Death Sentence of Amirhassan Akbari Monfared Upheld by the Supreme Court

Breathing in Confinement, Monday, 12 October 2026: The death sentence of Amirhassan Akbari Monfared, a 23-year-old accounting student and political prisoner, who had previously been sentenced to death on charges of “baghy” (armed rebellion), has been upheld by Branch 41 of the Supreme Court. The political prisoner now faces the risk of execution in Evin Prison.

According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the death sentence was communicated to Amirhassan Akbari Monfared on Sunday, 11 October, by a deputy official of Evin Prison accompanied by two other individuals. Among them was a masked individual whose face was concealed and who was reportedly a representative of the Ministry of Intelligence.

At the time of the notification, the prisoner was presented with pardon application forms, a written declaration of repentance, and a document requiring him to renounce the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). However, Akbari Monfared refused to read or sign the documents, stating that he would refer the matter to his lawyer.

Amirhassan Akbari Monfared was arrested on 19 January 2025 at his family home in Karaj in connection with a case known as “Abdarchi”. According to published information, a group of armed security personnel wearing bulletproof vests arrested him and transferred him to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Reports also indicate that he was subjected to interrogation and torture for five months in Ward 241 of the prison.

According to information published about the case, Akbari Monfared had neither any involvement in nor knowledge of the so-called “Abdarchi” case or the killings of Mohammad Moghiseh and Ali Razini. This raises serious questions about the basis of the charges against him and the evidence relied upon in his prosecution, highlighting the need for transparency.

On 23 July 2026, the political prisoner was sentenced to death by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, on charges of “baghy through membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran”. With the Supreme Court now upholding the sentence, concerns over the possibility of its implementation have intensified.

The confirmation of the death sentence comes amid concerns regarding fundamental safeguards of judicial proceedings, including the right to a fair trial, the opportunity to present an effective defence, access to a lawyer of one’s choosing, and independent examination of the evidence supporting the charges. In light of reports concerning the arrest and alleged torture of this political prisoner, an independent investigation into these allegations and guarantees of his defence rights are particularly important. Carrying out the death sentence while serious concerns remain about the judicial process and the protection of the defendant’s rights would pose an irreversible threat to his right to life.