Dizelabad Prison; Hunger Strike of Kiumars Vaezi and Mehdi Bagheri, Two Imprisoned Political Prisoners
March 9, 2026; "Kiumars Vaezi", a retired teacher and teachers' union activist, and "Mehdi Bagheri", two political prisoners held in Dizelabad Prison in Kermanshah, have gone on a hunger strike since yesterday to protest the interference of security forces in the processing of their cases.
The Coordinating Council of Iranian Cultural Entities' Trade Unions, publishing this news, wrote: On Sunday, March 8, 2026, "Kiumars Vaezi", a detained teacher, and "Mehdi Bagheri", two political prisoners from Sonqor who are imprisoned in Dizelabad Prison in Kermanshah, went on a hunger strike to protest the interference of security forces in the processing of their cases. They have declared that the continued pressure and security interventions in the judicial process of their cases have forced them to resort to a hunger strike to protest these conditions.
While expressing concern over the situation of these prisoners, this council emphasized the necessity of observing a fair trial process, ending security interventions in judicial affairs, and preserving the health and rights of prisoners.
March 4, 2026; "Kiumars Vaezi", a retired teacher and union activist, was sentenced by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Sonqor County, presided over by Judge "Sadeq Tariverdi", to four years of enforceable imprisonment on the charge of "assembly and collusion against national security" and to one year of enforceable imprisonment on the charge of "propaganda against the state."
"Kiumars Vaezi" was arrested on the evening of Monday, January 5, 2026, by security forces without the presentation of a judicial warrant and was transferred to an unknown location.
He is the son of "Hossein", a retired teacher and a resident of Sonqor and Kolyai County, who had previously been arrested during the "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi" uprising. He was arrested on October 9, 2022, during a raid by security forces on his home without the presentation of a judicial warrant, and after the conclusion of the interrogation phases, he was released temporarily on bail until the end of the trial process. The hearing for his case was held on November 15, 2022, in Branch 2 of the Kermanshah Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge "Masoud Nouri". Ultimately, on January 9, 2023, this branch sentenced "Kiumars Vaezi" to one year in prison on the charge of "propaganda against the state" and to five years in prison on the charge of "seducing and inciting people"; a verdict that was notified to him and his co-defendant "Ali Hossein Shamayeli" in recent days. Following this case, on January 30, 2023, "Kiumars Vaezi" announced by publishing a video that the sentence issued against him had also been upheld in the Court of Appeals.
"Mehdi Bagheri", a Kurdish citizen from Sonqor, was also arrested as a protester on January 5, 2026, on Taleghani Street in Kermanshah by security forces without the presentation of a judicial warrant and was transferred to an unknown location. On February 6, 2026, Kurdpa reported that after 31 days of his arbitrary detention, no information was available regarding his fate and place of detention, and concerns regarding his life and fate had significantly increased.
