HRANA – Branch 9 of Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Ahad Shokouhian, who was arrested during the nationwide January 2026 protests. He had previously been sentenced to death three times by the Tehran Revolutionary Court in connection with the protests in Pakdasht.
According to HRANA, the death sentence of Ahad Shokouhian has been upheld.
The ruling was confirmed by Branch 9 of the Supreme Court. Earlier, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Shokouhian to three death sentences on charges including acting against national security, assembly and collusion to act against national security, destruction of public property, and participation in the killing of two security force personnel. According to information received by HRANA, the allegations against him include participating in the January 8 protests in Pakdasht and setting fire to a mosque.
A source familiar with the case and close to Shokouhian’s family told HRANA that he was not present at the mosque when the fire occurred and was arrested solely because he bore a resemblance to another individual identified as the alleged perpetrator. Nevertheless, his sentence was issued and upheld without a thorough review of the available surveillance camera footage, and both the investigating judge and the trial judge refused requests to re-examine the recordings.
The source further stated that a significant portion of the prosecution’s case was based on confessions attributed to Ahad Shokouhian, although the circumstances under which those confessions were obtained remain unclear.
According to the same source, Shokouhian suffers from severe asthma, a condition that has been confirmed by the Legal Medicine Organization. Due to his physical condition, he would have been incapable of engaging in strenuous activities, including the alleged act of breaking down the mosque’s door.
Ahad Shokouhian was arrested on January 15, 2026, during the nationwide protests in Pakdasht and transferred to Khorin Prison in Varamin. In June 2026, he was transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.
Ahad Shokouhian, 38, is a flower market worker in Tehran, the sole breadwinner of his family, and a resident of Pakdasht.
It should be noted that protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.
