Exile of Vahid Chavaran, Naser Rezaei, and Mohammad Hossein Haseli to Remote Prisons in Zahedan, Kerman, and Mashhad from Ilam Central Prison
On Sunday, May 4, 2025, Vahid Chavaran, Naser Rezaei, and Mohammad Hossein Haseli—three Kurdish political prisoners from Abdanan who were each sentenced to 12 years of exile-imprisonment in connection with the Jin, Jiyan, Azadi uprising—were transferred from Ilam Central Prison to the prisons of Zahedan, Kerman, and Vakilabad in Mashhad, respectively.
These men were arbitrarily arrested between June and August 2023 without a judicial warrant, held in Ilam Central Prison for over eight months, and subjected to harsh conditions. Each had previously sewn their lips shut and gone on hunger strike in protest of their unjust sentences issued by Branch 1 of the Ilam Criminal Court.
They were convicted of charges such as "disturbing public order," "conspiracy against internal/external state security," and "armed intimidation." Their case is seen as a stark example of systematic human rights violations in Iran, including arbitrary detention, denial of due process, torture, and forced confessions.
Vahid Chavaran – Exiled to Zahedan Prison
A civil activist, mountaineer, and paragliding instructor, Vahid Chavaran was arrested on June 23, 2023, while attempting to leave Iran at the Urmia border. Security forces had previously raided his home and his father’s farm several times, during which tear gas was used, injuring his family—including two pregnant sisters.
He was detained in the IRGC Intelligence Detention Center in Ilam and subjected to severe physical and psychological torture, including forced confessions. His mental health deteriorated significantly, reportedly due to forced administration of psychiatric medication, resulting in symptoms like involuntary laughter and speech disorders.
In July 2023, he began a hunger strike, and in September 2023, he joined his co-defendants in sewing his lips shut. His family staged a protest outside the Abdanan governor’s office on September 9.
Today, he was transferred to Zahedan Prison to serve his 12-year sentence in exile. He has been in custody since his initial arrest.
Naser Rezaei – Exiled to Kerman Prison
Naser Rezaei, also from Abdanan, was first arrested on May 22, 2023, and temporarily released on bail. On August 13, 2023, he was summoned to Dehloran court and re-arrested, then transferred to a security detention facility.
He joined a hunger strike with the other two men in September 2023, sewing his lips shut on September 4. Since his re-arrest, he has been denied access to a lawyer and phone calls.
Rezaei has now been transferred to Kerman Prison to begin serving his 12-year exile sentence.
Mohammad Hossein Haseli – Exiled to Vakilabad Prison (Mashhad)
Mohammad Hossein Haseli, from Sarab Bagh (Abdanan County), was violently arrested on July 26, 2023, when security forces stormed his home, destroyed property, and beat him before taking him into custody—without presenting a warrant.
He joined the September 2023 hunger strike alongside Chavaran and Rezaei, sewing his lips shut as an act of protest. Charged with similar accusations, including moharebeh (waging war against God) and conspiracy against national security, he was sentenced to 12 years of exile imprisonment and transferred today to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.
He has been held continuously since his arrest.
