Protest Against the Wave of Executions; Prisoners at Ghezel Hesar Continue Sit-In and Hunger Protest

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Executions, News
executions, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA

HRANA – Since Monday, October 13, hundreds of prisoners in Karaj’s Ghezel Hesar Prison, at least in wards 1 and 2, have refused to accept their prison meals and begun a sit-in inside their ward halls to protest the sharp rise in executions.

Recently, HRANA reported that 1,537 people had been executed in Iran over the past year, marking an increase of more than 86% compared to the previous year. During this period, 183 executions took place in Ghezel Hesar prison.

Inmates in this prison have continued their sit-in and hunger protest for the second consecutive day. Based on information obtained by HRANA, prisoners in wards 1 and 2 began their protest two days ago by refusing prison food in response to the intensifying wave of executions. These wards mainly hold prisoners convicted of drug-related offenses.

The protest coincided with the transfer of 16 prisoners to solitary confinement in preparation for their execution. It is worth noting that Ghezel Hesar Prison has witnessed a significant surge in executions in recent weeks.

Baha’i Citizen Fardin Bengaleh Arrested

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News, Religious Minorities
Fardin Bengaleh, فردین بنگاله

HRANA – On Tuesday, October 14, Fardin Bengaleh, a Baha’i citizen residing in Shiraz, was arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to a report received by HRANA, Mr. Bengaleh was arrested in Shiraz by security forces on Tuesday, October 14. So far, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for his arrest, the location of his detention, or the charges brought against him.

Fardin Bengaleh is a Baha’i citizen living in Shiraz.

Over the past decade, the Iranian Bahá’í community has been disproportionately targeted by Iran’s security forces and judiciary, more than any other minority group. In the past three years, an average of 72 percent of the reports on religious rights violations collected by HRANA have documented the Iranian regime’s repression of the Bahá’í community.

Two Prisoners Executed in Dezful Prison

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Executions, News
Dezful, Hamid Abdali, HRANA, Saadi Khalifeh

HRANA – At dawn on Sunday, October 12, two prisoners were executed in Dezful Prison.

HRANA has confirmed the identity of one of the prisoners as Hamid Abdali. Separately, Iran Human Rights has reported the identity of the other prisoner as Saadi Khalifeh, 36, a resident of Dezful.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Abdali had previously been arrested on charges of murder and later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court. Khalifeh was also arrested in 2018 on a murder charge and subsequently sentenced to death by the same court.

As of the time of this report, the execution of these prisoners has not been announced by prison officials or other relevant authorities.

According to HRANA reports, in 2024, only 6% of executions were announced by official bodies or domestic media outlets. Over the past five years, 77% of executions have gone unreported—commonly referred to as secret executions. In some of these cases, the lack of transparency is so severe that the death-row prisoners are denied even the chance for a final visit with their families.

Drug-Related Crimes: Two Prisoners Executed in Yasuj Prison

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Executions, News
Allahkaram Ghasemi, Yasuj

HRANA – At dawn yesterday, October 14, the death sentences of two prisoners previously convicted on charges related to drug offenses were carried out in Yasuj Prison.

HRANA has been able to confirm their identity  as Allahkaram Ghasemi and Ebrahim Delaram. Based on information obtained by HRANA, the prisoners had been arrested on charges related to drug offenses and subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report, the execution of these prisoners has not been announced by prison officials or state media.

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.

Two French Citizens Each Sentenced to Over 30 Years in Prison in Iran

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News, Prisoners
Cécile Kohler, Emmanuel Macron, Jacques Paris

HRANA – Mizan, a website affiliated with Iran’s Judiciary, has reported that two French citizens have received lengthy prison sentences on charges of “espionage” and “intelligence cooperation with Israel.”

According to HRANA, the Tehran Revolutionary Court issued the initial verdict in the case. Based on Mizan’s report, one defendant was sentenced to 6 years in prison for “espionage on behalf of French intelligence services,” 5 years for “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security,” and 20 years in exile for “intelligence cooperation with Israel,” a charge classified as “enmity against God (moharebeh).”

The second defendant was sentenced to 10 years in prison for “espionage,” 5 years for “assembly and collusion,” and 17 years for “aiding and abetting intelligence cooperation with Israel.”

While the Judiciary’s statement did not name the two defendants, independent media reports and official statements from French authorities indicate that the sentences likely pertain to Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, two French nationals arrested in Iran in 2022. The French government has repeatedly called for their release, and President Emmanuel Macron reportedly raised their case in a recent meeting with officials of the Islamic Republic.

The two have been held in Evin Prison since their arrest. Their families and French officials have rejected the charges and demanded their immediate release.

According to the Judiciary, the verdicts can be appealed within 20 days of their formal notification to the Supreme Court.

