In a grave violation of human rights and international law, Iranian human rights defender Sharifeh Mohammadi is facing imminent execution after being sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court in February 2025. The sentence follows a grossly unfair trial that has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organizations and the international community. The Iranian authorities must immediately quash the death sentence and release Sharifeh Mohammadi without delay.
Sharifeh Mohammadi, a prominent activist advocating for workers’ rights and social justice, has long been targeted by Iranian authorities for her peaceful activism. Her recent conviction is part of the Iranian government’s ongoing campaign to silence dissent and suppress human rights defenders. Mohammadi’s trial was marred by blatant irregularities, including denial of access to legal representation, the use of forced confessions extracted under duress, and proceedings conducted behind closed doors. Such practices are in direct violation of Iran’s obligations under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a signatory.
Human rights groups have condemned the trial as a sham, designed solely to punish Mohammadi for her unwavering commitment to defending the most vulnerable in Iranian society. Amnesty International and other organizations have raised alarms about the systematic use of the death penalty in Iran as a tool to silence critics and instill fear in the population.
“Sharifeh Mohammadi is a courageous advocate for human rights, and her sentencing is a chilling reminder of the Iranian authorities’ relentless crackdown on dissent,” said a spokesperson from Amnesty International. “The death penalty must never be used as a weapon to punish peaceful activists. Her conviction and sentence must be quashed immediately, and she must be released without condition.”
The use of the death penalty in Iran remains one of the highest in the world, with hundreds of executions carried out each year. However, sentencing human rights defenders to death represents a deeply troubling escalation of the authorities’ efforts to suppress freedom of expression and association.
International pressure is mounting on the Iranian government to overturn the sentence and ensure the immediate release of Sharifeh Mohammadi. The United Nations, the European Union, and various human rights organizations have called for urgent intervention to prevent her execution. The arbitrary detention and sentencing of human rights defenders like Mohammadi highlight the urgent need for systemic reform in Iran’s judicial system and an end to the criminalization of peaceful activism.
The international community must stand in solidarity with Sharifeh Mohammadi and all those unjustly imprisoned in Iran. Governments around the world should press Iranian authorities to respect their human rights obligations, end the use of the death penalty for political purposes, and release all those detained solely for their peaceful activism.
The death sentence against Sharifeh Mohammadi represents a grave miscarriage of justice and an affront to the principles of human rights. As long as human rights defenders face execution for their activism, Iran’s legal system will continue to serve as a tool of repression rather than justice. The immediate release of Sharifeh Mohammadi is not only a matter of human rights but also a critical test of Iran’s commitment to upholding the dignity and freedoms of its people.