Karim Khojasteh, a 64-year-old political prisoner held in Lakan Prison in Rasht, has been formally sentenced to death under the charge of “baghi”. The sentence was issued not for any violent or armed act, but solely for hanging a protest banner, a peaceful form of expression. The ruling has raised serious concerns about the use of capital punishment against non-violent dissent in Iran.
Details of the Death Sentence
According to statements by his lawyer, Milad Panahipour, the trial process was extremely brief. The court session reportedly lasted only a few minutes, during which the judge merely asked whether the defendant accepted or denied the charges. Without a meaningful examination of the defense and without presenting clear evidence, the death sentence by hanging was issued and formally communicated to Khojasteh on 6 December 2025.
The court hearing had taken place earlier, on 17 September 2025, at Branch Two of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht. However, the verdict was delayed for nearly three months, during which Khojasteh remained in a state of legal uncertainty.
Nature of the Charges: Peaceful Protest, Not Violence
Karim Khojasteh, an engineer and industrial machinery specialist, was initially arrested for installing protest banners, an act that was entirely non-violent. At the early stages of the case, he was charged with “propaganda against the state”, and all interrogations focused exclusively on this allegation.
Despite the absence of any claim of armed activity or violence, the charges were later escalated to “acting against national security” and eventually to “baghi”, one of the most severe charges under Iran’s penal code, carrying the death penalty. According to the defense, at no point did judicial or security authorities allege that Khojasteh engaged in violent or armed conduct.
Age and Vulnerability of the Prisoner
At 64 years old, Karim Khojasteh is considered an elderly prisoner. Sentencing an aging political detainee to death for a peaceful protest act has intensified concerns about the disregard for humanitarian considerations and human dignity. His family has repeatedly expressed concern about his physical condition and the conditions of detention in Lakan Prison.
Human Rights Analysis
Issuing a death sentence against an elderly political prisoner solely for hanging a protest banner constitutes a clear violation of fundamental human rights principles.
The extremely brief trial, the escalation of charges without new investigations, the lack of transparent evidence, and the use of capital punishment for a non-violent act all point to serious violations of the right to a fair trial and the right to life.
Human rights defenders warn that imposing the death penalty in cases of peaceful dissent reflects a broader pattern of judicial repression and poses irreversible risks to the lives of detainees.
Conclusion
The case of Karim Khojasteh exemplifies the intensifying use of the death penalty as a tool to suppress peaceful protest in Iran. Sentencing a 64-year-old political prisoner to death solely for hanging a protest banner underscores a deeply alarming trend that demands urgent scrutiny by the international human rights community.
