moharebeh Archives

After 20 Years in Prison, Ali Halafi Granted Medical Furlough

Posted on October 23, 2025 by . .

Ali Halafi, HRANA, moharebeh, Sheiban Prison

HRANA – After 20 years in prison and years of being denied adequate medical care, political prisoner Ali Halafi was granted a seven-day medical furlough today from Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, after posting bail.

According to HRANA, political prisoner Ali Halafi was temporarily released from Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz for medical treatment after serving two decades behind bars. Halafi suffers from gastrointestinal and pulmonary diseases, bleeding hemorrhoids, and knee problems, and has long been deprived of proper medical care. His temporary medical leave was granted upon posting bail of 51 billion rials for a period of seven days.

He was arrested in 2005 in connection with the “Ahvaz Salman Farsi Street explosion” case. Although he was not among the main defendants, he was convicted of “enmity against God (moharebeh)” and sentenced to 30 years in prison, a verdict later upheld on appeal.

Halafi had previously been transferred among several prisons, including Karun Prison in Ahvaz, Gonabad Prison, Masjed Soleiman Prison, and Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz. Due to his deteriorating health, he has now been granted a short-term release from custody.

Ali Halafi, approximately 59, is the father of three daughters and one son. HRANA has previously published a detailed report on his imprisonment conditions and case.

Saman Mohammadi Khiyareh Executed

Posted on October 5, 2025October 5, 2025 by . .

Executions, News

Abolghasem Salavati, moharebeh, Saman Mohammadi, Saman Mohammadi Khiyareh, Sanandaj, سامان محمدی, سامان محمدی خیاره

HRANA – On Saturday morning, Mizan News Agency, announced the execution of Saman Mohammadi Khiyareh, a political prisoner from Sanandaj. Mr. Mohammadi Khiyareh had previously been sentenced to death by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

The Judiciary’s Media Center stated that the sentence was carried out this morning, Saturday, October 4, 2025, after being upheld by the Supreme Court. In its report, the Judiciary accused Saman Mohammadi of “enmity against God (moharebeh) through membership in terrorist and Takfiri groups, carrying out armed operations, and planning and directing the assassination of Mamousta Sheikh al-Islam.”

The Judiciary further accused him of “armed robbery of a jewelry shop in Hamedan, stealing a private vehicle and killing its driver, shooting at civilians, and attacking a police station at the Sheikhan intersection in Sanandaj, which resulted in the death of a soldier.”

Saman Mohammadi Khiyareh, approximately 34 years old and a native of Sanandaj, was arrested in February 2010 on charges of moharebeh (enmity against God). A few months later, he was sentenced to death by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati. However, due to insufficient evidence, the Supreme Court’s Branch 41 overturned the verdict and sent the case to another branch for retrial. The new court sentenced him instead to 15 years in prison on charges of membership in anti-regime groups.

Nevertheless, in an opaque process and under pressure from security agencies – the complainants in the case – this ruling was overturned, and he was once again sentenced to death on the same charges.

A source close to the prisoner’s family previously told HRANA: “During detention, Saman Mohammadi was subjected to physical and psychological torture and forced to confess to charges including the killing of a military officer and another individual during the 2009 protests. However, he denied these confessions at every stage of interrogation and trial.”

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year – a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

Two Decades Behind Bars, Prisoner Profiles – No. 10: Yahya Naseri

Posted on October 3, 2025October 7, 2025 by . .

Executions, News

moharebeh, Sheiban Prison, TwoDecadesBehindBars, Yahya Naseri, یحیی ناصری

HRANA – Numerous political and religious prisoners in Iran have spent more than two decades in detention. To ensure their stories are not lost amid the constant churn of daily news, HRANA publishes a series of reports dedicated to them. Each report reviews the prisoner’s case history, prison conditions, access to basic rights, and urgent needs.

In this installment, HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, reviews the latest situation of Yahya Naseri after two decades in prison.

Prisoner Profile

• Name: Yahya Naseri

• Year of Arrest: 2005

• Charges: “Acting against national security, moharebeh (enmity against God), and efsad fel-arz (spreading corruption on earth)”

• Initial Sentence: Life imprisonment

• Current Sentence: Life imprisonment

• Detention Locations: After sentencing, Mr. Naseri was held in Karun Prison, Ahvaz, before being transferred to Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, where he remains detained without respect for the principle of separation of crimes.

