A/HRC/25/61 45. The Special Rapporteur remains deeply concerned about the five Arab Ahwazi members of the Al-Hiwar cultural institute, who were arrested by the security forces in early 2011 and sentenced to death in July 2012. Their sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court on 9 January 2013. They were reportedly prosecuted for protected activities and convicted of moharebeh, efsad fil-arz (“corruption on earth”) and “spreading propaganda against the system”, reportedly in the absence of fair trial standards.33 46. According to reports submitted to the Special Rapporteur, five Azeri political and cultural activists, arrested between 31 December 2012 and 6 February 2013, were convicted and sentenced by branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Tabriz to nine years in prison for “founding an illegal group” and “propaganda against the State”. The five Azeri activists reportedly promoted the right to self-determination and the cultural and linguistic identity of Azeris in the Islamic Republic of Iran.On 16 June 2013, the Court of Appeals upheld the sentence.34 On 13 July 2013, the five activists embarked on a hunger strike to protest their alleged unfair trial and detention conditions.35 47. The Special Rapporteur is also concerned about the alleged reprisal for the killing of Iranian border forces, with the execution of 16 prisoners in the Sistan and Baluchistan province, the execution of four Ahwazi Arabs and the execution of two Kurdish political prisoners. In his statement on the executions, the Zahedan Revolutionary and Public Prosecutor maintained that the “wicked forces and opposition grouplets” had been warned that “we will retaliate against any action that harms innocent people and security and police forces. This morning, in response to the martyrdom of border forces in the City of Saravan, we executed 16 bandits that were connected to State opposition groups.”36 48. The head of the judiciary in Sistan and Baluchistan province reported that eight of the 16 individuals executed were charged with moharebeh and efsad fil-arz owing to their membership and cooperation with the Soldiers of Satan group and “participation in terrorist events in the province in recent years”, while the other eight were reportedly executed on drug-related charges.37 According to a number of reports, at least one juvenile offender was among the 16 persons executed.38 49. The Special Rapporteur remains concerned at reports of the extrajudicial killing of Kulbars by border forces39 and the injury or death of civilians as a result of land mines; 17 such cases were reported from March to October 2013.40 50. The Special Rapporteur is also concerned about the prosecution of cultural and labour activists. According to reports, labour activists were prosecuted for being members 33 Human Rights Watch, “Iran: Stop Execution of Ahwazi Arab Political Prisoners”, 24 January 2013, available from www.hrw.org/news/2013/01/24/iran-stop-execution-ahwazi-arab-political-prisoners. 34 Human Rights Watch, “Iran: Free Ethnic rights Activists”, 21 August 2013, available from www.hrw.org/news/2013/08/20/iran-free-ethnic-rights-activists. 35 Ibid. 36 See www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13920804000374. 37 See www.dadgostari-sb.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=1348&articleType=ArticleView&articleId=78845. 38 See HRANA, “Two Baloch teenage political prisoners sentenced to death were transferred to exile prisons”, 14 September 2012, available from http://hra-news.org/en/two-baloch-teenage-politicalprisoners-sentenced-to-death-were-transferred-to-exile-prisons#more-2010, and http://hrdai.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1440:1392-08-05-08-3152&catid=1:2010-07-21-10-18-57&Itemid=4. 39 See www.kurdpa.net/farsi/index.php?cat=idame&id=13417 and www.kurdpa.net/farsi/index.php?cat=idame&id=13408. 40 Report of the Centre for Supporters of Human Rights and Association of Human Rights in Kurdistan of Iran-Geneva (KMMK-G) submitted to the office of the Special Rapporteur on 6 December 2013. 12