Risk of Imminent Execution of Political Prisoner Kaveh Arabiyan Following Transfer to an Unknown Location

Breathing in Confinement, Thursday, 30 July 2026: Kaveh Arabiyan, a political prisoner sentenced to death and one of those arrested during the protests in January this year, has been placed in an alarming situation after being transferred from the general ward of Yazd Prison to an unknown location, raising concerns that his execution may be imminent.

According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, Kaveh Arabiyan’s family have expressed grave concern over his situation, stating that his sudden transfer from the general ward of Yazd Prison to an undisclosed location could indicate preparations for the implementation of his death sentence. To date, his family have received no precise information regarding his whereabouts or current condition.

Kaveh Arabiyan was arrested by security forces on 12 January this year at the home of his cousin in Yazd. He was subsequently sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Yazd Revolutionary Court on charges including “moharebeh (enmity against God) through disrupting national security,” “setting fire to public property,” and “killing a member of the Basij.” The sentence was subsequently upheld by Branch 9 of the Supreme Court and formally communicated to him on 25 May this year.

At the time of his arrest, the political prisoner was the father of a two-month-old baby. He previously described the circumstances of his arrest as follows:

“That night, I was returning from my father-in-law’s house. My wife had been there since midday, and the baby’s belongings had been left there as well. I went back to collect them when several members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps arrested me. That same night, at exactly the same time, one of the IRGC forces was killed, and they identified me as responsible. That was all it took.”

According to published reports, Kaveh Arabiyan was the sole breadwinner for his family. In addition to supporting his wife and young child, he was also financially responsible for his parents. His execution could therefore have severe consequences for a family that is heavily dependent on him both financially and emotionally.

Reports indicate that the proceedings in Kaveh Arabiyan’s case have been accompanied by serious concerns and ambiguities regarding compliance with fair-trial standards. He was denied effective access to a lawyer of his choosing and was unable to benefit from effective legal representation during crucial stages of the judicial proceedings. It has also been reported that, at certain stages of the proceedings, he was not even provided with a court-appointed lawyer.

Kaveh Arabiyan was held for approximately 68 days in a detention facility operated by the IRGC Intelligence Organisation. According to published reports, he was subjected to severe physical and psychological pressure during his detention and was coerced into accepting the allegations against him and making forced confessions. These allegations have raised further concerns regarding the reliability of the confessions obtained in his case.

Kaveh Arabiyan’s sudden transfer to an unknown location comes amid growing concern over his fate and the possibility that his death sentence may be carried out imminently. Human rights organisations have once again called for a halt to executions, respect for the right to a fair trial, access to independent legal counsel for prisoners, and immediate transparency regarding the whereabouts and current condition of this political prisoner.