According to the Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners, Abbas Daris has been sentenced in two separate courts. The Third Branch of the Criminal Court of One in Khuzestan province sentenced him to 14 years in prison on December 13, 2023. However, the Supreme Court overturned this verdict and issued his death sentence.
His lawyer, Farzaneh Tabanian, has repeatedly emphasized his innocence and the lack of sufficient evidence to prove his guilt.
The victim’s family has also expressed their consent for his release. However, judicial authorities, citing forced confessions under torture, consider the lawyer’s evidence worthless and are not willing to acquit Abbas Daris.
Abbas Daris has repeatedly denied the accusations in court, stating that his confessions were obtained under torture by the Ministry of Intelligence and the Revolutionary Guards.
He is also one of the witnesses to the Naizar Ahvaz massacre, and his death sentence could be seen as further intimidation and suppression of other witnesses and protesters.
Abbas Daris has three children aged 6, 14, and 16, who live without their mother following her death.
Abbas Daris was arrested following a bloody attack by security forces on people in Naizar Mahshahr on December 8, 2019.
He was detained along with his brother Mohsen Daris on charges of “carrying weapons and participating in and assisting in the murder of Reza Sayyadi.”
Reza Sayyadi was one of the special unit officers in Mahshahr who was killed that day.
It is worth mentioning that Abbas Daris is also a witness to the Naizar Ahvaz massacre.