Urmia; Naser Bakrzadeh and Yaghoub Karimpour Secretly Executed by the Islamic Republic
May 2, 2026; On the morning of Saturday, May 2, 2026, Mizan News Agency, affiliated with the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic, reported the implementation of the death sentences for Naser Bakrzadeh and Yaghoub Karimpour, two prisoners accused of “espionage for the benefit of Israel.”
The news agency, without mentioning the location of the execution of these two prisoners, announced that “they were executed after legal processing of their cases and confirmation of the verdicts by the Supreme Court.”
These two prisoners were transferred from Urmia Central Prison to an unknown location on Thursday, April 30, 2026, under the pretext of meeting with the judge for the enforcement of judgments and being sent to the Forensic Medicine Organization.
April 27, 2026; Following the third-time confirmation of the death sentence of Naser Bakrzadeh, a Kurdish 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.
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 had 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 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.
Yaghoub Karimpour, a Yarsani Turk citizen from Miandoab who was arrested by security forces during the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, was sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge “Sajjad Dousti,” on the charge of “Efsad-fel-Arz” (Corruption on Earth) through “espionage for the benefit of Israel.”
This Yarsani citizen was arrested by security forces in Miandoab on June 16, 2025, and transferred to the Urmia Intelligence Department detention center for interrogation. For a period of two months, he was subjected to severe physical and mental torture and pressure from Ministry of Intelligence forces to obtain forced confessions regarding “cooperation with Israel and sending data.”
Mr. Karimpour was deprived of access to a lawyer during his detention until his case was sent to Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, and was also deprived of family visits while in the detention center.
The trial of this Yarsani citizen was held via video conference, and in a short 15-minute court session, he was sentenced to death on the charge of “Efsad-fel-Arz” through “espionage for the benefit of Israel.” This verdict was notified to him in Urmia Central Prison on December 8, 2025.
