Tehran court sentences protest detainee Ali Kamali to death

Hengaw – Friday, June 5, 2026

Ali Kamali, a detainee arrested during Iran’s January 2026 protests and a resident of Malaysia, has been sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. The political prisoner is currently held in Great Tehran Penitentiary, and his case is now under review by Iran’s Supreme Court.

According to information obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Kamali’s trial was held in mid-May 2026 before Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. He was subsequently sentenced to death on charges of moharebeh (“waging war against God”). The verdict has been referred to the Supreme Court and is currently in the appeals process.

Sources told Hengaw that Kamali, who holds residency in Malaysia and had been living there, was arrested on January 12, 2026, only days after traveling to Iran. He was detained by Iranian government forces during the January protests in Tehran.

Following a period of interrogation, Kamali was transferred to Great Tehran Penitentiary, where he has remained in detention ever since.

No further information has been made available regarding the specific allegations underlying the moharebeh charge, the details of the case, or the judicial proceedings, due to the highly securitized nature of the case and the lack of transparency surrounding it.