• Leave/Access: In recent years, no furlough has been granted; his access to family and legal counsel has been reported as limited.

• Current Status: Still serving a long-term sentence, despite legal reforms that could provide opportunities for retrial or sentence reduction.

Case Background and Judicial Process

On October 2, 2005, Mr. Naseri was arrested by security forces in connection with the so-called “Salman Farsi Street bombing in Ahvaz.” Shortly afterward, Branch 1 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court sentenced him to life imprisonment on charges of “acting against national security, moharebeh, and efsad fel-arz.”

This life sentence placed him among prisoners with indefinite incarceration, a situation that effectively extends for many years and severely limits access to mechanisms for sentence review.

Key Aspects of the Case:

• Severe Security Charges: The charge of moharebeh is among the most serious in Iran’s political-security cases, usually carrying broad judicial and executive consequences.

• Continued Imprisonment Despite Legal Changes: Although legal reforms have introduced options for retrial, sentence reduction, or parole in some cases, Mr. Naseri remains imprisoned.

Detention Conditions and Transfers

Throughout his imprisonment, Mr. Naseri has been held in Karun and Sheiban prisons in Ahvaz. After receiving his sentence, he was kept in Karun Prison, later transferred to Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison, where he has remained to this day, again without separation of crimes.

Observations on Conditions:

• Frequent Transfers: Moves between wards and prisons can disrupt access to family, legal counsel, and healthcare.

• Exposure to Violence: Reports indicate verbal and physical abuse against him. In February 2019, Mr. Naseri went on hunger strike to protest the lack of separation of crimes and increased pressure from prison officials. Following this protest, he was denied family visits and phone calls. In April 2024, he was reportedly beaten by Sheiban Prison guards in Ward 5. Later that December, he was threatened with solitary confinement or exile to remote prisons after protesting poor conditions, denial of medical care, and the transfer of violent offenders into his ward.

• Denial of Medical Care: Over more than two decades, despite suffering from heart disease and hemorrhoids, prison authorities have repeatedly obstructed his transfer to hospitals and access to specialized treatment. Denial of medical care is a serious violation of the fundamental right to health and, in many cases, constitutes inhumane treatment used as a means of added pressure on prisoners.

Access to Family, Lawyer, and Furlough

In recent years, Mr. Naseri has not received furlough. Reports indicate his access to both family and legal counsel is restricted. These limitations not only have psychological and social impacts but also undermine his right to effective defense and to pursue retrial mechanisms.

Potential Legal Pathways (General Recommendations)

1. Retrial: Review of new evidence or substantial procedural/material errors in the verdict.

2. Sentence reduction or commutation, if legal grounds are available.

3. Conditional release or suspension of sentence: Assessment of criteria such as time served, good behavior, and health condition.

4. Addressing violations during imprisonment: denial of healthcare, exposure to violence, deprivation of visits, and lack of legal access.

5. Independent documentation and international advocacy, should domestic remedies remain blocked.

Timeline Summary

• 2005: Arrest; charges of “acting against national security, moharebeh, and efsad fel-arz.”

• Initial Sentence: Life imprisonment.

• Post-sentencing: Held in Karun Prison, Ahvaz.

• April 2024: Reported beating by Sheiban Prison guards (Ward 5).

• Recent years: No furlough, denial of proper medical care, restricted family and legal access.

• Current Status: Still imprisoned despite legal reforms that could allow for case review.

Conclusion and Importance of Review

Despite legislative changes enabling retrial, sentence reduction, or release for those convicted of moharebeh, Mr. Naseri remains in prison. His case exemplifies the plight of long-term political-security prisoners in Iran, underlining the urgent need for legal review and the application of both domestic and international mechanisms to reduce sentences or secure release.

Immediate Needs

• Regular, unrestricted access to lawyer and family.

• Independent medical evaluation in light of past beatings and long-term health conditions.

• Review of eligibility for retrial or other legal measures to reduce/terminate imprisonment.

• Enforcement of prison regulations regarding visitation, furlough, and communication.

• Access to adequate healthcare and treatment.

