Pegahan was transferred to the infamous Evin Prison, a facility synonymous with the suppression of Iran’s intellectuals, journalists, and activists. His time in Evin was a catalog of state-sponsored cruelty. He was subjected to prolonged solitary confinement, psychological torture, and physical beatings aimed at extracting false confessions. According to reports from groups like the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), prison authorities pressured him to broadcast a televised confession—a common tactic in Iran to discredit dissidents. Pegahan consistently refused.
Former students often recount that a Pegahan lecture was less about dictating formulas and more about constructing a framework of thought. This pedagogical style has made him a respected figure among students preparing for university entrance exams, but his influence extends far beyond the classroom. By teaching students how to think, rather than just what to think, he inadvertently equips them with the tools to navigate complex life questions—a bridge he deliberately constructs in his more advanced philosophical seminars. saeed pegahan
The response was swift and violent. Plainclothes officers of the Ministry of Intelligence and the paramilitary Basij militia arrested Pegahan and his colleagues. He was not charged with violating labor codes; he was charged with national security offenses. After a closed-door trial widely condemned by international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, Pegahan was convicted of “moharebeh” (enmity against God) and “assembly and collusion against national security.” He was sentenced to death, later commuted to a long prison term—initially 14 years, then extended to 19 years, plus additional sentences for “propaganda against the system.” Pegahan was transferred to the infamous Evin Prison,
Because of the draconian nature of his sentence for non-violent labor activism, Pegahan has become a central figure in international campaigns against Iran’s human rights record. Organizations like Amnesty International have adopted him as a prisoner of conscience, arguing that he has used no violence and that his only “crime” is advocating for the rights of workers. According to reports from groups like the Center
With a background firmly rooted in mathematical sciences, Pegahan approaches philosophical and religious concepts with the rigor of a logician. He is known for employing mathematical analogies to explain complex theological concepts, making the abstract tangible for his students. Conversely, he treats mathematics not as a dry utility, but as a language of divine order—a manifestation of the coherence of the universe.
Pegahan is also mentoring a new generation of cinematographers in the "Iranian New Wave 2.0." He teaches a workshop called "Light from the East," held in exile in Istanbul, Turkey, where young filmmakers flee sanctions and learn how to shoot low-budget, high-art cinema.