Judiciary Confirms Death of a 'Security' Defendant During Trial at Revolutionary Court

Following reports of the death of a defendant during a trial at the Islamic Revolutionary Court, the judiciary's news agency confirmed the news. According to reports circulating on social media, Saeed Khademi was on trial for the charge of 'insulting sacred values' in Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court when he collapsed and died. The Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary, announced on Tuesday, November 6, without mentioning the deceased's name, that doctors' efforts to save him were unsuccessful. According to this government media report, the defendant 'collapsed in the presence of four lawyers in the courtroom' and 'despite the efforts of the doctor stationed at the Revolutionary Court and emergency personnel,' he 'was pronounced dead with a preliminary diagnosis of cardiac arrest.' Reza Khandan, the husband of Nasrin Sotoudeh, introduced Saeed Khademi as 'born in 1962' and stated that he 'collapsed with charges such as insulting sacred values' in Branch 29 and 'lost his life shortly thereafter.' This civil activist quoted Saeed Khademi's sister on the social media platform X, stating, 'He had been stressed about this trial for several days.' The judiciary's news agency reported that the death of this citizen occurred during 'the handling of a case involving security charges against two defendants' and that the mentioned defendant 'was not imprisoned and had come from his home to the court, where he collapsed.' According to this government media report, the defendant 'collapsed in the presence of four lawyers in the courtroom' and 'despite the efforts of the doctor stationed at the Revolutionary Court and emergency personnel, unfortunately, the efforts were fruitless, and he was pronounced dead with a preliminary diagnosis of cardiac arrest by emergency personnel.' Atefeh Daneshgar, a journalist residing in Turkey, quoted 'an informed source' stating that Saeed Khademi 'was arrested by the agents of the IRGC in Tehran for activities related to Sahaja Yoga,' one of the types of Indian mysticism, under 'Clause 2 of Article 500 repeated, cults and psychological suggestions,' and had been imprisoned for 'a month and several days,' experiencing 'high stress' on the day of the trial on November 4. Previous reports have indicated that pressure on defendants and political and ideological prisoners in the Islamic Republic's judiciary has endangered their lives. In recent weeks, a Jewish prisoner named Faramarz Javidzad also died in prison. Tanaz Kolahchian, a lawyer, told Voice of America that the Jewish identity of this prisoner had led to increased pressures and hardships on him. Also see: Death of a Jewish citizen in prison in Iran; Tanaz Kolahchian: His Jewish identity led to increased pressures and hardships. Qasem Abasteh, a political prisoner, was 'executed' after 14 years of imprisonment. The lawyers of the grieving family of Shirin Alizadeh: Instead of addressing their complaint, they have also become 'debtors.' Narges Mohammadi went on a hunger strike in protest of 'the lack of medical attention for sick prisoners.' A judicial case has been opened against two female journalists in the Tehran Culture and Media Prosecutor's Office. Ghazaleh Sharmeh: My father suffers from advanced Parkinson's disease; there is a possibility of execution at any moment.