Varisheh Moradi

Varisheh Moradi

Varisheh Moradi is a 41-year-old Kurdish political prisoner who was arrested in Sanandaj on 1 August 2023 and later transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison for the interrogation phase. Her trials took place at Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on 16 June and 5 October 2024. Her lawyer was notified of her sentence on 10 November of the same year. She was sentenced to death for charges of baghy (armed rebellion) through membership of PJAK by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by “Death Judge” Salavati. She is held in Evin Prison.

Charges: baghy (armed rebellion) through membership of PJAK

Status: Sentenced to death by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on 10 November 2024. The Supreme Court overturned her sentence on 10 December 2025 "due to defects in the investigation and breaches of procedural requirements (in particular, the failure at the various stages of the proceedings to inform her of the charge forming the basis of the death sentence)", per her lawyer. The case was referred to Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for retrial. On 14 October 2026, her lawyers reported that the Court had resentenced Varisheh to death. Criticising the ruling, her defence team argued the the court defied a Supreme Court order to reinvestigate flawed findings and instead merely modified her charge to membership in an armed rebel group. Her lawyers emphasised that no credible evidence supports the ruling, noting her past activities were strictly confined to fighting ISIS in northern Syria with no involvement in operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran.