Five Ahwazi political prisoners face final trial on “Vague” Charges in Sheyban
In a continuation of human rights violations in Iran’s prisons, five Ahwazi political prisoners appeared before the investigator of the Revolutionary Court, Branch 13, in the city of Ahwaz on Monday, September 22, 2025. They delivered their final defense during a video trial session, facing vague accusations of “belonging to a rebel group.”
The five Ahwazi political prisoners are: Mokhtar Al-Boushouka, Mostafa Hleiji, Reza Hezbawi, Abbas Saeedi, and Amer Majasbah.
The case has been referred to the Revolutionary Court in Ahwaz for sentencing, amid warnings about the absence of fair trial standards and fears of harsh rulings.
Harsh Detention Conditions and Documented Torture
Hleiji and Hezbawi, both civil activists and poets, were arrested in December 2024. Since then, along with the other prisoners, they have been subjected to physical, psychological, and even sexual torture, according to documented reports.
The five prisoners also suffer from deteriorating health conditions inside Sheyban Prison and have been repeatedly transferred to the infirmary as their conditions worsened.
The oldest prisoner in the group, Mokhtar Al-Boushouka, has been detained since 2011 without any leave. He suffers from a severe hernia that has worsened due to continuous torture, putting his life at serious risk.
Human Rights Calls for Release and Fair Trial Guarantees
Local and international human rights organizations have demanded “an end to retaliatory practices against Ahwazi political detainees,” stressing that “vague charges and systematic torture represent a flagrant violation of the principles of justice and human rights.”
They called for the immediate release of the detainees, the provision of adequate medical care, and an end to fabricated charges against Arab activists.
