At risk of execution in Iran: #SayTheirNames

Those confirmed as having been sentenced to death:

1. Sahand Nourmohammad-Zadeh

Update 26.01.23: Sahand's request for judicial review was granted by the Supreme Court, which means he will face retrials. He could still be sentenced to death again. Amnesty is following his case closely.

A Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced young protester Sahand Nourmohammad-Zadeh to death in November over accusations of “tearing down highway railings and setting fire to rubbish cans and tires” with the aim of “disrupting peace and order and confronting the Islamic state”. The court ruled the accusations amounted to “enmity against God”.

Sahand Nourmohammad-Zadeh's death sentence was issued after a fast-tracked proceeding which did not resemble a trial and under two months after his arrest on 23 September. His lawyer emphasized in court that the video footage used as evidence does not depict him setting fire to rubbish bins or tearing down highway railings.

Sahand Nourmohammad-Zadeh’s death sentence is a horrific assault on the right to life and a brazen violation of international law, which prohibits the use of the death penalty for crimes not involving intentional killing.

On 7 November 2022, Mizan Online reported that Sahand Nourmohammad-Zadeh is on trial before Branch 29 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.

In video footage shown during the proceedings and released publicly, a number of individuals, including a man wearing a mask, whom the authorities have alleged to be Sahand Nourmohammad-Zadeh, are seen placing the guard railing between two carriage ways on the road in order to block the traffic. In another section of the same video, the same man, along with another individual, are seen pushing a burning rubbish bin onto the road. According to video footage released by state media of some segments of the trial, Sahand Nourmohammad-Zadeh maintained his innocence in court and his lawyer emphasized in court that the video footage used as evidence does not depict him setting fire to the rubbish bins or tearing down the railings.

2. Mahan Sadrat (Sedarat) Madani

Update, 22.12.22:

Good news! On 21 December, Iranian state media affiliated with the judiciary announced that the Supreme Court had accepted Mahan Sadrat (Sedarat) Madani's request for judicial review. This means that his conviction and death sentence have been overturned and his case will be remanded back to the lower court for retrial. During retrial, it is possible he may be sentenced to death again and therefore it is important we continue campaigning on for him.

Iran's authorities are preparing to execute 22-year-old protester Mahan Sadrat (Sedarat) Madani just a month after he underwent a grossly unfair trial before a Revolutionary Court in Tehran on 3 November. He was transferred from the Greater Tehran Penitentiary to Raja’ai Shahr prison in Karaj, Alborz province on 10 December, sparking concerns that his execution may be carried out imminently.

Mahan Sadrat Madani’s death sentence is over accusations of using a knife to attack an individual, setting a motorcycle on fire and damaging a mobile phone, which the court ruled amounted to “enmity against God”. He repeatedly denied in court the accusations related to attacking someone with a knife.

Mahan Sadrat Madani’s death sentence is a brazen violation of international law which prohibits the use of the death penalty for crimes not involving intentional killing.

On 3 November, state media, citing the judiciary’s news agency, reported that Mahan Sadrat Madani is on trial before Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court. Mizan Online has released a CCTV footage which it alleges depicts Mahan Sadarat Madani attacking another man with a knife and setting fire to a motorbike. Amnesty International has reviewed the video footage, which is grainy and of low quality, making it difficult to identify any person with reasonable certainty. No knife is discernable in the video footage.

3. Manouchehr Mehman Navaz

A Revolutionary Court in Tehran has sentenced Manouchehr Mehman-Navaz to death for allegedly setting fire to a state building during protests “with intent to confront the Islamic state”. The court ruled that this amounted to “enmity against God” in a sham trial bearing no resemblance to a judicial proceeding. Manouchehr’s death sentence is an assault on the right to life and a brazen violation of international law which prohibits the use of the death penalty for crimes not involving intentional killing.

Manouchehr Mehman-Navaz's death sentence was issued in a speedy manner just two weeks after his trial started on 29 October. This is yet another illustration of how the Islamic Republic of Iran is cruelly using the death penalty as a weapon of political repression to further repress popular protests.

