Mahdi holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering from the Islamic Azad University of Shahr-e Rey, Iran and a master’s degree in human rights from Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg. His master’s thesis explored the impacts of climate change on human rights, focusing on how climate change exacerbates discrimination and marginalization, especially among vulnerable groups such as women and children in ethnic regions.

Mahdi has been actively involved in various organizations and movements dedicated to human rights. He has also published several works, including “Multiple Approaches to Human Rights in Iran” (H&S Media, London) and a book chapter titled “ Climate Change, the Butterfly Effect, and Discrimination” (Justicia, Bogotá).

As a doctoral researcher, Mahdi is examining the human rights movements in the Middle East during the first two decades of the 21st century, with a case study on Egypt and Iran. Under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Michael Krennerich and Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Heiner Bielefeldt, he investigates the weaknesses, strengths, opportunities, and threats faced by human rights movements, as well as the strategies these movements employ in authoritarian and semi-authoritarian states.

Research Interests: Human rights movements, authoritarianism, repression, civil society, climate change, Middle East, Iran, Egypt.

Estimated duration of the dissertation: December 2025