Gholamhossein Kalbi, one of Iran’s longest-held political prisoners, exemplifies the severe human rights violations faced by supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). Born in 1959 in Bandar Mahshahr, Kalbi has endured more than 23 years of continuous imprisonment without a single day of furlough. His harrowing journey through Iran’s prison system reflects the harsh realities faced by political prisoners under the Iranian regime.
Kalbi’s first imprisonment occurred in the early 1980s. From 1981 to 1987, he was detained for six years due to his association with the PMOI. However, his most significant ordeal began on January 8, 2001, when he was arrested again in Dezful. This second arrest marked the start of his prolonged and brutal treatment at the hands of Iranian authorities.
Following his 2001 arrest, Kalbi was transferred to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) detention center in Ahvaz, where he endured 14 months of torture and interrogation. Subsequently, he was moved to Evin Prison’s notorious Ward 209 and later Ward 350. In 2002, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death on charges of “enmity against God” (Moharebeh), stemming from his PMOI affiliation. Despite denying these charges and claiming his confessions were coerced under torture, his death sentence was upheld on appeal. Eventually, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
Throughout his incarceration, Gholamhossein Kalbi has been systematically denied basic human rights. Notably, he was deprived of legal representation, forced to accept a court-appointed lawyer. In 2007, he requested a transfer to a prison closer to his family in Mahshahr, but was soon moved again to Karoun Prison in Ahvaz. After Karoun Prison’s closure in 2015, he was transferred to Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, where he remains today.
Kalbi’s suffering extends beyond the prison walls. In 2015, he was not permitted to attend his sister’s funeral due to Ministry of Intelligence objections. The following year, his only remaining family member, his brother, died of a heart attack en route to visit Kalbi after a five-year struggle to obtain visitation rights. Kalbi was again denied permission to attend the burial.
His mistreatment continued with harsh punitive measures. In August 2018, Kalbi went on a 20-day hunger strike to protest his conditions and the denial of his transfer request to Tehran or Adelabad Prison in Shiraz. Despite having no involvement in a 2020 prison riot, he was placed in solitary confinement and later transferred to a ward for drug offenders, stripping him of access to recreational and communal facilities.
Kalbi’s health has severely deteriorated due to neglect and abuse. He suffers from severe hearing loss due to untreated ear infections, dental issues from years of inadequate nutrition and torture, heart disease, arthritis, and painful foot ulcers. He is routinely denied medical care and furlough for treatment.
In addition to physical abuse, Kalbi faces psychological pressure. Ministry of Intelligence agents regularly summon him, pressuring him to make televised confessions and renounce his political beliefs.
Gholamhossein Kalbi’s case highlights the egregious human rights violations inflicted upon political prisoners in Iran. His enduring resilience amidst relentless persecution is a testament to the extreme conditions under which political dissidents live. The international community must continue to advocate for Kalbi and others like him, pressing for their release and the cessation of such inhumane practices by the Iranian regime.
