Ali Doraki, also known as Abdolal Doraki, a 60-year-old Arab poet and cultural activist, was arrested on Tuesday, November 3, 2023, by agents of the Iranian intelligence services at his home in the Mashali neighborhood of Ahwaz and taken to an undisclosed location.
According to reports from Moj Ahwaz, prior to his arrest, the poet was summoned via telephone to appear at the intelligence agency’s headquarters, and a formal summons had also been issued by the court. However, Mr. Doraki, who suffers from severe heart disease and has a history of heart surgery, was physically unable to attend these institutions. Ultimately, security agents disregarded his critical health condition and urgent need for medical care, arresting him at his home.
Ali (Abdolal) Doraki, son of Abdolreza, has a history of repeated summons, arrests, and approximately five years of imprisonment due to his peaceful political and cultural activities. In 2024, he was arrested on charges such as ‘propaganda against the regime’ and ‘insulting the leadership’ and was tried in the Revolutionary Court of Ahwaz, after which he was released on bail pending the final verdict.
The Karoon Human Rights Organization considers the raid on the home and arrest of cultural activists a blatant violation of fundamental rights, including the ‘right to freedom of expression and thought’ and ‘freedom of assembly.’ Furthermore, the arbitrary detention of an individual with a history of heart disease, and the potential deprivation of access to medication, specialist doctors, and a calm environment, directly endangers his ‘right to life’ and ‘right to health.’ The exact nature of the new charges, the detaining authority, the location of detention, and access to legal counsel and medical treatment for this cultural activist remain unclear. We demand an end to this secrecy, assurance of his physical well-being, immediate access to medical care, and the unconditional release of this Arab poet from Ahwaz.
