A REPORT ON THE LATEST CONDITION OF EHSAN AFRASHTEH, A DEATH ROW PRISONER

The second appeal for the case of Ehsan Afrashteh, a death row prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been filed with Iran’s Supreme Court and sent to Branch 29 for review. Afrashteh was previously sentenced to death by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, head of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, on charges of *espionage*.

According to available reports, Mr. Afrashteh received his death sentence this year, which was later upheld by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court. His first appeal was also rejected by Branch 9, leaving the original verdict unchanged. The case is now under a second review.

Mr. Afrashteh was arrested earlier this year after returning from Turkey and was held in solitary confinement for several months before being transferred to the general ward of Evin prison. He is currently held in Ward 7.

Recently, prison officials attempted to transfer him to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, but several inmates intervened to prevent it. As a result, some prisoners were summoned to the ward chief’s office and denied family visits.

A source close to the family said Mr. Afrashteh has been accused of spying for Israel, and security forces have forced him to make confessions believed to be fabricated. He has denied all charges. Some of his and his family’s assets have been seized, and they remain under security pressure.

Born in 1992, Ehsan Afrashteh is from Isfahan. He holds a master’s degree in civil engineering and worked as an IT and network specialist. He had been living in Tehran before his arrest.