3 Arab Political Prisoners at Imminent Risk of Execution
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 11, 2025: Ali Mojadam, Moein Khanfari and Mohammadreza Moghaddam, three Ahvazi Arab political prisoners on death row for security-related charges, have been transferred to the pre-execution solitary confinement cells of Ahvaz Sepidar Prison.
Expressing grave concern at the grave risk of their executions, Iran Human Rights once again draws attention to the execution crisis in Iran and calls on the media, public and international community for appropriate backlash.
IHRNGO Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said: “These prisoners were sentenced to death based on torture-tainted confessions after grossly unfair trials. Their sentences are illegal even according to the Islamic Republic’s own laws. The authorities are trying to take advantage of the post-war situation to intensify the execution of political prisoners; the international community and public must prevent these executions by raising their political cost."
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three Arab political prisoners were transferred to the solitary confinement cells of Ahvaz Sepidar Prison on 26 June 2025. They are at risk of execution in the coming days.
Ali Mojadam, 42, Mohammadreza Moghaddam, 33, and Moein Khanfari, 32, were arrested in 2019 along with their three co-defendants, Habib Deris, 42, Salem Mousavi, 41, and Adnan Ghabishavi, 28.
Ali Mojadam and Mohamadreza Moghaddam were charged as “leaders of the group’s domestic branch” and all men were sentenced to death on charges of baghy (armed rebellion) through “leadership and membership of the insurgent group of the military branch of the terrorist group Harakat al-Nidal al-Arabi inside Iran, in order to commit armed rebellion against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Top left to right: Ali Mojadam, Adnan Ghabishavi and Salem Mousavi. Bottom left to right: Habib Deris, Mohammadreza Moghaddam and Moein Khanfari.
Their case is linked to the case of Habib Asyoud, a dual-national kidnapped from Turkey and executed on 6 May 2023. Their sentence was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court.
Ahvazi human rights activist, Yassin Ahvazi confirmed news of the three political prisoners’ transfer and told IHRNGO: “The six political prisoners were all labourers or farmers but they also had cultural and civil activism. The court was never able to prove the accusations of killing the two IRGC members and another officer.”
“The six political prisoners were denied the right to a lawyer of their choice and were subjected to torture from the outset to confess to crimes they hadn’t committed. They also threatened to take their families into custody. Ali Mojadam still can’t walk properly from the torture and Moein Khanfari is suffering from mental illness due to the torture and prolonged solitary confinement.”
Their torture-tainted confessions were aired by state media prior to their legal proceedings.
The political prisoners were previously transferred to the pre-executions solitary confinement cells in groups of six and four in May 2023 and October 2024 respectively.