Uncertain fate of five Ahwazi detainees in sheiban prison

The fate of five Ahwazi citizens remains unknown after their arrest and transfer to Sheiban Prison, operated by Iranian authorities. The detainees are Reza Hezbawi, Mehdi Sumeiri, Nabi Sumeirat, Mehdi Sumeirat, and Ahmad Sumeirat.

These individuals were arrested on December 2, 2024, after being summoned and referred to the Revolutionary Court in Ahwaz.

Their detention followed their return from performing the Hajj pilgrimage, where they were held at Ahwaz Airport. Their mobile phones were confiscated, and although they were released after several hours of interrogation, they were later repeatedly summoned by security agencies.

Amid continued human rights violations in Ahwaz, Reza Hezbawi who was previously arrested in 2009 for his cultural activities has launched a hunger strike inside Sheiban Prison to protest the ambiguity surrounding his case and the lack of clear charges against him.

He has now spent nearly five months in arbitrary detention without trial.

Human rights organizations have called on the international community to act urgently to stop these violations, which constitute a clear breach of freedom of belief and civil rights. They warned against ongoing efforts to silence and intimidate Ahwazi citizens.