Death sentence reinstated for Kurdish political prisoner Naser Bakrzadeh

Hengaw – Friday, September 12, 2025

Iranian authorities have reinstated the death sentence against Kurdish political prisoner Naser Bakrzadeh, who is being held in Urmia Central Prison. The 26-year-old had previously been sentenced to death, but that ruling was overturned and sent to another branch of the Revolutionary Court for retrial.

According to information obtained by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Branch 2 of the Urmia Islamic Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Shahini, recently issued a new death sentence against Bakrzadeh on charges of “espionage for Israel.”

In recent days, prison officials formally notified him of the verdict after summoning him to the Office for the Enforcement of Sentences at Urmia Central Prison.

Bakrzadeh was first sentenced to death in November 2024 by Branch 3 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, under Judge Najafzadeh, on the same charge of “espionage for Israel.” That decision was later overturned on appeal and returned by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court to a parallel branch for retrial.

He was initially arrested on August 9, 2023, by intelligence agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Urmia and released a few weeks later after signing a written commitment.

On January 2, 2024, Bakrzadeh was rearrested by the IRGC Intelligence Organization in Urmia and, after several months of interrogation under pressure, transferred to Urmia Central Prison.

During his detention, Bakrzadeh was subjected to coercion to obtain a forced confession and was denied fundamental rights, including access to legal representation and visits from his family.