Shiva Zarei, a women’s rights activist and journalist originally from Qasr-e Shirin and residing in Buin Zahra, has once again faced a judicial case over her activities opposing the death penalty. She has been charged with, among other allegations, “propaganda against the regime” and “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and was temporarily released after posting bail of two billion tomans.
According to Kolbarnews, on Monday, August 10, 2026, Shiva Zarei was summoned to Branch One of the Prosecutor’s Office for Public and Revolutionary Affairs in Buin Zahra County and, during proceedings in a new case, was formally charged with allegations including “propaganda against the regime,” “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and “calling for unrest and killing” through the publication of content opposing the death penalty.
According to information received, the basis for opening this case included the publication of an Instagram story stating “No to the Death Penalty”; content that judicial and security authorities interpreted as a “call for killing and unrest.” Shiva Zarei was released from detention after the completion of the preliminary investigation proceedings upon posting bail of two billion tomans.
During the proceedings in this case, the women’s rights activist and journalist was also denied access to a lawyer, and the formal charging proceedings were conducted without the presence of legal counsel.
The case against Shiva Zarei has been opened while she had previously faced judicial proceedings because of her activities. In the previous case, a hearing concerning the charge of “propaganda against the regime through reposting an Instagram story” was held on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at Branch Three of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Qazvin County. Ultimately, she was sentenced to pay a fine of fifty million tomans, and the ruling was formally notified to her. The ruling has been appealed, and the outcome of her appeal has not yet been announced.
Furthermore, amid the judicial and security pressure against Shiva Zarei, all of her bank accounts were blocked without prior notice, and her mobile phone was confiscated in December 2025 without the presentation of any legal document and was not returned to her for several months.
Shiva Zarei, a women’s rights activist and journalist, is originally from Qasr-e Shirin in Kermanshah Province and resides in Buin Zahra in Qazvin Province.