In a further shocking move, prosecution authorities have asked for the execution of Manoucher Mehman-Navaz to be carried out in public at the location of the alleged arson incident.

4. Mohammad Boroughani

Authorities have transferred young protester Mohammad Boroughani to Raja’i Shahr prison in Karaj, Alborz Province, sparking fears that his execution may be imminent. He was sentenced to death for “enmity against God” in a sham trial.

Within two weeks of proceedings that bore no resemblance to a judicial trial, a Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced Mohammad Boroughani to death for allegedly pulling a machete, setting fire to the governor’s building and injuring a state agent.

Mohammad Boroughani’s death sentence is an assault on the right to life and a brazen violation of international law which prohibits the use of the death penalty for crimes not involving intentional killing.

The case of Mohammad Boroughani was joined together with that of at least five other men – Mohammad Ghobadlou, Saman Seydi (Yasin), Saeed Shirazi, Abolfazl Mehri Hossein Hajilou, and Mohsen Rezazadeh Gharagholou – and referred to a Revolutionary Court in Tehran for a group trial. According to reports by Mizan Online, the men were brought the Revolutionary Court on 29 October 2022.

The court is presided over by the head of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, Abolghasem Salavati, but it remains unclear if Branch 15 is conducting the trial or a special court has been set up by the authorities in response to the protests. The official banner appearing behind the judge identifies the body conducting the group trial as the “court for dealing with the charges against recent rioters”. This banner reveals the highly biased position towards the defendants and undermines their presumption of innocence.

5. Mohammad Ghobadlou

Iranian protester Mohammad Ghobadlou, aged 22, was sentenced to death for “corruption on earth” after a fast-tracked sham trial before a Revolutionary Court in Tehran. Authorities relied on torture-tainted “confessions” to find him guilty of running over police officials with a car, killing one and injuring several others.

Mohammad Ghobadlou’s lawyer has pointed to the prosecution’s reliance on flawed evidence and the absence of credible inculpatory evidence against his client in the casefile, such as photographs of the crime scene and injuries sustained by the deceased at time of the incident, his hospitalization records, and the post-mortem examination. His lawyer has warned that the authorities are seeking to convict his client in a summary fashion, which he said would constitute “revenge” not justice.

Amnesty International has serious concerns that Mohammad Ghobadlou was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment. A forensic report, dated 20 October 2022, pointed to bruising and injuries on Mohammad Ghobadlou’s right arm, right elbow and left shoulder blade which it assessed had been sustained when he would have been in custody.

The court sentenced Mohammad Ghobadlou to death under two months after his arrest on 22 September. His independently appointed lawyers were not allowed in court and according to his lawyer and relatives, the court failed to conduct adequate examinations into his mental health. Mohammad Ghobadlou’s mother has stated that her son suffers from mental health problems.

Mohammad Ghobaldou is undergoing another trial before a criminal Court in Tehran on the charges stemming from the same alleged acts in contravention of protection against double jeopardy. If convicted, he could receive yet another death sentence.

The case of Mohammad Ghobaldou was joined together with at least that of five other men – Mohammad Boroughani, Saman Seydi (Yasin), Saeed Shirazi, Abolfazl Mehri Hossein Hajilou, and Mohsen Rezazadeh Gharagholou – and referred to a Revolutionary Court in Tehran for a group trial. According to reports by Mizan Online, the men were brought the Revolutionary Court on 29 October 2022. The court is presided over by the head of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, Abolghasem Salavati, but it remains unclear if Branch 15 is conducting the trial or a special court has been set up by the authorities in response to the protests. The official banner appearing behind the judge identifies the body conducting the group trial as the “court for dealing with the charges against recent rioters”. This banner reveals the highly biased position towards the defendants and undermines their presumption of innocence.

