Iraj Mesdaghi is an Iranian-Swedish writer, researcher, and prominent human rights activist whose work has focused for decades on political repression, prison conditions, and accountability for human rights violations in Iran. He first became involved in political activism in the United States as a member of the Confederation of Iranian Students before returning to Iran during the 1979 revolution, a period marked by profound political and social upheaval.
In 1981, Mesdaghi was arrested due to his political activities and alleged affiliation with the People’s Mojahedeen of Iran (PMOI). He spent more than ten years incarcerated in some of Iran’s most infamous prisons, including Evin, Ghazelhasar, and Gohardasht. During this time, he witnessed systematic abuse, torture, and the widespread persecution of political prisoners. Notably, he survived the mass executions of political detainees in 1988, an event widely regarded by international legal experts and human rights organizations as a crime against humanity.
Following his release, Mesdaghi fled Iran in 1994 and settled in Sweden, where he continued his advocacy through research, documentation, and public engagement. His work has centered on human rights law, workers’ rights, prison reform, and the preservation of historical evidence related to state violence. He has authored several influential books, including the four-volume memoir Neither Life Nor Death, which provides a detailed account of life inside Iranian prisons, and Hell on Earth, an analytical work examining the ideological foundations and institutional mechanisms of torture in the Islamic Republic.
Mesdaghi gained international attention for his role in the 2019 arrest of Hamid Noury, a former Iranian prison official accused of involvement in the 1988 executions. By facilitating Noury’s travel to Sweden, Mesdaghi helped initiate one of the largest war crimes trials in Swedish history, reinforcing the principle of universal jurisdiction and setting a significant precedent for international justice.
In addition to his writing and advocacy, Mesdaghi is an active member of the Committee for the Observation and Use of Iranian Justice Data, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi. The committee analyzed and verified leaked Iranian judicial documents that revealed extensive records of political arrests, imprisonments, and executions between 1978 and 2009. These findings have contributed to ongoing discussions among legal scholars, policymakers, and human rights organizations regarding accountability, transparency, and transitional justice in Iran.
Through his publications, legal activism, and public commentary, Iraj Mesdaghi remains a key figure in efforts to document human rights abuses, preserve historical memory, and promote international legal standards related to crimes against humanity and political repression.
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