About This Series

This report is part of the “More than Two Decades Behind Bars” series, which aims to continuously document long-term imprisonment cases and remind the public of the collective responsibility to ensure they are seen and their conditions are pursued.

Monthly Report – September 2025: Human Rights Situation in Iran

Posted on October 1, 2025October 1, 2025 by . .

News, Other

Babak Shahbazi, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, Hesam Pourahmadi, moharebeh, Peyman Farah-Avar, Qarchak Prison of Varamin, Shadi Falahati, Shahrzad Sharabiyani, Somayeh Rashidi

HRANA– This report reviews documented cases of human rights violations in Iran in September 2025, based on statistics compiled by HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran. The sharp rise in executions during this month, the arrests of minors, and the alarming reports of prisoner deaths in Qarchak Prison of Varamin were among the most notable human rights violations recorded.

Executions

In September, Iranian prisons recorded 183 executions, marking the highest monthly total since the start of the year. According to HRANA, the executed included 164 men and 6 women, while the gender of 13 prisoners remains unverified due to the lack of official announcements.

At least 9 Afghan nationals were among those executed, bringing the total number of Afghan citizens executed in Iran since the beginning of this year to 50.

Of those executed, 92 prisoners had been sentenced to death on drug-related charges, and 83 were executed on murder charges. Since the beginning of this year, the Iranian regime’s judiciary has executed 486 individuals on drug-related charges.

In addition, two individuals, including Babak Shahbazi, were executed on the political charge of “enmity against God” (Moharebeh). For Babak Shahbazi, “intelligence and security collaboration with Israel” was cited as an instance of this charge.

Furthermore, one prisoner was executed on politico-religious charges, and another on security-related charges. The charges against four prisoners remain unknown.

In September, the Iranian regime’s judiciary issued death sentences against ten individuals, including one woman. The gender of two of those sentenced to death remains unknown. Among these cases is the concerning news of the Supreme Court’s confirmation of the death sentence against Peyman Farah-Avar, a poet from Gilan.

Additionally, one individual in Yasuj has also been sentenced to execution in public.

Prisoners’ Rights

In September, six prisoners died in Iranian prisons due to illness and the lack of adequate or timely medical care. Among these cases, HRANA reported the consecutive deaths of three women in Qarchak Prison of Varamin. One of them, Somayeh Rashidi, who had been arrested in Tehran for writing slogans, died as a result of delays in being transferred to a hospital.

In addition to the above cases, in September HRANA documented 31 reports of political and religious prisoners being denied medical care in prison.

The detention of political and religious prisoners under harsh and unsuitable conditions is another recurring instance of rights violations in Iran’s prisons. Among such cases is the detention of the British couple, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, in poor conditions, including being held in an overcrowded ward lacking proper sleeping arrangements.

Other instances of prisoners’ rights violations reported by HRANA this month regarding political prisoners and prisoners of conscience include: 45 cases of holding prisoners in legal limbo, 14 cases of families being denied information about the condition of their detained relatives, 44 reports of prisoners being transferred to solitary confinement, 2 cases of denial of access to a lawyer, 13 cases of denial of visitation rights, and 8 cases of pressure and threats against prisoners.

In response to such violations, some prisoners resort to hunger strikes. In September, HRANA documented 4 hunger strikes and 2 cases of suicide among prisoners (political and non-political).

Kolbars and Fuel Carriers

In September, 15 citizens lost their lives as a result of indiscriminate shootings by military and security forces – a figure that is three times higher than the previous month. Since the beginning of this year, military forces, particularly in border areas, have taken the lives of 77 people.

Of those killed this month, five were fuel carriers (sukhtbar) and one was a kolbar (cross-border porter). In addition, 13 others were injured as a result of these indiscriminate shootings, including two kolbars and three fuel carriers.

In addition, landmine explosions in September caused the death and injury of four Iranian citizens. Among the victims were two teenage brothers killed in Mirjaveh, located in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

Freedom of Thought and Expression

In September, 34 individuals were arrested by security forces for expressing their opinions and beliefs. Additionally, 15 people were summoned to security agencies and 23 others to court.

