Urmia Prison; Transfer of Naser Bakrzadeh, Political Prisoner Sentenced to Death, to an Unknown Location Access of Lawyers to the Sana System and His Retrial Request Has Been Restricted
April 30, 2026; Following the confirmation of the death sentence of Naser Bakrzadeh, a Kurdish political prisoner, by the Supreme Court and the increased risk of execution, and following the publication of his family's advocacy video in which they declared, “Our innocent son's life is in danger of execution,” the case lawyers immediately requested a retrial. However, reports indicate pressure being exerted on this political prisoner in Urmia Prison due to the publication of this video and its widespread media coverage. Simultaneously, his lawyers have reported restrictions in accessing the "Sana" system and a lack of information regarding the latest status of the retrial request, and the prisoner has been transferred to an unknown location.
An informed source told Kurdpa in this regard that Urmia Prison officials, after the publication of the advocacy video by Naser Bakrzadeh's parents and the widespread reflection of the danger of his execution following the Supreme Court's confirmation, placed him under pressure and subsequently transferred him from Urmia Prison to an unknown location.
On the other hand, “Amir Raisian,” one of the lawyers for this political prisoner, wrote on his X page: The death sentence of Naser Bakrzadeh, which was confirmed by the Supreme Court on April 19, 2026, and notified to the lawyers on April 25, was immediately met with a retrial request; however, at noon on April 30, 2026, Mr. Bakrzadeh was summoned by prison officials and did not return to the prison after several hours. He added that upon checking the Sana system to learn about the case status, the lawyers' access to the file has been restricted, and no information regarding a possible decision is available.
April 27, 2026; Following the third-time confirmation of the death sentence of Naser Bakrzadeh, a Kurdish political prisoner held in Urmia Central Prison, by the Supreme Court, his parents released a video filled with concern and desperation, calling for the halt of the execution. Emphasizing their son's innocence and his status as a tourist, they declared: “Naser has committed no crime” and appealed, “Help Naser and do not let him be executed.”
The death sentence of Naser Bakrzadeh was confirmed by the Supreme Court on April 25, 2026, and notified to the Enforcement of Judgments Office of Urmia Central Prison on the same day; a verdict that had previously been overturned twice by the Supreme Court due to investigative flaws and a lack of attention to evidence of innocence, but has been re-confirmed this time amidst the atmosphere resulting from the recent war.
This prisoner was previously sentenced to death in November 2024 by Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court on the charge of “espionage for Israel.” This sentence was overturned in April 2025 during the appeal stage by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court due to investigative flaws and lack of attention to evidence of innocence, and was referred back to a parallel court in Urmia for retrial.
Subsequently, he was again sentenced to death by Branch 2 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Shahini, a verdict which was once again overturned in November 2025 by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court due to case flaws. Nevertheless, in February 2026, the same charge was brought against him for the third time and a death sentence was issued, which was finally confirmed by the Supreme Court on April 25, 2026.
Naser Bakrzadeh, from Urmia, was first arrested by security forces on August 9, 2023, and released after a few weeks upon giving a commitment, but was arrested again on January 2, 2024, and transferred to Urmia Central Prison after interrogation in the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) detention center.
