Maryam Zabihi, a Baha’i Citizen from Qaemshahr, Receives 10 Months in Prison

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News, Religious Minorities
HRANA, Maryam Zabihi, Qaemshahr

HRANA News Agency – Maryam Zabihi, a Baha’i citizen residing in Qaemshahr, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison by the Criminal Court of this city.

Based on a verdict issued by Branch 104 of the Second Criminal Court of Qaemshahr, Mazandaran provinceو this Baha’i citizen was sentenced to 10 months in prison on the charge of “educational activities contrary to and disruptive of Islamic Sharia.” The court session addressing Ms. Zabihi’s charges was held on April 16, 2025, and the verdict was issued the same day.

Holding examination sessions for students of the unofficial Baha’i university of Iran at her private residence was cited as the basis for the charge against Ms. Zabihi.

On Monday, February 12, 2024, Maryam Zabihi’s home was searched by security forces. Officers confiscated all electronic devices, textbooks, laptops, and tablets belonging to five young Baha’is who were guests at her residence.

After Baha’is in Iran were barred from attending public universities due to their religious beliefs, the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) was established by the Iranian Baha’i community in 1987. This unofficial university, operating under highly restricted conditions with the help of volunteer professors, provides opportunities for Baha’i citizens to pursue higher education. Over the years, many professors and administrators associated with this educational system have faced judicial and security pressures.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between January 1, 2024, and December 20, 2024, a total of 157 reports were recorded in the category of religious and faith-based minority rights. Among these, Baha’is accounted for 67.54% of the reports, ranking as the most observed group in human rights monitoring.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Appeals Court Upholds Prison Sentence for Mehran Arzhang Mofrad

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Freedom of Expression, News
Freedom Movement of Iran, Mehran Arzhang Mofrad, Razavi Khorasan

HRANA News Agency – The prison sentence of Mehran Arzhang Mofrad, a resident of Mashhad, has been upheld in full by Branch 26 of the Razavi Khorasan Province Court of Appeals.

He had previously been sentenced to four years and eight months in prison by Branch 1 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court. Three years of his sentence have been suspended for a period of four years.

According to the verdict issued on April 14, 2025, by Branch 26 of the Razavi Khorasan Court of Appeals, Mr. Mofrad was sentenced to three years in prison on the charge of “membership in groups opposing the regime” and to 20 months for “propaganda against the regime.” Three years of the sentence have been suspended for four years.

The original ruling was issued on March 9, 2025, by Branch 1 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court.

The charges against him stem from allegations of membership in the Freedom Movement of Iran and participation in their meetings.

Arian Shirpisheh in Evin Prison: Details on His Current Condition

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News, Prisoners
Arian Shirpisheh, HRANA, Pouya Bakhtiari

HRANA News Agency – Arian Shirpisheh, the maternal uncle of Pouya Bakhtiari—one of the victims of the November 2019 protests—is currently serving a prison sentence in Evin Prison. In the first part of his case, he was sentenced to 14 months in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

A source close to Shirpisheh’s family confirmed to HRANA: “Mr. Shirpisheh was recently sentenced to 14 months in prison on security-related charges by the Tehran Revolutionary Court. In addition, a hearing on a separate charge of insulting sanctities is scheduled to take place next month.”

Arian Shirpisheh was arrested on September 16, 2024, by Ministry of Intelligence agents at his private residence and transferred to Evin Prison.

Previously, a source familiar with the case told HRANA: “It is likely that his arrest was related to his participation in ceremonies commemorating victims of the protests and his connections with their families.”

Arian Shirpisheh has previously been detained by security agencies.

Pouya Bakhtiari, born on September 10, 1992, was killed during the November 2019 protests in Mehrshahr, Karaj. According to his father, Pouya joined the protesters on the second day of demonstrations against the fuel price hike, accompanied by his sister and mother. He was shot in the head and succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital.

Poet Faramarz Se-Dehi Sentenced to Over 22 Months in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Faramarz Se-Dehi, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Khuzestan, Mahshahr, فرامرز سه دهی

HRANA News Agency – Faramarz Se-Dehi, a poet and member of the Iranian Writers’ Association, has been sentenced to more than 22 months in prison by Branch 1 of the Mahshahr Revolutionary Court.

