Who is Zahra Shahbaz Tabari and why has she been sentenced to death?

Who is Zahra Shahbaz Tabari and why has she been sentenced to death?

Zahra Shahbaz Tabari (born 1958 in Babol) is an electrical engineer and a political-ideological prisoner residing in Rasht. She has higher education, including a degree in electrical engineering from Isfahan University of Technology, and a Master's degree in sustainable energy systems from Sweden and in electrical engineering from Amir Kabir University. She has worked professionally for many years for electricity companies and engineering organizations.

**Legal Status:**

* She was arrested in her home in Rasht on April 16, 2024, and transferred to Lakan Prison in the city.

* The Revolutionary Court of Rasht has sentenced her to death on charges of "cooperating with opposition groups against the regime" (the People's Mujahedin Organization).

* The stated legal charges are "moharebeh" (waging war against God) and "baghi" (armed rebellion).

**Defense Claims and Criticisms of the Case:**

* In a letter from prison (November 3, 2024), Shahbaz Tabari emphasized her innocence and criticized the unfair trial process and the lack of proof for the elements of the crime.

* Reports indicate that the evidence in the case is limited and "unreliable," including a cloth with a slogan and an unpublished voice message, with no evidence of organizational or military links.

* She had previously been arrested for activities on social media and released after three months under electronic monitoring.

**International Reactions:**

* In December 2024, over 400 prominent women worldwide (including four Nobel laureates) demanded her immediate release in an open letter.

**Summary:** Zahra Shahbaz Tabari, a 66-year-old electrical engineer with a long professional history, has been sentenced to death on charges of cooperating with opposition groups. This sentence has been issued despite serious criticism of the evidence and trial process, and international human rights bodies have expressed concern about the case.

UN experts call for halt to execution of 67-year-old Iranian citizen.

December 23, 2025

UN Experts: Iran must stop the execution of Zahra Shahbaz Tabari.

Geneva – UN experts stated today that Iran must immediately halt the execution of Zahra Shahbaz Tabari, a 67-year-old electrical engineer imprisoned in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

The experts said: "Ms. Tabari's case reflects a pattern of gross violations of international human rights law regarding the right to a fair trial and the inappropriate use of the death penalty for vaguely defined and broad security charges."

Tabari was sentenced to death on October 25, 2025, by the Revolutionary Court of Rasht on charges of "baghi" (armed rebellion against the foundations of the Islamic Republic of Iran) bhttps://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/12/un-experts-urge-iran-halt-execution-67-year-old-iranian-womanased on two pieces of evidence: a cloth containing the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" – a popular slogan from the 2022 protests – and an unpublished voice message. Authorities claimed she intended to put up the cloth as a public banner to challenge the regime.

Tabari was arrested during a house raid on her home without a judicial warrant. She was held in solitary confinement for a month during interrogation and was pressured to confess to "taking up arms against the regime" and membership in an opposition group. The trial, which took place via video conference, lasted less than ten minutes.

The experts said Tabari was denied access to her chosen lawyer and was represented by a court-appointed lawyer. The death sentence was issued immediately after the short trial.

They added: "The serious procedural violations in this case – including unlawful deprivation of liberty, denial of effective legal representation, exceptionally short trial, lack of sufficient opportunity to prepare a defense, and the use of evidence that appears insufficient to prove the charge of armed rebellion – invalidate any conviction resulting from it."

The experts warned: "This case does not involve intentional killing and is riddled with procedural violations. Executing Tabari under such circumstances would constitute an arbitrary execution." They added: "Criminalizing women's work for equality and treating such expression as evidence of armed rebellion is a serious form of gender discrimination."

The experts said: "The debate on the death penalty has evolved to question whether the death penalty itself is a violation of international human rights law. But how Iran's courts issue death sentences is far from such legal discourse. What we are witnessing here is a parody of justice and a wide gap from the most basic international standards."

They emphasized: "When a state exercises its power to take life, it is obliged in return to strictly adhere to fair trial guarantees, ensure full transparency, and limit its application to cases involving intentional killing."

Tabari's case is one of at least 52 cases where individuals are currently facing the death penalty for vaguely defined security charges, including "baghi," "moharebeh," "efsad-e fel-arz" (corruption on earth), and espionage.

Other female political prisoners have also faced the death penalty on "baghi" charges. Some of these sentences have been overturned, but Iranian activist Pakhshan Azizi is currently at risk of execution on "baghi" charges.

The experts said: "Iran's systematic use of the death penalty for vaguely defined security charges indicates a serious gap in relation to the country's international legal obligations."

The experts are in contact with Iranian authorities and have requested immediate intervention to prevent this arbitrary execution.

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Source: #Human #Rights #Organization

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