March 27 in Saqqez, in western Kurdistan province, with 74 inmates said to have fled because of conditions at the prison’s medical center. Videos published on social media show inmates running in all directions, some trying to stop passing cars.

The authorities responded to prisoners’ demands by heavy crackdown.

The worst violence happened on March 30 and 31 in the two prisons in Ahvaz, Sepidar and Sheiban, which led to deaths of dozens of prisoners.