The three men – Saeed Yaghoubi, Saleh Mir-Hashemi, and Majid Kazemi were charged with ‘moharebeh’, meaning “war against God”, a vague religious concept, for their alleged role in the shooting of three government agents during a day of protests at Khane-ye Esfahan neighborhood on November 16.
The ‘Khane-ye Esfahan case’ involves several other protesters. Another defendant, footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani, was sentenced to a total of twenty-one years in prison on charges of “aiding in the war against God and “assembly and collusion leading to security-related crimes”.
The convictions were based on confessions made in the absence of lawyers selected by the defendants.
Majid Kazemi
Majid Kazemi, 30, was born in 1992 and is a resident of Isfahan, though he is originally from the Lur tribe in western Iran. According to Mr. Kazemi’s friends, Majid loved nature and travelling to the countryside. He is very kind and hardworking. Majid began to work as a teenager and was able to set up a copper bending handicrafts workshop in Isfahan. He has created jobs for a number of people his age. Majid always helped those who were not in good financial condition. Majid Kazemi’s friends cannot believe that he pulled a gun!
In an audio message from prison Majid Kazemi said he was tortured into confessing to things he had not done. He stressed, “I had no weapon, and I did not do anything. They beat me so much that I accepted it.”
Saleh Mir-Hashemi
Saleh was born in 1986 and has a 4th Degree Black Belt in Karate. Saleh Mirhashemi had just begun his joint life with his wife for three months. According to those close to him, Saleh was a calm, kind, and caring person. Contrary to the accusations made against him on state-run media, Saleh was not in contact with any particular group, including the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK).
Saleh Mirhashemi spent 45 days in solitary confinement. During this time his family had no information of his whereabout. The Karate champion was not allowed to contact his family either. Islamic Republic’s officials severely tortured Saleh by threatening his wife and father, they a obtained forced confession from him.
Saeed Yaghoubi
Saeed Yaghoubi, 37, is from Isfahan, the youngest child of the family, and the caretaker of his 81-year-old mother and 85-year-old father. During the nationwide protests in Isfahan on November 18, 2022, Iran’s Judiciary arrested and sentenced him to death. Saeed Yaghoubi was an athlete and worked at the real estate firm in Khane Isfahan’s neighborhood.
In a video posted on social media on January 10, 2023, the mother calls for the release of her son. She said Saeed was the “breadwinner and handyman” of their home. She says that she has no one else apart from Saeed.
“An 85-year-old father, an 81-year-old mother… This is their son Saeed, their breadwinner and handyman. Please accompany my child and bring him back to me.”