The family of Saeed Masouri, an Iranian dissident who has been imprisoned for over two decades without parole or leave, is appealing for international support to secure his release. Masouri, now in his mid-50s, has been serving a life sentence since 2001 for supporting the, a group advocating for the overthrow of Iran’s Islamist regime.
His brother, Vahid Masouri, who resides in Canada, told VOA Persian that Saeed has endured “horrible” conditions, including severe toothache and back pain, without access to adequate medical care. Vahid emphasized that Saeed has not been granted even an hour of leave during his imprisonment, which began on January 8, 2001.
Saeed’s arrest followed his return to Iran from Norway, where he had studied since the late 1980s and joined the PMOI. According to Vahid, the family was unaware of Saeed’s return until Iranian authorities informed them months later. Saeed was held in solitary confinement for 13 months at a prison in Ahvaz before being transferred to Tehran in 2002.
In May 2002, Saeed was sentenced to death after a brief 10-minute trial at Tehran’s Revolutionary Court. The judiciary accused him of collaborating with the PMOI to threaten national security. The death sentence was upheld until 2007, when international human rights organizations intervened, leading to the commutation of his sentence to life imprisonment.
Masouri’s detention has since continued under harsh conditions. In 2009, he was moved to Rajaei Shahr prison in Karaj, where he has written letters highlighting the inhumane conditions faced by inmates. His writings, including a recent letter published by the Human Rights Activist News Agency, have drawn attention to the plight of political prisoners in Iran.
Iranian authorities have reportedly warned Saeed’s family against publicizing his case, threatening additional charges if Saeed does not remain silent. Despite these threats, Saeed has continued to speak out, addressing concerns about prison conditions and commemorating fellow inmates who have been executed. In 2016, he wrote to the U.N. Human Rights Council to warn of threats to prisoners’ lives, and his letter was shared by the PMOI.
Saeed’s family has repeatedly petitioned Iran’s judiciary for leave, citing the provisions of the 2013 Islamic Penal Code. However, the code’s vague language about parole for life sentences has left Saeed’s release uncertain.
Vahid expressed hope that international pressure, similar to that which spared Saeed from execution, could lead to his freedom. “Perhaps the Islamic Republic would prefer people like Saeed to perish or kill themselves so that their voice and name will disappear,” he said.
The Masouri family’s appeals underscore the ongoing plight of political prisoners in Iran, as well as the need for global advocacy to address human rights violations in the country.
(This article is based on reporting by VOA Persian. Click here for the original Persian version.)