Reports from Lakan Prison in Rasht indicate that two political prisoners on death row, Manouchehr Fallah and Peyman (Amin) Farahavar, are struggling with the growth of unidentified tumors, severe pain, and extreme weight loss, while prison authorities continue to refuse to transfer them to specialized medical facilities. Families and informed sources have warned of an immediate threat to their lives. For non-Iranian readers: Rasht is the capital of Gilan Province in northern Iran, and Lakan Prison is known for holding many political detainees.
These two prisoners have been sentenced to death on charges of supporting the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), the largest opposition group to Iran’s regime.
According to the Telegram channel shoureshgarane, at least eighteen individuals are currently under death sentences on the same charge.
Hunger Strike by Three Political Prisoners in Lakan Prison, Rasht
Critical physical condition and suspicion of a serious illness
Manouchehr Fallah and Peyman Farahavar have long suffered from severe stomach pain, internal inflammation, and alarming physical symptoms. According to available reports, more than twenty unidentified tumors have grown in each of their bodies, with some of them reportedly the size of a walnut.
According to those close to them, Peyman Farahavar has lost more than fifteen kilograms due to being unable to eat prison food, and he suffers from severe weakness. Manouchehr Fallah, experiencing similar symptoms, is also in unstable condition and, based on preliminary evaluation, requires urgent specialized tests, biopsies, and medical imaging.
Systematic denial of medical care and security orders preventing transfer
Authorities at Lakan Prison in Rasht, acting on orders from the Ministry of Intelligence, are preventing the transfer of Manouchehr Fallah and Peyman Farahavar to hospitals or diagnostic testing facilities. This measure is widely interpreted as a tool for pressuring political prisoners. For non-Iranian readers: Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence is one of the main security bodies of Iran’s regime.
Former prisoners of this facility have confirmed that the lack of medical care in Lakan is a “systematic approach,” especially applied to detainees with political or security-related cases.
Quasi-solitary confinement and violations of prisoner welfare standards
Manouchehr Fallah and Peyman Farahavar are being held in the “Misaq” ward of Lakan Prison—an enclosed space which, according to informed sources, lacks fresh air, natural light, opportunities for movement, or basic sanitary facilities. Prisoners in this ward are effectively kept in quasi-solitary confinement and denied interaction with other inmates.
The combination of medical deprivation and confinement in such conditions can cause irreversible physical and psychological harm and accelerate the progression of illness.
The families of these prisoners have also stated that they are kept in total darkness and have not received even the slightest communication regarding the prisoners’ medical process or physical condition.
The situation of political prisoners in Lakan Prison, Rasht
Existing reports about the conditions of Manouchehr Fallah, Peyman Farahavar, and other political prisoners in Lakan Prison show that management and oversight practices in this facility fall far short of basic human-rights standards and even the official regulations of Iran’s Prisons Organization.
The behavior of prison guards has in many cases been described as violent and punitive, a factor that worsens the psychological atmosphere of the prison, particularly for political detainees. One of the most significant restrictions is the denial of in-person visits with families—an deprivation that directly affects prisoners’ mental health, social identity, and individual resilience.
