Iraj Mesdaghi is an Iranian–Swedish writer, former political prisoner, and prominent human rights advocate whose work is widely referenced in studies of political repression in the Islamic Republic of Iran. He became politically active at a young age, joining the Confederation of Iranian Students while living in the United States, and returned to Iran after the 1979 revolution with the goal of supporting democratic change.
In 1981, Mesdaghi was arrested due to his political affiliations and spent more than a decade in Iran’s Evin, Ghazelhasar, and Gohardasht prisons. During this period, he witnessed major political crackdowns of the 1980s and later became one of the survivors of the 1988 mass executions of political prisoners, an event that has since been the subject of international human rights investigations.
After his release, Mesdaghi left Iran and was granted asylum in Sweden in 1994. Since then, he has focused on research, documentation, and advocacy related to human rights violations in Iran. His work centers on accountability, transitional justice, and raising public awareness about the experiences of political detainees.
Mesdaghi is the author of several influential books, including the four-volume memoir Neither Life Nor Death and Hell on Earth. These works provide detailed historical accounts of prison conditions and political repression and are frequently cited by journalists, scholars, and human rights organizations examining contemporary Iranian history.
In 2019, he played a key role in efforts that contributed to the arrest of Hamid Noury, a former Iranian prison official accused of involvement in the 1988 executions. The subsequent trial in Sweden, conducted under the principle of universal jurisdiction, became a landmark international human rights case and received widespread global attention.
He has also contributed to major research initiatives, including participation in a committee led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi. This group analyzed leaked judicial documents that shed light on decades of political imprisonment, court procedures, and state policies, offering valuable insight into Iran’s judicial and security structures.
In recent years, Mesdaghi has remained active through conferences, public forums, and media appearances, sharing analysis on Iranian politics, prison systems, and transitional justice. His ongoing work continues to support efforts to document past abuses and promote informed discussion of human rights issues.
Today, Iraj Mesdaghi is widely recognized for his sustained commitment to research, documentation, and advocacy, and for his role in preserving historical records related to political repression and justice initiatives in Iran.
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