Author: admin-hr

An update on arrestees of last November’s protests

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Other, Prisoners
Ali Nanvaei, Amir Mohammad Sharifi, Bahareh Hedayat, Gita Hor, Khalil Asadi Bouzhani, Mehdi Ebdali, Mohammad Eghbali Golhin, Mohieldin Asghari, Moin Zareian, November Protests, Sohbatollah Omidi

The nationwide protests of last November are the most significant events of 2019. During the November protests that lasted more than 10 days simultaneously in 719 spots in the country, at least 7133 people were arrested, hundreds died on the streets, and many protesters got gunshot wounds.

1. The trial of four residents of Kermanshah was on February 10, 2020. Three of them were sentenced by Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Kermanshah as the following:

Sohbatollah Omidi: He was sentenced to five years imprisonment for the charge of “membership in an opposition group” and five years of imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion”. Based on Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, the charge with the highest penalty will be considered; this means that he should serve five years in prison.

Khalil Asadi Bouzhani: He was sentenced to three years imprisonment for the charge of “membership in an opposition group” and three and half years of imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion against the national security”. Based on Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, the charge with the highest penalty will be considered; this means that he should serve three and a half years in prison.

Mehdi Ebdali: He was sentenced to one-year imprisonment.

Mohieldin Asghari: the court announced that it does not have the eligibility to try him for his charge of “assembly and collusion”.

It should be noted that Mohieldin Ashghari and Sohbatollah Omidi were released on a 200 million Tomans bail in January 2020.

 

Sohbat Omidi                    Khalil Asadi

 

2. Ali Nanvaei: was sentenced to six months imprisonment and 74 lashes (this sentence is suspended for two years). He is also sentenced to hand copy three books. He was initially charged with “assembly and collusion” but his charge was later changed to “disrupting public order”. He was arrested when he was leaving Tehran University on November 18, 2019. He is a student of Tehran University.

Ali Nanvaei

 

3.Mohammad Eghbali Golhin: On February 16, 2020, he was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment, 74 lashes, and one-year exile to Rask by Branch 10 of Shahriar’s Criminal Court. He was sentenced to ten years for vandalism and one year for the charge of “disturbing public order”, and 74 lashes and one year exile for the charge of “fight with Basij militia”. Based on Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, the charge with the highest penalty will be considered; this means that he should serve 10 years in prison. He was arrested on November 19, 2019, in Karaj.

 

4.Gita Hor: Ms. Hor, 30-years old, was sentenced to six years imprisonment by Branch 24 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. She was sentenced to five years imprisonment for “assembly in collusion against the national security” and one-year imprisonment for the charge of “propaganda against the state”. Based on Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, the charge with the highest penalty will be considered; this means that she should spend five years in prison. She was arrested on November 21, 2019. She is currently in Qarchak prison. Her trial was presided by judge Mohammad Reza Amouzadeh.

 

Arrests:

Tehran University students, Bahareh Hedayat, Amir Mohammad Sharifi, and Moin Zareian were arrested by the national security police because of attending last November’s protests. They were arrested on the following days:

Amir Mohammad Sharifi on February 9, Bahareh Hedayat on February 10, and Moin Zareian on January 22, 2020.

It should be noted that Bahareh Hedayat was arrested at Tehran University and was transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin. She went on a hunger strike after her arrest. Her health condition is deteriorating due to the hunger strike and prison condition. Amir Mohammad Sharifi and Moin Zareian are in Evin Prison.

 

Seven prisoners are on hunger strikes in Urmia and Evin prisons

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Prisoners
Amir Salar Davoudi, Barzan Mohammadi, Bashir Pirmawaneh, Evin Prison, Hunger Strike, Khaled Pirzadeh, Mehdi Meskinnavaz, Reza Mohammad Hosseini, Siamak Ashrafi Ashgasou, Urmia prison

Evin Prison

Amir Salar Davoudi, attorney detained in Evin Prison, has been on hunger strike from February 9, 2020, protesting not being granted a furlough. In a note published on February 12, 2020, Amir Salar Davoudi explained his motives to go on hunger strike protesting authorities who refused to grant him a furlough and added “I have been incarcerated for 15 months of which I spend 190 days in a solitary confinement cell but my request for a furlough has been denied. I am going on hunger strike to protest this decision. I hold the judicial authorities responsible.” He has been detained in Evin Prison since November 20, 2018. On June 1, 2018, he was sentenced by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran to 30 years in prison of which the highest penalty is 15 years imprisonment for the charge of “establishing a channel in the Telegram app”. His other charges are “insulting officials”, “propaganda against the state”, “cooperating with enemy states through interviewing with Voice Of America (VOA) television channel”, and “forming a group to overthrow the state”.

