Ali Abdollahzadeh, the brother of Mehrab Abdollahzadeh—a political prisoner sentenced to death—has released a video appealing to human rights activists and legal experts to help raise his brother’s voice before it is too late.
In the video, he states that Mehrab was neither a political activist nor a member of any group. Mehrab was arrested because demonstrations took place near his home and the barbershop where he worked during the nationwide protests of 2022. Mehrab was detained after 40 days.
During those days, a Basij member lost his life amid the protests. In Mehrab Abdollahzadeh’s case, he was charged with corruption on earth through alleged participation in the killing of that Basij member and sentenced to death.
However, the medical examiner report states that the cause of death was the result of multiple blows inflicted from different directions, involving around 50 people, and that the death cannot be attributed to a single individual. The medical examiner report also explicitly notes that pellets belonging to law enforcement forces were found in the victim’s body.
The only evidence against Mehrab Abdollahzadeh is an initial confession extracted under torture during detention. Since then, under all circumstances, he has consistently maintained that he did not commit the killing and has rejected the charges.
The court also rejected requests by his lawyers to conduct mobile phone location tracking and to review CCTV footage from around the scene of the incident. Ali Abdollahzadeh says authorities told them to obtain the consent of the deceased Basij member’s family. Although the family had verbally expressed consent at the time, they are now refusing to provide written consent under the current conditions.
At the same time, Mehrab Abdollahzadeh’s parents have released a video appeal asking for help to prevent their son’s execution. They say Mehrab has been imprisoned for four years despite his innocence, and that the family had been waiting every day for his release. His lawyers had told them he was innocent and that the verdict would be overturned, but the verdict has now been upheld by the Supreme Court.
Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, a resident of Urmia born in 1997, was arrested at his workplace on October 22, 2022, by the IRGC intelligence in Urmia during the nationwide Woman, Life, Freedom protests. He was subjected to severe physical and psychological torture for 38 days. During this period, he was denied visitation rights and access to a lawyer.
In October 2024, Branch One of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia sentenced him to death on charges of corruption on earth through alleged participation in the killing of a Basij member. On Thursday, December 18, 2025, the confirmation of his death sentence by the Supreme Court was officially communicated to him—raising serious concerns about his possible imminent execution.
@iranhrdc
#Mehrab_Abdollahzadeh
#NoToExecution
#IranHumanRights
#HumanRights
#Iran
In the video, he states that Mehrab was neither a political activist nor a member of any group. Mehrab was arrested because demonstrations took place near his home and the barbershop where he worked during the nationwide protests of 2022. Mehrab was detained after 40 days.
During those days, a Basij member lost his life amid the protests. In Mehrab Abdollahzadeh’s case, he was charged with corruption on earth through alleged participation in the killing of that Basij member and sentenced to death.
However, the medical examiner report states that the cause of death was the result of multiple blows inflicted from different directions, involving around 50 people, and that the death cannot be attributed to a single individual. The medical examiner report also explicitly notes that pellets belonging to law enforcement forces were found in the victim’s body.
The only evidence against Mehrab Abdollahzadeh is an initial confession extracted under torture during detention. Since then, under all circumstances, he has consistently maintained that he did not commit the killing and has rejected the charges.
The court also rejected requests by his lawyers to conduct mobile phone location tracking and to review CCTV footage from around the scene of the incident. Ali Abdollahzadeh says authorities told them to obtain the consent of the deceased Basij member’s family. Although the family had verbally expressed consent at the time, they are now refusing to provide written consent under the current conditions.
At the same time, Mehrab Abdollahzadeh’s parents have released a video appeal asking for help to prevent their son’s execution. They say Mehrab has been imprisoned for four years despite his innocence, and that the family had been waiting every day for his release. His lawyers had told them he was innocent and that the verdict would be overturned, but the verdict has now been upheld by the Supreme Court.
Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, a resident of Urmia born in 1997, was arrested at his workplace on October 22, 2022, by the IRGC intelligence in Urmia during the nationwide Woman, Life, Freedom protests. He was subjected to severe physical and psychological torture for 38 days. During this period, he was denied visitation rights and access to a lawyer.
In October 2024, Branch One of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia sentenced him to death on charges of corruption on earth through alleged participation in the killing of a Basij member. On Thursday, December 18, 2025, the confirmation of his death sentence by the Supreme Court was officially communicated to him—raising serious concerns about his possible imminent execution.
@iranhrdc
#Mehrab_Abdollahzadeh
#NoToExecution
#IranHumanRights
#HumanRights
#Iran