Mahboubeh Shahbani, a 33-year-old Iranian woman, has appealed to the international community for help for herself and other detainees. Iran Human Rights and the Center for Human Rights in Iran say the recording was made during a phone call with her family from Vakilabad prison in Mashhad. In the excerpt, Shahbani describes months of fear and harsh detention conditions and urges the United Nations and rights organizations to act.
The groups say her lawyer informed her of the death sentence on September 26 in a case linked to January’s protests. US-based HRANA reports that she was convicted over actions allegedly intended to support Israel, the United States and people associated with opposition groups. Iran Human Rights gives a different account, saying she had transported wounded protesters by motorcycle. The available report does not independently verify the court case.
Independent sources have not authenticated the released audio. The rights groups say Shahbani was placed in solitary confinement after speaking with her family. They accuse Iranian authorities of using executions to intimidate the public and deter renewed anti-government protests.
Iran announced that same day that two men convicted in the killing of four security personnel last winter had been executed. Iran Human Rights says at least 33 anti-government protesters have been executed since March 19.