Ardabil Prison: 54 Protest Detainees Remain Held in Legal Limbo

At least 54 individuals detained during the 2025 nationwide protests are still being held in the security ward of Ardabil Prison; 25 of them have been sentenced to a combined total of 49 years and three months in prison, while the remaining 29 individuals are held in judicial limbo without having had a court hearing to address their charges.

Iran Human Rights Society, Sunday, August 9, 2026 – Months after the 2025 nationwide protests, at least 54 detained citizens continue to be held in the security ward of Ardabil Prison. According to published reports, 25 of these individuals have been sentenced to a total of 49 years and three months in prison following judicial

proceedings, while 29 other detainees remain in custody without a court hearing held to address their charges. Concurrently, reports have been published regarding the deprivation of several detainees from phone calls and family visits.

Information Box | Detainees of the 2025 Nationwide Protests in Ardabil Prison

Ardabil Prison: The Case of 54 Detainees at a Glance

Sentencing of 25 Detainees to Over 49 Years in Prison

Out of the 54 detainees whose identities have been verified, the cases of 25 individuals have been processed in the judicial authorities of Ardabil, resulting in a total sentence of 49 years and three months in prison for them.

These individuals are:

Ahmad Seifi, Peyman Darvolizadeh, Reza Nabidoust, Yashar Soufi, Teymour Ghaznavi, Ali Ahmadi, Mehdi Shirani, Amir Hossein Zadehkhak, Alireza Hosseini, Amirreza Sharifi, Yavar Farahmand, Abbas Kowsari, Mahram Azaram, Masoud Norouzi, Sina Farzaneh-Vash, Amir Hossein Baghermaleki, Milad Ashkani, Amir Hossein Habibi, Farshad Soltani, Hossein Nemati, Ahoora Jafarzadeh, Farid Hamzehzadeh, Milad Sabri, Behzad Majedi, and Mehran Abbasi.

The continued detention of these individuals in the security ward of Ardabil Prison comes while a significant number of other detainees have not even entered the judicial review stage.

29 Citizens Still in Judicial Limbo

According to published information, 29 other individuals remain in detention without a court hearing being held to process their charges.

The identities of these individuals are:

Farhad Jafari, Reza Javid, Mohammad Reza Athari, Armin Nadiri, Arian Hamidi, Sina Hassanzadeh, Ali Besharati, Mohammad Jalilalghadr, Faramarz Neshat, Keyvan Baram, Faramarz Taghizadeh, Heshmat Rasouli, Evaz Rastgouyan, Mohammad Reza Agah, Reza Mirzadeh, Mehrdad Zoudfekr, Mahyar Pourebrahim, Ali Abdollahvand, Mohammad Gholizadeh, Mir Mohammad Mohammadi, Mohammad Rahbari, Mohsen Najafi, Ali Nobakht, Meysam Abdollahi, Bahman Zohri, Omid Ganjeh, Alireza Karimi, Ahmad Khodaei, and Meysam Alizadeh.

The continued detention of these individuals without holding a hearing has created concerns regarding prolonged pre-trial detention and the uncertain status of their cases.

Deprivation of Calls and Visits in Ardabil Prison

Concurrently, a number of detainees have reportedly been deprived of the right to make phone calls and have family visits.

Their families also face ambiguity and restrictions when visiting and following up on the cases, and efforts to obtain information about the review process or request temporary release on bail have, in some instances, remained without result.

Deprivation of communication with family, especially under conditions of prolonged detention, exerts double pressure on prisoners and their relatives. For families whose relatives’ judicial status has not yet been determined, these restrictions have added to concerns about their detention conditions.

Detention of Approximately 800 Persons in Ardabil Province

During the 2025 nationwide protests, according to published reports, approximately 800 people were arrested in Ardabil province. Out of this number, about 500 people were released within the first 10 days after arrest. Nearly 250 others were released from prison in subsequent stages after posting bail.

However, at least 54 people still remain in the security ward of Ardabil Prison—a group now divided into two categories: those sentenced to prison and those held in limbo.

The continued detention of 29 individuals without holding a hearing, alongside total sentences of over 49 years issued for 25 other detainees, continues to make the case status of the January protest detainees in Ardabil one of the concerning issues.

Legal Analysis of the Status of Ardabil Prison Detainees Based on Domestic Laws

The dictatorial laws governing Iran in recent years have consistently faced criticism from legal scholars and human rights organizations for their crackdown on protesters, creation of security cases, and restriction of the rights of persons deprived of liberty. The status of the 54 detainees held in Ardabil Prison also raises questions about prolonged temporary detention, the right to access family, and the necessity of processing cases within a reasonable timeframe.

Legal Ambiguities of the Case

The most prominent ambiguity is the continued detention of 29 citizens without holding a hearing to address their charges. Furthermore, reports of several detainees being deprived of telephone calls and visits with family, as well as the restrictions faced by families in following up on cases, add to the legal concerns.

Relevant Legal Articles

• Article 32 of the Constitution: Mandates that the arrest of individuals must be carried out according to legal regulations, and charges must be communicated to the person with specified reasons.

• Article 34 of the Constitution: Recognizes seeking justice as the absolute right of every individual.

• Article 35 of the Constitution: Recognizes the right to have an attorney.

• Article 37 of the Constitution: Emphasizes the presumption of innocence.

• Article 39 of the Constitution: Forbids affronts to the dignity and honor of arrested and imprisoned persons.

• Code of Criminal Procedure: Emphasizes respecting the rights of the accused, the necessity of legally determining the detention status, and guaranteeing defense rights.

Instances of Law Violation

The main legal concerns include:

• Prolonged detention of 29 citizens without holding a hearing,

• Judicial limbo,

• Reports of restrictions on phone calls and family visits,

• Difficulty faced by families in following up on cases,

• The necessity to examine the realization of the right to an attorney and effective defense.

Reviewing the Case from the Perspective of Human Rights and Potential Violations of International Standards

From a human rights perspective, personal liberty and security, entitlement to a fair trial, judicial processing without undue delay, and humane treatment of persons deprived of liberty are considered fundamental rights. The continued detention of 29 detainees in Ardabil Prison without holding a court hearing and reports of communication restrictions for several of them with family raise concerns regarding compliance with these standards.

Human Rights Ambiguities of the Case

Prolonged limbo of detainees, the absence of judicial review for 29 individuals, and restrictions on phone calls and family visits are among the most important issues subject to examination. Additionally, given the connection of these arrests to the January protests, respecting the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and ensuring that individuals are not punished merely for exercising these rights are of special importance.

Relevant International Documents

• Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Prohibition of arbitrary arrest and detention.

• Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal.

• Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Right to liberty and security of person, and prohibition of arbitrary arrest.

• Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Guarantees the right to a fair trial.

• Article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Requirement of humane and respectful treatment for persons deprived of liberty.

• Nelson Mandela Rules: Emphasis on preserving the dignity of prisoners and enabling regular communication with family.

See also the below articles:

• Evin Prison Ward 7 Raid: 50 Guards Assault Political Prisoners
• Yazd Central Prison: Judicial Officials Threaten Female Prisoners

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