Pouya Ghobadi, a political prisoner, has been sentenced to death nearly 10 months after his latest arrest. Since 2018, Ghobadi has been repeatedly detained by Iranian intelligence and security forces. In his most recent arrest, he was apprehended in Chaldoran, a town in West Azerbaijan Province, and later transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran, where the death sentence was issued.
Background
Pouya Ghobadi, born in 1992 in Sonqor, Kermanshah Province, holds an electrical engineering degree from Sanandaj University. On February 23, 2024, he was detained while attempting to cross the border in Chaldoran and was initially imprisoned in Maku. Subsequently, on March 1, 2024, he was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, where he spent several months.
This is not Ghobadi’s first encounter with the Iranian judicial system. In December 2021, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges including “acting against national security through membership and effective collaboration with the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK),” “propaganda against the state,” “destruction of public property,” and “collusion to act against national security.”
He was previously arrested twice in 2018 by security forces in Tehran, leading to additional charges. Between 2018 and March 2023, Ghobadi was incarcerated in Greater Tehran Prison, Raja’i Shahr Prison, and Evin Prison. In March 2023, he was released but subjected to two years of internal exile in Nikshahr, Sistan and Baluchestan Province.
Joint Case of Six Political Prisoners
On November 30, 2024, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced six political prisoners, including Ghobadi, to death, imprisonment, and exile. The court convicted Ghobadi and five others—Vahid Bani Amarian, Babak Alipour, Seyed Abolhassan Montazer, Seyed Mohammad Taghavi, and Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar—of serious charges, including armed rebellion (“baghi”).
The charges against the group, tied to their alleged affiliation with the MEK, include:
- Membership in groups aimed at disrupting national security.
- Armed rebellion against the Islamic Republic.
- Conspiracy and collusion against internal and external security.
- Illegal border crossings.
- Destruction of public property using explosive devices.
Individual Sentences
- Vahid Bani Amarian: Sentenced to death for “armed rebellion” and five years of imprisonment for “collusion against national security.”
- Pouya Ghobadi: Sentenced to death for “armed rebellion” and one year of imprisonment for “illegal border crossing.”
- Seyed Abolhassan Montazer: Sentenced to death for “armed rebellion” and five years of imprisonment for “collusion against national security.”
- Babak Alipour: Sentenced to death for “armed rebellion,” five years of imprisonment for “collusion,” and 20 years of exile to Khash.
- Akbar Daneshvarkar: Sentenced to death for “armed rebellion,” five years of imprisonment for “collusion,” and 10 years of imprisonment for “establishing illegal groups.”
- Seyed Mohammad Taghavi: Sentenced to death for “armed rebellion,” five years of imprisonment for “collusion,” and 10 years of imprisonment for “establishing illegal groups.”
The court’s verdict, issued on November 25, 2024, and communicated to the defendants’ lawyers on November 30, 2024, underscores Iran’s ongoing crackdown on political dissent.
Broader Context
This case is part of a broader trend of harsh penalties against political activists and dissidents, particularly those accused of ties to opposition groups like the MEK. Human rights organizations have consistently condemned these practices, citing concerns about due process, coerced confessions, and the use of the death penalty for political charges.
The international community continues to call for Iran to halt executions and to ensure fair trials for all individuals, particularly those charged in politically sensitive cases.
