Ali Kamali, one of those arrested in the nationwide protests of 2025-2026 and sentenced to execution, has been transferred from Tehran Great Prison to Qezelhesar Prison in Karaj. This transfer is taking place while his case is still in the appeal stage and his family and relatives have expressed concern about the possibility of executing the sentence and his legal status.
Iran Human Rights Society, Saturday, June 13, 2026 – The transfer of Ali Kamali, a prisoner sentenced to execution and one of those arrested in the nationwide protests of January 11, 2026, to Qezelhesar Prison in Karaj has created a new wave of concern among his family and relatives. This prisoner, who was sentenced to execution by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on the charge of “Moharebeh”, has been transferred to Qezelhesar while his case is still in the appeal stage and few details about the judicial process and the documents of his case have been published.
Why has the transfer of Ali Kamali to Qezelhesar Prison caused concern?
Based on the received information, Ali Kamali has recently been transferred from Tehran Great Prison to Qezelhesar Prison in Karaj. This transfer, considering his conviction to execution, has created widespread concerns among his family and relatives. Qezelhesar Prison in previous years has been repeatedly mentioned in human rights reports as one of the prisons where a number of those sentenced to execution are held. For this reason, the transfer of a prisoner sentenced to execution to this prison usually creates concerns about the status of his case and his fate. Sources close to Ali Kamali’s family say that this transfer has taken place while the family has not yet received clear information about the status of the case and the process of proceedings in the Supreme Court.
How was Ali Kamali arrested?
Based on the published information, Ali Kamali was arrested on January 11, 2026 simultaneously with the nationwide protests in Tehran. Reports indicate that he had residency in the country of Malaysia and was arrested by security forces only a few days after entering Iran. After arrest, he was transferred to Tehran Great Prison and was held in this prison until the recent transfer. Despite the passage of months since the time of arrest, still limited information about the details of the case, the manner of arrest and the documents presented against him has been made available.
Why has Ali Kamali been sentenced to execution?
Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court under the presidency of Judge Iman Afshari in mid May 2026 of the current year, sentenced Ali Kamali to execution on the charge of “Moharebeh”. However, so far no clear details about the instances of the charge, the evidence presented in the court and the documents relied upon for issuing such a heavy sentence have been published. This very issue has made independent evaluation about the manner of proceedings and the degree of conformity of the issued sentence with the existing laws accompanied by difficulty. Human rights activists have repeatedly warned about the use of charges such as “Moharebeh” in cases related to nationwide protests and have demanded more transparency in the process of handling these cases.
Does transfer to Qezelhesar mean the time of executing the sentence is approaching?
Transferring a prisoner sentenced to execution to Qezelhesar does not necessarily mean immediate execution of the sentence, but in many cases such transfers cause an increase in concerns of families; especially when there is no transparent informing about the status of the case. In Ali Kamali’s case, reports indicate that the issued sentence is in the appeal stage. According to domestic laws, as long as the Supreme Court does not issue a final verdict, the process of handling the case has not ended. However, the lack of transparent information about the status of the case and the coincidence of his transfer to Qezelhesar has caused his family and relatives to express concern about the future of this prisoner.
Examination of the legal case based on domestic laws Legal ambiguities of the case
The most important ambiguity of Ali Kamali’s case is the lack of information about the documents of the charge of “Moharebeh” and the manner of its conformity with the behavior attributed to him. In cases where the death penalty is involved, transparency about the elements of the crime and the evidence of its proof has special importance. Another ambiguity relates to the current status of the appeal. While the sentence is under review in the Supreme Court, the family of this prisoner has limited information about the details of the proceedings process.
Related legal articles
Based on Article 279 of the Islamic Penal Code, Moharebeh is realized when a person draws a weapon with the intention of endangering the life, property or chastity of people or to create fear and public insecurity. Also, Principle 34 of the Constitution recognizes the right to seek justice for all citizens. Principle 35 of the Constitution also emphasizes the right of the defendant to access a lawyer and Principle 37 of the Constitution stipulates that the principle is innocence and no individual is recognized as guilty unless his crime is proven in a competent court. In cases leading to execution also the Code of Criminal Procedure has predicted the review of the case in the Supreme Court as one of the most important guarantees of proceedings.
Instances of violation of the law
Failure to transparently publish the documents of the case and the reasons for issuing the sentence. Ambiguity in the manner of matching the charge of Moharebeh with the attributed behavior. Concern about limiting the possibility of public supervision over the proceedings process. Creating concern resulting from the transfer of the prisoner before the result of the appeal is clarified. The necessity of observing the highest standards of proceedings in cases having the punishment of deprivation of life.
Violation of human rights; Concern about the right to life and fair trial
Ali Kamali’s case has also created numerous concerns from a human rights perspective. The issuance of the execution sentence, ambiguity in the details of the case and his transfer to Qezelhesar Prison has caused human rights institutions to show more sensitivity about his status.
Violated articles
Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The right to life, liberty and personal security. The execution sentence directly affects the right to life.
Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The right to enjoy a fair and public trial. Transparency in the proceedings process is considered one of the pillars of this right.
Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: The right to enjoy a fair trial and the possibility of effective defense.
Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: In cases having the death penalty, the highest trial guarantees must be observed and any ambiguity in the proceedings process gains double importance.
Ali Kamali’s case is now awaiting the final decision of the Supreme Court while his transfer to Qezelhesar Prison has increased concerns about the fate of this prisoner sentenced to execution more than before.
See also the below articles:
- Legal Ambiguities in Armin Nourmohammadi Execution Sentence
- Prison of Langarud Qom; Call for Information Dissemination about Women Detainees of Nationwide Protests
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