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Baha’i Citizen Sonia Toudiee Arrested in Babol

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News, Religious Minorities
Babol, HRANA, Sonia Toudiee, سونیا تودیعی

HRANA – On Sunday, October 12, Sonia Toudiee, a Baha’i citizen residing in Babol, was arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, Ms. Toudiee was detained on the evening of Sunday, October 12, in Babol County. At the time of her arrest, security agents searched her residence, seizing a number of her personal belongings.

As of this report’s publication, the reasons for her arrest, her current whereabouts, and the charges against her remain unknown.

Previously, on May 17, 2025, Ms. Toudiee’s home was searched by security forces.

Sonia Toudiee is a Baha’i citizen residing in Babol, Mazandaran Province.

Over the past decade, the Iranian Bahá’í community has been disproportionately targeted by Iran’s security forces and judiciary—more than any other minority group. In the past three years, an average of 72 percent of the reports on religious rights violations collected by HRANA have documented the Iranian regime’s repression of the Bahá’í community.

Kowsar Dehbanzadeh Arrested and Transferred to Adelabad Prison in Shiraz

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News, Prisoners
Adelabad Prison, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj, Kowsar Dehbanzadeh, کوثر دهبان زاده

HRANA – On Saturday, October 11, 2025, Kowsar Dehbanzadeh, a political defendant, was arrested following a summons to the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz and transferred to Adelabad Prison in the same city.

A source close to the family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Kowsar Dehbanzadeh was arrested on Saturday, October 11, after being summoned to one of the branches of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz. The presiding judge set a bail of 10 billion tomans for her temporary release. Due to her inability to post bail, Ms. Dehbanzadeh was transferred to Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.”

According to information obtained by HRANA, Ms. Dehbanzadeh had received a court summons on Thursday, October 9, ordering her to appear before one of the branches of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court.

As of this report’s publication, the reasons for her arrest and the charges against her remain unknown.

Kowsar Dehbanzadeh, the sister of Meysam Dehbanzadeh, a political prisoner currently held in Ghezel Hesar Prison of Karaj, has previously been subjected to arrest and judicial harassment.

Retired Employee Arrested by IRGC Intelligence in Ahvaz

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Freedom of Expression, News
IRGC Intelligence, Mohammad-Zaman Kamrava

HRANA – Mohammad-Zaman Kamrava, a retired employee of the Social Security Organization residing in Ahvaz, was arrested on October 11 by agents of the IRGC Intelligence Organization.

According to the Iranian Retirees Council, after several hours of not hearing from Mr. Kamrava and receiving no response to phone calls, his family went to his residence, where they found the house in disarray and learned of his arrest. Hours later, he managed to make a brief phone call, confirming that he had been detained by IRGC Intelligence forces.

On October 7, Mr. Kamrava, along with Mohammad Nochian, a retired teacher, and Maryam Zaleki, a sports instructor, had been summoned to Branch 13 of the Prosecutor’s Office to present their final defense in a case involving charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion against national security.”

Earlier this year, in June 2025, Mr. Kamrava was sentenced by Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court to two years in prison on the same charges. The case stemmed from retirees’ protest gatherings held in February 2022.

Execution of Five Prisoners, Including a Woman, in Dastgerd Prison of Isfahan

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Executions, News
Dastgerd Prison, HRANA, Isfahan, Sobhan Safinejad, Zeynab Khodabandeh

HRANA – At dawn on Monday, October 13, 2025, the death sentences of five prisoners, including one woman, who had previously been convicted on drug-related charges, were carried out in Dastgerd Prison of Isfahan.

HRANA has identified two of the executed individuals as Ms. Zeynab Khodabandeh and Mr. Sobhan Safinejad, who were hanged at dawn yesterday.

According to information obtained by HRANA, the five prisoners had been previously arrested on charges related to drug offenses and were later sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts. Further details, including the identities of the remaining three prisoners, are under investigation by HRANA.

As of this report’s publication, the execution of these prisoners has not been announced by prison officials or judicial authorities.

From October 10, 2025, to October 8 of the previous year, 124 people were executed in Dastgerd Prison of Isfahan.

Two Prisoners Executed in Bojnurd Prison

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Executions, News
Bojnurd, Ebrahim Azizi, HRANA, ابراهیم عزیزی

HRANA – At dawn on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, the death sentences of two prisoners, previously convicted in a joint case on drug-related charges, were carried out in Bojnurd Prison.

The identity of one of the prisoners has been confirmed by HRANA as Ebrahim Azizi, while the other prisoner was a citizen of Afghanistan.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, the two individuals had been arrested in a joint case on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been announced by prison authorities or official media outlets.

According to HRANA’s statistics, 1,537 prisoners were executed in prisons across Iran over the past twelve months.