Manouchehr Bakhtiari remains in detention in Bandar Abbas

Manouchehr Bakhtiari, the father of Pooya Bakhtiari—who was killed by gunfire during the November 2019 protests in Iran—remains in detention in Bandar Abbas without a definitive court ruling after 203 days.

Bakhtiari was arrested in late January while serving a sentence of exile in Bandar Abbas. He faces charges including "propaganda against the Islamic Republic" and "inciting people to war and slaughter to disrupt national security." Although court hearings were held in June at the Bandar Abbas Revolutionary Court, no verdict has been issued. Family sources report that Bakhtiari suffers from prostate issues and a hernia, and despite forensic medical findings stating he is unfit for imprisonment, he remains held in custody.

Bakhtiari has a prior criminal record following previous arrests in Tehran. His son, Pooya Bakhtiari, was killed in Karaj during the 2019 protests following demonstrations against fuel price increases.