Arrest

Mehrab Abdollahzadeh was arrested by security forces during the Women, Life, Freedom uprising on 22 October 2022 and taken to a detention facility in the city, where he was subjected to 38 days of physical and psychological torture in an attempt to force a confession to his alleged involvement in the killing of a Basij member.

Despite this, footage of the incident in the possession of the security forces does not show Abdollahzadeh at the scene, and he has consistently denied any involvement in the killing.

During this time, he was denied the right to family visits and legal representation. He was then transferred to Orumiyeh Central Prison.

Judicial Process

Abdollahzadeh’s case was referred to the Seventh Investigation Branch of the city’s Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office, presided over by Judge Soltanzadeh, and after 16 months of uncertainty in prison, an indictment was issued, and the case was sent to Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Orumiyeh, presided over by Judge Najafzadeh.

After three court sessions, he was sentenced to death for “spreading corruption on earth” (efsad-e fil-arz) and “involvement in the premeditated murder” of a member of the Basij paramilitary forces, Abbas Fatemiyeh.

The verdict was issued on 19 September 2024 and formally communicated to him in prison on 21 October.

After Abdollahzadeh’s legal team appealed the verdict, it was referred to Branch Nine of the Supreme Court some 40 days ago, although it remains unclear when a final decision will be made.

Current Status

Abdollahzadeh is being held in Orumiyeh Central Prison.

Notes:

1. Women, Life, Freedom Uprising: Jina Amini (Mahsa Amini), a 21-year-old Kurdish woman from Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, was arrested on a street in Tehran on 13 September 2022 by the morality police because of the way she was dressed. Shortly after her arrest, she was transferred to Kasra Hospital in Tehran with head injuries and symptoms of brain death, and passed away three days later on 16 September 2022. The government’s killing of Jina sparked unprecedented anti-government protests, which began with a large turnout at her funeral at Aichi Cemetery in Saqqez and quickly spread to many cities across Iran. These widespread protests against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which lasted for several months, resulted in at least 527 protesters being killed and thousands injured and arrested. The protests are known for their central slogan of “Women, Life, Freedom” (Kurdish: Jin, Jiyan, Azadi).

2. Article 286 of the Islamic Penal Code: “Anyone who extensively commits crimes against the physical integrity of individuals, crimes against the internal or external security of the country, dissemination of falsehoods, disruption of the country’s economic system, arson and destruction, distributing toxic, microbial, and dangerous substances, or establishing centres of corruption and prostitution or assisting in such activities, in a manner that causes severe disruption to public order, insecurity, or significant damage to the physical integrity of individuals or public and private property, or leads to widespread corruption or prostitution, shall be considered a corrupter on earth.”