On July 4, 2023, the BBC Persian news outlet reported that the Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic of Iran had affirmed the death sentence of Abbas Derris, an individual apprehended during the November 2019 protests in Mahshahr, in the Khuzestan province.
The legal counsel of Mr. Derris, Fereshteh Tabanian, disclosed via a tweet the following day that the nation's Supreme Court had upheld her client's death sentence on the accusation of "moharebeh" (waging war against God). Furthermore, Ms. Tabanian expressed her dismay over how her client's case was handled, citing significant procedural errors ostensibly overlooked by the Supreme Court. She went on to convey her intent to seek a retrial. Notably, the verdict was not directly related to her but discovered through a notice from the Mahshahr Revolutionary Court's first branch. Mr. Derris's lawyer has previously reported that the confessions serving as the foundation for the Revolutionary Court's death sentence in October 2022 were extracted under duress within the Ministry of Intelligence. Mr. Derris vehemently denied these charges in court.
Born in 1973, Mr. Derris is a father of three. His mother, in a heart-wrenching appeal made via social media on July 7, 2023, proclaimed her son's innocence and implored the authorities of the Islamic Republic not to execute without just cause. She also beseeched the public to rally to prevent her son's impending execution. Reliable local sources indicate that Mr. Derris, previously held at Mahshahr prison, has recently been moved to an undisclosed location. Speculation abounds that he has been transported to the execution department.
Given that the charges against Abbas Derris remain uncorroborated and considering both his legal representation's assertion and other credible sources, it is apparent that his trial fell short of international legal and judicial standards. Therefore, we, the undersigned, urgently call for the immediate cessation of Mr. Abbas Derris's execution. Furthermore, we advocate for a fair trial to be conducted under the vigilance of international authorities. July 8, 2023
Update - Ms. Fereshteh Tabanian, the defense attorney for Abbas Derris, tweeted on July 26, 2023, "The order to halt the execution sentence has been delivered to the First Branch of Sentence Completion in Mahshahr."
بی گناه