Iran- Sajad Haeri at imminent risk of imprisonment on national security charges
On 10 August 2026, the lawyer of human rights defender Sajad Haeri submitted a retrial request at the Supreme Court in Iran, following the confirmation of sentence of two years and six months of prison by the Tehran Court of Appeals in late July 2026, raising concerns the human rights defender might be imminently imprisoned.
Sajad Haeri is an Iranian human rights defender from Ilam province who has peacefully advocated for socio economic and cultural rights, including by teaching Kurdish language, which is banned by state policies. Additionally, he exercised his right to freedom of expression by speaking out on issues of public concern and engaging in civic activism. His work has led to sustained judicial harassment by the Iranian authorities, including arbitrary arrest, criminal prosecution, and imprisonment. Sajad Haeri is the brother of human rights defender Ahmadreza Haeri, who has been detained since May 2023 due to his human rights work, including his campaigning against death penalty.
On 10 August 2026, the lawyer of human rights defender Sajad Haeri submitted a retrial request at the Supreme Court in Iran, following the confirmation of sentence of two years and six months of prison by the Tehran Court of Appeals in late July 2026, raising concerns the human rights defender might be imminently imprisoned.
Sajad Haeri is an Iranian human rights defender from Ilam province who has peacefully advocated for socio economic and cultural rights, including by teaching Kurdish language, which is banned by state policies. Additionally, he exercised his right to freedom of expression by speaking out on issues of public concern and engaging in civic activism. His work has led to sustained judicial harassment by the Iranian authorities, including arbitrary arrest, criminal prosecution, and imprisonment. Sajad Haeri is the brother of human rights defender Ahmadreza Haeri, who has been detained since May 2023 due to his human rights work, including his campaigning against death penalty.
On 10 August 2026, the lawyer of human rights defender Sajad Haeri submitted a retrial request at the Supreme Court in Iran regarding the two year and six months of prison sentence on the charges of “propaganda against state” and “disturbing public opinion by speading disinformation” confirmed by the Tehran Court of Appeals in late July 2026.
On 21 July 2025, Sajad Haeri was arrested by security forces at his father's home in Damavand and later released on bail. In October 2025, he was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Damavand to a total of two years and six months' imprisonment on charges of "propaganda against the state" and "spreading disinformation with the intent to disturb public opinion", in addition to a two-year ban on membership in political and social groups. This sentence was only confirmed in late July 2026 at the Supreme Court.
Front Line Defenders believes that the conviction and sentencing of human rights defender Sajad Haeri are directly linked to his legitimate and peaceful human rights activities, including his work as a Kurdish language teacher and his social media activities to promote cultural rights. Front Line Defenders is alarmed by the imminent risk of imprisonment of Sajad Haeri after his sentence was confirmed, despite the submission of a request for a retrial.
Front Line Defenders is concerned by the ongoing targeting of human rights defenders working on economic, social and cultural rights among the marginalized ethnic Kurdish community in Iran, and by the intensified judicial measures used to silence human rights defenders and their family members.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Iran to:
- Drop the charges and sentences against human rights defender Sajad Haeri;
- End all forms of judicial harassment against Sajad Haeri and his family members and ensure that they can carry out their legitimate human rights activities without restrictions or fear of reprisals;
- Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Iran are able to carry out their legitimate work without fear of retaliation and free of all restrictions.
