Concerns Mount Over Alireza Peyghambari Transfer to Qezelhesar Prison

Alireza Peyghambari, a 26-year-old political prisoner and one of those arrested in the nationwide protests of 2025-2026, was transferred from Tehran Great Prison to Qezelhesar Prison in Karaj. This transfer is taking place while his execution sentence on the charge of “enmity against God (Moharebeh)” is at the stage of final appeal, and his family and relatives have expressed concern about the danger of the execution of the sentence.

Iran Human Rights Society, Sunday June 14, 2026 – The transfer of Alireza Peyghambari, a political prisoner sentenced to execution, from Tehran Great Prison to Qezelhesar Prison in Karaj has created a new wave of concerns about his fate. This 26-year-old prisoner who was arrested during the nationwide protests of 2025-2026, was sentenced to execution by Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on the charge of “enmity against God (Moharebeh)”. His transfer to Qezelhesar is taking place while the case is still under review in the Supreme Court, and many human rights activists have warned about the possibility of the execution of the sentence and the ambiguities existing in the process of handling the case.

Why Has the Transfer of Alireza Peyghambari to Qezelhesar Prison Caused Concern?

According to published information, Alireza Peyghambari was transferred today from Tehran Great Prison to Qezelhesar Prison in Karaj. This transfer, especially due to his conviction to execution, has caused severe concern for his family and relatives.

Qezelhesar Prison has been recognized in numerous human rights reports over the past years as one of the centers for holding prisoners sentenced to execution. For this reason, transferring a prisoner with an execution sentence to this prison is usually accompanied by concerns about the possibility of the execution of the sentence; especially when the case is still at the stage of final appeal.

Alireza Peyghambari’s family say they do not have clear information about the status of the case and the time of review by the Supreme Court, and this issue has added to their concerns.

How Was Alireza Peyghambari Arrested?

Based on available information, Alireza Peyghambari was arrested on January 8, 2026, simultaneously with the nationwide protests, by security forces.

After a period of detention, he was released in February 2026 by posting bail. However, his case was reviewed again in the following months in the Revolutionary Court and ultimately led to the issuance of an execution sentence.

A noteworthy point in this case is that the initial release of the accused on bail has been evaluated by some legal observers as a sign of doubt about the severity and strength of the evidence in the case.

Why Is the Process of Handling Alireza Peyghambari’s Case Accompanied by Ambiguity?

One of the most important ambiguities in this case is the gap between the initial release on bail and the issuance of the execution sentence in subsequent stages.

Some jurists believe that in cases where the attributed charge can lead to the death penalty, the judicial system usually only grants temporary release to the accused if there are no definite and immediate reasons for keeping him in detention.

On the other hand, the details of the case documents, the evidence proving the charge, and the trial process have not been made public. This issue has made an independent assessment of the correctness of the judicial process difficult.

Human rights activists also criticize the performance of revolutionary courts in political and security cases and believe that these courts in many cases do not enjoy sufficient transparency, the possibility of public oversight, and full guarantees of the defense rights of the accused.

Does the Charge of Enmity Against God (Moharebeh) with the Death Penalty Require Special Trial Standards?

In all cases where the death penalty is at issue, observing the highest standards of trial has special importance. Because any mistake in such cases can have an irreparable consequence.

The presumption of innocence, the right to free access to a lawyer, the possibility of effective defense, careful examination of evidence, and the right to protest and final appeal are among the most important legal guarantees in cases with a sentence of deprivation of life.

For this reason, many human rights institutions have demanded a precise and independent review of Alireza Peyghambari’s case in the Supreme Court.

Legal Review of the Case Based on Domestic Laws

Legal Ambiguities of the Case

The most important ambiguity in this case is the contradiction between the release of the accused on bail and the issuance of the execution sentence in subsequent stages. Also, limited information about the case documents and the manner of proving the charge of enmity against God (Moharebeh) has been published.

The transfer of this prisoner to Qezelhesar before the final determination of the case has also created concerns about his legal status.

Related Legal Provisions

According to Article 34 of the Constitution, seeking justice is an indisputable right of every citizen.

Article 35 of the Constitution emphasizes the right to choose and access a lawyer.

Article 37 of the Constitution also stipulates that the presumption of innocence is the principle and no one is recognized as a criminal unless his crime is proven in a competent court.

Also, Article 279 of the Islamic Penal Code has specified the conditions for the realization of the crime of enmity against God (Moharebeh) and has considered the proof of all legal elements of this crime necessary for issuing a sentence.

Cases of Violation of the Law

Ambiguity in the case documents and the manner of proving the charge of enmity against God (Moharebeh). Concern about full compliance with trial standards in a case leading to execution. Limitation of public information about the trial process. Concern arising from the transfer of the prisoner to Qezelhesar at the time of review of the final appeal. The necessity of observing the principle of narrow interpretation of criminal laws in crimes with the death penalty.

Violation of Human Rights; Danger of Execution of the Death Sentence and the Right to a Fair Trial

Alireza Peyghambari’s case is also accompanied by numerous concerns from a human rights perspective. The issuance of the execution sentence, transfer to Qezelhesar Prison, and ambiguity in the trial process have caused human rights institutions to warn about the status of this prisoner.

Violated Provisions

Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The right to life, liberty, and personal security. The execution of the death sentence means the irreversible deprivation of the right to life.

Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Prohibition of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. The psychological effects of waiting for the execution of the death sentence are considered to be in conflict with this principle.

Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The right to a fair and public trial. Full compliance with this principle is necessary in cases leading to execution.

Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: The right to access a lawyer, effective defense, and a fair trial.

Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: The inherent right to life and the necessity of observing the highest judicial guarantees in cases with the death penalty.

The transfer of Alireza Peyghambari to Qezelhesar Prison has taken place while his case is still under review in the Supreme Court, and his family hopes that before any decision, all legal and judicial ambiguities of this case will be subject to precise review.

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