Iran Transfers Political Prisoner Amid Ongoing Detention Disputes

Parisa Kamali, a 40-year-old political prisoner in Iran, was transferred to a detention facility in Bandar Abbas at midnight on Tuesday, September 8. According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the move was executed without prior notification to the prisoner or her representatives. This transfer marks a significant shift in the location of her confinement, moving her from Yazd Prison to a site in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, a region that has previously been associated with internal exile sentences for political detainees.

Kamali was originally arrested in Isfahan in 2024 and subsequently sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Ardakan. The court handed down a six-year prison term, along with a two-year internal exile order, on charges including membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, acting against national security, and destruction of public property. Her initial sentence specified confinement in Sarbaz County, yet she had been serving time in Yazd until this recent relocation. The NCRI notes that such transfers are often utilized to isolate prisoners from legal advocates and family members, complicating efforts to monitor their welfare.

Medical Access and Judicial Isolation

Concerns regarding Kamali’s physical well-being have been raised by the NCRI in recent months. In a statement dated May 6, 2026, the organization’s secretariat alleged that prison guards in Yazd denied her access to necessary medication. The group stated that officials cited wartime conditions as a justification for refusing to transfer her to a hospital. These claims suggest a broader trend of restricting medical care for political prisoners, a tactic often criticized by human rights monitors as a form of punitive isolation rather than standard security protocol.

International Observers Track Detention Patterns

The arrest of Parisa Kamali was reported to the United Nations Special Rapporteur and various human rights organizations in 2024. The NCRI had formally announced her detention in a statement on November 1, 2024, bringing her case to the attention of the international community. According to the group, the Iranian authorities have continued to treat political detainees with what they describe as criminal severity, particularly those associated with opposition groups. The organization has repeatedly called on the United Nations and other international bodies to condemn these practices and demand the immediate release of those held on political charges.

Forward Watch on Prisoner Movements

The transfer to Bandar Abbas places Kamali in a remote location, potentially limiting the ability of external observers to verify her condition. Analysts suggest that such movements often precede further restrictions on communication or legal representation. The situation highlights the ongoing tension between the Iranian judicial system and international human rights standards. As the geopolitical landscape shifts, the treatment of political prisoners remains a key indicator of the regime’s internal stability and its approach to dissent. Observers will likely monitor for any further announcements from the NCRI or responses from international diplomatic channels in the coming weeks.