Further details on Mohammad Ghobadlou

• On 1 November 2022, Mohammad Ghobadlou’s mother released a video message, saying authorities had barred her son from receiving visits, were holding him in solitary confinement and denying him his medication. This followed an earlier video message by Mohammad Ghobadlou’s mother wherein she stated her son suffered from mental health problems.
• On 30 October, Mohammad Ghobadlou’s independently appointed lawyer published a series of tweets pointing to serious violations of his client's right to a fair trial including denial of the right to access a lawyer at the investigation phase. Mohammad Ghobadlou’s lawyer added that his client is also denied the right to be represented by his independently appointed lawyer during the trial before the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.
• On 2 November 2022, Mizan Online published an article confirming that the authorities are barring Mohammad Ghobadlou’s independently appointed lawyers from representing him in his trial before the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, noting that independently appointed lawyers are allowed to defend him in the parallel case he is facing before a criminal court.

6. Saman Seydi (Yasin)

Update 26.01.23: Saman's request for judicial review was granted by the Supreme Court, which means he will face retrials. He could still be sentenced to death again. Amnesty is following his case closely.

Saman Seydi (Yasin), a young rapper from Iran’s persecuted Kurdish minority, has been moved from Evin Prison in Tehran to Raja’i Shahr prison in Karaj, Alborz Province, sparking fears that his death sentence has been upheld and the authorities are preparing to execute him.

Saman Seydi (Yasin) was sentenced to death just weeks after his arrest on 2 October in a sham trial. Authorities relied on torture-tainted “confessions” to find him guilty of shooting a pistol three times into the air during protests, which they said amounts to “enmity against God”.

Amnesty International has received information that the authorities subjected Saman Seydi to torture and other ill-treatment to extract forced “confessions” including through severe beatings and forced exposure to extreme cold.

Prior to his arrest, Saman Seydi (Yasin) had posted several Instagram stories in support of the protests. His rap songs also include sociopolitical themes critical of the authorities.

Security forces arrested Saman Seydi (Yasin) at his home in Tehran on 2 October. His family was given no information about his fate and whereabouts until almost a week later when he was allowed to briefly phone them. The authorities have denied him access to a lawyer of his choosing.

Saman’s death sentence is an assault on the right to life and a brazen violation of international law which prohibits the use of the death penalty for crimes not involving intentional killing.

The case of Saman Seydi (Yasin) was joined together with that of at least five other men – Mohammad Boroughani, Mohammad Ghobaldou, Saeed Shirazi, Abolfazl Mehri Hossein Hajilou, and Mohsen Rezazadeh Gharagholou – and referred to a Revolutionary Court in Tehran for a group trial. According to reports by Mizan Online, the men were brought the Revolutionary Court on 29 October 2022. The court is presided over by the head of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, Abolghasem Salavati, but it remains unclear if Branch 15 is conducting the trial or a special court has been set up by the authorities in response to the protests. The official banner appearing behind the judge identifies the body conducting the group trial as the “court for dealing with the charges against recent rioters”. This banner reveals the highly biased position towards the defendants and undermines their presumption of innocence.

7. Hamid Ghare Hasanlou

Update 26.01.23: Hamid's request for judicial review was granted by the Supreme Court, which means he will face retrials. He could still be sentenced to death again. Amnesty is following his case closely.

On 3 November, Medical doctor Hamid Ghare-Hasalou and his wife Farzaneh Ghare-Hasanlou were on their way to the funeral ceremony of a killed protester when they got stuck in traffic caused by protests. They left their car to walk away from the traffic. Moments later, they were caught up in the chaos of an incident that involved several people fatally assaulting an individual, whom the authorities have said was a Basiji agent. In a video footage of the incident released by state media, Farzaneh Ghare-Hasanlou is seen attempting to pull back a person to prevent him from harming the assault victim.

The next day, security forces arrested Farzaneh Ghare-Hasanlou and Hamid Ghare-Hasanlou from their home in Karaj in connection with the fatal assault of the Basiji agent. Around the same period, the authorities arrested 12 other people, including three children, in connection with the same incident.

According to informed sources, the authorities repeatedly tortured Hamid Ghare-Hasanlou to extract forced “confessions” from him, leading to his hospitalization with broken ribs and difficulties with breathing. They also coerced his wife to make incriminating statements against him which they used at court to convict him. Farzaneh Ghare-Hasanlou retracted her “confessions” at court.

Hamid Ghare-Hasanlou has so far undergone three surgeries for internal bleeding in his lung. A photo of him in a hospital gown clearly shows large bruising on his upper left tight and lower abdomen, wound dressings on his rib cage as well as a surgery drainage tube.

