Journalist Meysam Rashidi Arrested in Ardabil

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ardabil, HRANA, Meysam Rashidi, Qaartaal, میثم رشیدی

HRANA – Meysam Rashidi, a journalist based in Ardabil, was arrested by local police following a complaint from the city’s mayor and the issuance of a temporary detention order.

According to HRANA, the arrest was carried out after Rashidi published critical content on social media about the municipality’s performance, prompting the mayor to file a legal complaint. The charges against him and his current place of detention remain unknown.

Earlier this year in March, Rashidi was reportedly assaulted by Ardabil municipality’s security personnel after he criticized the poor condition of the city’s municipal football team—an allegation the mayor later denied.

Rashidi has previously collaborated with the news outlet Qaartaal.

Arbitrary arrests, transferring detainees to undisclosed locations, and leaving families in the dark about the fate of their loved ones are routine practices of the Iranian regime’s security agencies, such as the Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC Intelligence Unit. This pattern of behavior stands in clear violation of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules

Eight Teacher Union Activists Sentenced to Prison by Revolutionary Court

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Fatemeh Yazdani, Hossein Rashidi Zarandi, HRANA, Kerman, Leila Afshar, Majid Naderi, Mitra Nikpour, Mohammadreza Behzadpour, Shahnaz Rezaei Sharifabadi, Zahra Azizi

HRANA– Eight teacher union activists from Kerman Province have been sentenced by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Kerman to a total of 8 years and 6 months of discretionary imprisonment.

According to HRANA, citing the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, the verdicts were issued on August 3, 2025, by Branch 1 of the Kerman Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Hadi Aghaeipour, and have been formally communicated to the individuals.

Breakdown of the sentences is as follows:

   ● Majid Naderi was sentenced to:
       ◦ 1 year in prison for “membership in a group opposing the regime to disrupt national security”
       ◦ 4 months for “propaganda against the regime”
       ◦ 4 months for “insulting the Supreme Leader”

   ● Hossein Rashidi Zarandi received:
       ◦ 1 year for “membership in a group opposing the regime to disrupt national security”
       ◦ 4 months for “insulting Khomeini and Khamenei”

   ● Mohammadreza Behzadpour was sentenced to:
       ◦ 1 year for “membership in a group opposing the regime to disrupt national security”
       ◦ 4 months for “propaganda against the regime”

   ● Fatemeh Yazdani, Mitra Nikpour, Zahra Azizi, Leila Afshar, and Shahnaz Rezaei Sharifabadi were each sentenced to:
       ◦ 6 months for “membership in a group opposing the regime to disrupt national security”
       ◦ 4 months for “propaganda against the regime”

In June 2025, the indictment against these teacher union activists was issued and referred to Branch 1 of the Kerman Revolutionary Court.

These individuals had previously been summoned to the Kerman Prosecutor’s Office on June 9, 2024.

Earlier, in October 2022, Zahra Azizi, Mohammadreza Behzadpour, and Hossein Rashidi were summoned by Kerman’s Security Police.

In May 2022, Mohammadreza Behzadpour, Majid Naderi, and Hossein Rashidi were arrested by security forces in Kerman and later released on bail after several days.

A Prisoner Executed in Khorramabad

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Executions, News
Kermanshah, Khorramabad, Parsilon Prison, Saber Azizpour

HRANA – At dawn on Sunday, August 3, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out in Parsilon Prison in Khorramabad.

HRANA has identified the individual as Saber Azizpour, 25 years old, and a resident of Harsin County, Kermanshah province.
He had been previously arrested on murder charges and was ultimately sentenced to death by a criminal court.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Following Sentence Consolidation, Shahab Nazari’s Prison Term Increased to 10 Years

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News, Prisoners
Hossein Ali Hatami, Izeh, Khuzestan, Shahab Nazari, Sheiban Prison

HRANA– After the request for sentence consolidation was approved, the Khuzestan Province Court of Appeals increased the prison sentence of Shahab Nazari, a political prisoner held in Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, to 10 years. He had previously been sentenced to a total of 4 years and 91 days in two separate cases.