Four other political prisoners of Evin Prison, Barzan Mohammadi, Reza Mohammad Hosseini, Mehdi Meskinnavaz, and Khaled Pirzadeh have been on hunger strike from February 1, 2020, protesting denial of their request for parole, neglecting political prisoners requests, not conforming to the prison classification regulation, lengthy prosecutions, receiving unreasonable prison sentences, and finalizing the primary courts verdicts without an opportunity to appeal.

Barzan Mohammadi was arrested in August 2017 because of his activities on social media. He was sentenced to six years in prison for the charges of “assembly and collusion with an intention to disrupt the public order”, and “propaganda against the state” by the primary court. His appeal court was in session in March 2019 where his sentence was reduced to 3.5 years imprisonment

Reza Mohammad Hosseini’s was sentenced to 16.5 years imprisonment; he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion”, three years imprisonment for the charge of “insulting the Supreme Leader”, three years imprisonment for the charge of “crossing the border unlawfully”, two years imprisonment for the charge of “unlawful entry to the country” and 1.5 years imprisonment for the charge of “disobeying the officers’ orders”. He was arrested in May 2019 by the IRGC intelligence officers and was taken to the IRGC’s detention center in Evin Prison. He was later transferred to the Ward 4 of Evin Prison. Reza Mohammad Hosseini was taken to the hospital on February 11, 2020, after experiencing asthenia. His situation is unknown after the transfer.

Khaled Pirzadeh was sentenced to five years imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion”, and to two years imprisonment for the charge of “insulting the Supreme Leader”.

Mehdi Meskinnavaz tried at Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran in August 2019 and was sentenced to five years imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion and propaganda against the state”. He was also exiled to Fahraj in Kerman Province and ban from membership in political parties and groups.

 

Urmia Prison

Siamak Ashrafi Ashgasou, a political prisoner of Urmia Prison, is on hunger strike from January 21, 2020, protesting the denial of his request to parole and his family being disrespectfully treated by the court employees. He was arrested in June 2016 by the security forces and was sentenced to five years imprisonment for the charge of “membership in an opposition group” and to eight months imprisonment for “draft evasion” by Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia. He requested parole after serving more than three years of his sentence.

Bashir Pirmawaneh has been on hunger strike from January 25, 2020, protesting his request for parole not being processed. He was arrested in March 2016 and was tried in April 2016 at Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia where he was sentenced to five years imprisonment for “membership in an opposition group”. The sentence was later reduced to four years. He has served more than a third of his sentence at the time of his request.

14 civil rights activists received long-term prison sentences

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, Fatemeh Sepehri, Giti Pourfazel, Javad Laal Mohammadi, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, Mohammad Nourizad, Seyed Hashem Khastar, Shahla Entesari, Shahla Jahanbin, Zahra Jamali

A letter signed by 14 civil rights activists was published in July-August of 2019 demanding resignation of Ayatollah Khamenei. After this letter was published, some of the signees were arrested and some were under pressure. Currently, Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, Mohammad Nourizad, Javad Laal Mohammadi, Seyed Hashem Khastar, and Fatemeh Sepehri who signed this letter are still in detention and some were released on bail.

On February 1, 2020, eight arrestees who signed the letter requesting Ayatollah Khamenei’s resignation, were sentenced to a total of 90 years imprisonment, six years ban from leaving the country, and six years of exile by Branch 4 of Mashhad’s Revolutionary Court. Their detailed sentences are as the following:

Seyed Hashem Khastar: 16 years imprisonment, three years exile to Nikshahr, and three years ban from leaving the country

Mohammad Nourizad: 15 years imprisonment, three years exile to Izeh, and three years ban from leaving the country.

Abdolrasoul Mortazavi: 26 years imprisonment

Mohammad Hossein Sepehri: 6 years imprisonment

Fatemeh Sepehri: 6 years imprisonment

Hashem Rajai, Morteza Ghasemi, and Mohammad Hosseinpour: each was sentenced to a one-year prison term

In addition, Javad Laal Mohammadi was sentenced to 9 years of imprisonment on February 4, 2019.

