Documented reports received by the Karoon Human Rights Organization indicate a severely concerning situation for Taragh Hosseinian, a 42-year-old Arab political prisoner, six months after his arrest.
Throughout this period, he has been in complete uncertainty, deprived of the fundamental right to meet or communicate with his family.
Taragh Hosseinian is married and the father of three children (two daughters and one son). His continued isolation has placed his family in a state of severe psychological and economic distress. The deliberate obstruction by security agencies of any communication between this prisoner and his family has heightened concerns regarding his health and the threat to his life, especially given multiple reports of severe physical and psychological torture inflicted upon him during interrogation. There are fears that this imposed isolation is intended to conceal the signs of torture.
Regarding the legal proceedings of this case, which is part of the security scenario known as the “Qaleh Chanan” case, new details have emerged. Mr. Hosseinian’s judicial process initially took place in the second investigative branch of the Karoon County Prosecutor’s Office, presided over by investigator Hussein Montazeri. However, reports indicate that after the initial stages and under pressure from security interrogators, this case has now been referred to Judge Vadi Nejad for further proceedings, a process in which judicial transparency has not been upheld.
*Background and Dimensions of the “Qaleh Chanan” Security Case*
The case known as “Qaleh Chanan” is considered one of the most complex and violative security cases in recent months in the Ahwaz region. On March 9, 2023, intelligence forces violently stormed the Qaleh Chanan area (part of Karoon County), killing five citizens with direct gunfire and arresting twelve others. Security agencies have so far refused to hand over the bodies of the deceased to their families.
The detainees in this case were transferred to quarantine at Sheiban Prison on July 22, 2023, after enduring four and a half months of solitary confinement.
Investigations reveal that the handling of their case from the very first days has been marked by gross violations of the fundamental rights of the accused, including torture to extract forced confessions and complete deprivation of access to a chosen lawyer and fair trial. These individuals remain deprived of the right to contact and visit.
Security and judicial agencies have leveled serious charges against these individuals, such as “acting against national security,” “propaganda against the regime,” and “collaboration with the United States and Israel”—allegations that the Karoon Human Rights Organization considers a baseless scenario to justify repression and obtain forced confessions under torture. During this time, the families of the detainees have also been subjected to pressure, summons, and continuous threats to accept silence.
The Karoon Human Rights Organization views the use of torture, inhumane treatment of prisoners, and the tactic of “denial of visitation” as a clear example of white torture and a blatant violation of international conventions. This organization urgently calls for the intervention of human rights bodies, an end to the practice of torture, immediate access for this prisoner to medical services and independent legal counsel, and the unconditional release of him and other detainees in the Qaleh Chanan case.
