537 South Azerbaijani activists — including academics, writers, students, and human rights defenders — issued a joint statement protesting the death sentence of Ehsan Feridi, a South Azerbaijani student from Tabriz.

They condemned the death penalty, especially for political or ideological reasons, and cited international human rights laws affirming the right to life. The statement argues that executions neither bring justice nor reduce crime but instead fuel fear and serve as a tool for silencing dissent.

The activists described Feridi’s case as an example of the Iranian regime’s repression of political and ethnic opposition. They demanded the immediate cancellation of Feridi’s sentence, his release, and the complete abolition of the death penalty in Iran.