Arrest
Vahid Chavaran, a mountaineer from Abdanan, Ilam Province, was arrested by security forces while trying to leave the country on 23 June 2023 and taken to the Ministry of Intelligence detention centre in Ilam.
Security forces cited his participation in the anti-government Women, Life, Freedom uprising as the reason for his arrest.
After several weeks of interrogation and torture aimed at extracting forced confessions at the Ministry of Intelligence detention centre in Ilam, he was transferred to Ilam Central Prison.
During his detention, he was denied the right to family visits and access to legal representation.
On 2 September 2023, he went on a hunger strike in protest at his continued unlawful detention.
Judicial Process
In January 2024, Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Ilam, presided over by Judge Rajab Mohammadi, sentenced Chavaran to 12 years of imprisonment in exile in Zahedan Prison on charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh), “insulting the leader”, and “disrupting public order”.
Current Status
On 4 May 2025, Chavaran was transferred from Ilam Central Prison to Zahedan Central Prison to serve his sentence in exile.
Notes:
1. Women, Life, Freedom Uprising: Jina Amini (Mahsa Amini), a 21-year-old Kurdish woman from Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, was arrested on a street in Tehran on 13 September 2022 by the morality police because of the way she was dressed. Shortly after her arrest, she was transferred to Kasra Hospital in Tehran with head injuries and symptoms of brain death, and passed away three days later on 16 September 2022. The government’s killing of Jina sparked unprecedented anti-government protests, which began with a large turnout at her funeral at Aichi Cemetery in Saqqez and quickly spread to many cities across Iran. These widespread protests against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which lasted for several months, resulted in at least 527 protesters being killed and thousands injured and arrested. The protests are known for their central slogan of “Women, Life, Freedom” (Kurdish: Jin, Jiyan, Azadi).
2. Article 279 of the Islamic Penal Code: “Moharebeh (enmity against God) is defined as drawing a weapon with the intention of killing, stealing from, or intimidating people in a way that causes insecurity in the environment.” According to Article 282 of the Islamic Penal Code, “if a person commits the crime of moharebeh, they will be sentenced to crucifixion, execution, amputation of the right hand and left foot, or exile, at the discretion of the judge.”
3. Article 514 of the Islamic Penal Code (Deterrent Punishments and Penalties): “Anyone who insults the Founder of the Islamic Republic or the Leader in any manner shall be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from six months to two years.”
4. Article 618 of the Islamic Penal Code: “Anyone who, through uproar, commotion, unconventional behaviour, or harassment of individuals, disrupts public order and peace or prevents people from engaging in their work, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of three months to one year and up to 74 lashes.”
