Iran weekly news - December 28, 2025

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Iran weekly news

December 28, 2025

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-Sentenced To Death.

Yaqub Karimpour, a resident of Miandoab in West Azerbaijan Province, has been sentenced to death by the Urmia Revolutionary Court following his arrest during the so-called ‘12-day war.’

He was convicted of ‘corruption on earth through collaboration with Israel and data transfer.’ Mr. Karimpour, born in 1984, is currently being held at Urmia Central Prison.

According to available information, Mr. Karimpour has consistently denied all charges throughout interrogation and trial, stating that the confessions attributed to him were extracted under pressure and torture. He has strongly rejected any cooperation with Israel or the transfer of information.

Reports indicate that in security and espionage cases, defendants are routinely denied basic fair-trial rights, including effective access to legal counsel, protection from torture, and the exclusion of forced confessions, raising serious concerns about judicial independence and the role of security agencies in determining outcomes.

There has also been a reported rise in death sentences on charges of collaboration with Israel following the end of the 12-day war, many of which have been issued in opaque proceedings that fall short of fair-trial standards.

-The Death Sentence Of Mehrab Abdollahzadeh.

The death sentence of Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, a political prisoner held at Urmia Central Prison, has been upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court, and his case has now entered the execution stage, raising grave concerns over his fate.

According to available information, the judge overseeing sentence enforcement formally notified Mr. Abdollahzadeh of the execution order and asked him to sign a clemency request, an action typically taken just ahead of executions.

Mr. Abdollahzadeh was previously sentenced to death by Branch One of the Urmia Revolutionary Court on charges of ‘corruption on earth’ and alleged involvement in the killing of a Basij member. The ruling was upheld without overturning the verdict or accepting a retrial request, and was forwarded to prosecutors for enforcement.

He was arrested at his place of work, during Iran’s national uprising, and subjected to 38 days of physical and psychological torture. During this time, his family was kept in complete darkness about his condition, and he was denied access to visits and legal counsel.

Sources close to the family say he was placed under severe pressure and threats during interrogations to force a confession. His repeated requests to review mobile phone location data to prove he was not at the crime scene were ignored.”

-The Death Sentence of Vafaei Sani.

Iran’s Supreme Court has ordered a stay on the death sentence of Mr. Vafaei Sani, who is held in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. The order was issued just days after the execution ruling had once again been upheld and formally delivered to him in prison.

His death sentence has been overturned and reissued multiple times. Most recently, he was sentenced to death on charges of ‘corruption on earth’ by Branch 3 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, a ruling that was later upheld by a Supreme Court branch.

Mr. Vafaei Sani, a 28-year-old boxing coach, was arrested in Mashhad. His initial death sentence was previously overturned, retried, reissued, and then annulled again, before being reinstated once more.

While the halt is temporary, it has renewed hope among his family and supporters that his case may finally take a different turn.

-Bita Shafiei Released On Bail.

Bita Shafiei, a 19-year-old pro-monarchy activist from Shahin Shahr, Isfahan, was released on bail of four billion tomans on December 27th, 2025, while her mother remains in the custody of security forces.

Bita Shafiei was arrested three days after the detention of her mother, Maryam Abbasi Nikoo, by Islamic Republic security forces. Throughout her detention, no official information was provided regarding her place of confinement or the charges brought against her.