Farmer Moussa Esfandiari Mehni was sentenced to death in October 2004, apparently convicted of smuggling firearms and opium. He is alleged to have confessed under torture. The Supreme Court in Tehran is believed to have upheld the sentence this month. All death sentences in Iran must be upheld by the Supreme Court before they can be implemented, and he could now be executed at any time. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei, has the power to grant clemency at this stage
