Fate and whereabouts of Payam Afkhami remain unknown more than 50 days after arrest in Tehran

Hengaw – Wednesday, May 6, 2026

More than 50 days after the arrest of Payam Afkhami, a resident of Tehran, no clear information has been made available regarding his fate, place of detention or the charges against him, according to information obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.

Afkhami was arrested on Monday, March 16, 2026, during a raid by agents of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence on his home in Tehran.

The arrest was carried out under an order issued by investigator Mehrdadi of Branch 33 of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office, which handles security-related cases.

Sources told Hengaw that since his arrest, Afkhami has been allowed only one brief phone call with his family. Since then, he has been denied visits and access to legal counsel.

No official information has been provided regarding the reasons for his arrest, the accusations against him or his current place of detention.