Iranian Hardline MP Hamid Rasaei Starts 10-Month Sentence in Evin
Hamid Rasaei, a hardline member of Iran's parliament, was transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran on Sept. 27 to begin a 10-month prison sentence. Iran's judiciary has confirmed the transfer. The New York Times reported the transfer date and the June sentence, while IranWire reported the judiciary's confirmation and his placement in the Special Clerical Ward.
He had been summoned to Evin on Sept. 15 and was transferred 12 days later. The sentence is final and is now being enforced. The case was handled by the clerical court system, a separate set of courts for clergy in Iran. A preliminary verdict was issued on Feb. 8, 2026. The Special Clerical Court of Appeals then upheld that verdict, which allowed authorities to carry out the prison term.
Rasaei is held in the Special Clerical Ward of Evin, a section for prisoners sentenced by the clerical courts rather than the regular criminal courts. The judiciary confirmed both the imprisonment and the ward placement. The case centers on an article about Ghalibaf. Both Gulf News and Iran International reported the article as the basis for the jail term. No further detail on what the article said was included in the verified record.
The broader context here is about institutions, not only personalities. A sitting lawmaker serving a prison term ordered by the Special Clerical Court brings three issues together. They concern parliamentary immunity, clerical status, and which court has the final word. The venue is important because the Special Clerical Court works outside the ordinary court system. It has its own trial stage, its own appeals stage, and its own enforcement powers, and that controls both procedure and custody.
Looking at what this means inside Iran's establishment, action against a hardline MP over a publication about another senior conservative suggests boundaries for public disputes. Even criticism within the conservative camp can lead to formal punishment through the courts. The timeline points to a step by step process. A February preliminary verdict, a June sentence, and a September summons and transfer show appeals were completed before enforcement. For diplomats and analysts, the next questions are practical. Custody conditions, how the sentence is counted, possible furlough, and whether his parliamentary status changes will be decided by the same clerical and prison authorities. Any change would require a formal judicial act. For now, the record is narrow. Rasaei is in Evin's Special Clerical Ward serving 10 months after a final appeal ruling.