According to the verdict issued on April 13, 2025, Mr. Se-Dehi was sentenced to seven and a half months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime” and 15 months for “insulting the Supreme Leader.” Under the principle of enforcing the severest punishment, the 15-month sentence will be carried out.

Earlier, on February 18, 2025, Mr. Se-Dehi was formally charged at Branch 2 of the Behbahan Prosecutor’s Office and subsequently released on bail. He had been summoned to the prosecutor’s office following a notice issued on February 12, 2025.

On January 9, 2025, Mr. Se-Dehi was arrested at his private residence by IRGC intelligence agents. He was released after several hours, but during the arrest, the agents searched his home and confiscated his mobile phone and books.

Faramarz Se-Dehi, a Khuzestan-based poet and a member of the Iranian Writers’ Association, has previously faced legal action in connection with his activities.

Political Prisoner Azar Zangouyi Begins Serving One-Year Sentence in Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners
Azar Zangouyi, Evin Prison, HRANA, آذر زنگویی

HRANA News Agency – Azar Zangouyi, a political prisoner, is currently serving her sentence in Evin Prison. She had previously been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to one year in prison.

According to information received by HRANA, on April 9, 2025, Ms. Zangouyi was arrested after appearing at the Evin Courthouse and was transferred to Evin Prison to begin serving her sentence. She had earlier been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to one year in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime.”

A source close to Ms. Zangouyi’s family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Azar Zangouyi’s case was opened in 2022. At that time, security forces visited her workplace several times to arrest her, but were unsuccessful. As a result, her conviction was issued in absentia.”

Azar Zangouyi is 29 years old and a resident of Tehran.

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Transfer to Solitary Confinement Raises Growing Concerns Over the Imminent Execution of Political Prisoner Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou

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News, Prisoners
Baghi, Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou, HRANA, Urmia prison

HRANA News Agency – Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou, a political prisoner sentenced to death and held in Urmia Prison, has been transferred to solitary confinement. Given his death sentence, the transfer has heightened concerns among his family and close ones.

A source close to the prisoner’s family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “The transfer of this death row prisoner has increased the family’s and his relatives’ concerns about his situation.”

The political prisoner’s death sentence was recently upheld by Branch 9 of the Supreme Court and was officially communicated to him in Urmia Prison on March 26, 2025.

Mr. Hosseinnezhad was sentenced to death in July 2024 by Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Najafzadeh. He was convicted of baghi for alleged membership in an opposition party. After he appealed the ruling, the case was referred to the Supreme Court.

He was arrested on April 13, 2023, by border guards near Chaldoran. After several hours of interrogation, he was transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Urmia. There, he was subjected to psychological and physical torture for 11 months and 10 days to force a confession. He was made to sign pre-written statements.

During his detention at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, he was only allowed two brief phone calls with his family and was denied access to legal counsel and in-person visits. Due to opposition from the Ministry of Intelligence, he was also denied a chosen lawyer during trial. The court dismissed his defense and sentenced him to death for baghi.

In court, Mr. Hosseinnezhad denied all charges. Kurdpa reported that the Ministry of Intelligence accused him of collaborating with an opposition party without presenting any evidence. The agency claimed he held a grudge against border forces because his brother-in-law, Mostafa Nouri, had been killed by them in 2015. Based on this, he was accused of involvement in an armed clash. Judge Najafzadeh issued the death sentence in a brief hearing, solely based on “the judge’s intuition.”

Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou, aged around 40, is a father of three. He is currently being held in Ward 2 of Urmia Prison.

A Prisoner Executed in Qom Prison

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Executions, News
HRANA, Qom prison, Sohrab Heydari, زندان قم, سهراب حیدری

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges was executed in Qom Prison.

HRANA has identified the prisoner as Sohrab Heydari, a resident of Rey, Tehran Province.