According to a ruling issued by Branch 14 of the Khuzestan Court of Appeals, Mr. Nazari has been sentenced to a total of 10 years in prison on four charges. The court sentenced him to five years in prison for the most severe charge, “blasphemy.” He was also sentenced to two years for “spreading falsehoods,” two years for “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.”

This verdict was issued on July 29, 2025, and was recently communicated to Mr. Nazari’s lawyer, Hossein Ali Hatami.

On Wednesday, April 24, 2025, Shahab Nazari was transferred to Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz after appearing at the Sentence Enforcement Office of the Ahvaz Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office.

Nazari, 24-year-old resident of Izeh, was arrested on April 22, 2023, by security forces in Ahvaz and was eventually released on bail of 500 million tomans from Sheiban Prison on May 21, 2023.

Previously, Branch 1 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court had sentenced him to two years in prison for “insulting the Supreme Leader” and one year for “propaganda against the regime,” totaling three years of imprisonment. This verdict was upheld in full by Branch 14 of the Khuzestan Court of Appeals. Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, two years of this sentence are enforceable.

Additionally, in a separate part of the same case, Mr. Nazari was sentenced by Branch 2 of the Ahvaz Criminal Court to one year and 91 days in prison for “spreading falsehoods.” This sentence was also upheld in full by the Khuzestan Court of Appeals.

Iranian Jewish Citizens Remain Detained in Shiraz and Tehran

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News, Religious Minorities
HRANA, Iranian Jews, Kamran Hekmati, Motahareh Goonehi, Navid Reuven, Shahab Yosef, Yehuda Hekmati

HRANA – Four Jewish citizens remain in detention in Tehran and Shiraz weeks after being arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence during the heightened security atmosphere following the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel. The detainees are being held without formal charges, and no details about their legal status or the cases against them have been made public.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the four individuals have been identified as Navid Reuven, Shahab Yosef, Kamran Hekmati, and Michael (surname unknown). All four remain in detention facilities operated by the Ministry of Intelligence.

Navid Reuven (son of Gila) and Shahab Yosef (son of Zwela) were arrested in Shiraz during the recent conflict. They are currently being held at the Ministry’s “Plaque 100” detention facility. While the specific charges against them have not been disclosed, sources report that one alleged issue in their case is the possession of an Israeli flag found in their residence.

A third detainee, previously identified by HRANA as Yehuda Hekmati, has now been confirmed as Kamran Hekmati, a 70-year-old Iranian-American Jewish citizen. His mother’s name is listed as Rivka. He was arrested upon entering Iran to visit family and is reportedly being held due to a trip he made to Israel seven years ago. He is currently detained in a Ministry of Intelligence facility in Tehran.

The fourth detainee, Michael (surname unknown), is also being held in Tehran and is expected to appear for his final interrogation session tomorrow. No information has been released regarding the charges or legal process in his case.

These arrests are part of a broader pattern of state pressure on the Jewish community in Iran. In the wake of the recent Iran-Israel conflict, at least 35 Jewish citizens in Tehran and Shiraz were reportedly summoned and interrogated by Iranian security forces. Interrogations primarily focused on the individuals’ family ties with relatives in Israel and included warnings against any phone or internet contact with foreign relatives.

In a related account, Motahareh Goonehi, a student activist recently released from the Intelligence Ministry’s detention facility, referred in a public statement to a Jewish individual named Lida. It remains unclear whether she is among the recently detained or if her case is separate. No further information is currently available regarding her status.

Iranian law passed in 2011 criminalizes travel to Israel by Iranian citizens, imposing penalties of two to five years in prison and temporary bans on passport eligibility. This law continues to impact Iranian Jews by restricting contact with family members abroad, particularly in Israel.

Despite official state claims of upholding the rights of religious minorities, including Jews, human rights experts warn that these recent arrests and interrogations may constitute religious and ethnic discrimination, violating Iran’s commitments under international human rights law.

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Prisoner Executed in Arak Prison

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Executions, News
Arak prison, HRANA, Rasoul Arabi

HRANA– At dawn on Sunday, August 3, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death on murder charges was carried out in Arak Prison.

