The Iranian judiciary has issued death sentences for six political prisoners accused of links to the (PMOI) and other national security-related charges. The convicted individuals—Abolhassan Montazer, Pouya Ghobadi, Vahid Bani-Amerian, Babak Alipour, Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar, and Mohammad Taghavi—were sentenced following protracted interrogations reportedly marred by torture. The rulings were delivered by Judge Iman Afshari, who presides over Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court.
Charges Against the Prisoners
The accused faced several charges, including:
- Membership in the PMOI/MEK
- Collusion and conspiracy against national security
- Armed rebellion against the government
- Forming a group to disrupt national security
- Destruction of public property using a launcher
Additionally, two other individuals, Mojtaba and Ali Taghavi, the brothers of Mohammad Taghavi, received sentences of imprisonment and exile due to their familial ties.
Background of the Sentenced Individuals
- Abolhassan Montazer (65): An architecture graduate and former political prisoner from the 1980s, Montazer has endured multiple arrests, most recently in January 2024. He suffers from critical health issues, including heart, lung, and kidney diseases, as well as arthritis.
- Pouya Ghobadi (32): An electrical engineer, Ghobadi was arrested in March 2024 and had been previously detained twice.
- Vahid Bani-Amerian (32): Holding a master’s degree in management, he was arrested in January 2024, having spent four years in prison across multiple arrests since 2017.
- Babak Alipour (33): A law graduate, Alipour was arrested in January 2024. He was previously detained in November 2018 in Rasht and served four years in prison.
- Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar (57): A civil engineer arrested in January 2024.
- Mohammad Taghavi (58): A political prisoner during the 1980s and 1990s, Taghavi was last arrested in 2020, serving three years on charges linked to the PMOI/MEK.
International Appeal
Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM) has called on international bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Human Rights Council, and the European Union, to intervene urgently. The organization demands immediate action to prevent the executions and to secure the release of all political detainees in Iran.
This case underscores persistent concerns about the Iranian judiciary’s reliance on torture, denial of due process, and harsh penalties targeting political dissidents. Human rights advocates emphasize the need for robust international pressure to halt these executions and address systemic judicial abuses in Iran.