Baha’i prisoner Roya Sabet denied medical care and medical leave at Shiraz prison, faces potential new charges
Hengaw – Monday, August 10, 2026
Roya Sabet, a Baha’i prisoner held at Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, has been denied access to specialized medical treatment and medical leave despite suffering a serious injury in prison more than a month ago. She also faces the possibility of a new case being brought against her while in prison.
According to information obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, authorities at Adelabad Prison and judicial officials in Shiraz have prevented Sabet from being transferred to medical facilities outside the prison despite repeated written requests from her and continued efforts by her family.
Sources familiar with the case said Sabet fell in a prison bathroom on July 1, 2026, sustaining serious injuries to her back and neck. Despite submitting three written requests to be examined by the Legal Medicine Organization and granted medical leave, prison authorities have rejected her requests.
On August 7, Sabet experienced severe headaches and dizziness, while her blood oxygen saturation fell to 70%. Despite the potentially serious medical emergency, prison authorities did not transfer her to a hospital and instead advised her to spend time breathing in the open air, according to sources.
Amid the continued denial of medical care, sources also reported that security authorities are seeking to open a new case against Sabet while she is in prison on a charge of “promoting the Baha’i faith.”
Sabet, a Baha’i resident of the United Arab Emirates, traveled to Shiraz in January 2024 to visit her elderly parents. She was arrested the following month by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Intelligence Organization.
She was subsequently sentenced by the Shiraz Revolutionary Court to a total of 25 years in prison on charges including “membership in groups and organizations opposed to the state (Baha’i religion)” and “propaganda against the state.” Under Iran’s sentencing rules for multiple convictions, the most severe sentence of 10 years in prison is enforceable.
