Sources close to Hamzeh Savari, an Arab Ahwazi political prisoner, report that prison authorities at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj have rejected his recent request for temporary leave to attend the funeral of his father, Lefteh Savari. This marks the second time Savari has been denied the right to participate in a family funeral; his earlier request to attend the burial of his mother, Hasna Ghanem, was also refused.
According to these sources, following the denial of leave to attend his mother’s funeral, Hamzeh Savari was subjected to heightened security pressure, transferred to quarantine, and interrogated. The interrogation was conducted by an agent affiliated with the Ahwaz Intelligence Department and reportedly included questions about a letter previously written by Savari, inquiries into prison conditions, and questions concerning activities outside the prison.
The sources told Karun Human Rights Organization that despite Savari being held in Ghezel Hesar Prison, all matters related to his case continue to be directly handled by the Ahwaz Intelligence Department, rather than local prison or judicial authorities.
Savari has also reportedly been placed under pressure regarding the activities of his relatives who reside outside Iran.
In a previously published letter, Hamzeh Savari emphasized that temporary prison leave and conditional release are legal and routine rights afforded to prisoners on a daily basis, stressing that his request was solely intended to allow him to attend his mother’s mourning ceremony.
Hamzeh Savari has been imprisoned in various Iranian prisons since 2005 and is currently serving a life sentence in Hall 4 of Ghezel Hesar Prison. According to those close to him, he has become increasingly aware of his legal rights during his years of incarceration and has consistently sought to assert and demand their implementation whenever possible.
It has also been reported that during certain periods, Savari—along with a group of other prisoners—has gone on hunger strike in protest against misconduct and violations by Ghezel Hesar prison authorities.
