Ayoub Porkar, a 69-year-old exiled political prisoner, is serving the sixteenth year of his sentence in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, without a single day of furlough.

Security forces arrested Mr. Porkar on January 3, 2009. He was later sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Yahya Pir-Abbasi, on charges of “enmity against God” (Moharebeh) through collaboration with the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO). This sentence was eventually reduced to 20 years in prison by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, the lawyer who represented Mr. Parkar at the time, had previously told the media that unexpectedly the “beliefs” of her client were the basis for the death sentence.

After his sentence was upheld, Ayoub Porkar was initially exiled from Ward 350 of Evin Prison to Behbahan Prison and then transferred to Karun Prison in Ahvaz. He is currently serving his sentence in Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz. Throughout his imprisonment, this exiled political prisoner has been denied conditional release and even a single day of furlough.

A source familiar with Mr. Parkar’s condition had earlier informed HRANA: “Ayoub Porkar suffers from knee problems and has been deprived of specialized medical care.”

During the Iran-Iraq war, Porkar, aged around 69, served in the army for four years but was dismissed from his job due to his criticisms of the government.