Death Sentence of Shahin Vassaf, arrested During Woman, Life, Freedom movement overturned by Supreme Court
Hengaw: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
The death sentence of Shahin Vassaf, a Kurdish man from Salmas and resident of Urmia, who was arrested during the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, has been overturned by the Supreme Court of Iran due to procedural flaws in the investigation. The case has now been referred back for retrial to Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia, presided over by Judge Reza Najafzadeh, who had originally issued the death sentence.
According to reports received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the Supreme Court recently annulled the execution order for Shahin Vassaf, 29, citing “deficiencies in the investigation process,” and redirected the case for retrial to the same court and judge.
Sources told Hengaw that this ruling was formally communicated to Vassaf inside Urmia Central Prison on Monday, April 7, 2025. His case is now pending review, and a new verdict is expected in the near future — including the possibility of a renewed death sentence.
Shahin Vassaf had previously been sentenced to death by Branch 3 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, under the same judge, Reza Najafzadeh, a figure widely known for issuing harsh sentences. Vassaf was charged with “espionage for Israel”, and the verdict was officially delivered to him on October 3, 2023.
Vassaf was arrested on September 21, 2022 during the nationwide protests sparked by the death of Jina Amini. He was arrested in Urmia along with his cousin Naser Vassaf by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and taken to their detention facility in the city. After the interrogation period, both were transferred to Urmia Central Prison. Naser Vassaf was later released after nearly one year of detention.
Hengaw had previously reported that Shahin Vassaf was subjected to severe torture and forced to make false confessions under duress. During his trial, he was denied access to legal counsel of his own choosing.
Vassaf has not been granted a single day of furlough since his arrest and remains incarcerated in the political prisoners’ ward of Urmia Central Prison.
