HRANA – A large number of political prisoners and the prisoners of conscience have spent more than two decades of their lives in Iran’s prisons. To ensure their names are not forgotten amid daily news cycles, HRANA is publishing a series introducing these prisoners and their conditions. Each report reviews their judicial case, detention situation, access rights, and urgent needs.
In this report, HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, examines the latest situation of Saeed Shah Ghaleh after two decades of imprisonment.
Information Card
• Name: Saeed Shah-Ghaleh
• Year of Arrest: 2000
• Stated Charge: “Moharebeh (enmity against God) through cooperation with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI)”
• Initial Sentence: Death penalty
• Current Sentence: Life imprisonment (reduced by one degree)
• Places of Detention: Ward 350 of Evin Prison (until 2008); Ward 240 (temporary solitary, 2008); Mahshahr Prison (from 2008); transferred from Bushehr Prison to Ward 4 of Qom Prison (since 2022 to present)
• Leave/Access: No furlough reported in recent years; access to family and lawyer reported as limited
• Current Status: Still serving a life sentence despite legal changes that could enable review or reduction of his case
Case History and Judicial Process
Saeed Shah-Ghalehwas arrested in 2000 and sentenced to death by a criminal court on the charge of “Moharebeh through cooperation with the PMOI.” His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. While this spared him from execution, it effectively placed him among those serving indefinite terms, making legal review or reduction of his sentence extremely difficult.
Key points in the case:
• Heavy security charge: The label of Moharebeh is one of the gravest charges in Iran’s political-security cases, with severe judicial and practical consequences.
• Commuted sentence: The shift from a death sentence to life imprisonment reflects both the weight of the charge and later judicial intervention, but does not necessarily resolve underlying injustices in the proceedings.
• Continued imprisonment despite legal changes: Even though legal reforms allow for retrial, sentence reduction, or parole in some Moharebeh cases, Shahghaleh remains incarcerated.
Detention Conditions and Transfers
Throughout his imprisonment, Shah-Ghaleh has been held in multiple facilities. He was initially kept in Ward 350 of Evin Prison. In 2008, he was beaten by prison guards and transferred to solitary confinement in Ward 240 for a period. Later that year, he was moved to Mahshahr Prison. After making a coerced confession in 2022 to severing ties with the PMOI, he was transferred from Bushehr Prison to Ward 4 of Qom Prison, where he remains.
Observations on Detention Standards
• Frequent transfers: Moving prisoners between facilities disrupts family visits, legal access, and healthcare.
• Solitary confinement as punishment: His transfer to Ward 240 in 2008 shows solitary was used punitively, in contrast to international standards that limit it to exceptional cases.
• Exposure to violence: Reports document that he was beaten in 2008 and subjected to psychological pressure that led to his forced confession in 2022. Such incidents highlight the urgent need for independent documentation and legal accountability.
Access to Family, Lawyer, and Furlough
In recent years, Shah-Ghaleh has not been granted furlough. His access to his family and lawyer has been restricted, limiting not only his social and psychological well-being but also his ability to mount an effective legal defense or pursue retrial.
Potential Legal Avenues (General Recommendations)
1. Retrial: Examine new evidence or substantive/procedural flaws in the verdict.
2. Sentence reduction/commutation: Pursue legal grounds for mitigation.
3. Parole or suspension of sentence: Assess eligibility based on time served, good conduct, or health conditions.
4. Addressing prison rights violations: Including access to healthcare, prohibition of violence, regular visitation rights, and continuous access to legal counsel.
International advocacy and documentation: Where domestic remedies are blocked, use international human rights mechanisms.
Timeline Summary
• 2000: Arrested; charged with “Moharebeh through cooperation with PMOI.”
• Initial Sentence: Death penalty → commuted to life imprisonment.
• Until 2008: Held in Ward 350, Evin Prison.
• 2008: Reported beating; transferred to solitary in Ward 240; later sent to Mahshahr Prison.
• 2022: Transferred from Bushehr Prison to Ward 4, Qom Prison.
• Recent years: No furlough; limited access to family and lawyer.
• Present: Still serving life sentence despite legal reforms that could allow review.
Conclusion and Importance of Review
Despite legal reforms that provide for retrials, mitigation, or release in Moharebeh cases, Mr. Shah-Ghaleh remains imprisoned. His case exemplifies the plight of long-term political-security prisoners in Iran and underscores the importance of pursuing all legal avenues – domestic and international – for review and reduction of such sentences.
Urgent Needs
• Regular and non-discriminatory access to lawyer and family
• Independent medical evaluation in light of reports of beatings and long-term effects
• Review of possibilities for retrial or other mechanisms for reduction/suspension of sentence under current laws
• Guarantee of compliance with prison regulations on calls, visits, and furlough
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.
