Based on information obtained by the Karun Human Rights Organization the Branch 13 of the Iranian Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Ahwaz presided over by Judge Liraki, has issued a formal indictment against Mostafa Halichi, an Ahwazi Arab cultural activist currently held as a political prisoner. The case has now been transferred to Branch 3 of the Ahwaz Revolutionary Court, overseen by Judge Rashid Kiani Dehkian, for adjudication and sentencing.

According to the indictment, Halichi faces charges of
– “establishing contacts with anti-state groups abroad,” and
– “propaganda against the state.”
These charges were filed following an investigation led by Prosecutor’s Office Examiner Liraki.

Judge Rashid Kiani Dehkian — a figure well-known across the Ahwaz region (Khuzestan) — has gained notoriety in recent years for issuing exceptionally harsh sentences against protesters, teachers, and cultural or labor activists. Originally from the village of Qaleh-Sard in Dehdaz (Dezpart) near Izeh, his judicial record has drawn extensive criticism from human rights groups for its severity and lack of impartiality.

Halichi, along with fellow cultural activist Reza Hezbavi, was arrested on December 1, 2024, by the Intelligence and Public Security Police. During their detention, both men reportedly endured severe physical and psychological torture. Documented abuses include suspension by the limbs, beatings with cables on the soles of the feet and across the body, and blows directed at sensitive areas — resulting in significant deterioration of their physical condition.

After more than a month of incommunicado detention in the FATA Police holding facility, Halichi and Hezbavi were transferred on January 6, 2025, to Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison in Ahwaz under an order of continued pre-trial detention.