The Alahwazi Organization for Human Rights (A.O.H.R) warns of an impending human rights and humanitarian crisis inside Sheiban Central Prison in Ahwaz. Following mass arrest waves targeting young Ahwazis, more than 600 political and conscientious detainees are currently held under severe conditions:
* 185 detainees in Ward 8.
* 120 detainees in Ward 5.
* Over 310 detainees packed inside the quarantine section.
Physical Incapacity and Critical Overcrowding:
While the official design capacity of Sheiban Prison is rated at 2,000 inmates, authorities are currently cramming over 4,000 prisoners into the facility—double its intended limits. The physical dimensions of the prison are entirely inadequate to accommodate this surge. Hundreds of newly detained youths are forced to sleep on bare floors and corridors with virtually no access to basic sanitation or medical care, constituting systematic ill-treatment.
The majority of recent detainees are young men aged 18 to 25 from Ahwaz, Fallahiyeh, Izeh, Behbahan, and Masjed Soleyman. They face mass summary trials via video conference inside the prison, presided over by Judge Ehsan Adibi-Mehr (Head of Branch 1 of the Ahwaz Revolutionary Court), receiving heavy sentences ranging from 5 to 20 years on fabricated national security charges without access to independent legal counsel.
Violated International Legal Standards:
* UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules):
* Rules 12, 13 & 15: Prohibition of overcrowding, ensuring mandatory minimum floor space, light, and sanitary conditions for every detainee.
* International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR):
* Article 10 (1): Mandatory humane treatment and respect for the inherent dignity of all persons deprived of their liberty.
* Article 14: Fundamental right to a fair, public trial and legal defense representation.
* Article 7: Absolute prohibition of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment arising from intolerable detention conditions.
A.O.H.R demands an immediate UN-led inspection of Sheiban Prison, the annulment of all summary convictions, and the immediate release of political detainees.