Iranian political prisoner Arghavan Fallahi has been sentenced to death after being convicted of baghi, or “armed rebellion.” Human rights groups say her detention involved months of solitary confinement, limited access to legal representation, and alleged mistreatment, prompting urgent calls for intervention before the sentence can be enforced.
Fallahi, who is currently detained in Tehran’s Evin Prison, received the death sentence from Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The proceedings were overseen by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, who convicted her under Article 287 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code on the charge of baghi.
The verdict has sparked mounting concern among human rights organizations, several of which have called for immediate international pressure to prevent her execution. According to IranWire, the ruling is not yet final and may be challenged before Iran’s Supreme Court.
Prolonged Detention and Solitary Confinement
The NCRI Women’s Committee reports that Fallahi was arrested in January 2025 and spent roughly five months in solitary confinement in Ward 241 of Evin Prison. The organization says she endured prolonged interrogation as well as physical and psychological mistreatment while in custody.
Similar allegations have been documented by other human rights groups. HRANA reported that Fallahi was detained in Wards 209 and 241 of Evin Prison and cited a source familiar with the case who alleged that she was subjected to intense psychological pressure and efforts to force a confession.
Hengaw has also reported claims that Fallahi experienced both physical and psychological abuse during detention.
There are minor discrepancies among organizations regarding her age and precise arrest date. The NCRI Women’s Committee lists her as 25 years old and says she was arrested on January 25, 2025, while HRANA and IranWire have reported her age as 24.
What Charges Does Arghavan Fallahi Face?
According to HRANA and IranWire, the Revolutionary Court found Fallahi guilty of baghi based on allegations that she had links to opposition groups and was involved in armed activity.
Human rights organizations say Fallahi has rejected the accusations. They have also raised concerns over restrictions on her access to legal counsel and the lack of transparency surrounding the court proceedings.
Rights groups further allege that security officials attempted during interrogation to connect her to the killings of judges Mohammad Moghiseh and Ali Razini and pressured her to make confessions related to those allegations.
These accounts regarding interrogation practices and alleged abuse originate from human rights organizations and have not been independently confirmed through publicly available Iranian judicial documents.
Earlier Arrest During the 2022 Nationwide Protests
Fallahi had previously been arrested by Iranian authorities during the nationwide “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests.
In November 2022, she was detained alongside her father. HRANA says she was later sentenced to two years in prison on charges that included “assembly and collusion” and “propaganda against the state.”
She was subsequently released after completing that sentence.
The NCRI Women’s Committee reports that her father, Nasrollah Fallahi, remains incarcerated in Evin Prison.
Rights Groups Raise Fears of an Irreversible Injustice
Fallahi’s death sentence has intensified concern because questions remain over the evidence presented against her, the conditions under which she was interrogated, her access to legal counsel, and the overall fairness of the judicial process.
Human rights advocates argue that capital punishment should not be carried out when significant doubts remain over whether a defendant received a fair, independent, and transparent trial.
The NCRI Women’s Committee has urged the United Nations, individual governments, and international human rights organizations to intervene and press Iranian authorities to overturn Fallahi’s death sentence.
The organization has also called for international human rights monitors, including relevant United Nations mechanisms, to be given access to Iranian prisons and detainees held on political or security-related charges.
A Young Woman Facing a Death Sentence
Beyond the legal charges and political allegations, Fallahi’s case concerns the fate of a young Iranian woman who now faces the possibility of execution.
Her case has become part of a wider debate over Iran’s use of capital punishment against political prisoners and individuals accused of involvement with opposition groups.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern about the application of charges such as baghi and moharebeh, both of which can carry the death penalty under Iranian law.
For those advocating on Fallahi’s behalf, the central concern is the irreversible nature of execution: once a death sentence is carried out, any later finding of judicial error or injustice cannot undo the punishment.
As her case proceeds through Iran’s judicial system, rights advocates are calling for continued international scrutiny, a transparent review of the evidence, unrestricted access to qualified legal representation, and full protection of Fallahi’s fundamental rights.
