The final phase of the trial involved the analysis of an encrypted notebook and electronic messages that Iranian investigators traced to alleged links to foreign intelligence services. The execution of Aqil Keshavarz on charges of spying for Israel came amid growing tensions between Iran and Israel and amid continued calls from international organizations calling for greater openness in death penalty trials. According to Mizan, a media spokesman for the Iranian judiciary, the discovery of the notebook, which was among the defendant’s personal belongings, was crucial in the preparation of the file and in the Iranian Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the death penalty.
Mizan media reported that Keshavarz’s arrest took place in May in the city of Urmia in northwestern Iran. Security officers acted after observing suspicious behavior as the citizen took pictures of a military installation. The subsequent intervention of the intelligence services included a check of his mobile phone, during which they identified a message addressed to a user named “Osher”, who, according to the specialists quoted by the same media, would respond to a contact linked to the Israeli structure.
According to Iranian media, the investigation combined material elements and the defendant’s confession to judicial authorities. Keshavarz admitted to participating in more than two hundred activities that would have benefited the Israeli intelligence services in various locations in the country, including regional capitals such as Tehran, Isfahan, Urmia and Shahroud. The court considered both the evidence collected and Keshavarz’s testimony sufficient to impose the death penalty.
According to Mizan, the dynamics of the confrontation between Iran and Israel is characterized by allegations of alleged Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear structures and violent actions against relevant scientists and military personnel, essentially related to the development of nuclear energy. According to the media, these circumstances have led to increased operations by the Iranian authorities to protect areas considered critical to national security.
In this context, the dpa press agency reported that the number of executions due to espionage allegations in Iran in the current period has already exceeded ten. Analysis of electronic devices, encrypted documents and court testimony is often common in these trials, the agency said. The dpa also emphasized that such proceedings proceed quickly and are usually carried out in an expedited manner, which raises questions about procedural guarantees and the proportionality of the penalties imposed.
Various humanitarian organizations have expressed concerns about the frequent use of the death penalty in light of allegations of espionage on Iranian territory, as the dpa reports. These institutions believe that, in addition to prosecuting possible crimes, executions can also serve to suppress critical attitudes in the national political landscape. United Nations data cited by the agency suggests Iran carried out nearly a thousand executions last year, making it among the countries that use the death penalty most widely in the world.
The limited access to information relevant to espionage proceedings in Iran represents an obstacle, according to the experts interviewed by the dpa. They point out that the confidentiality of the files and the accelerated procedure of the cases prevented independent control and made it difficult to verify compliance with procedural guarantees. These issues continue to be questioned in multilateral forums and with human rights organizations.
According to Mizan, the tightening of surveillance policies and the increase in arrests on espionage grounds are part of an official strategy aimed at countering threats that the authorities perceive as coming from outside. According to the same media, the government will maintain a strict surveillance policy and regularly review the security of sensitive infrastructure to prevent interventions by foreign actors deemed hostile.
In response to the Keshavarz execution and similar situations, dpa reported an increase in official requests to Iran from multilateral platforms and civilian institutions. They call on the Iranian government to strengthen the transparency of court proceedings and provide access to relevant documents. The demands also include reviewing verdicts, strengthening legal guarantees for defendants and respecting international obligations related to human rights and due process.
The Keshavarz case illustrates the ongoing context of political and operational rivalry between Tehran and Jerusalem, documented by both Mizan and dpa. The surveillance of strategic facilities and the tightening of state control measures are presented as the government’s response to the current climate of confrontation. At the same time, international organizations and actors continue to pressure the Iranian judicial apparatus to bring its procedures into line with global standards, particularly with regard to crimes related to national security and irreversible punishments.
About The Author
