PEN America Advocacy
March 5, 2026: PEN America and PEN Sydney release a statement condemning U.S.-Israeli military strikes in Iran that place detainees at risk, highlighting Asadollahi’s case.
February 24, 2026: PEN America publishes an open letter signed by more than 100 writers that advocates for Asadollahi’s immediate release.
January 26, 2026: PEN America publishes a statement condemning Asadollahi’s arrest.
April 27, 2023: PEN America highlights Asadollahi’s case in the Freedom to Write Index.
February 27, 2023: PEN America publishes a statement that welcomes the release of Asadollahi and two colleagues, and calls for the release of other members of the Iranian Writers’ Association.
January 13, 2023: As Asadollahi marks over 50 days in detention, PEN America and PEN Sydney release a joint statement with more than 170 writers calling for his release.
December 20, 2022: PEN America highlights Asadollahi’s case in a press release on the UNWGAD’s ruling demanding that Iran release persecuted writers.
Case Background
Ali Asadollahi is an internationally acclaimed poet, translator, and member of the Iranian Writers Association (IWA). He is a leading poet of his generation, with six widely read poetry collections, and his literary output sparks with innovative poetic forms and a deep sense of political consciousness. His work has been translated into English, Italian, and French, and has been published in a number of prestigious journals including Roanoke Review, Alchemy, Palaver, and The Persian Literature Review. He has most recently been recognized by Lunch Ticket with the Gabo Prize.
Asadollahi was first arrested in November 2022 in the midst of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising. During several months of detention, Asadollahi was held incommunicado for weeks, and faced repeated interrogations; international pressure contributed to his release in February 2023. He was arrested again in late January 2026 in a violent home raid in which his devices were confiscated, and was moved in and out of solitary confinement, interrogated repeatedly for extended periods of time, and abused in custody, as well as being denied family visits and access to legal counsel. He was released on bail in mid-March, but continues to face possible legal charges or a sentence.
Case Updates
March 16, 2026: Asadollahi is released on bail. He still faces potential legal charges.
Early March 2026: Following the start of the war with the U.S. and Israel, Asadollahi is among a group of prisoners moved from Ward 209 of Evin prison to an undisclosed location under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence, raising fears for his safety.
February 2026: There is still no clear basis for Asadollahi’s arrest. He is denied access to legal counsel, and only allowed sporadic phone calls to family members. While in detention, he is physically abused, subjected to multiple interrogation sessions, and pressured to make a forced confession.
January 24, 2026: Asadollahi is violently arrested in a night raid on his home. His electronic devices and papers are confiscated and he is taken to an undisclosed location. Asadollahi had received threats in early January that he was being targeted, with unknown callers warning that he would be arrested soon.
February 28, 2023: Asadollahi is conditionally released from prison.
February 27, 2023: A court hearing is held for Asadollahi, after which he is transferred back to prison.
February 25, 2023: Asadollahi’s case is taken to the 15th branch of the court.
February 18, 2023: Mona Rashidi, Asadollahi’s wife, reports that she saw the prosecutor to seek an update on his situation and was given confused answers. She was told the case had been sent to court.
February 10, 2023: Asadollahi is reported by the IWA to be suffering an eye infection in prison.
February 2, 2023: Asadollahi’s wife reports on the poor conditions in Fashafouyeh Prison, where Asadollahi continues to be in detention.
January 10, 2023: Asadollahi’s wife, Mona Rashidi, is permitted to see him in prison. She reports that he appeared to be in good physical condition.
January 9, 2023: Asadollahi is transferred to Fashafouyeh Prison in Tehran.
January 8, 2023: Asadollahi is reported to have been beaten in custody. His wife criticizes the lack of accountability and transparency by prosecutors and says that she was prevented from seeing her husband.
December 20, 2022: Asadollahi’s wife is permitted to speak with him for the first time since his arrest.
December 17, 2022: Asadollahi contacts his mother again from prison. His location is still unknown.
December 16, 2022: Asadollahi’s wife tweets that he has been held incommunicado in solitary confinement for 25 days.
December 11, 2022: Asadollahi’s sister tweets that the last time Ali made a phone call to his family was two weeks ago. His wife, Mona Rashidi, tweets that she went to the prosecutor’s office to seek Asadollahi, but was given no information by authorities and simply told to “wait.”
November 21, 2022: Asadollahi is detained without cause. Prior to his arrest, he wrote about the deaths of young women that catalyzed the protests in September 2022. He has published poems on his website about the teenager Nika Shakarami, who disappeared and was later found dead after attending a protest. At the time of his arrest, he was also serving as the Secretary of the Iranian Writers’ Association.