Hamid Haj-Jafar Kashani, a political prisoner, has been transferred to the ward for violent crime inmates in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj after spending one month in solitary confinement.
According to reports, on Monday, October 13, this political prisoner was moved from solitary confinement to Unit 3, Hall 10 of Ghezel Hesar Prison—a ward mainly used to hold prisoners convicted of dangerous and violent crimes.
A source close to his family stated:
“Hamid Haj-Jafar Kashani, in a phone call today, reported repeated threats, an unsafe environment, and inhumane conditions in this ward. His family is deeply concerned for his life.”
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The source added that Mr. Kashani had also spent the past month in solitary confinement as a form of punishment.
Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison and Two Years of Exile
Hamid Haj-Jafar Kashani, a well-known political prisoner, was previously tried in Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, and sentenced to 15 months in prison and two years of exile in Saravan, a city in southeastern Iran. His charge was “insulting Ali Khamenei,” the supreme leader of the Iranian regime.
This political activist was formally charged on April 29 by Branch 3 of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office and then transferred to Ward 4 of Evin Prison. Following airstrikes on Evin Prison, which resulted in the relocation of several prisoners, he was moved to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.
The transfer of political prisoners to public wards or those housing violent offenders is one of the illegal methods of psychological and physical intimidation repeatedly condemned by human rights organizations. Civil activists stress that such actions violate the principle of separating prisoners by type of offense and constitute psychological torture.
Arrested for Street Protest
Hamid Haj-Jafar Kashani, born in 1982 and a former futsal referee in Iran, was arrested on April 27 for holding a protest placard on Tehran’s Enghelab (Revolution) Street. He had joined the busy street to express civil dissent against the regime’s policies and was arrested by security forces and taken to a security detention center.
Charges and Court Hearing
On April 29, Hamid Haj-Jafar Kashani was charged in Branch 3 of the district 33 Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran with two specific accusations:
- Propaganda against the regime
- Insulting Ali Khamenei
Trial Held Under Pressure
On Wednesday, June 11, the trial of Hamid Haj-Jafar Kashani was held in Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. Informed sources have reported that he had repeatedly refused to attend the court session but was eventually brought there by force. The hearing was held without the presence of his chosen lawyer, and the entire process was conducted under the pressure of security forces.
