HRANA – The death sentences issued against Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl and his wife, Bita Hemmati, both arrested during the January 2026 protests, have been overturned by Iran’s Supreme Court. The couple had previously been sentenced to death by Judge Iman Afshari.
According to HRANA, the Supreme Court has overturned the death sentences of two individuals detained during the January 2026 protests. The case of Mohammadreza Majidi Asl and Bita Hemmati has been referred to a parallel branch for retrial.
In April of this year, the couple, along with two co-defendants, Behrouz Zamaninejad and Kourosh Zamaninejad, were sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, on charges of “operational collaboration with the hostile government of the United States and hostile groups.”
The four defendants were also each sentenced to five years of discretionary imprisonment on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security.” The court additionally ordered the confiscation of all their assets as a supplementary punishment.
Another defendant in the case, Amir Hemmati, was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and an additional eight months for “propaganda against the regime.”
According to the court ruling, the charges against the defendants included participation in protest gatherings on January 8 and 9, 2025, chanting anti-government slogans, throwing objects such as bottles, concrete blocks, and incendiary materials, and damaging public property. The ruling claimed these acts were intended to disrupt national security and were linked to hostile groups.
Judge Afshari also referred to the alleged use of explosive materials and unspecified weapons, injuries to deployed forces, and the dissemination of content aimed at undermining national security. However, the ruling did not specify the details of these allegations or clearly attribute them individually to each defendant.
A source familiar with the families told HRANA: “Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl and Bita Hemmati are a couple living in Tehran, and Amir Hemmati is a relative of theirs. Kourosh Zamaninejad and Behrouz Zamaninejad were also residing in the same residential building, and all were arrested simultaneously.”
According to information received by HRANA, the defendants were subjected to pressure during interrogations, raising concerns about forced confessions.
The initial death sentences were reportedly based on a combination of legal provisions, including Articles 131 and 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, as well as Articles 500 and 610, which concern “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion against national security.” The application of the death penalty in cases tied to public protests has drawn criticism from human rights organizations in recent years.
The individuals were arrested by security forces in Tehran on January 9, 2026. Bita Hemmati is currently being held in the women’s ward of Evin Prison. Further details regarding the whereabouts of Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl, Behrouz Zamaninejad , and Kourosh Zamaninejad are still under investigation by HRANA.