Iran’s Judiciary pursuing the case of Ahmad Beizaei’s detention in Turkey

Issues concerning Iranians abroad — including their legal, consular, and humanitarian challenges — are among the top priorities of the Judiciary. Efforts and effective mechanisms to resolve the difficulties faced by these citizens have already helped untangle numerous cases.

Meanwhile, the Bill on Supporting Iranians Abroad, which is on the verge of becoming law, has formally defined the Judiciary’s framework for supporting Iranians living outside the country. The bill stipulates that the Judiciary’s International Affairs Office, the High Council for Human Rights, and the Foreign Ministry’s Office for Iranians Abroad should facilitate the process of filing complaints against actions by foreign governments involving Iranian nationals.

During a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary on Monday, November 3, 2025, Judiciary Chief Mohseni Ejei referred to the continued detention of Ahmadreza Beizaei, an Iranian academic and researcher in Turkey, and confirmed that the Judiciary is actively pursuing his case.

Ejei noted that Beizaei, an Iranian university professor and the brother of Martyred Defenders of the Shrine fighter Mahmoudreza Beizaei, has been under arrest in Istanbul since February 2025 and remains in detention.

The Judiciary chief instructed Nasser Seraj, Deputy for International Affairs and Secretary of the High Council for Human Rights, to take all necessary measures to follow up on the case.

Ahmadreza Beizaei is a faculty member at Islamic Azad University of Tabriz and a veterinary anatomy researcher at the University of Tehran. He was detained on February 13, 2025, at Istanbul Airport while traveling with his family back to Iran. His family was forcibly returned to Iran, while Beizaei was imprisoned. Turkish authorities have yet to announce any official reason or charge for his detention.

The news of Beizaei’s arrest was first revealed in April 2025 by Ali Akbar Velayati, Chairman of the Founding Board of Islamic Azad University.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in his weekly press briefing on Monday, November 3, 2025, that the Foreign Minister recently met with Beizaei’s family “as part of ongoing efforts to support Iranian nationals who face difficulties abroad.”

He added: “The case of Dr. Beizaei, like that of other Iranians who encounter problems anywhere in the world, is being seriously followed up by the Foreign Ministry.”

Earlier, Vahid Jalalzadeh, Deputy for Consular, Parliamentary and Iranian Expatriate Affairs, reported that Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi met with Beizaei’s father during a visit to East Azerbaijan Province.

In a post on the social media platform X, Jalalzadeh wrote: “During his trip to Tabriz, the Foreign Minister met — for the second time in three months — with the father of Ahmadreza Beizaei, who remains imprisoned in Turkey. He listened to the family’s concerns and assured them that the ministry is using all available means to secure his release.”