Arvin Nathaniel Ghahremani received an 11th-hour stay of execution on Sunday amid a high-stakes global campaign to save his life from the Islamic Republic’s brutal justice system. He was slated to be executed on Monday.
New details about Ghahremani, held in Kermanshah Central Prison in Western Iran, indicated that his execution was postponed until next month.
Calling for execution
On Friday, a Norway-based Iran Human Rights group (IHRNGO) called for an urgent stay for his and other death row prisoners’ execution.
The organization said that an informed source told IHRNGO that “Arvin Ghahremani was arrested for the murder of Amir Shokri – who was killed during a street group fight two years ago – and sentenced to qisas [a section in Sharia Islamic law that concerns capital punishment]. His family has been given until Monday to convince the victim’s family to forgo execution. If not, his execution will be carried out.”
Ghahremani responded in self-defense against his attacker. Experts on Iran’s judicial system said he was being subjected to a discriminatory judicial system that prioritized Muslims over Jews in terms of justice.
The New York Post had reported – based on court documents it obtained about the alleged murder – that Ghahremani was working out at the gym in Kermanshah in November 2022, when seven men “ambushed” him.
A 40-year-old man who owed him money was part of the group. The purported victim was named Amir Shokri, according to Iran Human Rights. He attacked Ghahremani with a knife and was killed by his weapon during the altercation.
On 15 May 2024, IHRNGO noted “at least 103 people were executed in Iranian prisons in the previous 28 days.”
IHRNGO Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, said that “the silence of the international community regarding the execution of more than 103 people in the last four weeks is unacceptable and must end.”