Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court has sentenced 27-year-old protester Ali Zarei Duzdarehsi to death on charges of “Corruption on Earth” (Efsad-fil-Arz). Specifically, Zarei—who lost near-total vision in his right eye after security forces shot him during the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” demonstrations—was notified of the sentence on August 23, 2026 (1 Shahrivar 1405). Check out our [Internal Link: Latest news on human rights in Iran] to read more about execution trends and judicial crackdowns.
Zarei is currently held in Ward 37 of Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. Crucially, the ruling remains pending appeal before the Supreme Court and is not yet final.
From Eye Injury to Exile and Rearrest
On October 7, 2022, security forces near Tehran University shot Zarei in the right eye with rubber pellets. Because security personnel heavily monitored local hospitals, he delayed medical treatment for 10 days out of fear of arrest, resulting in near-total blindness in his right eye.
Security forces briefly detained and assaulted him in June 2023, prompting him to leave Iran and temporarily reside in Germany. However, Ministry of Intelligence agents arrested him on April 28, 2026, shortly after he returned to Iran. Authorities transferred him to Ghezel Hesar Prison on June 30 following two months of interrogation.
Vague Political Allegations Without Murder Charges
The Revolutionary Court based the death sentence entirely on political and media activism rather than violent acts. Specifically, court documents list the following allegations:
Extensive political activities and propaganda against the state
Spreading false news and disrupting national security
Illegal entry and exit from the country
A vague charge of “reflecting artificial damage”
Notably, prosecutors brought zero charges of murder or armed action against Zarei. Therefore, issuing a capital sentence based solely on peaceful political activity and exile activities violates international human rights standards.
