The bishop of Mainz became the political sponsor of Mehboba Shabani, a political prisoner sentenced to death in Iran.

The bishop of Mainz became the political sponsor of Mehboba Shabani, a political prisoner sentenced to death in Iran.

Peter Kohlgraf, the bishop of Mainz, Germany, took over the political sponsorship of Mehboba Shabani, a 33-year-old Iranian woman sentenced to death, and demanded her release. Shabani was arrested in Mashhad during national interceptions in January 1404. According to reports by human rights organizations, during the interceptions he used his personal motorcycle to transport the wounded to medical centers.

On Friday, October 23, at a meeting at his residence in Mainz, Kohlgraf said, referring to the Bani case, that he cannot face such injustice and added "He doesn't know how effective political patronage can be, but he doesn't think that not trying to help is the right way."

Iranian human rights activist Bharoz Asadi, the coordinator of the case, said Bani helps the wounded and has plans for the future of his profession, but now he faces a death sentence.