HRANA has identified the prisoner as Rasoul Arabi, who was hanged at dawn on Sunday, August 3, 2025.
According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Arabi had been arrested on murder charges and later sentenced to death by a criminal court.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Drug-Related Offenses: 7 Prisoners Executed in Karaj Central Prison

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Executions, News
Ali Hosseinpour, HRANA, Karaj Central Prison, Meysam Joodaki, Mohammad Golosi, Reza Bakht Avar, Sajjad Pourdanesh

HRANA – At dawn on Sunday, August 3, the death sentences of seven prisoners previously convicted on drug-related charges were carried out in Karaj Central Prison.

HRANA has identified five of those executed as Sajjad Pourdanesh, Meysam Joodaki, Mohammad Golosi, Reza Bakht Avar and Ali Hosseinpour. These individuals had been arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts.

On Wednesday, July 30, HRANA had reported the transfer of four of these prisoners to solitary confinement in preparation for their execution.

Further details, including the identity of the seventh executed prisoner, are still under investigation by HRANA.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been officially confirmed by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, over 52 percent of executed prisoners had been convicted on drug-related charges. Over the past ten years, individuals convicted of drug trafficking have accounted for 40 percent of all executions. Unfortunately, HRANA’s statistics show no progress in reducing executions for drug-related offenses.

Two Prisoners Executed in Dizel Abad Prison, Kermanshah

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Executions, News
Fariborz Haghi, HRANA, Kermanshah, moharebeh, Moslem Jalali

On Sunday, August 3, Dizelabad Prison in Kermanshah carried out the executions of two prisoners convicted of enmity against God (moharebeh) and drug-related offenses.

HRANA has identified one of the prisoners as Moslem Jalali, who had previously been sentenced to death on charges of moharebeh through armed robbery. The second prisoner has been identified as Fariborz Haghi, who had been arrested on drug-related charges and sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant state institutions.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Singer Danial Moghaddam Arrested in Shiraz

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News, Prisoners
Danial Moghaddam, Evin Prison, Greater Tehran Prison, HRANA

HRANA– Danial Moghaddam, a dissident singer, was once again arrested by security forces in Shiraz on Tuesday, July 29, and transferred to the Greater Tehran Prison. He had previously stated in a video that, during the early days of his recent detention in Evin Prison and amid an Israeli airstrike on the facility, he was evacuated due to the post-bombing conditions and never returned.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Danial Moghaddam, a dissident singer, has been re-arrested.

His arrest took place on Tuesday, July 29, in Shiraz, and he was subsequently transferred to Greater Tehran Prison.
During his earlier detention in Evin Prison, Moghaddam released a video on his personal page describing the crisis inside the prison during the Israeli airstrike. In the video, he stated that following the shockwaves and emergency situation caused by the bombing, he unintentionally left the prison while in a disoriented and semi-conscious state and did not return.

In the same video, Moghaddam cited the reasons for his arrest as supporting the families of those killed during protests, calling for the release of political prisoners, and demonstrating in front of Evin Prison to oppose executions.

On June 25, 2025, Mohammad-Hadi Jafarpoor, Moghaddam’s attorney, announced in a post that his client had been detained by order of Branch 3 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court’s Prosecutor’s Office due to his inability to post bail.

Danial Moghaddam has previously been arrested and sentenced for his activism.

80-Year Old Former Political Prisoner Mohammad Banazadeh Arrested in Tehran

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News, Prisoners
HRANA, Mohammad Banazadeh Amirkhizi, Qom, محمد بنازاده

HRANA– Mohammad Banazadeh Amirkhizi, an 80-year-old former political prisoner, was arrested by security forces in Tehran on Monday, July 28, and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Qom. Despite suffering from several illnesses, including prostate cancer and heart problems, he has been denied access to proper medical care.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, he was arrested at his private residence in Tehran, by security forces and then transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Qom.

A source familiar with his situation confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Mr. Banazadeh, who suffers from prostate cancer, heart conditions, and a torn knee meniscus, has been deprived of medical treatment during this time. This has caused significant concern among his family and those close to him about his health.”

As of the time of this report, the reasons for his arrest and the charges against him remain unknown.

Mohammad Banazadeh Amirkhizi, 80, a resident of Tehran, has previously been sentenced due to his activism.