According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Heydari had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

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

According to data compiled by HRANA, 52.69% of all executions in Iran in 2024 were related to drug-related charges. Notably, only 6% of the executions were officially announced, highlighting a significant lack of transparency. For a detailed analysis of these executions and the associated statistics, see HRANA’s full report.

Saeed Madani sentenced to 4 years in prison

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Damavand Prison, Mostafa Nili, Saeed Madani

HRANA News Agency – The eight-year prison sentence of Saeed Madani, a writer and sociologist currently imprisoned in Damavand Prison, has been reduced to four years following the acceptance of his request for retrial and a new hearing in a parallel court branch.

Mostafa Nili, a defense attorney, wrote: “After the Supreme Court accepted the retrial request, the parallel branch reduced Mr. Saeed Madani’s sentence for the charge of forming a group from eight years to four years. He is currently serving his sentence in Damavand Prison, contrary to the law.”

On April 2, 2024, this writer and sociologist was transferred from Evin Prison to Damavand Prison. His lawyer called the transfer “in violation of prison regulations.” The news outlet Etemad also reported that the move was carried out under “pressure from security agencies and by order of the Prosecutor General.”

In November 2022, Saeed Madani was sentenced by Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Ali Mazloum, to eight years in prison for “forming and running anti-government groups,” and to one year for “propaganda against the regime.” The verdict was fully upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals.

Madani was arrested in May 2022. Mehr News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Propaganda Organization, cited “suspicious foreign ties and anti-security activities” as reasons for his arrest. After two months in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, he was transferred to Ward 4 of the same facility.

In June 2023, he was also formally charged in another case opened against him.

It is worth noting that Saeed Madani has published research on social issues in Iran, including poverty and inequality, addiction, child abuse, violence against women, sex work, social welfare, and similar topics. He has prior arrest and conviction records from 1994, 2000, 2001, and 2011.

In January 2022, his passport was confiscated at the airport and he was prevented from leaving the country.

Two Prisoners Executed in Arak Prison

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Executions, News
Arak prison, Gholamali Mashallahi, Mehdi Motavalli

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Tuesday, April 15, two prisoners previously sentenced to death in separate cases on charges of murder and drug-related offenses were executed in Arak Prison, according to Iran Human Rights.

The two individuals have been identified as Mehdi Motavalli, a resident of a village in Khondab County, and Gholamali Mashallahi, 43, a father of two from Qom.

According to the report, Mr. Motavalli had been arrested three years ago on charges of murder and later sentenced to death. Gholamali Mashallahi had been in prison for two years on drug-related charges, and his death sentence had been issued by the Revolutionary Court.

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

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

Amirhossein Maghsoudlou (Tataloo) Sentenced to Death

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Executions, News
Amirhossein Maghsoudlou, Iman Afshari, Tataloo

HRANA News Agency – The spokesperson for Iran’s Judiciary has announced that Iranian singer Amirhossein Maghsoudlou, known as “Tataloo,” has been sentenced to death by Branch 6 of the Criminal Court One of Tehran Province. Previously, following an appeal by the Tehran Prosecutor, a five-year prison sentence issued in the same case was overturned by the Supreme Court, which then referred the case to a parallel court for retrial.

Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir stated: “After the Supreme Court overturned Mr. Maghsoudlou’s five-year prison sentence, the case was referred to Branch 6 of the Criminal Court One of Tehran Province. This court has sentenced Amirhossein Maghsoudlou to death on the charge of ‘sabb al-nabi’ (insulting the Prophet). The verdict is currently under review by the Supreme Court.”

In December 2024, following an appeal by the Tehran Prosecutor, the initial five-year sentence—previously issued by Branch 9 of Tehran Province’s Criminal Court—was nullified by the Supreme Court.

Separately, in September-October 2024, Tataloo was sentenced to ten years in prison on charges of “promoting immorality and indecency” in another case. That ruling was upheld on appeal, and the case was sent to the enforcement branch. Hearings for this case were held between March 4 and May 7, 2024, in Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari.

Maghsoudlou was extradited from Turkey to Iran in December 2023 and was ultimately arrested in coordination with judicial authorities.

Previously, while living abroad, he was summoned to the Tehran Criminal Court following complaints by a number of victims of betting websites.