On 1 December, against doctor’s advice, authorities removed Hamid Ghare-Hasanlou from hospital after he had undergone a surgery and took him to court for trial while he was heavily sedated.

During the trial, Hamid Ghare-Hasanlou removed his clothing and showed the judge his torture injuries. No investigation into his allegations of torture and other ill-treatment has been carried out.

Four days later, on 5 December, a Revolutionary Court in Alborz province sentenced Hamid Ghare-Hasalou to death, after convicting him of “corruption on earth” in connection with the fatal assault of a Basiji agent. The court relied on “confessions” extracted under torture and other ill-treatment to convict him less than a month after the trial had started. Farzaneh Ghare-Hasanlou was sentenced to 25’ years imprisonment which the court ruled must be served in “internal exile” and isolation.

According to official announcement, four other co-defendants were also sentenced to death in connection with the same fatal assault. The authorities did not reveal their names, but information gathered by Amnesty International indicates that they include Mohammad Mehdi Karami (see entry No. 8 below), Sayed Mohammad Hosseini (see entry No. 9 below) and Hossein Mohammadi (see entry No. 10 below). The identity of the fifth co-defendant sentenced to death remains unclear to Amnesty International, and he could be one of the following people who underwent the group trial: Reza Arya, Mehdi Mohammadi, Shayan Charani, Mohammad Amin Akhlaghi, Reza Shaker Zavardahi, Javad Zargaran, or Behrad Ali Kenari. The Iranian authorities must immediately clarify the conviction and sentence issued against each of these individuals.

Before the group trial had started, state media aired the defendants’ forced “confessions” and described them as “murderers”, in breach of their rights to presumption of innocence and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.

8. Mohammad Mehdi Karami

Update January 12th: Mohammad was executed on January 7th. The execution, which took place just two months after his arrests, was carried out in secret and without prior notice to his lawyers and family.

On 5 December, a Revolutionary Court in Alborz province sentenced young protester Mohammad Mehdi Karami to death after convicting him of “corruption on earth” in connection with the fatal assault of a Basij agent during protesters about a month earlier on 3 November. The court convicted him less than a week after the beginning of a fast-tracked sham group trial on 30 November 2022 which bore no resemblance to a judicial proceeding.

Four other co-defendants were also sentenced to death in connection with the same fatal assault. The authorities did not reveal their names, but information gathered by Amnesty International indicates that they include Hamid Ghare-Hasalou (No. 7 above), Sayed Mohammad Hosseini (No. 9 below) and Hossein Mohammadi (No. 10 below).

The identity of the fifth co-defendant sentenced to death remains unclear to Amnesty International and he could be one of the following people who underwent the group trial: Reza Arya, Mehdi Mohammadi, Shayan Charani, Mohammad Amin Akhlaghi, Reza Shaker Zavardahi, Javad Zargaran or Behrad Ali Kenari. The Iranian authorities must immediately clarify the conviction and sentence issued against each of these individuals.

Before the group trial had started, state media aired the defendants’ forced “confessions” and described them as “murderers”, in breach of their rights to presumption of innocence and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.

9. Seyed Mohammad Hosseini

Update January 12th: Seyed was executed on January 7th. The execution, which took place just two months after his arrests, was carried out in secret and without prior notice to his lawyers and family.

On 5 December, a Revolutionary Court in Alborz province sentenced young protester Seyed Mohammad Hosseini to death after convicting him of “corruption on earth” in connection with the fatal assault of a Basij agent during protesters about a month earlier on 3 November. The court convicted him less than a week after the beginning of a fast-tracked sham group trial on 30 November 2022 which bore no resemblance to a judicial proceeding.

Four other co-defendants were also sentenced to death in connection with the same fatal assault. The authorities did not reveal their names, but information gathered by Amnesty International indicates that they include Hamid Ghare-Hasalou (see entry No. 7 above), Mohammad Mehdi Karami (see entry No. 8 above) and Hossein Mohammadi (see entry No. 10 below).

