Confirmation of Death Sentence and Long-Term Imprisonment for Political Prisoners Mohammad Abbasi and His Daughter Fatemeh Abbasi
28-April-2026
Category: Prisoners
27 April 2026
News Category: Prisoners
Breathing in Confinement: Branch 39 of the Supreme Court has rejected the appeal request in the case of Mohammad Abbasi, a political prisoner held in Ghezel Hesar Prison, and has upheld his death sentence. In addition, the 25-year discretionary prison sentence issued for his daughter, Fatemeh Abbasi, who is detained in Evin Prison, has also been fully upheld.
According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, Mohammad Abbasi and his daughter Fatemeh Abbasi were arrested during the January 2026 protests in connection with the case involving the killing of Colonel Shahin Dehghani Kakavandi in Malard County.
According to the report, Mohammad Abbasi was initially sentenced to death on charges of moharebeh (“enmity against God”) by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati. Fatemeh Abbasi was also sentenced by the same branch to 25 years of discretionary imprisonment.
Following the initial rulings, Ali Sharifzadeh Ardekani, a defence lawyer, stated in an interview with Emtedad that the case had been referred to Branch 39 of the Supreme Court upon appeal filed by a court-appointed lawyer. He also noted that, based on Note to Article 48 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the court refused to accept his representation and that of another lawyer chosen by the family, thereby restricting the defendants’ access to independent legal counsel.
The Emtedad report further noted that there are numerous ambiguities and unanswered questions regarding the judicial process and the evidence in this case. However, due to the lack of access for independent lawyers, a thorough review has not been possible.
Amid rising tensions and military confrontations involving the Islamic Republic, the United States, and Israel, some officials have described the country as being in “wartime conditions.” In this context, the Head of the Judiciary has emphasised the need for a “wartime posture,” accelerating judicial proceedings and the enforcement of sentences. At the same time, reports indicate an intensification of the security atmosphere, including a significant increase in arrests, as well as the issuance and implementation of death sentences.