Moreover, on February 5, 2020, Mohammad Mahdavifar, civil rights activist and a signee of the letter was sentenced to 9 years in prison by Branch 102 of the Penal Court 2 Aran and Bidgol.

These sentences were issued for the charges of “establishing an unlawful group and propaganda against the state”. The sentences for “insulting the Supreme Leader and the Founder of the Islamic Republic” are still in process.

On February 3, 2020, Abdolrasoul Mortazavi and on February 4, Javad Laal Mohammadi were arrested.

It should be noted that they were arrested together on August 11, 2019, in front of a courthouse in Mashhad.

 

A letter of 14 women civil rights activists

In August 2019, another letter was published under the title of 14 women civil rights with content similar to the aforementioned letter, requesting Ayatollah Khamenei’s resignation. After this letter was published, the security forces arrested Zahra Jamali on August 24, Giti Pourfazel on August 19, Shahla Entesari on August 22, and Shahla Jahanbin on August 21.

Eventually, Shahla Jahanbin on November 13, Shahla Entesari on November 10, and Giti Pourfazel on November 13 were each temporarily released on a 500 million Toman bail before completion of the prosecution from Evin Prison.

Four civil rights activists, Shahla Jahanbin, Zahra Jamali, Giti Pourfazel, and Shahla Entesari, who wrote an open letter in summer of 2019 and requested Ayatollah Khamenei’s resignation, were sentenced each to six years imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court for the charges of “assembly and collusion against the national security” and “propaganda against the state”.

Among them, Ms. Giti Pourfazel who is an attorney and a member of the Iranian Writers’ Association, was also sentenced to two years ban from membership in parties and social/political groups.

A report on Fatemeh (Mary) Mohammadi

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Prisoners
Christian convert, Fatemeh Mohammadi, January Protests, Qarchak Prison

Fatemeh (Mary) Mohammadi, is a detained Christian convert and the former prisoner. She was studying English translation at Islamic Azad University North Tehran Branch but on December 21, 2019, she was banned from entering the university and was told that she has been banned from studying there.

 

First arrest

Fatemeh Mohammadi was arrested on November 18, 2017, for the first time. She was detained in Tehran and was transferred to Evin prison. On April 7th, 2018, Mohammadi, who was 19 years old at that time, was sentenced by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided by judge Ahmadzadeh, to six months imprisonment for the charges of “membership in proselytizing groups,” “Christian activity,” and “acting against the national security through propaganda against the regime.” She was released from Evin Prison’s women’s ward in spring 2018 after completing her sentence.

 

Second Arrest

Fatemeh Mohammadi was arrested by the NAJA (Law Enforcement Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran) on July 9, 2019. She was arrested after a woman, Mousavi, harassed her because of her dress code and injured Mohammadi’s face. Mohammadi went to a police station to file a complaint against that woman but she was arrested instead. The attacker claimed that she was “enjoining good and forbidding wrong” which Iranian authorities considered positive roles in helping others to take the straight path and abstain from reprehensible acts. A witness reported that Mohammadi was sitting on the bus when a Chador-wearing woman, Mousavi, insulted her and advised her to wear her headscarf properly. Mousavi attacked Mohammadi, pushed her chest with her hand, and beat her face until her nails were covered in blood. The bus driver stopped the bus and they went to the police station branch 119. She filed a complaint against Mousavi, but the police let her go and arrested Mohammadi. She was released on bail on July 10, 2019.

 

Third arrest

On January 12, 2020, Fatemeh Mohammadi was arrested during the wave of protests erupted in Tehran and other Iranian cities on January 11, after Iran admitted that it shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing 176 people. She was arrested in Azadi square and was transferred to Vozara detention center. She was severely beaten both in Azadi square and at Vozara detention center. She had bruises for more than three weeks after her arrest. Women guards humiliated her by forcing her to get naked and sitting and standing a few times in front of them and then uncommonly inspected her body twice. According to a close source, she was mistreated by the prison wardens; she was forced to stay outside in the cold weather without any food for 24 hours. After a day, she was transferred to Branch 6 of Evin Prosecutor’s office and was eventually transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin and she is currently at the new ward of this prison (Bashgah). She was mistreated and humiliated in this prison.

She was charged with “disturbing public order through attending an unlawful protest”. Her trial is not scheduled yet. Although her bail was set for 30 million Tomans [approx. $3000], the prosecutor did not accept her bail. She was being kept in a limbo state for a month.

