Judiciary Announces Execution of Babak Shahbazi

HRANA – This morning, Wednesday, the Judiciary’s Media Center announced the execution of Babak Shahbazi on charges of “espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel.” Shahbazi had been transferred to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj yesterday.

The Judiciary’s Media Center stated that the execution took place this morning, Wednesday, September 17, 2025, after the Supreme Court upheld the ruling. The report claimed that “Babak Shahbazi worked as a contractor in the design and installation of industrial cooling systems with companies affiliated with telecommunications, military, and security institutions. He was accused of intelligence and security cooperation with Israel and of exchanging information with individuals affiliated with that country. Ultimately, he was sentenced to death on charges of corruption on earth through moharebeh (enmity against God).”

The Judiciary’s news agency also named Esmail Fekri as one of Shahbazi’s associates. He was arrested on similar “espionage” charges and was executed in the same prison on June 16, 2025.

Yesterday, Shahbazi’s brother announced that the political prisoner had been transferred to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison. He added that the family, along with relatives, staged a sit-in outside the prison.

Shahbazi’s request for a retrial was recently rejected by the Supreme Court for the third time. His brother had earlier reported that the Ninth Branch of the Supreme Court, presided over by Judge Ghasem Mazinani, had also denied the second retrial request.

On August 19, after 12 days during which his family had no information about his whereabouts, Shahbazi was transferred to the public ward of Ghezel Hesar Prison. His relatives had previously expressed deep concern over being left in the dark about his condition.

BBC Persian had earlier reported that Shahbazi’s death sentence had been confirmed by the Supreme Court for the first time.

Shahbazi was arrested on charges of espionage and sentenced to death. One of the accusations against him included sending a message to the President of Ukraine.

He was detained in January 2024 and initially held in Evin Prison. Following an Israeli airstrike on Evin, he, along with other political prisoners, was transferred to the Greater Tehran Prison before being moved again to Ghezel Hesar.

Esmail Fekri Executed on Charges of Espionage

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, June 16, the Judiciary’s media center announced the execution of Esmail Fekri, a prisoner convicted of spying for Israel.

According to the state-affiliated Mizan News Agency, the execution was carried out at dawn on June 16, 2025. The Judiciary’s media outlet claimed that “after identifying a spy network linked to Israel in December 2023, Esmail Fekri was arrested on charges of intelligence cooperation and espionage for Israel, under the charges of ‘enmity against God’ (Moharebeh) and ‘spreading corruption on earth’ (efsad fel-arz).” Following the issuance of an indictment, court sessions were held with the presence of the defendant and his lawyer. The court found him guilty and sentenced him to death. The sentence was later upheld by the Supreme Court after a review of the appeal. The execution was carried out following legal procedures.

Esmail Fekri, who had been sentenced to death on charges of “espionage,” was transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj in late February 2025.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Esmail Fekri and Mohsen Langarneshin Transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison; One Sentenced to Death

HRANA News Agency – Esmail Fekri, a prisoner sentenced to death on espionage charges, and Mohsen Langarneshin, another prisoner facing similar accusations, were transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj on February 15.

Both prisoners are currently being held in the quarantine section of Unit Three at Ghezel Hesar. Fekri has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court, while Langarneshin has been ordered to pay financial restitution and a monetary fine for the same charge.

A source close to the prisoners told HRANA:
“It is possible that Mohsen Langarneshin has additional sentences that have not yet been publicly disclosed.”

Before their transfer, the two detainees were held in Ward 4 of Evin Prison.

Details regarding their cases and backgrounds remain unclear. HRANA will provide updates as more information becomes available.

While espionage-related offenses are not inherently considered human rights violations, Iran has a longstanding pattern of using such allegations to target political opponents. The lack of transparency in these cases, particularly regarding evidence, legal proceedings, and access to defense rights, raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of the charges.

Prisoners accused of espionage in Iran often face severe restrictions and are deprived of fundamental rights. Past cases have revealed denial of legal representation, closed-door trials, and disproportionately harsh sentences imposed without due process.