On Tuesday, September 30, 2025, political prisoner Mehdi Vafaei Sani, held in Tehran’s Evin Prison, was suddenly removed from his ward without prior notice and transferred to an undisclosed location. The unannounced transfer has raised serious concerns about his safety and future.
Sudden Transfer and Current Situation
The abrupt and unexplained removal of Mehdi Vafaei Sani from Ward 7 of Evin Prison has deepened uncertainty about his fate. Judicial and security authorities have not provided any information regarding the reasons or the destination of this transfer. His family has been left completely uninformed and denied any contact with him. Such sudden relocations of political prisoners, which have occurred repeatedly in recent years, are widely regarded as a clear example of non-transparent practices and a grave violation of prisoners’ rights.
Background: Arrest and Sentencing
Born in Tehran in 1984, Mehdi Vafaei Sani was arrested on June 8, 2022, by security forces. After weeks of interrogations, he was charged with “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion to act against national security” due to alleged ties with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran. The Tehran Revolutionary Court, in a closed-door process, sentenced him to six years in prison. Since his arrest, he has been held in different wards of Evin Prison under severe restrictions and security pressure.
Health Condition and Denial of Medical Care
During his imprisonment, Vafaei Sani has repeatedly faced serious health problems. In March 2023, he collapsed in his ward and remained unconscious for several hours. Instead of providing urgent care, prison authorities shackled him with handcuffs and leg irons before transferring him to the prison clinic, where he was returned to his ward without proper treatment. More recent reports indicate that he is suspected of suffering from gastrointestinal cancer and also endures severe stomach and back pain. The ongoing denial of specialized medical examinations and hospital treatment places his life at immediate risk.
Prison Conditions and Violation of the Separation of Offenses
Part of his sentence has been served in Ward 8 of Evin Prison, where political prisoners are held alongside individuals convicted of violent and general crimes. This situation directly violates the principle of separation of offenses and exposes political detainees to psychological and physical threats. Numerous cases of harassment, destruction of personal belongings, and threats of violence have been reported, yet prison authorities have failed to provide any protection.
Family Persecution
The pressure on Mehdi Vafaei Sani extends to his family. His mother, Masoumeh (Shiva) Esmaeili, was arrested in March 2023 and, after heavy interrogations, sentenced in June 2023 to ten years in prison. She is currently serving her sentence in Evin. In addition, his cousin, Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, is imprisoned in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad and faces a death sentence. Three members of one family held in different prisons with heavy punishments illustrate the systematic repression targeting families of political activists.
Human Rights Dimensions
The secret transfer of Mehdi Vafaei Sani, coupled with the lack of information for his family and the persistent denial of medical care, constitutes clear violations of internationally recognized rights, including:
– The right to personal security (Article 9, Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
– The right to access legal counsel and family contact (Article 10, UDHR).
– The right to health and medical care (Article 12, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights).
Call to the International Community
The uncertainty surrounding the fate of Mehdi Vafaei Sani and his urgent need for medical treatment place his life in immediate danger. Human rights organizations and the international community are urged to take swift action to clarify his situation, secure his access to adequate medical care, and hold Iranian authorities accountable for the ongoing violations against political prisoners.
