In a continuation of escalating crackdown on political dissent in Iran, Zahra Shahbaz Tabari, a 67-year-old political prisoner, has been sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht. The regime’s judiciary has accused her of “supporting the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI).”
A Ten-Minute Trial Without an Independent Lawyer
According to Zahra Shahbaz Tabari’s family, her trial was held via video conference last week and lasted less than ten minutes. The court-appointed public defender reportedly offered no meaningful defense, and the death sentence was issued during the same brief session. Her family has condemned the proceeding as a “pre-determined show trial” devoid of any element of due process or fairness.
The case documents reportedly consist only of a piece of cloth bearing the slogan “Woman, Resistance, Freedom” and an unpublished voice message, which the family regards as unfounded and inadmissible. Ms. Shahbaz Tabari had previously been detained for her peaceful activities on social media.
Despite several months of detention, no public or fair trial has been held to examine her case, and her chosen legal counsel has been denied access to the case files. According to the family, judicial authorities are attempting to attribute collaboration with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) to her, while granting only seven days to file an appeal against the death sentence.
Arrest Without Warrant and Confiscation of Personal Belongings
Ms. Zahra Shahbaz Tabari holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering and is a graduate of Isfahan University of Technology and the University of Borås in Sweden, specializing in Sustainable Energy. She suffers from chronic health conditions, and the poor conditions in Lakan Prison combined with shortages of medication and medical care, as well as constant psychological pressure have severely deteriorated her physical condition.
She was arrested on April 17, 2025, after security forces raided her home in Rasht without presenting a judicial warrant. During the raid, the agents searched the house and confiscated her and her daughter’s electronic devices. For weeks, her family had no information about her whereabouts or health condition. She is currently being held in Lakan Prison in Rasht.
