Hatem Ozdemir’s Death Sentence Upheld by the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Hatem Ozdemir, a Turkish citizen currently imprisoned in Urmia. In late May of this year, Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia sentenced Mr. Ozdemir to death on charges of “enmity against God” (Moharebeh).

According to HRANA, the Supreme Court recently confirmed Mr. Ozdemir’s death sentence, and this decision has been communicated to his defense attorney.

In late winter 2021, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Khoy initially sentenced Ozdemir to death on charges of “armed rebellion” (Baghi). This verdict was delivered to him on March 15 of that year. However, the Supreme Court later overturned the ruling, sending the case back for a retrial in a parallel court.

Following a re-examination of the case and a new hearing, the Revolutionary Court of Urmia, presided over by Judge Najafzadeh, reaffirmed the death sentence in late May, again on charges of “enmity against God.”

Ozdemir was first arrested by security forces in Maku in the early summer of 2019. After two months, he was transferred to the political ward of Urmia Prison. On September 18 of the same year, he was moved to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Urmia and, shortly afterward, returned to Urmia Central Prison.