Manouchehr Fallah: death sentence of Lakan prison political prisoner upheld again

Iran's Supreme Court has once again upheld the death sentence of Manouchehr Fallah, a 42-year-old political prisoner from Gilan who was detained during the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement. The case of this political prisoner, held in Rasht's Lakan prison, has now been sent to Rasht's criminal sentence enforcement office for execution, a step that brings the danger of his execution very close. News that the sentence had been upheld again was published on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.

Manouchehr Fallah is charged with "destruction with the intent of confronting the government". According to lawyer Milad Panahipour, he is accused of setting off a small sound firecracker outside the Gilan judiciary building at around 1 a.m., an incident that, according to the lawyer, caused about 15 million tomans in damage. The blast caused no casualties or injuries.

The course of Manouchehr Fallah's case

Manouchehr Fallah was arrested by security forces at Rasht airport and, after interrogation, transferred to the Misagh ward of Lakan prison. The human rights organisation Hengaw has said that Branch 2 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court, presided over by judge Ahmad Darvish-Goftar, sentenced him to death in January–February 2025 on the charge of "moharebeh" (waging war against God). Before that, Branch 3 of the same court had sentenced him to prison in a separate case on charges of "insulting the leadership" and "propaganda against the system", a sentence he served in full.

During his detention he went on hunger strike for 28 days in protest at his uncertain situation and the opening of a new case against him, ending it at the request of fellow inmates and former political prisoners. His lawyers have said repeatedly that the Revolutionary Court's only basis for the death sentence was minor material damage to the door and facade of a building.

Wave of political executions in Gilan

Manouchehr Fallah is one of several political prisoners from Gilan who face execution in Rasht's Lakan prison. A few days ago, Fatemeh Eyni was transferred to solitary confinement in Lakan prison for her death sentence to be carried out. In recent weeks, human rights organisations have reported an unusually rapid pace of executions in Iran's prisons and the transfer of hundreds of prisoners for their sentences to be carried out.

For a sound firecracker that injured no one, the Islamic Republic has once again upheld Manouchehr Fallah's death sentence.