Isfahan prison transfers death‑row inmates amid execution concerns

On Saturday morning, fourteen prisoners at Dastgerd prison in Isfahan were moved from the general wing to solitary cells. Among them were Alireza Sepahi (24) and Abolfazl Sepahi (23), two cousins sentenced to death in the “Ali Khani Square” case stemming from the 18 December 2023 protests.

Human‑rights organisations warn the transfers could signal the start of executions, noting that twelve of the isolated inmates have death sentences after the Supreme Court confirmed their verdicts. The move triggered a hunger strike by political prisoners in the prison’s health ward. Families and lawyers say they still lack full access to case files and evidence, and claim judges have ignored defence material indicating the Sepahi cousins were elsewhere at the time of the alleged incident.