Mohammadreza Balhour sentenced to 12 years in prison over January protests

Hengaw – Sunday, August 16, 2026

A Revolutionary Court has sentenced Mohammadreza Balhour, a resident of Sarayan in South Khorasan province who was arrested during the January 2026 protests, to 12 years in prison.

According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the Sarayan Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Hossein Kavousi, issued the sentence and formally communicated it to Balhour. Hengaw has learned that he has appealed the ruling.

Balhour, who is married and a father of three, was arrested by Iranian security forces outside his home in Sarayan during the January protests. During the initial days of his detention, his family had no information about his whereabouts or condition.

Sources close to the family told Hengaw that Balhour was held for approximately two months in solitary confinement and security detention facilities, where he was interrogated. During this period, he was subjected to severe psychological pressure, including repeated threats of execution, and was severely beaten during interrogations, including being struck multiple times in the head with a weapon.