HRANA — The Supreme Court has, for the fourth time, rejected the retrial request of Mehdi Hasani, a political prisoner on death row currently held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

Amin Adel Ahmadian, Hasani’s defense attorney, announced the decision in a public statement, saying: “The Supreme Court rejected the retrial request without retrieving the original case file from the lower court and likely without reviewing the legal brief I submitted. I have also not yet been granted access to examine Mr. Hasani’s case file.”

This marks the fourth rejection of a retrial request for Hasani. The third was denied in April 2025, and the second earlier that same month. The first request was dismissed on February 24, 2024, by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court.

On January 26, 2025, Mehdi Hasani and fellow death row political prisoner Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou were transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar under the pretense of receiving medical care. The execution of their death sentences was subsequently paused after their retrial requests were registered and initially accepted by the Supreme Court.

In September 2024, both men were tried by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. They were sentenced to death on charges including baghi (armed rebellion), moharebeh (waging war against God), efsad-e fel arz (corruption on earth), gathering classified information, and assembly and collusion against national security.

Alleged membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) is among the central charges brought against them.

Mehdi Hasani, approximately 49 years old, is married and the father of two. He was arrested on September 9, 2022, while attempting to leave the country through Zanjan and was subsequently transferred to Evin Prison.