Human Rights Lawyer Amirsalar Davoudi Suffers Heart Attack While in Solitary Confinement

“Amirsalar Davoudi,” a lawyer and human rights defender, has suffered a heart attack following what reports describe as security pressure, prolonged detention in solitary confinement, and deprivation of access to medication. He has been transferred to Alzahra Hospital in Isfahan. Despite his transfer to the hospital, no clear information has been released regarding his physical condition, whether hospitalization will continue, or whether he will be returned to prison.

According to a report by the human rights organization Hengaw, citing its sources, Amirsalar Davoudi suffered a heart attack in his solitary cell after enduring security pressure and deprivation of medication during his detention. Based on this report, he was transferred from his place of detention to Alzahra Hospital in Isfahan.

It should be noted that to date, no official or independent report has been released detailing the circumstances of the heart attack, his current condition, or his place of detention following his transfer to the hospital.

Amirsalar Davoudi was arrested on Sunday, October 19, 2026 (19 Mehr 1405 in the Iranian calendar), while he was present in the Isfahan Revolutionary Court defending his client “Mashhad Kashani.” Reports indicate that officers transferred him to the office of the head of the judicial complex while he was in court and then arrested him.

“Asadollah Jafari,” the chief prosecutor of Isfahan Province, confirmed Davoudi’s arrest two days later in statements released by the judiciary’s public relations office. He cited the distribution of an audio file of the wedding ceremony of “Alireza Sepahy” and “Mashhad Kashani” and materials published by this lawyer as reasons for judicial action against him.

Jafari raised charges against Davoudi including “publishing computer-based falsehoods with intent to disturb public opinion,” “inciting people to kill one another with intent to undermine national security,” and “propaganda against the system.” These are charges announced by the judicial authorities and do not constitute proof of guilt.

Prior to his arrest, Davoudi represented Alireza Sepahy, an executed political prisoner in Isfahan. He also released news of the marriage of Sepahy and Mashhad Kashani, two prisoners who were in prison at the time of the ceremony, and posted an audio file of their wedding vows on his personal page.

Alireza Sepahy was executed in the early morning of October 13, 2026 (13 Mehr 1405). The release of news about these two prisoners’ marriage and Davoudi’s protest against the legal proceedings and execution of the death sentence became the focus of media attention following his arrest.

The chief prosecutor of Isfahan openly cited the distribution of the audio file of the wedding as a reason for Davoudi’s arrest. This highlights the connection between this lawyer’s professional activities and information dissemination and his new legal case.

Another concern raised regarding Davoudi’s case is the limited access of his chosen lawyer to case information. According to published reports, even a lawyer appointed from among those approved under Article 48, Clause 2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, has not been granted access to review case contents.

Article 48 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and its clause impose restrictions on lawyer selection during the preliminary investigation phase in certain security-related cases. However, denying an approved lawyer access to the case file raises serious questions about the possibility of effective defense and respect for the rights of the accused.

According to information released by the Human Rights Organization of Iran, Davoudi was transferred to Isfahan Central Prison, known as Dastgerd Prison, following his arrest. The organization also reported that he was deprived of contact and visits with his family, and that his family and lawyer were unaware of his place of detention.

Amirsalar Davoudi had previously faced legal proceedings and imprisonment due to his legal and civil rights activities. In his previous case, he was sentenced to a total of 30 years imprisonment and 111 lashes, a sentence that, according to the Human Rights Organization of Iran, was suspended pending acceptance of a retrial request. Davoudi also received the international human rights award Ludovic Trarieux in 2022.

The report of the heart attack and his transfer to the hospital has now turned concerns about this lawyer’s health into an urgent matter. According to human rights standards, every person deprived of liberty must have access to necessary medical care, and the state is responsible for preserving the health and life of individuals held in its detention.

At the time of publication of this report, Amirsalar Davoudi’s exact physical condition and his place of detention following transfer to the hospital remain unclear. Transparent information about his medical status, access by his family and lawyer to him, and assurance of proper medical care are immediate demands in this case.