Reports indicate continuing judicial and security pressures on two political prisoners, Masoumeh Azhini and Masoumeh Sarbanzadeh, in Gorgan and Dowlatabad Prisons in Isfahan.
Masoumeh Azhini Remains in Limbo in Gorgan Prison Despite Bail
Masoumeh Azhini, a 63-year-old political prisoner and a seeker of justice for the victims of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners, remains in a state of limbo in Gorgan Prison after more than 140 days (4 months) since her arrest.
Ms. Azhini was arrested on April 4, 2026. She had previously relocated from Tehran to the outskirts of Gorgan due to continuous pressure when she was detained by security forces and transferred to an undisclosed location. Although the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutorial Office of Gorgan set bail for her temporary release and her family provided the required amount, authorities continue to deny her temporary release on bail.
Masoumeh Azhini is the sister of Mahmoud Azhini, one of the martyrs executed during the summer 1988 massacre. She was previously arrested in 2019 for seeking justice for her brother, who was executed in the summer of 1988, and served a one-year sentence in Fardis Prison in Karaj. Following her release, she remained under continuous surveillance and pressure from security agencies, facing repeated summonses and threats.
Masoumeh Sarbanzadeh Denied Leave in Isfahan Prison
In another report, Masoumeh Sarbanzadeh, 50, a resident of Najafabad, is serving a 5-year prison sentence in Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan.
Ms. Sarbanzadeh was arrested alongside one of her daughters by security forces in Najafabad in July 2025 during the 12-day War. During judicial proceedings, her daughter was acquitted of all charges and released. However, Ms. Sarbanzadeh was sentenced to five years in prison by the judicial authorities on charges including “forming a group with the intent to disrupt national security.”
According to an informed source close to the political prisoner’s family, Masoumeh Sarbanzadeh, who is the mother of two daughters aged approximately 14 and 18, has been denied the right to medical or temporary leave (furlough) despite having served over a year in detention and imprisonment.
