The ongoing arrests and heavy sentences remain a primary pillar of the suppression of women, aimed at controlling society during critical times and instilling fear to prevent another uprising. In this context, fresh reports on the situation of 5 detained women reveal details regarding the prolonged detention and heavy sentences handed down by the Revolutionary Court to Leila Abolhassani, Najmeh Amini, Zahra Mousavi, Madineh Shahnavazi, and Fatemeh Gholami Moghadam in the prisons of Isfahan, Mashhad, and Kerman.
The Legal Case against Leila Abolhassani on Charges of “Moharebeh”
Leila Abolhassani, a 43-year-old mother of two teenage girls who was arrested during the nationwide protests in January 2026 in Shahin Shahr, Isfahan, has been sentenced to death for “enmity against God” after authorities accused her of helping set fire to a supermarket.
In April 2026, Branch 5 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Vahid Hemmat-Nejad, sentenced her to death on charges of “Moharebeh” (enmity against God). Her case is now before Supreme Court, and if her appeal fails, she could be executed.
During the protests on January 8, 2026, Ms. Abolhassani was near a branch of the Ofogh Kourosh supermarket chain that was on fire and began filming the scene. Security forces subsequently arrested her and accused her of having participated in setting the store alight.
Those close to the 43-year-old mother firmly reject this allegation, emphasizing that she was in no way involved in starting the fire and was merely filming the incident and the burning grocery store at the time of her arrest.
She has been held in Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan ever since, and no information has been released regarding furloughs or temporary release options.
Najmeh Amini, Accounting Student, Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison
Continuing this report on the situation of 5 detained women, Najmeh Amini, a 23-year-old accounting student, has been sentenced by Branch 1 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court to 12 years, six months, and one day in prison on charges of “operational action against national security.”
The 23-year-old student was violently arrested and beaten by security forces on February 2 during inspections in the Ferdowsi Bazaar area of Mashhad. Following her arrest, she was transferred to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, where she spent approximately three months in solitary confinement within the security ward. Ms. Amini is currently detained in the Vakilabad Prison.
She has been deprived of basic rights since her arrest, including access to a lawyer of her choice and a fair trial, and has faced intense pressure during interrogations aimed at extracting forced confessions.
Details of Zahra Mousavi’s Sentence: 6.5 Years Suspended and 4 Years Imprisonment
Zahra Mousavi, another detainee from the January 2026 protests, is currently serving her sentence in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad. She was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to six and a half years of suspended imprisonment alongside four years of enforceable imprisonment.
An informed source stated regarding the legal case of Zahra Mousavi: “During the preliminary investigation stage, Ms. Mousavi faced multiple charges, including participating in protests, propaganda and incitement to commit crimes, forming a group, and acting against national security.”
Zahra Mousavi, 21, was born in Iran and holds dual Iranian-Afghan nationality. Originally from Fariman, Razavi Khorasan Province, she worked as a cashier at a restaurant in the municipality prior to her arrest. She was arrested on January 20, 2026, and subsequently transferred to the quarantine ward of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.
Ongoing Prolonged Detention of Madineh Shahnavazi and Fatemeh Gholami Moghadam
Another section of this report examining the situation of 5 detained women concerns the continued detention without trial of two women in the prisons of Kerman and Mashhad:
- Madineh Shahnavazi’s 28-Month Detention Without Trial: Madineh Shahnavazi, a Sunni Muslim woman, has been held without trial in Kerman Prison for over 28 months. She was arrested by security forces in the spring of 2024 and transferred to Kerman Prison. Now, after more than two years, her case remains in the preliminary stage at the prosecutor’s office, and no court hearing has yet been held to examine her charges or case.
- Fatemeh Gholami Moghadam’s Detention Without Trial: Fatemeh Gholami Moghadam, aged around 40 from Fariman, has been held without trial for over two months. She was arrested in April/May and transferred to the Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. According to information confirmed by informed sources, Ms. Gholami Moghadam’s case has been referred to Branch 1 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court; nevertheless, no trial date has been set, and she remains in judicial limbo at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.