Rezvaneh Ahmad Khanbeigi and three others sentenced to prison

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Other
Ali Asghar Khodabandehloo, Mehdi Naghdi, Mohammadreza Fathalizadeh, November Protests, Rezvaneh Ahmad Khanbeigi

On February 2, 2020, Rezvaneh Ahmad Khanbeigi, civil rights activist, was sentenced to six years imprisonment by the Branch 24 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran presided by judge Mohammadreza Amouzad for the charge “assembly and collusion against the national security and propaganda against the state”. Based on the Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, the charge with the highest penalty will be considered; this means that Rezvaneh Ahmad Khanbeigi should serve five years in prison. She was tried on February 1, 2020, in Tehran. She was arrested by the security forces on November 18, 2019, at her place of residence in Tehran. On December 12, 2019, she was transferred to one of IRGC’s Intelligence department detention centers. His places of residence was searched by the security forces at the time of arrest and her husband’s and her belongings were confiscated. She was eventually transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison after completion of her interrogation at the IRGC’s detention center on December 12, 2019. According to a source close to Ms. Ahmad Khanbeigi, she is suffering from seizure and epilepsy but the prison authorities have provided only a portion of her medications. Ms. Ahmad Khanbeigi was arrested along two other citizens for writing slogans on walls on January 16, 2019, and was sentenced to four years and five months imprisonment by the Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran presided by judge Iman Afshari for the charge of “assembly and collusion against the national security and propaganda against the state”. On March 2, 2019, she was temporarily released on a bail of 150 million Tomans [aprox. $12,500]. Her sentence was upheld by appeals court without a hearing.

In addition, Mohammadreza Fathalizadeh was sentenced to one-year imprisonment by the Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran presided by judge Iman Afshari for the charge of “assembly and collusion”. Mohammadreza Fathalizadeh was born on April 20, 1997. He was arrested by the agents of the Ministry of Intelligence in Tehransar, amid the last November’s protests and was transferred to the Ward 5 of Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary after completion of his interrogation.

Mehdi Naghdi is another arrested citizen who was sentenced to three years imprisonment by the Branch 24 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran presided by judge Mohammadreza Amouzad for the charge of “assembly and collusion through attending protest rallies”. Mehdi Naghdi, son of Gholamreza, was born in 1973 and is a professor of political science at the University of Tehran. He was arrested on November 23, 2019, by the IRGC’s intelligence department and was transferred to the Ward 5 of Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary after completion of his interrogation.

Ali Asghar Khodabandehloo, was sentenced to 3 years suspended imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion” and to 6 months imprisonment for the charge of “propaganda against the state” by the Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided by judge Iman Afshari based on his attendance in the last November’s protest rallies. Mr. Khodabandehloo is a student of architecture at Azad University, South Tehran Campus. He was arrested by the security forces in front of Tehranpars neighborhood’s Basij station on November 18, 2019, and was transferred to the Ward 5 of Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary after completion of his interrogation.

The nationwide protests of November are one of the most significant events of 2019. During the November protests that lasted more than 10 days simultaneously in 719 parts of the country. At least 7133 people were arrested, hundreds died on the streets, and many protesters got gunshot wounds.

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Khosro Sadeghi Borujeni was sentenced to eight years imprisonment

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Cultural
Khosro Sadeghi Borujeni

Khosro Sadeghi Borujeni, a sociology graduate, was sentenced to eight years imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. Based on the Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, the charge with the highest penalty will be considered; this means that Mr. Borujeni should serve five years in prison for the charge of “assembly and collusion with an intention to commit a crime against national security”.

Khosro Sadeghi Borujeni was arrested and interrogated after being summoned to the Branch 2 of Evin’s prosecutor’s office on May 8, 2019. His arrest warrant was later changed to 300 million Tomans bail [approx. $30,000]. He was temporarily released from Evin Prison on a 300 million Tomans bail[approx. $30,000].

His trial was on July 28, 2019. According to the verdict ordered by the Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran presided by judge Mohammad Moghiseh, Mr. Borujeni was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for the charge of “ assembly and collusion with an intention to commit crime against the national security”, to one-year imprisonment for the charge of “propaganda against the state”,  and to two years imprisonment for the charge of “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic”; a total of eight years imprisonment.

Mr. Borujeni has been conducting research on neoliberalism and the political economy of Iran and has written several articles on these subjects in recent years. His essays “Critique of Neoliberalism” was published by H&S Media Publishing Company in the UK.  His other book “Globalization and Inequality” was published by Porsesh Publishing Company back in 2011.

