In a recent announcement, a spokesperson for Iran’s judiciary confirmed on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, that three individuals had been sentenced to death on charges of espionage for Israel. The individuals were identified as Idris Ali, Azad Shojaei, and Rasoul Ahmad Mohammad. According to officials, Ali and Shojaei are from Sardasht, while Mohammad hails from Sulaymaniyah in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
The judiciary alleges that these individuals were not only involved in espionage but also engaged in smuggling alcoholic beverages and transporting equipment allegedly linked to the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh Mahabadi, a prominent figure in Iran’s nuclear program and former deputy defense minister.
The three men were reportedly detained by Iranian intelligence forces in July 2023. Reports indicate that they were held in a detention facility in Urmia under harsh conditions, where they were allegedly subjected to severe torture and coerced into making confessions. During their eight-month incarceration, they were denied access to legal counsel and were unable to communicate with their families.
In October 2023, the accused were tried in Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court in Urmia, presided over by Judge Shahin. The court sentenced them to death in early November 2023. According to the judiciary spokesperson, these death sentences are part of a broader case in which at least eight individuals have been arrested. Of these, three have already been sentenced to death in the preliminary trial phase. The case has sparked significant concern among human rights organizations, who have repeatedly criticized Iran’s judicial process for its use of torture to extract confessions and its lack of transparency in trials, particularly in cases involving allegations of espionage.
