Mother sentenced to death in Iran on ‘enmity against God’ charge following January protests

Leila Abolhasani, a 43-year-old esthetician and mother of two, faces the death penalty in Iran after being convicted of 'moharebeh' (enmity against God). According to reports from the HRANA news agency, she was arrested on January 8 during protests in Shahin Shahr. Authorities accuse her of arson at a local supermarket, a charge her family vehemently denies, stating she was merely filming an existing fire. The case was heard by the fifth chamber of the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan. Human rights observers have raised concerns regarding the lack of transparency in the proceedings, noting that the full judgment has not been made public and that the defendant was restricted from choosing her own legal counsel during the investigation. The case is currently pending before the Supreme Court for appeal.