Forced detention in sheiban Prison: four Political prisoners facing harsh conditions
Human rights reports have revealed that Ashkan Mohammadi, Farshid Kazemi, Reza Karim Nejad, and Maziar Naqavi, political detainees from the city of Izeh, have been held for over 18 months in Sheiban Prison, operated by the Iranian authorities in Ahwaz, without any trial being held to examine the charges against them.
The Ahwazi citizens remain in detention despite being imprisoned for more than 550 days. They face charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “acts against national security.” Despite these accusations, they have not been brought to trial, nor have they been granted release on bail.
On October 19 of last year, these detainees began a hunger strike to protest their prolonged detention in Sheiban Prison. In response, they were transferred to solitary confinement for a period. They ended their strike after receiving promises from the authorities to address their cases. However, although they were returned to the prison’s general ward, no concrete steps have been taken regarding their trials or release.
Reports indicate that the detainees were arrested in 2023 by security forces in the city of Izeh. Reza Karim Nejad, who is originally from Isfahan, was arrested on August 12, 2023, while Ashkan Mohammadi from Ahwaz and Maziar Naqavi from Isfahan were detained in late August. Farshid Kazemi was arrested on August 13.
The fate of these detainees remains unclear, raising serious concerns about human rights conditions in Ahwaz, particularly regarding the treatment of political prisoners and the harsh conditions they endure.
Several local and international human rights organizations have called for fair trials and the protection of the detainees’ basic rights under humane conditions.
The demands for the release of these prisoners and the assurance of fair trials under international human rights laws continue, as the human rights situation in Ahwaz remains a matter of global concern.
