Mass Show Trials

On Saturday, October 29, 2022, the Judiciary Press Office announced that at least 1,000 indictments were issued against those detained during the recent protests in different provinces, including Kerman, Semnan, Zanjan, Khuzestan, Qazvin, Kurdistan, Tehran, and Alborz. These indictments have been issued by the order of Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, the head of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The courts have started hearings for these defendants last week.
According to the report, Tehran was the first province where the hearing of the cases for these detainees who had been picked up during protests began in the 15th branch of the General and Revolutionary Court of this province headed by Abolqasem Salavati. “Mohammed Boroghani”, “Mohsen Rezazadeh Qaroqlou”, “Saman Seydi” on charges of “Moharebeh (war on God)” and two other citizens named “Mohammed Qobadlo” and “Said Shirazi” on charges of “spreading corruption on earth” and another citizen named “Abolfazl Mehri Hossein Hajilu” on charges of “defying the Islamic government” were the first defendants in these courts.
Amir Raisian, the lawyer of Mohammad Qobadlou, one of the citizens who was accused of “spreading corruption on earth” in the above-mentioned court, published an article on his Twitter account and addressed the flaws in the case and the way the case was being handled by the court. He also talked about his lack of access to his client. While admitting there is enough evidence in this case to convict Mohammad Qobadlo, this lawyer also disclosed that his client was suffering from some sort of mental illness.
Iran’s security agencies claim that 22-year-old Mohammad Qobadlo intentionally ran over the police motorcyclists with a white Paykan car, which led to the death of second lieutenant Vahid Karampour Hasanvand and the injury of five police officers. However, according to Amir Raisian, the murder charge for “running over” these officers is highly doubtful.
This is not the first time that the Islamic Republic has set up “show trials” in the middle of or after street protests, and by broadcasting the sessions of such courts on radio and other independent media, it tries to victimize some people and intimidate others in society.
As of 7th December, on the 82nd day of the protests, at least 12 of the mentioned defendants have been sentenced to execution on charges such as “Moharebeh” and “Spreading corruption on earth”. From the 12 individuals who have been sentenced to death, only names of 2 have been officially announced: Mohsen Shekari and Sahand Nour-Mohammadzadeh. More so, to this day the show trials have issued a total of 1218 months in prison for a total of 33 defendants.
The Amnesty international issued a statement warning of possible death sentences for 28 arrestees.