⬆️ The Judiciary Media Center claims that Abbas (Mojahed) KoorKoori, a prisoner incarcerated in Shiban Prison, Ahvaz, is accused of murdering Kian Pirfalak, a child who died during the nationwide protests in 2021. Despite these claims, Pirfalak’s family, including Zeynab Molaee Rad, the child’s mother, has repeatedly denied this accusation, stating that their child was killed due to gunfire by forces affiliated with the government.

⬆️ Anvar Khezri, Kamran Sheikhe, and Khosro Besharat, three Sunni Muslim prisoners incarcerated in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj, were arrested in 2009 along with Qasem Abesteh, Ayoub Karimi, Davoud Abdollahi, and Farhad Salimi in a joint case for the suspected murder of Mamousta “Abdolrahim Tina” in October 2008, who had been killed by unidentified individuals.
Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mohammad Moghiseh, sentenced these individuals to death in March 2016. After the sentence was overturned by the Supreme Court for further review, it was referred back to Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Ultimately, Judge Abolqasem Salavati reissued the death sentences for these individuals.
Eventually, Branch 41 of the Supreme Court confirmed these sentences in February 2020. Among them, the execution sentences of Qasem Abesteh, Ayoub Karimi, Davoud Abdollahi, and Farhad Salimi were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj, on November 5, November 29, December 3, 2022, and January 24, 2023, respectively. Now, the other three defendants in the case are on death row in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

⬆️ Farshid Hassan Zehi, 26 years old and son of Hanif, was arrested by security forces in the village of Cheshmeh Ziarat, Zahedan, on November 24, 2022, on charges of “shooting at a vehicle near the Cheshmeh Ziarat village checkpoint.” He is currently detained in Ward 9 of Zahedan Prison. The court session that led to his death sentence was held online without the presence of his defense lawyer.

⬆️Seyed Mohammad Javad Vafaie Thani, a 28-year-old boxing coach, was arrested by security forces in Mashhad in March 2020 and transferred to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. This political prisoner was sentenced to death in December 2021 by Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad for charges of “Corruption on Earth through arson and deliberate destruction of specific places, including the government’s Tazirat organization building.” The sentence was later overturned by one of the branches of the Supreme Court, and the case was referred to a parallel branch. Eventually, in early August 2023, after a retrial, Mr. Vafaie Thani was sentenced to death by Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad. Babak Pak Nia, the defense lawyer for this political prisoner, recently stated: “The case of Mohammad Javad Vafaie Thani is being reviewed by Branch 9 of the Supreme Court, and as of the latest follow-up, no decision has been made regarding the annulment or confirmation of the initial verdict.”

⬆️Mansour Rasouli, along with Aran Omari, Rahman Parhazeh, Vafa Henareh, and Nasim Namazi, and five other defendants were arrested by security forces in November 2021. Ultimately, Mr. Rasouli, Omari, Parhazeh, Henareh, and Namazi were sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court for charges of Moharebeh (waging war against God) and Corruption on Earth (Ifsad fil-Arz) through cooperation with Israeli intelligence to disrupt the country’s security. The other five defendants of this case, namely Kamran Henareh, Fakhroddin Dodkanlu Milan, Ashkan Osman Nejad, Hassan Omarpour, and Amir Moshtagh Gangchin, were each sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to ten years in prison and are currently serving their sentences in the political ward of Urmia Prison. Among the five prisoners sentenced to death, the sentences of Aran Omari, Rahman Parhazeh, Vafa Henareh, and Nasim Namazi were executed in Urmia Prison on December 29, 2022. Mansour Rasouli, one of the defendants in this case, returned to the general ward of the prison following a halt in the execution, which is said to be due to legal developments in his case. The Iranian government has a documented history of using the charge of espionage as a tool against political opponents. Under no circumstances does espionage amount to the most serious crime as required under international law and as such it must never amount to the death penalty– any deprivation of life resulting from such charges is a grave violation of human rights.

⬆️Naib Askari was arrested by intelligence agents of the IRGC in Urmia on March 27, 2021. Mr. Askari was initially sentenced to death in absentia by Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia on April 15, 2023, for the charge of Moharebeh. After accepting his request for an appeal, the same branch, after several court sessions, changed his charge from Moharebeh to Baghy and re-sentenced him to death in late October 2023. Notably, the court sessions for Mr. Askari were held without the presence of his defense lawyer. His affiliation with one of the opposition Kurdish parties has been cited as a basis for his charges in this case.

⬆️Ali Majdam, Mohammadreza Moghadam, Moein Khanfari, Habib Deris, Adnan Ghabishawi, and Salem Mousavi, six security defendants, were arrested by security forces in Khuzestan in mid-February 2019. Eventually, in March 2023, Ali Majdam and Mohammadreza Moghadam were sentenced to death for leadership and membership in the “military branch of the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz” for armed confrontation against the foundation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Moein Khanfari, Habib Deris, Adnan Ghabishawi, and Salem Mousavi were sentenced to death for membership in the mentioned group, also for armed confrontation against the foundation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, by the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz, and the verdicts were confirmed by the Supreme Court.