Iran sentences January protest detainee Mohammadreza Tabari to death

Hengaw – Thursday, April 30, 2026

Iranian authorities have sentenced Mohammadreza Tabari, a 50-year-old man from Bojnord who lives in Eslamshahr, Tehran province, to death on charges of “moharebeh” after his arrest during the January 2026 protests, according to information obtained by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.

Tabari owns a carpentry shop in the Owrin area of Eslamshahr.

After attending protests on January 8, 2026, in the Baharestan area of Tehran, he learned from neighbors and local residents that security forces were searching for him and later presented himself voluntarily to the police investigation office.

Tabari was sentenced to death by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, on charges of “moharebeh through drawing a firearm" and “operational action in favor of groups opposed to the government.”

He was denied the right to a lawyer of his choosing and a fair trial throughout the judicial process.

Iranian state-affiliated outlets, including Fars, have claimed that Tabari wounded a member of the security forces with a firearm.

However, available evidence and images show that he did not even use a mask or hat to conceal his face during the protests, which contradicts claims of an organized armed operation.

Parts of his trial were broadcast by Iranian state media on February 6, 2026. Tabari appeared to show clear signs of severe psychological pressure during the proceedings.

Tabari was transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj on January 10, 2026, where he remains imprisoned.