Mehdi Mahmoudian sentenced to eight months prison in absentia

On 13 August 2026, human rights defender Mehdi Mahmoudian was sentenced to eight months imprisonment on the charge of “propaganda activities against the state” by Branch 23 of Tehran Revolutionary Court in absentia. In addition, a hearing has been scheduled for Mehdi Mahmoudian on 27 September 2026 at Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on several other charges, including “propaganda activities against the state,” in connection with publishing statements and speaking to the international media.

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Mehdi Mahmoudian is a human rights defender, a political journalist and blogger, who has previously served a five-year prison term (2009-2014) on charges of “mutiny against the state” for his role in documenting complaints of rape and abuse of detainees at the Kahrizak Detention Center. The detention center was closed in July 2009 after Mahmoudian and others documented the pervasive abuse. Mehdi Mahmoudian also worked with the Center for the Defense of Prisoners’ Rights.

On 13 August 2026, Mehdi Mahmoudian was sentenced in absentia to eight months’ imprisonment on the charge of “propaganda activities against state” by Branch 23 of Tehran Revolutionary Court. The evidence cited against him included communications he authored while in prison describing how male prisoners, including elderly prisoners and human rights defenders, were reportedly shackled and transferred by buses to the Greater Tehran Prison in June 2025 while being exposed to the risk of air strikes during the twelve day war.

On 31 January 2026, the human rights defender was arrested after signing a statement published by 17 civil and political activists concerning nationwide protests in January 2026. The statement expressed solidarity with protesters and supported their calls for “a dignified life, freedom, justice, human dignity, and self determination.” Mehdi Mahmoudian was subsequently released from Bushehr prison on 17 February 2026 after posting a 65 billion IRR.

In 2023, the human rights defender was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, a two-year ban on membership in political parties and groups, a two-year ban on the use of a smartphone, and a two-year travel ban, again in connection with the charge of “propaganda activities against the state” by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.” He was released from Evin Prison on 15 September 2025, after serving his prison term.

Front Line Defenders believes that the conviction and sentencing of human rights defender Mehdi Mahmoudian are directly linked to his legitimate and peaceful human rights activities, including his work against death penalty and in defense of the human rights of prisoners. Front Line Defenders is concerned by the imminent risk of his imprisonment and at the continuing judicial harassment against him.

Front Line Defenders is further concerned by the ongoing targeting of human rights defenders working against death penalty and on prisoners’ rights Iran, and by the intensified use of judicial measures to silence and punish human rights defenders.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Iran to:

1. Quash the conviction and eight-month prison sentence imposed on Mehdi Mahmoudian and drop all other charges against him that are solely related to his legitimate and peaceful human rights activities;
2. End all forms of judicial harassment against Mehdi Mahmoudian and ensure that he is able to carry out his human rights activities without restriction and free from fear of reprisals;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Iran are able to carry out their human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions, including judicial harassment