The identity of the fifth co-defendant sentenced to death remains unclear to Amnesty International and he could be one of the following people who underwent the group trial: Reza Arya, Mehdi Mohammadi, Shayan Charani, Mohammad Amin Akhlaghi, Reza Shaker Zavardahi, Javad Zargaran or Behrad Ali Kenari. The Iranian authorities must immediately clarify the conviction and sentence issued against each of these individuals.

Before the group trial had started, state media aired the defendants’ forced “confessions” and described them as “murderers”, in breach of their rights to presumption of innocence and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.

10. Hossein Mohammadi

Update 26.01.23: Hossein's request for judicial review was granted by the Supreme Court, which means he will face retrials. He could still be sentenced to death again. Amnesty is following his case closely.

On 5 December, a Revolutionary Court in Alborz province sentenced young protester Hossein Mohammadi to death after convicting him of “corruption on earth” in connection with the fatal assault of a Basij agent during protesters about a month earlier on 3 November. The court convicted him less than a week after the beginning of a fast-tracked sham group trial on 30 November 2022 which bore no resemblance to a judicial proceeding.

Four other co-defendants were also sentenced to death in connection with the same fatal assault. The authorities did not reveal their names, but information gathered by Amnesty International indicates that they include Hamid Ghare-Hasalou (see entry No. 7 above), Mohammad Mehdi Karami (see entry No. 8 above) and Sayed Mohammad Hosseini (see entry No. 9 below).

The identity of the fifth co-defendant sentenced to death remains unclear to Amnesty International and he could be one of the following people who underwent the group trial: Reza Arya, Mehdi Mohammadi, Shayan Charani, Mohammad Amin Akhlaghi, Reza Shaker Zavardahi, Javad Zargaran or Behrad Ali Kenari. The Iranian authorities must immediately clarify the conviction and sentence issued against each of these individuals.

Before the group trial had started, state media aired the defendants’ forced “confessions” and described them as “murderers”, in breach of their rights to presumption of innocence and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.

11. Unnamed individual – Alborz province

On 5 December, the authorities announced that a Revolutionary Court in Alborz province sentenced five men to death after convicting them of “corruption on earth” in connection with the fatal assault of a Basij agent during protesters about a month earlier on 3 November. The court convicted the men less than a week after the beginning of a fast-tracked sham group trial on 30 November 2022 which bore no resemblance to a judicial proceeding.

The authorities did not reveal the names of the men sentenced, but information gathered by Amnesty International indicates that they include Hamid Ghare-Hasalou (see entry No. 7 above), Mohammad Mehdi Karami (No. 8 above), Sayed Mohammad Hosseini (No. 9 above) and Hossein Mohammadi (No. 10 above).

The identity of the fifth co-defendant sentenced to death remains unclear to Amnesty International and he could be one of the following people who underwent the group trial: Reza Arya, Mehdi Mohammadi, Shayan Charani, Mohammad Amin Akhlaghi, Reza Shaker Zavardahi, Javad Zargaran or Behrad Ali Kenari. The Iranian authorities must immediately clarify the conviction and sentence issued against each of these individual.

Those who have undergone trials for capital charges and are either at risk of being sentenced to death or may have already been sentenced to death without our knowledge:

12. Saeed Shirazi

Saeed Shirazi was brought before a Revolutionary Court for a sham group trial on 29 October. The prosecution authorities accused him of “corruption on earth” (efsad-e fel arz) through “widespread incitement and encouragement of people to commit crimes against national security” and “causing severe disruptions in [public] order” and sought the death penalty against him.

According to Mizan Online, Saeed Shirazi maintained his innocence in court and denied the charges against him. Mizan Online has reported that during the trial session on 29 October, the presiding judge claimed that most of the content posted by Saeed Shirazi on social media related to “trainings on making hand-made grenades” and included “insults” and cited this as “evidence” against him.

The case of Saeed Shirazi was joined together with that of five other men and referred to a Revolutionary Court in Tehran for a group trial. Three of them, Mohammad Boroughani (No. 4), Mohammad Ghobadlou (No. 5 above) and Saman Seydi (Yasin) (No. 6 above) have since been sentenced to death. The fate of the other two, Abolfazl Mehri Hossein Hajilou (No. 13) and Mohsen Rezazadeh Gharagholou (No. 14) remains unclear.

