Report by the Ahwaz Human Rights Centre – UK
Information received by the Ahwaz Human Rights Centre – UK indicates that following the transfer of several inmates charged with violent offenses—including drug trafficking and armed robbery—to Ward 5 of Sheyban Prison in Ahwaz, clashes have broken out between these individuals and political prisoners. During these altercations, Habib Dris, an Arab activist from Ahwaz and a political prisoner sentenced to death, was injured along with several other detainees.
According to investigations, the prison’s security administration has deliberately mixed political prisoners with individuals accused of violent and serious crimes. This action not only constitutes a blatant violation of established principles in national prison regulations regarding prisoners’ rights, but also appears to be a deliberate tactic aimed at psychological pressure, personal insecurity, and the destabilization of political prisoners’ mental wellbeing.
This intentional policy, carried out with complete disregard for the necessity of classifying prisoners based on the nature of their charges and legal status, represents a form of psychological harassment and systematic pressure, designed to create a hostile, unstable, and unsafe environment for political detainees. Over time, such conditions are likely to result in severe psychological and physical deterioration for those affected.
Currently, Ward 5 of Sheyban Prison, which has an official capacity of approximately 100 detainees, is holding over 125 political prisoners. Rooms smaller than 20 square meters are at times housing more than 20 individuals—a situation that gravely threatens not only the physical and mental health of inmates but also their human dignity.
According to the executive regulations of the Iranian Prison Organization, the separation of inmates based on the type of offense, risk level, and legal circumstances is a fundamental requirement for proper prison management. However, existing evidence indicates that this principle is being systematically violated in Sheyban Prison, resulting in increased violence, tension, and insecurity among political prisoners.
The Ahwaz Human Rights Centre – UK, expressing deep concern over these conditions, considers the deliberate mixing of political prisoners with violent offenders a form of psychological torture and inhumane treatment, and emphasizes the urgent need to halt this policy.
The Ahwaz Human Rights Centre – UK calls for:
Immediate investigation by independent judicial and oversight bodies into the conditions in Ward 5 of Sheyban Prison
Reinstatement of the principle of prisoner classification in accordance with national legal standards
And the implementation of effective measures to protect the lives, safety, and mental and physical wellbeing of all political prisoners, particularly those who, due to their linguistic or national identity, face heightened discrimination and violence—including Arab prisoners from Ahwaz
24 August 2025 / 3 Shahrivar 1404
Ahwaz Human Rights Centre – UK
