Sources of the Karun Human Rights Organization have reported that following mass arrests in the aftermath of the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, at least 80 individuals have been transferred to Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison in Ahwaz. These detainees, after enduring physical and psychological torture and being forced to make coerced confessions, have been handed heavy prison sentences, dramatically increasing the ward’s population.
Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison, with an official capacity of 100 inmates, is currently holding more than 125 political prisoners, even though the space was designed to accommodate a maximum of 100 people. Each cell in this ward is less than 20 square meters in size and is intended to house 12–15 people, but due to extreme overcrowding, some cells now hold more than 20 prisoners.
The ward’s courtyard, measuring only 60 square meters, has become flooded with contaminated water and sewage due to a broken wastewater system, filling the prison with a foul stench. The high prison walls — 12 meters tall and 6 meters thick — block airflow and prevent natural ventilation in the courtyard. Because of the overcrowding and poor conditions, prisoners are unable to walk, exercise, or spend time outdoors there, and are only transferred to another ward once every two weeks to engage in physical activity.
Hygiene conditions in Ward 5 are dire, and illness is rampant among inmates. In addition to chronic illnesses, there has been a sharp increase in the spread of skin diseases, including scabies, as well as influenza. Of particular concern is that cooking is carried out in the courtyard next to the contaminated water and sewage, further endangering the prisoners’ health.
Ward 5 has only two toilets, forcing prisoners to endure long queues lasting one to two hours to use them. There are also only two showers available, with wait times of two to three hours due to the overcrowding. The existing air conditioners are inadequate for the number of inmates, and the intense summer heat of Ahwaz has made conditions even more unbearable.
In response to these inhumane and critical conditions, political prisoners in Ward 5 have threatened to launch a collective hunger strike if their grievances are not addressed immediately.
Among the prisoners in Ward 5 are a number sentenced to death as well as others serving life or long-term prison sentences. Those sentenced to death include Seyed Salem Mousavi, Habib Dris, Mohammad Davarshenas, Mehdi Sharifi, Mohammad Amin Abiat, Morteza Mehnapour, Masoud Jomei, Alireza Mordasi (Hamidavi), and Farshad Etemadi-Far.
Other prisoners serving life or long-term sentences include Gholamhossein Kalbi, Abdolemam Zaeri, Abdolzahra Helichi, Yahya Naseri, Nazem Bureihi, Mohammad Ali Amouri-Nejad, Seyed Yaber Al-Boushoukeh, Seyed Mokhtar, Ali Halfy, Ayoub Porkar, Fares Ramahi (Amouri), Saman Hormat-Nejad, and Davoud Hormat-Nejad.
Many of these prisoners are facing execution or serving decades-long sentences.
Human rights activists, expressing deep concern over the prisoners’ situation, have called on international bodies and human rights organizations to take urgent action to improve conditions and safeguard the lives and health of political prisoners in the Ahwaz region.
