Sociologist Mostafa MehrAein arrested to serve prison sentence

Sociologist and academic Mostafa MehrAein has been arrested to serve a prison sentence in Iran. MehrAein, a faculty member at the Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, was previously sentenced to a total of eight years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

The charges included conspiracy against national security (five years), insulting the leadership (two years), and propaganda against the regime (one year). Following an appeal, the Tehran Court of Appeals upheld the verdict. Under applicable laws regarding multiple offenses, the most severe sentence of five years is to be executed.

In addition to imprisonment, the court imposed supplementary penalties, including a two-year ban on traveling abroad and a prohibition on participating in political, social, or media activities, including social media. MehrAein had previously been detained in June 2025 following the publication of open letters criticizing government policies and calling for political change.