Saeed Masouri Facing Imminent Unlawful Exile After 25 Years in Prison
20-July-2025
Category: Prisoners
19 July 2025
News Category: Prisoners
Breathing in Confinement – Saeed Masouri, one of Iran’s longest-held political prisoners, is on the verge of being forcibly transferred to Zahedan Prison without any legal ruling. This action, issued verbally by judicial authorities and without an official court verdict, stands in clear violation of domestic legal standards and Iran’s international obligations.
According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, Ghobadi, deputy director of Ghezel Hesar Prison, stated that the transfer order was issued by the Enforcement Unit of Branch 33 of Tehran’s Prosecutor’s Office (commonly known as the Moqaddas Prosecutor’s Office, based in Evin Prison). However, at the time of reporting, neither Mr Masouri nor his lawyer had received any written verdict or formal notice of the exile order. Additionally, no summons has been issued for a court hearing to review such a transfer, and the issuing authority remains unidentified.
Legally, the Enforcement Unit of the Prosecutor’s Office lacks the authority to order the exile or permanent relocation of prisoners to facilities outside the jurisdiction determined by the sentencing court. Any such transfer or exile must be based solely on a clear, final ruling grounded in law and issued by a competent judicial authority, with full respect for the prisoner’s right to defence.
Beyond domestic legal concerns, this action also raises serious issues under international law. Exile, when not specified in the original sentence, constitutes an additional punishment. This directly contravenes the principle of legality of crime and punishment and amounts to cruel and degrading treatment, which is prohibited under Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights — a treaty to which Iran is a party.
A similar attempt to forcibly transfer Mr Masouri in the past was thwarted by his resistance and the solidarity of fellow political prisoners at Ghezel Hesar. Nevertheless, the threat of exile persists, and there is growing concern over the systematic violation of this political prisoner’s fundamental rights — including the right to a fair trial, protection from double punishment, and humane treatment while in custody.
This latest development is part of a broader trend of escalating repression in Iranian society, marked by intensified crackdowns on political prisoners and mounting systemic pressure against them — a course of action that starkly contradicts principles of human dignity, human rights, and standards of fair legal process.