Branch 1 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court has sentenced 33-year-old Mahboubeh Shabani to death following her arrest during national protests. Specifically, authorities detained Shabani on February 2, 2026, in Mashhad and subsequently transferred her to Vakilabad Prison.
Humanitarian Assistance Criminalized Under Security Charges
A central aspect of Shabani’s indictment involves her aid to wounded demonstrators during the January 2026 protests in Mashhad. Specifically, she used her motorcycle to transport injured protesters safely to clinics and hospitals.
While prosecutors initially charged her with Moharebeh (enmity against God), the court ultimately issued the Mahboubeh Shabani death sentence under expanded security allegations. Furthermore, court documents cited “operational acts to strengthen Israel, the United States, and affiliated opposition groups.”
Incommunicado Detention and Retaliation Behind Bars
Shabani has faced severe mistreatment throughout her seven months in Vakilabad Prison:
Punitative Isolation: Authorities transferred her to the prison’s quarantine ward and subjected her to extended bans on family visits and phone calls.
Prisoner Resistance: Shabani initiated hunger strikes to protest her unlawful detention conditions and lack of medical access.
Crucially, handing down a death sentence to a citizen for delivering emergency medical transport violates fundamental international law. Ultimately, Shabani’s death sentence reflects a dangerous escalation in state retaliation against individuals providing humanitarian aid during public demonstrations.