The court conducting the group trial was presided over by the head of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, Abolghasem Salavati, but it remains unclear if Branch 15 conducted the trial or a special court was set up by the authorities in response to the protests. The official banner appearing behind the judge identifies the body conducting the group trial as the “court for dealing with the charges against recent rioters”. This banner reveals the highly biased position towards the defendants and undermines their presumption of innocence.

13. Abolfazl Mehri Hossein Hajilou

Abolfazl Mehri Hossein Hajilou was brought before a Revolutionary Court for a sham group trial on 29 October. According to reports published by Mizan Online, during the trial session, the presiding judge accused Abolfazl Mehri Hossein Hajilou of having set fire to 25 rubbish bins during protests that took place in Tehran province. Under Note 1 to Article 675 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, acts of arson carried out with “intent to confront the Islamic government” must be punished as “enmity against God” (moharebeh), which means they may be punishable by death.

Reports published by Mizan Online raise concerns that the prosecution authorities sought the death penalty for Abolfazl Mehri Hossein Hajilou on this basis, saying that he “confronted the Islamic system through committing arson against public property in order to cause disruptions in the country’s order and security.”

The case of Saeed Shirazi was joined together with that of five other men and referred to a Revolutionary Court in Tehran for a group trial on 29 October. Three of them, Mohammad Boroughani (No. 4), Mohammad Ghobadlou (No. 5 above) and Saman Seydi (Yasin) (No. 6 above) have since been sentenced to death. The fate of Saeed Shirazi and two other men; namely, Saeed Shirazi (No. 12 above) and Mohsen Rezazadeh Gharagholou (No. 14), remains unclear.

The court conducting the group trial on 29 October was presided over by the head of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, Abolghasem Salavati, but it remains unclear if Branch 15 conducted the trial or a special court was set up by the authorities in response to the protests. The official banner appearing behind the judge identifies the body conducting the group trial as the “court for dealing with the charges against recent rioters”. This banner reveals the highly biased position towards the defendants and undermines their presumption of innocence.

14. Mohsen Rezazadeh Gharagholou

Mohsen Rezazadeh Gharagholou was brought before a Revolutionary Court for a sham group trial on 29 October. The authorities have charged him with “enmity against God” (moharebeh) through “participation in [acts of] arson against public property in order to cause disruption in public order and security”, “gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national security”, “making explosives in the form of Molotov cocktails for [committing acts] against security,” and “throwing stones at police forces.” Apart from the charges cited, Mizan Online and other state media have not disclosed any further details regarding his case.

The case of Mohsen Rezazadeh Gharagholou was joined together with that of five other men and referred to a Revolutionary Court in Tehran for a group trial on 29 October. Three of them, Mohammad Boroughani (No. 4), Mohammad Ghobadlou (No. 5 above) and Saman Seydi (Yasin) (No. 6 above) have since been sentenced to death. The fate of Mohsen Rezazadeh Gharagholou and two other men; namely, Saeed Shirazi (No. 12 above) and Abolfazl Mehri Hossein Hajilou (No. 13), remains unclear.

The court conducting the group trial on 29 October was presided over by the head of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, Abolghasem Salavati, but it remains unclear if Branch 15 conducted the trial or a special court was set up by the authorities in response to the protests. The official banner appearing behind the judge identifies the body conducting the group trial as the “court for dealing with the charges against recent rioters”. This banner reveals the highly biased position towards the defendants and undermines their presumption of innocence.

Those charged with capital offences who may be awaiting or undergoing trial:

15. Akbar Ghafari

Akbar Ghafari has been charged with “enmity against god” in connection with the death of a security agent.

Authorities arrested Akbar Ghafari after he sheltered protesters at his sister’s home in Tehran.

According to a prisoner who was briefly detained alongside him in Evin prison, Akbar Ghafari, who is unable to read, was forced under torture to sign a statement, which he later discovered falsely incriminated him in the killing.

He is now detained incommunicado in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, also known as Fashafouyeh prison.

