Pouran Nazemi at imminent risk of imprisonment

On 12 October 2026, Pouran Nazemi and her lawyer were notified that an appeal launched against the prison sentences issued against her in absentia by Branch 1 of Mashhad Revolutionary Court, may have not been registered. Pouran Nazemi remains at imminent risk of imprisonment.

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Pouran Nazemi is a woman human rights defender who has actively campaigned for civil rights since 2005 in the south of Kerman Province, Iran. She works with women, children, political prisoners, families seeking justice, and marginalised religious groups. Additionally, she has been working with the disadvantaged agricultural Jazmourian community (living in an inland province in southeast Iran, impacted by climate change) on capacity development of women, sanitation of wells, and environmental awareness.

On 6 October 2026, Pouran Nazemi and her laywer filed an appeal against prison sentences issued against her in absentia by Branch 1 of Mashhad Revolutionary Court. As indicated in her appeal, she was convicted of ‘propaganda against the state,’ for ‘chanting unconventional slogans’ linked to the Court’s verdict of ‘disrupting public order’ and for ‘gathering and collusion against national and external security via attending an illegal gathering at the memorial service of Khosrow Alikordi in Qadir Baba Ali Mosque in Mashhad on 12 December 2025.’ On 12 October 2026, her lawyer was notified that the request made for medical furlough during the appeal process had been refused by Branch 1 of Mashhad Revolutionary Court and that the appeal may have not been registered.

On 26 September 2026, Pouran Nazemi’s bail surety was summoned to Branch 1 of Mashhad Revolutionary Court. They were orally informed that the woman human rights defender had been sentenced to an overall prison term of five years and nine months imprisonment. While neither the woman human rights defender, nor her lawyer, have been able to access the final verdict, the Court informed the bail surety that they have imposed prison terms of three years and nine months for ‘gathering and collusion against national and external security’, one year and six months for ‘propaganda against the state’ and six months for ‘disrupting public order.’

At present, the exact number of convictions and prison sentences issued against Pouram Nazemi are unknown, due to the Court’s denial of access to the woman human rights defender and her lawyer. However, should article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code apply, the maximum punishment for the most severe, single sentence issued, of three years and nine months of imprisonment, could be executed. Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code of Iran states that if three or fewer offences punishable by ta’zir are committed, the court will impose the maximum punishment for each offence. If more than three such offences are committed, the punishment exceeds the maximum for each crime but does not exceed one and a half times that maximum.

On 12 December 2025, plain clothes security forces violently arrested and detained Pouran Nazemi along with four women human rights defenders including Narges Mohammadi, Alieh Motalebzadeh, Sepideh Gholian, Hasti Amiri and other participants at the seventh day ‍‍‍‍memorial ceremony of the late lawyer Khosrow Alikordi in the city of Mashhad. Khosrow Alikordi, a prominent human rights lawyer with a history of defending protesters and dissidents in Iran, was found dead on 5 December 2025 in circumstances deemed suspicious by civil rights groups inside and outside of Iran. On 12 December 2025, Mashhad’s General Prosecutor denied all allegations of murder of the late Khosrow Alikordi, stating that he died of heart complications.

On 4 February 2026, the woman human rights defender was released on bail, at an amount set at 20 billion IRR. According to the information received, she remained in poor health throughout her detention. It is reported that her nose was broken during the violent arrest and additionally, that her phone and other belongings in her handbag were confiscated and to date, have not been never returned.

In June 2026, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad, sentenced human right defenders Javad Alikordi, and the brother of late Khosrow Alikordi to a total of 18 years’ imprisonment, two years of internal exile, a two-year travel ban and ordered his permanent disbarment for seeking justice around the death of his brother.

In this context, Front Line Defenders has documented the ongoing targeting of human rights defenders working on economic, civil and political and environmental rights among marginalised communities in Iran, and the intensified judicial measures used to silence human rights defenders and their family members.

Front Line Defenders expresses serious concern that Pouran Nazemi is at risk of imminent imprisonment. The organisation believes that the conviction and sentencing of the woman human rights defender are directly linked to her legitimate and peaceful human rights activities, including the exercise of her right to the freedom of assembly and her pursuit of justice for the death of fellow human rights defender, Khosrow Alikordi.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Iran to:

1. Drop the convictions and sentences issued against woman human rights defender Pouran Nazemi;
2. End all forms of judicial harassment against Pouran Nazemi and ensure that she has access to all court proceedings as well as to the verdict issued by Branch 1 of Mashhad Revolutionary Court;
3. Ensure that Pouran Nazemi and all human rights defenders in Iran can carry out their legitimate human rights activities free from restrictions and the fear of reprisals.