Verishe Moradi Stands Before Judge Salwati’s Court
The cancellation of the retrial hearing in the case of Verishe Moradi, a Kurdish political prisoner, has once again drawn attention to the performance of the Islamic Republic’s judicial system. The court session, which was supposed to be held following the annulment of her death sentence by the Supreme Court, ended without result due to the political prisoner’s absence and Judge Abolqasem Salwati’s refusal to hold the session—an occurrence that, according to human rights organizations, exemplifies another instance of the judicial system’s treatment of political and civil opponents in Iran.
The retrial hearing in the case of Verishe Moradi, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, was not held on Saturday, July 20. According to published reports, her lawyers appeared before Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, but Judge Abolqasem Salwati refused to hold the session due to the absence of the defendant. Moradi had previously stated that she does not recognize the Revolutionary Court due to its lack of independence and failure to observe the principles of fair trial.
Verishe Moradi’s case is among those that have faced widespread reaction from international human rights organizations over the past two years. She was sentenced to death in November 2024 on charges of “moharebeh” (enmity against God) by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Salwati. However, after reviewing her lawyers’ appeal, the Supreme Court annulled the verdict due to deficiencies in the investigation and failure to observe legal procedures, including the improper communication of charges, and referred the case for retrial to a peer branch.
Mostafa Nili, Verishe Moradi’s lawyer, stated following the Supreme Court’s ruling: “Following the review of Ms. Verishe Moradi’s appeal, the verdict issued by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court was annulled due to deficiencies in the investigation and failure to observe legal procedures, including the improper communication of the charge that formed the basis for the death sentence.”
Despite the annulment of the death sentence, judicial pressure against this political prisoner has not ceased. She remains deprived of visits from her family and lawyers, and has faced new cases during her imprisonment, including a six-month conviction on charges of “propaganda against the system” and another conviction on charges of “rebellion and altercation with an officer,” which was filed following female prisoners’ protests against the execution of Reza Rasaei in Evin.
Human rights organizations, including Hrana and bodies defending the rights of Kurds, have repeatedly emphasized that Verishe Moradi’s case is just one example of the Islamic Republic’s judicial system’s treatment of political activists, civil society actors, and women’s rights defenders; a process in which heavy sentences, prolonged detention, the filing of new cases during imprisonment, and restrictions on access to lawyers and family have become tools for increasing pressure on critics of the government.
Human rights observers believe that the annulment of the death sentence, while preventing the execution of the punishment, does not signify an end to judicial pressures. The continuation of detention, deprivation of basic rights, and the filing of new cases against political prisoners have reinforced the criticism that the Islamic Republic continues to use security and judicial mechanisms to silence the voices of its opponents while imprisoned—a policy that has repeatedly been criticized by international organizations for violating the principles of fair trial and the fundamental rights of prisoners.