Among those arrested were three lawyers in Gilan Province: Shahrzad Sharabiyani, Shadi Falahati, and Hesam Pourahmadi. Furthermore, ten other lawyers in this province were also summoned to security and judicial authorities.

During the same month, 14 people were tried on similar charges, and convictions were issued against 23 individuals, resulting in a total of 868 months of prison sentences as well as a ruling of 38 lashes.

Regarding freedom of expression, eight protest gatherings were held in September, while in one case security forces prevented a ceremony and gathering from taking place. During the same month, the Press Court also tried the managers of three media outlets as well as a member of parliament.

Workers’ Rights

In September, HRANA documented 122 workers’ protest gatherings and two labor strikes, including strikes by workers in the oil and gas industries. According to these reports, more than 5,100 workers stated that they have not received their overdue wages.

Additionally, a labor activist was sentenced to 72 months in prison.

Also, workplace accidents in September claimed the lives of 35 workers and left 69 others injured. Since the beginning of this year, 280 workers have lost their lives in workplace incidents.

In September, trade associations and unions held 68 protest gatherings and two strikes. In one case, a teachers’ gathering was met with mass arrests and the confiscation of personal belongings. A total of 19 people were arrested, and 10 individuals faced convictions in court. HRANA also documented the closure of 29 commercial establishments during this month.

Women’s Rights

Among the most serious violations of women’s rights this month were the killings of three women, including a 35-year-old woman in Saqqez who was set on fire by her husband and died. In addition, a woman in Khomam, Gilan Province, was the target of an acid attack.

A man was also murdered in a so-called honor killing, and one case of sexual assault was reported.

Furthermore, the Iranian regime sealed eight commercial establishments for allegedly failing to enforce mandatory hijab regulations.

Children’s Rights

In September, Iranian security forces arrested 11 minors under the age of 18.

During the same month, the killings of seven children were reported, including the murder of a teenage girl in Shadegan in an honor-related killing.

Additionally, the deaths of two children and injuries to two others were reported as a result of the negligence of state authorities.

Religious Minorities

In September, security forces arrested one member of a religious minority. Additionally, the Iranian judiciary sentenced eight members of religious minorities to a combined total of 701 months in prison. In one case, Loghman Amini, a Sunni cleric, was sentenced to imprisonment and stripped of his clerical status.

HRANA also documented six court summonses and one case of a house search targeting religious minorities during this month.

Ethnic Rights

In September, 21 members of ethnic minorities were arrested by security forces. Among them was Peyman Ebrahimi, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist.

HRANA also reported two summonses to security agencies, two court summonses, and one case of physical assault carried out by security forces against members of ethnic minorities.

Inhuman Punishment

In September, the Iranian regime issued a total of 642 flogging sentences, along with one case of shame parading of a defendant in the city of Borujerd, and a ruling for amputation – all examples of inhuman punishments.

Karaj Court Sentences Four to Death and Prison on Espionage Charges

Posted on September 29, 2025 by . .

Executions, News

Alborz, Fazeli-Harikandi, moharebeh

HRANA – The head of Alborz Province’s Judiciary has announced the preliminary verdict issued for four defendants in a case related to espionage charges. According to this ruling, two of the defendants were sentenced to execution and imprisonment, while the other two received prison sentences.

According to Mizan, the head of Alborz Province’s Judiciary stated that two men from Karaj and a couple from Isfahan were tried by Branch 3 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court. Based on the preliminary ruling, two of the defendants were sentenced to execution and imprisonment, while the other two received prison terms. The total prison sentences imposed amount to more than 26 years. The ruling was issued on charges including “enmity against God (moharebeh),” “collaboration with hostile groups and the Zionist regime,” “assembly and collusion against national security,” “membership in a criminal group with the aim of disrupting national security,” and “propaganda against the regime.”

Hossein Fazeli-Harikandi alleged that the defendants had received training in manufacturing explosive projectiles, launchers, and firing techniques, and were tasked with attacking “one of the country’s important military centers” in late May of this year.

He further claimed that they were instructed to document their actions through photos and videos, though he provided no evidence or indication of transparent judicial procedures to support these assertions.

