Official state-affiliated media have reported the holding of a court session for Mohammad Reza Tabari; the charge of moharebeh (enmity against God) and the broadcasting of forced confessions have heightened concerns about the judicial process.
Iran Human Rights Society, Monday, February 9, 2026 – Official state-affiliated media have reported the holding of a court session for one of the detainees of the December 2025 protests named Mohammad Reza Tabari. The broadcasting of a video from the trial and the presentation of the charge of moharebeh have once again highlighted the issue of forced confessions and the pressure exerted by interrogators on prisoners.
Trial held without transparency and without disclosing place of detention
According to the published report, Mohammad Reza Tabari’s court session was held without any reference to the place of his detention or the conditions of his imprisonment. State television has only released selective portions of the trial proceedings and has provided no information about this prisoner’s access to an independent lawyer or the possibility of an effective defense.
The released images show that Mohammad Reza Tabari was previously present during the December 2025 protests. These images have been attributed to Baharestan County, but details concerning the time and manner of his arrest remain unclear.
Charge of moharebeh and one-sided media narrative
In the official report, it was stated that according to the issued indictment, Mohammad Reza Tabari is being tried on charges of “moharebeh through drawing a firearm toward people and security forces” and “operational action” in favor of groups opposed to the regime. These accusations have been raised solely based on the narrative of security institutions and without the presentation of independent evidence.
The official state media has also claimed that on Thursday, January 8, 2026, following gunfire attributed to Mohammad Reza Tabari, one of the police-security forces was injured. These claims are being made in circumstances where no independent institution has had the opportunity to verify their accuracy.
Forced confessions; tool for establishing a pre-written scenario
The broadcasting of the trial video and parts of the defendant’s statements have once again brought the issue of forced confessions to the forefront. Mohammad Reza Tabari’s trial was conducted hastily and without following ordinary legal procedures, and signs of a pre-determined judicial scenario are visible in it.
According to contemporaneous accounts, interrogators subject prisoners to severe physical and psychological pressure in order to extract forced confessions. These pressures are usually designed to align the defendant’s statements with the security narrative so that they can be broadcast in the media.
Arrest of family members as a means of pressure
Alongside direct pressure on the prisoner, reports indicate the use of the detention of family members as a tool of pressure. In this method, interrogators force the prisoner to accept the desired confessions by threatening or detaining close relatives. This practice has been frequently reported in cases related to the December 2025 protests.
Such actions have created an additional atmosphere of fear and insecurity for families and have effectively deprived the prisoner of the right to a free defense. In the case of Mohammad Reza Tabari, there are also serious concerns about the application of these pressures.
Mass and indiscriminate arrests coinciding with the protests
Mohammad Reza Tabari’s trial has taken place amid a wave of widespread and indiscriminate arrests. During the December 2025 protests, a large number of citizens were detained in various locations and transferred to security institutions without following legal procedures.
These arrests were often carried out without clear judicial warrants, and many detainees were deprived of access to a lawyer and contact with their families. Mohammad Reza Tabari’s case should also be examined within this overall framework of suppression and intimidation.
Purpose of show trials; creating public fear
Rush trials and the broadcasting of forced confessions are considered part of the regime’s judicial strategy to create fear and intimidation in society. Sacrificing a few prisoners and highlighting heavy charges is designed to deter society from continuing protests.
In this context, Mohammad Reza Tabari has been placed at the center of this scenario as one of the figures introduced by official media—a scenario that serves more of a security and deterrent function than a judicial justice function.
Violation of Mohammad Reza Tabari’s fundamental rights in the judicial process
The manner of arrest, interrogation and trial of Mohammad Reza Tabari demonstrates clear violations of several basic human rights principles in cases related to the December 2025 protests.
- Violation of the prohibition of torture and forced confession: Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – No one shall be subjected to torture or inhuman treatment in order to extract a confession.
- Violation of the right to a fair trial: Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – Everyone has the right to be tried by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal.
- Violation of the prohibition of arbitrary detention: Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – Detention without legal and transparent procedure is prohibited.
- Violation of the rights of families: Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – Interference with and pressure on families as an interrogation tool is prohibited.
See also the below articles:
- Humanitarian Crisis: Detainees from Iran’s 2025-2026 Nationwide Protests Face Torture and Execution Risks
- Arrest of Azar Mansouri by the IRGC Intelligence Organization in Qarchak
Follow Iran Human Rights Society on social networks:
Telegram /Twitter /Instagram / YouTube / Facebook
Join Iran Human Rights Society on Twitter
Discussion about this post