Death Sentence Issued for Hasan Golshannezhad, Detainee from December Protests in Mashhad
Hasan Golshannezhad, a 36-year-old citizen of Mashhad who was arrested in connection with the December 2025 protests, has been sentenced to death by the Mashhad Revolutionary Court. The initial death sentence was delivered to him on Monday, October 26, at Mashhad Central Prison.
According to human rights organizations, Hasan Golshannezhad was arrested by government forces in March 2025 while he was at a café belonging to one of his friends, and was transferred to Vkilabad Prison in Mashhad.
After approximately eight months in detention, he was tried at the Mashhad Revolutionary Court on September 19. According to reports, the charges brought against him included “moharebeh” (waging war against God), “assembly and conspiracy,” “insulting the leader,” “participation in protests,” “cooperation with the hostile state of Israel,” and “damage to public property.”
However, according to reports from Hrana news agency and other human rights sources, the charge leading to the death sentence is described as “operational actions in favor of Israel.” Complete details of the court’s ruling and the court’s reasoning for issuing this sentence are not independently available.
According to informed sources cited by Hrana, Golshannezhad was denied access to a lawyer of his choice for the first three months of his detention. These sources have also reported that during interrogations to extract forced confessions, he was subjected to physical torture, and as a result of beatings by officials, one of his ribs was broken.
These claims have not been independently verified to date, and sufficient public information about the judicial authorities’ response to them is not available. However, reports of denial of counsel and alleged mistreatment raise serious concerns about the protection of the defendant’s rights and the fairness of the legal proceedings in this case.
The issuance of a death sentence for detainees related to the protests has once again drawn attention to the judicial proceedings in cases stemming from the December 2025 protests. In Golshannezhad’s case, reports indicate prolonged detention, a trial held after approximately eight months, and claims of denial of counsel of his choice during part of the detention period.
According to available information, the sentence issued against Hasan Golshannezhad is an initial verdict. Official details regarding the process for appealing the sentence and possible review proceedings remain unclear.