Reiterating security-related allegations, Fazeli-Harikandi accused the three men and one woman of links to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) and Mossad, asserting that they had been recruited online through intermediaries in neighboring countries. Without offering proof, he also accused them of sending coordinates of sensitive locations and setting fire to public sites.

The head of Alborz Province’s Judiciary did not reveal the defendants’ identities or clarify the conditions under which they were interrogated and made to confess.

Fazeli-Harikandi emphasized that the verdict is preliminary, and if appealed, the case will be referred to the Supreme Court for review.

The trial was held in mid-September at Branch 3 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court. The defendants had been arrested about one month before Israel’s military strike on Iran.

More than Two Decades Behind Bars, Prisoner Profiles – No. 7: Gholamhossein Kalbi

Posted on September 26, 2025 by . .

News, Prisoners

Dezful, Evin Prison, Gholamhossein Kalbi, moharebeh, غلامحسین کلبی

HRANA – Many political and religious prisoners in Iran have endured over twenty years behind bars. To prevent their cases from fading from public memory in the flow of daily news, HRANA has launched a series of reports highlighting their situations. Each installment outlines the prisoner’s legal case, detention conditions, access to rights, and immediate needs.

In this report, HRANA, the news arm of Human Rights Activists in Iran, examines the latest situation of Gholamhossein Kalbi after more than twenty years of imprisonment.

Information Sheet

• Name: Gholamhossein Kalbi

• Year of arrest: 2000 (1379 in the Iranian calendar)

• Charge: Moharebeh (“enmity against God”) through membership in the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK)

• Initial sentence: Death penalty

• Current sentence: Life imprisonment (commuted with one degree of reduction)

• Places of detention: After arrest, he spent 14 months in solitary confinement at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz, later held in Ward 209 and then Ward 350 of Evin Prison. In October 2007, following conviction, he was transferred to Mahshahr Prison, and later to Karoon Prison in Ahvaz. After the closure of Karoon Prison in February 2016, he was moved to Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, where he remains incarcerated to this day.

• Furlough / Access: No reports of furlough in recent years; limited access to family and lawyer.

• Current status: Still serving a life sentence, despite legal changes that could allow for review or reduction.

Case Narrative and Judicial Process

On January 8, 2001, Gholamhossein Kalbi was arrested in Dezful on charges of membership in the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization. In 2002, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death on the charge of Moharebeh. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. While this commutation avoided the escalation of punishment, it placed him in a category of indefinite imprisonment, which in practice can extend for decades and limit access to review mechanisms.

Key Points in the Case:

• Severe security charge: The label of Moharebeh in political-security cases in Iran is among the heaviest accusations, usually carrying wide-ranging judicial and executive consequences.

• Sentence reduction: The initial death sentence and its conversion to life imprisonment show both the gravity of the charges and the scope for judicial intervention—but do not necessarily correct potential injustices in the trial process.

• Continued imprisonment despite legal changes: Although legal reforms have made retrial, sentence reduction, or conditional release possible in some cases, Kalbi remains in prison.

Detention Conditions and Transfers

Over his decades in prison, Kalbi has been moved between several facilities. After his arrest, he spent 14 months in solitary confinement at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz, then was transferred to Ward 209 and later Ward 350 of Evin Prison. In October 2007, he was moved to Mahshahr Prison, where he was held for several years. Despite his family residing in Mahshahr, he was later transferred to Karoon Prison in Ahvaz. After that prison was closed, in February 2016, he was transferred to Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, where he has been held in various wards ever since.

In July 2021, after protesting prison conditions, officials at Sheiban Prison punished him by binding his hands and feet and leaving him for hours under the scorching sun. He was then transferred to a ward worse than the previous one, prompting him to go on hunger strike.

In April 2024, he was placed in Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison without regard for the principle of separation of crimes. Later, in November 2024, he was transferred to the prison’s security ward, under overcrowded conditions without adequate space for walking. He remains there today.

Observations on Standards of Detention

• Repeated transfers: Frequent movements between wards and prisons disrupt access to family, lawyer, and medical care.

• Solitary confinement as punishment: Kalbi spent 14 months in solitary confinement at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz. International standards require solitary confinement to be exceptional, time-limited, and supervised.

