Introduction: Lives Under the Shadow of Death—The Harsh Reality of Iran’s Political Prisoners
Political prisoners in Iran languish under the weight of death sentences, torture, and unjust trials—individuals whose voices have been silenced within the cold, dark cells of Evin Prison. Ali-Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, one such prisoner, alongside five others, was sentenced to death in December 2024 (December 1, 2024). These individuals are victims of a system that has replaced justice with coerced confessions extracted under torture and sham trials. Reports from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, indicate that these sentences are not only a flagrant violation of human rights but also part of an escalating wave of executions aimed at suppressing political dissent in Iran. This report narrates the story of Shahrokh and his fellow prisoners, serving as a desperate call to save their lives.
A Cry for Justice for Ali-Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar political prisoner Facing Execution
Ali-Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar was born on September 4, 1966, in Tehran, into a religious and traditional family. He earned his high school diploma in 1990 and, with a national university entrance exam rank of 378, enrolled in the civil engineering program at Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology in 1991. From 2001 to 2019, he worked as a civil engineer on various construction projects and power plant developments across Iran. Shahrokh, a married man with one child, was dismissed from his job twice due to his principled stance against corruption—once for refusing to partake in embezzlement and again for issuing technical critiques to a colleague related to the Minister of Energy. During the 40th-day memorial of Mohsen Shekari amid nationwide protests, he was brutally attacked by repressive forces, suffering broken teeth before being arrested. Now, following a 10-minute trial devoid of credible evidence, he faces execution.
The Charge of “Rebellion” and an Unjust Trial: A Victim of Political Repression
Shahrokh, along with Vahid Bani-Amerian, Babak Alipour, Mohammad Taghavi Sang-Dehi, Pouya Qobadi Bistouni, and Abolhassan Montazer, was arrested in the fall of 2023 (likely October or November 2023). On December 1, 2024, Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced them to death on charges of “rebellion” (baghi) and membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI).
Amnesty International reported in its January 23, 2025, statement:
“Six political prisoners—Abulhassan Montazer, Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, Babak Alipour, Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi, Pouya Qobadi, and Vahid Bani Amerian—are at risk of execution in Iran following a grossly unfair trial” [link to statement].
In a letter from Evin Prison dated December 10, 2024, Shahrokh wrote: “A 10-minute trial, lacking any documents or evidence, convicted me of execution based solely on confessions extracted under torture and coercion.”
Torture in Ward 209: From Flogging to Solitary Confinement
Following his arrest, Shahrokh was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, a notorious facility where torture has become a routine tool for securing forced confessions. Amnesty International states:
“According to information received, Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar was flogged by officers during his detention in Ward 209” [link to statement].
He also endured “repeated beatings, prolonged solitary confinement, and threats of death at gunpoint.” In his letter, Shahrokh described “solitary confinement and beatings,” underscoring that his confessions were obtained under extreme duress and threats, plunging his family into unrelenting anguish.
Defiance Against Oppression: Shahrokh’s Voice from Behind Bars
Despite enduring unimaginable suffering, Shahrokh’s letter from Evin Prison on December 10, 2024, radiates resilience:
“Recalling the bravery of those who sacrificed their lives for the homeland and freedom, I harbor no fear or anxiety about the execution of this sentence… I am deeply honored that my life is the price I pay for Iran.”
These words reflect his unwavering courage and serve as a clarion call to the world, embodying a struggle for liberty that transcends prison walls.
The Cry of Families and the Global Community: A Fight for Survival
As of March 2025, the death sentences for Shahrokh and his five co-defendants remain unexecuted, though the threat looms large. Families have staged protests in cities like Sanandaj and Rasht, and outside Evin Prison, while human rights activists have amplified their cause through social media campaigns such as #Save6Lives and #NoToExecution. Amnesty International has issued an urgent plea:
“Immediately halt any plans to execute these individuals, quash their sentences, and release them”.
Urgent Action Required: The Final Hope for Justice
The plight of Ali-Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar and his five fellow prisoners is a test of humanity’s conscience. This report calls upon human rights organizations—such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the UN Human Rights Council—to press Iran to halt these cruel sentences. We demand an independent investigation into allegations of torture, immediate access to legal counsel and family for the prisoners, and the abolition of the death penalty in Iran. Shahrokh’s steadfastness is a cry for freedom; the world must now respond.
