Cases of Political Prisoners at Risk of the Death Penalty in Iran
Case No. 12 | Case ID: IRN-DP-1404-012 | Last reviewed: September 2026
| Mahboubeh Shabani, born in 1993 or 1994 in Mashhad, was arrested on the evening of 2 February 2026 by Ministry of Intelligence officers in Azadi Square, Mashhad. Based on the verified information in this case file, she has been charged with “moharebeh” (enmity against God) in connection with assisting injured protesters during demonstrations in Mashhad on 8 and 9 January 2026. Her latest reported place of detention is Ward 6 of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. Given the charge brought against her, she is at risk of receiving a death sentence; the information reviewed for this report does not confirm that a death sentence has been issued. |
Key Case Information
| Category | Information |
| Full name | Mahboubeh Shabani |
| Date of birth | Iranian calendar year 1372 (approximately 1993/94); exact date unknown |
| Age | Exact age not recorded because the precise date of birth is unavailable |
| Occupation before arrest | Unknown in the information currently available |
| Family status | Marital and parental status unknown; according to the information provided, both parents are deceased |
| Date and place of arrest | 2 February 2026; Azadi Square, Mashhad, outside a sports club |
| Charges | “Moharebeh” (enmity against God), in connection with assisting injured protesters during the demonstrations of 8 and 9 January 2026 |
| Court | The court branch is not identified in the information currently available |
| Judge | Unknown |
| Lawyer | Unknown |
| Sentence / case status | Charged with “moharebeh”; no death sentence is confirmed in the information currently available |
| Current place of detention | Ward 6, Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad |
Human and Personal Background
Mahboubeh Shabani was born in the Iranian calendar year 1372 (approximately 1993/94) in Mashhad. The available information is insufficient to establish her occupation, education, marital status or whether she has children. According to the information provided for this case, both of her parents are deceased. To preserve accuracy, no further details about her family circumstances have been added without supplementary sources.
Arrest, Trial and Sentencing
Based on the verified information in this case file, Mahboubeh Shabani was arrested at around 8 p.m. on 2 February 2026 by Ministry of Intelligence officers in Azadi Square, Mashhad, outside a sports club. According to the information provided, five male officers and one female officer were present and severe violence was used during the arrest; her personal motorcycle was also confiscated. The material reviewed at this stage does not provide a specific and distinguishable allegation of torture after arrest.
She has been charged with “moharebeh” in connection with assisting injured protesters during demonstrations in Mashhad on 8 and 9 January 2026. According to a report by Hengaw, she was alleged to have used a motorcycle to transport injured protesters to medical centres and hospitals. The information currently available does not identify the judge, lawyer or court branch, and the text of any judicial decision is unavailable.
The initial case information indicates that the charge of “moharebeh” was communicated to her, but the material available for this report does not confirm that a death sentence has been issued. Her status is therefore described in this report as “charged with moharebeh and at risk of a death sentence”, rather than “sentenced to death”.
Statements from Prison or by Family
No direct and attributable quotation from Mahboubeh Shabani or members of her family from inside prison is available in the information reviewed for this report.
Government Response and Conduct
According to the case information, Ministry of Intelligence officers are identified as responsible for her arrest, and the charge of “moharebeh” has been brought in connection with assisting injured protesters. However, the materials reviewed do not contain the indictment or a court judgment, the identity of the judicial branch or judge, or a detailed legal basis for the charge. The absence of this information prevents a full assessment of the proceedings and her precise judicial status.
International Reactions
The documents provided for this case do not record a specific, attributable response concerning Mahboubeh Shabani from a United Nations body or another international institution. Hengaw has warned of the possibility that she may receive a death sentence.
Current Status and Risk of Execution
The latest reported place of detention is Ward 6 of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. The initial case information recorded 87 days of detention at one point; because this figure depends on the reference date, this assessment relies on the arrest date rather than a fixed duration of detention. The charge of “moharebeh” creates a risk of capital punishment, but the information reviewed does not confirm that a death sentence has been issued, and the precise stage of the proceedings remains unclear.
Human Rights and Fair Trial Analysis
Right to life: The available information describes the conduct attributed to Shabani as assisting injured protesters and transporting them to medical facilities, and the materials reviewed contain no allegation of intentional killing. Any recourse to the death penalty in this case would therefore raise serious concerns under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which restricts capital punishment in countries that have not abolished it to the “most serious crimes”.
Right to a fair trial: The absence of information about the court branch, judge, lawyer, indictment and evidence relied upon makes it impossible to fully assess compliance with fair-trial guarantees. The responsible authorities should ensure effective access to legal counsel, adequate time and facilities to prepare a defence, and access for the accused and her lawyer to the information necessary for the proceedings.
Prohibition of violent treatment and ill-treatment: The report of severe violence during the arrest requires an independent and impartial investigation. The materials reviewed do not provide sufficient evidence to characterise treatment after arrest as torture; this report therefore makes no allegation beyond the reported violence during arrest.
Conclusion
Mahboubeh Shabani has been detained since 2 February 2026, and her latest reported place of detention is Ward 6 of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. She has been charged with “moharebeh” in connection with assisting injured protesters, placing her at risk of capital punishment. At the same time, the information reviewed for this report does not confirm that a death sentence has been issued, while key information concerning the court branch, judge, lawyer and precise stage of proceedings remains unavailable.
Urgent Appeal
United Nations bodies, governments and international human rights organisations are urged to follow Mahboubeh Shabani’s judicial situation and act to protect her rights.
• Call on the responsible authorities to disclose her precise judicial status, the court branch handling the case and any decisions issued.
• Urge the authorities to refrain from imposing or carrying out any death sentence and to fully respect the right to life.
• Guarantee confidential and effective access to a lawyer of her choice, with adequate time and facilities to prepare a defence.
• Conduct an independent and impartial investigation into the reported violence during arrest.
• Guarantee regular family contact and access to necessary medical care.
• Ensure that any judicial proceedings comply with fair-trial guarantees and do not rely on statements obtained under coercion.