16. Toomaj Salehi

Dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi was arrested in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province on 31 October.

The authorities have charged him with “enmity against God” (moharebeh) and “corruption on earth” (efsad-e fel arz) solely in connection with critical music and social media posts, which denounced the unjust

practices of the Islamic Republic establishment and called for freedom and human rights for the people of Iran. His case has been sent to the Revolutionary Court in Esfahan. According to an informed source, he has been tortured in detention.

17. Ebrahim Rigi

Ebrahim Rigi, a 24-year-old medical worker, was arrested in Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchistan province on 13 October.

According to Baluchi human rights defenders, the authorities have charged him with vague and broadly worded offences carrying the death penalty including “corruption on earth” and/or “enmity against God” for allegedly leading the protests in Zahedan.

18. Amir Nasr Azadani

Update 26.01.23: Amir Nasr Azadani has now been sentenced to a prison term.

Amir Nasr Azadani was arrested in Esfahan on 18 November. The Iranian authorities have accused him and four other people of involvement in an “armed group” allegedly responsible for the death of three security officials during protests in Esfahan on 16 November.

On 11 December, the head of the department of justice in Esfahan stated that Amir Nasr Azadani has been charged with “armed rebellion against the state” (baghi), which is punishable by the death penalty. The judicial official added that Amir Nasr Azadi had joined “unlawful groups with the intention of disrupting national security and gathering and colluding to commit crimes against security” and said that these amount to “aiding enmity against God”.

According to official announcements, the case of Amir Nasr Azadani and his four co-defendants has been referred to a Revolutionary Court for trial. According to information gathered by human rights activists, two of the co-defendants are Saleh Mirhashemi (entry No. 19 below) and Saeed Yaghoubi (entry No. 20 below). The other two remain unidentified.

In a breach of the right to presumption of innocence, the head of the department of justice in Esfahan pronounced Amir Nasr Azadani guilty saying “the accused has unequivocally confessed to his criminal actions” and “there exists sufficient evidence establishing his participation in the armed group.”

19. Saleh Mirhashemi

Saleh Mirhashemi was arrested in Esfahan in mid-November. The Iranian authorities have accused him and four other people of involvement in an “armed group” allegedly responsible for the death of three security officials during protests in Esfahan on 16 November. According to information gathered by human rights activists, two of the co-defendants are Amir Nasr Azadani (No. 18 above) and Saeed Yaghoubi (No. 20 below). The other two remain unidentified.

There are no details available on the charges brought against Saleh Mirhashemi. However, on 11 December, the head of the department of justice in Esfahan announced that Amir Nasr Azadi, one of Saleh Mirhashemi’s co-defendants, has been charged with the capital offence of “armed rebellion against the state” (baghi). This raises serious concerns that Saleh Mirhashemi has been similarly charged with offences carrying the death penalty.

20. Saeed Yaghoubi

Saeed Yaghoubi was arrested in Esfahan in mid-November. The Iranian authorities have accused him and four other people of involvement in an “armed group” allegedly responsible for the death of three

security officials during protests in Esfahan on 16 November. According to information gathered by human rights activists, two of the co-defendants are Amir Nasr Azadani (No. 18 above) and Saleh Mirhashemi (No. 19 above). The other two remain unidentified.

There are no details available on the charges brought against Saeed Yaghoubi. However, on 11 December, the head of the department of justice in Esfahan announced that Amir Nasr Azadi, one of Sayeed Yaghoubi’s co-defendants, has been charged with the capital offence of “armed rebellion against the state” (baghi). This raises serious concerns that Saeed Yaghoubi has been similarly charged with offences carrying the death penalty.

In addition to the individuals listed above, on 14 December 2022, Amnesty International learned that another six men from Iran’s Kurdish minority are charged with “enmity against god” (moharabeh) and awaiting trials in connection to the protests in West Azerbaijan province. They include brothers Farzad (Farzin) Tahazadeh and Farhad Tahazadeh, Karwan Shahiparvaneh, Reza Eslamdoost, Hajar Hamidi and Shahram Marouf-Mola.

Amnesty is continuing its investigations into their cases.