Hussain Hazbavi 
The Ahwazi Organization for Human Rights has strongly condemned what it described as “deliberate medical neglect” and “systematic repression” by Iranian authorities against Ahwazi political prisoner Yousef al-Saari, currently held in Sheiban Prison, Ahwaz.
According to reliable human rights sources, al-Saari’s health has sharply deteriorated since Tuesday, September 23, 2025, due to severe and recurring episodes of shortness of breath. Despite his worsening condition, prison officials have refused to transfer him to hospital, leaving his life in imminent danger.
Torture, Forced Confessions, and Unjust Trial
Al-Saari was arrested on November 8, 2018, by Iranian security and intelligence forces and placed in solitary confinement at the Intelligence Department in Ahwaz. He was subjected to weeks of brutal physical and psychological torture aimed at extracting forced confessions practices in direct violation of humanitarian norms and international law.
Following this, the Revolutionary Court, operating under the authority of the Revolutionary Guard, sentenced him to 10 years in prison on fabricated charges, including “collaborating with Ahwazis abroad” and “political activity.” Human rights groups stress that such accusations are routinely used to criminalize Ahwazi activists.
Violations of International Law
The Organization affirmed that al-Saari’s treatment represents a flagrant violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), specifically:
Article 7: Prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
Article 10: Guarantees humane treatment and respect for the dignity of persons deprived of liberty.
Call for Urgent International Action
The Ahwazi Organization for Human Rights urged the United Nations, along with Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, to pressure Tehran for al-Saari’s immediate release and to secure urgent medical treatment. The statement emphasized that his continued detention under such conditions constitutes a legal, moral, and humanitarian crime.
