Maziar Seyednejad

Age:  44
Activism/rights: Workers' rights activist
Status: Released
Judicial status:  
Violations: Arbitrary arrest and detention; forced televised confessions; denial of access to lawyer; denial of fair trial and due process; prolonged solitary confinement; deprivation of medical care

Maziar Seyednejad, a workers' rights activist, was first arrested on 1 December 2018 during the crackdown on activists affiliated with the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Workers Syndicate and the National Steel Group of Ahvaz. He was temporarily released from Ahvaz Sheiban Prison on bail on 18 March 2019. During detention, the workers' rights activist was pressured into making forced televised confessions. His forced televised confessions were aired on IRIB TV1 in their “20:30” news segment titled “Failed Planning” along with the other Haft Tappeh defendants on 9 January 2019. On 19 December 2020, Branch 4 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court sentenced him to 3 years’ imprisonment on charges of “membership in an opposition group” and Branch 16 of the Khuzestan Province Court of Appeal upheld the verdict on 31 May 2021. One week later, security agents arrested him at his home in Tehran and transferred him to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. He was held incommunicado in solitary confinement.

After approximately two months in detention, Maziar was released on bail on 16 August 2021. However, judicial pressure against him continued until Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Salavati, sentenced him on 16 January 2023 to 3 years’ imprisonment on charges of “membership in communist groups and propaganda against the system.” In addition, he was banned for 2 years from leaving the country, joining parties and groups, and engaging in online activities. Maziar reported to Evin Prison on 21 May 2023 to serve his prison sentence. On 17 September 2024, after his physical condition deteriorated due to sciatica and severe back pain, he was transferred to hospital. Prison authorities had previously refused to transfer him to hospital because he had objected to wearing prison clothes during the transfer.

In February 2025, Maziar's sentence was reduced to 3 years, 3 months and 2 days’ discretionary imprisonment, and he was released from Evin Prison on 12 May 2025 on furlough leading to release.

However, following the 12-Day War between Iran and Israel in 2025, he was summoned and interrogated once more.