Protesters arrested during the 2022 uprising in Iran continue to face harsh sentences and ill-treatment.
Ayoub Ghaibipour, a 30-year-old political prisoner, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and exile to Kerman for charges of “arson and destruction of public property” and “propaganda against the regime” by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court. In addition to the 10-year sentence, he was given an additional year of imprisonment for the charge of propaganda. After an appeal, the Supreme Court upheld his sentence.
Ayoub Ghaibipour was accused of setting fire to a statue of Qassem Soleimani. Kerman is more than 1,100 km away from his hometown, Ahwaz, in southwestern Iran. This means that his family will no longer be able to visit him regularly due to the high cost of transportation.
Ayoub Ghaibipour, a resident of Ahvaz, was arrested on November 13, 2022, after security forces violently raided his family home, using force and physical assault during the arrest.
In early May 2023, Ghaibipour was transferred from Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz to a detention center for further interrogation. In protest, he went on a hunger strike.
On January 5, 2024, after losing consciousness due to a severe infection and illness, he was transferred to the hospital, where he underwent surgery without his family’s knowledge. After the delayed surgery, he was returned to Sheyban Prison in Ahvaz. Due to the lack of medical facilities in the prison, his condition, which required further medical attention, was reported to be critical.
On February 13, 2024, Ayoub Ghaibipour was released from Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz after posting a bail of three billion tomans.
Ghaibipour ’s case highlights the harsh conditions faced by political prisoners in Iran, who often endure long sentences, exile, and inadequate medical care as part of their punishment.
