Iraj Mesdaghi is an Iranian–Swedish author, researcher, and commentator whose work is frequently cited in academic research, international media reports, and policy-focused discussions on modern Iranian history. His early interest in civic engagement and public affairs developed through Iranian student organizations during his years in the United States. After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, he returned to Iran to take part in social and political life.
In 1981, Mesdaghi was detained in connection with political activities and spent more than ten years in multiple Iranian correctional facilities, including Evin, Ghazelhasar, and Gohardasht. During this period, he closely observed institutional structures, administrative systems, and daily conditions, experiences that later shaped his long-term research and documentation efforts related to Iran’s legal and political landscape in the 1980s.
Following his release, Mesdaghi left Iran and was granted asylum in Sweden in 1994. Since then, he has focused on historical research, archival preservation, and public education concerning Iran’s prison system, legal institutions, and accountability processes. His research draws on a combination of archival materials, firsthand accounts, and publicly available records.
Mesdaghi is the author of several widely referenced books, including the multi-volume memoir Neither Life Nor Death and Hell on Earth. These works offer detailed analyses of prison administration, institutional policies, and governance practices, and are regularly consulted by journalists, scholars, and organizations studying contemporary Iranian history.
In 2019, Mesdaghi contributed to documentation efforts that played a role in legal proceedings in Sweden involving a former Iranian prison official, conducted under Sweden’s universal jurisdiction framework. The case received international attention and is frequently cited in discussions of cross-border legal accountability and international law.
He has also participated in large-scale research projects, including collaboration with a committee led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi that reviewed leaked judicial documents related to court procedures and institutional practices in Iran.
Through conferences, interviews, and public discussions, Mesdaghi continues to provide analysis on Iranian political history, institutional research, and international legal systems. He is widely regarded for his ongoing work in documentation, research, and public awareness, as well as for his role in preserving historical records related to governance, law, and accountability.
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