The court hearing for Mohammadamin Mahdavi Shayesteh was held in a single brief session without sufficient opportunity for defense. Judge Salavati relied on coerced confessions obtained under torture in security detention centers to issue the death sentence.
Iran Human Rights Society, Sunday, June 15, 2025 – The Supreme Court has accepted the retrial request of Mohammadamin Mahdavi Shayesteh, a political prisoner sentenced to death in Qezel Hesar Prison, Karaj. This decision comes after his death sentence was previously upheld by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court, raising concerns about its imminent execution.
Case Referred to Branch 9 of the Supreme Court
According to reports, on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, the Supreme Court accepted the retrial request, and the case was referred to Branch 9 for further review. This follows the confirmation of his death sentence by Branch 39, presided over by Judge Qasem Hosseini Kuh Kamari, just weeks earlier.
Background of Mohammadamin Mahdavi Shayesteh’s Case
Mohammadamin Mahdavi Shayesteh, a 26- or 27-year-old, was arrested in the fall of 2023. His arrest and trial process have faced widespread criticism from human rights organizations and independent media. Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abulqasem Salavati, sentenced him to death on charges of “collaboration with a hostile government” and “insulting sanctities.”
Sources close to Mahdavi Shayesteh’s family state that he was forced to confess under severe pressure during interrogations, confessions whose validity is strongly disputed by his family and lawyers. They also emphasize that the judicial process lacked minimum standards of fair trial, and he was denied access to a lawyer of his choice.
Transfer to Qezel Hesar Prison and Risk of Execution
After the initial confirmation of his death sentence by the Supreme Court, Mohammadamin Mahdavi Shayesteh was transferred from Evin Prison to Qezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, a move interpreted by observers as preparation for imminent execution. He is currently held in a section of the prison designated for death row inmates.
Brief and Flawed Trial
According to human rights reports, Mohammadamin Mahdavi Shayesteh’s court hearing was held in a single short session without adequate opportunity for defense. Judge Salavati, known for issuing harsh sentences against political and ideological prisoners, relied on confessions extracted under torture in security detention centers to issue the death sentence.
An informed source stated: “The entire case file contained only an empty magazine and a pepper spray as evidence, neither of which can logically justify a death sentence.” This raises further concerns about the unjust nature of judicial rulings and the lack of impartiality in handling political charges.
From the perspective of international law and human rights documents, this case highlights violations of several fundamental human rights principles:
Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Arbitrary detention without due legal process.
Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Denial of a fair trial and lack of access to a chosen lawyer.
Article 5 of the Universal Declaration: Reports of torture and pressure to extract confessions.
Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Issuance of a death sentence without adhering to the strictest judicial standards, contrary to international restrictions on the death penalty.
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