• Exposure to violence: Reports document both physical and verbal abuse during his imprisonment in Sheiban Prison. Notably, in July 2021, he was tied up and left under extreme heat as punishment for protesting prison conditions. Such incidents highlight the need for independent documentation and legal accountability.

• Medical neglect: Despite suffering from heart disease, hernia, dental infections, jaw and gum problems, spinal and neck arthritis, fungal infection leading to severe toenail disease, high cholesterol, chronic ear infection with hearing loss, Kalbi has consistently been denied transfer to hospitals or specialized treatment. “Access to medical care” is a fundamental right recognized in Iranian law, international treaties, and human rights standards. Systematic denial of medical care constitutes inhuman treatment and violates both the right to health and, in some cases, the right to life, often being used as an instrument of coercion and repression.

Access to Family, Lawyer, and Furlough

In recent years, Kalbi has not been granted furlough. His access to his family and lawyer has been reported as limited. These restrictions not only have psychological and social consequences but also undermine his ability to mount an effective legal defense or pursue retrial mechanisms.

Potential Legal Remedies (General Recommendations)

1. Retrial: Based on new evidence or substantive/procedural flaws in the original ruling.

2. Sentence reduction or conversion: If legal grounds exist.

3. Conditional release / suspension of sentence: Subject to conditions such as time served, good behavior, or health status.

4. Redress for rights violations during detention: Including access to healthcare, protection from violence, and regular visits.

5. International advocacy and documentation: If domestic remedies are blocked, use of international reporting and human rights mechanisms.

Summary Timeline

• 2001: Arrest; charge of Moharebeh through MEK membership.

• Initial sentence: Death; commuted to life imprisonment.

• Post-arrest: 14 months in solitary at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz, then Ward 209 and 350 of Evin.

• 2007 (1386): Transferred to Mahshahr Prison.

• 2016 (1394): Transferred to Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz.

• July 2021 (Tir 1400): Punitive torture reported—hands and feet tied, left for hours under scorching sun.

• April 2024 (Farvardin 1403): Moved to Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison without separation of crimes.

• November 2024 (Aban 1403): Transferred to security ward of Sheiban Prison.

• Recent years: No furlough, denial of medical care, restricted access to family and lawyer.

• Current status: Serving life sentence despite potential legal changes allowing review.

Conclusion and Importance of Case Review

Despite legal changes that allow retrials, sentence reductions, or conditional release for those convicted of Moharebeh, Kalbi remains imprisoned. His case illustrates the plight of long-term political-security prisoners in Iran, whose files deserve review as a crucial step toward freedom and justice.

His situation highlights both the denial of fundamental rights during detention (furlough, visits, legal representation) and the urgent need to use all domestic and international legal mechanisms for review and reduction of such lengthy sentences.

Urgent Needs

• Regular, non-discriminatory access to lawyer and family.

• Independent medical evaluation, especially regarding torture allegations and chronic illnesses.

• Consideration for retrial or other legal remedies for sentence reduction/termination under current laws.

• Enforcement of prison regulations regarding calls, visits, and furlough.

• Adequate medical services and treatment.

About this Series

This report is part of the “Two Decades Behind Bars” series, which aims to document the cases of long-term prisoners and to highlight the collective responsibility to ensure their visibility and pursue their rights.

More than Two Decades Behind Bars, Prisoner Profiles – No. 4: Abdul-Zahra Halichi

Posted on September 22, 2025October 7, 2025 by . .

News, Prisoners

Abdul-Zahra Halichi, ahvaz, Iran, Karun Prison, moharebeh, Sheiban Prison, TwoDecadesBehindBars, عبدالزهرا هلیچی

In this installment, HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, examines the latest status of Abdul-Zahra Halichi (Haliji) after more than two decades of imprisonment.

Case Information

• Name: Abdul-Zahra Halichi (Haliji)

• Year of arrest: 2005

• Charges: “Acting against national security, moharebeh (enmity against God), and efsad-e fel-arz (corruption on earth)”

• Initial sentence: Life imprisonment

• Current sentence: Life imprisonment

• Places of detention: Served his sentence in Karun Prison, Ahvaz; currently held in Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz.

• Leave / access: No prison leave reported in recent years; limited access to family and lawyer.

• Current status: Still serving a life sentence despite legal changes that could allow for review or commutation.