An update on the arestees of the November and January protests in Iran

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Other

The nationwide protests of November are one of the most significant events of 2019. During the November protests that lasted more than 10 days simultaneously in 719 parts of the country. At least 7133 people were arrested, hundreds died on the streets, and many protesters got gunshot wounds. In addition, on January 8, 2020, the Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, killing all 176 people onboard. On January 11, 2020, thousands of people took to the streets across the country after General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran officially admitted that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unintentionally shot down a Ukrainian airliner in Tehran. HRANA has earlier published a report about January protests.

Detention Centers

Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary is one of the detention centers that houses many of the last November and January protests’ arrestees. Many of the arrestees (mostly from the southern parts of Tehran and Alborz Province) are placed with other inmates charged with other types of crimes in Ward 5 of this prison. This is against the prisoner classification regulations that requires the prisons to separate inmates according to the nature of the crimes they are charged and found guilty of. The mentioned Ward that eight days ago housed more than 200 political prisoners who were arrested during the recent uprisings has undergone a change in its population after half of those prisoners were released and many other prisoners with other types of crimes were transferred from Evin Prison. By the time this report was compiled (February 3, 2020) the number of political prisoners in this Ward was about 100.

In addition, Among the arrestees, there are people who were injured by a gunshot when they were arrested. These citizens are transferred to this prison while Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary is facing an overload of prisoners, lack of air conditioning and heating facilities, and a shortage of blanket and warm water.

The following report identifies 138 political prisoners and their detention conditions.

Charges

The arrestees are mostly charged with “assembly and collusion against national security”, “insulting the Supreme Leader”, “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic”, “vandalism (damaging governmental property)”, “disturbing public order”. “disturbing public opinion”, “propaganda against the state”, and “insulting high-ranking authorities”. Their cases are sent to the Branch One of the Evin Prison’s prosecutor’s office, the Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, the Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court presided by judge Iman Afshari, the Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Mohammad Moghiseh, the Branch 24 of the Revolutionary Court presided by judge Mohammadreza Amouzad, and the Revolutionary Court of Robat Karim.

Last November Protests

Most of the protesters of the last November’s protests who are kept in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary were arrested between November 15, 2019, to December 15, 2019, by the IRGC (Sarallah Camp). These citizens were beaten and experienced mistreatment at the time of arrest and were briefed on their accusations in Parand and Baharestan’s prosecutor’s offices.

The primary court session for 10 of the arrested has been in session and their imprisonment sentences have been ordered.

Here is a list of 88 detainees (still in prison) who are in a limbo state:

Majid Kharabati, Mohammadreza Esmaeilian Zareian, Ali Bikas, Mohsen Shakouri, Abolfazl Karimi, Seyed Hamidreza Noshai, Hasan Abbasi, Abolfazl Shahabi, Mohammad Moalemian, Jamil Ghahremani, Mehdi Ghalandari, Shahin Motaharzadeh, Danial Bakhshi, Ali Darabi, Farshid Eftekhari, Mehran Jalilvand, Mehdi Hasanpour, Morteza Amirbeigloo, Ali Asghar Karimi, Hosein Reyhani, Mohsen Roshani, Reza Sarvestani, Mohammad Jahani, Masoud Zadkhak, Mehdi Vahidi, Ali Ebadi, Mohammad Adam, Pouria Foroughi, Mohammad Bagher Saadi, Mohammadreza Amiri, Siamak Moghimi, Behnam Bazobandi, Mohammad Kadimani, Tohid Fotouhi, Abolfazl Maghsoudi, Reza Moradian, Ali Mehmandoust, Vahid Mehmandoust, Soheil Alipanah, Matin Ezadi, Mohammadreza Eslami, Ali Kazemi, Mohammad Rashidi, Hamed Karami, Majid Farzad, Behnoud Esmaili, Hossein Nikcheh Farahani, Saeed Asadi, Sajad Salarvand, Seyed Amid Mousavi, Arya Hamedi Rad, Mohammad Eghbali, Saber Rezaei, Hossein Tajik, Farshad Niazi, Ali Akbar Hadipour, Reza Alidoust, Omid Hejazi, Ali Asghar Keramati, Abolfazl Toosi, Javad Adinehvand, Ramin Hosseinpour, Amir Morovati, Saeed Mavedati, Omid Mohammadian, Ali Akbar Moradi, Behnam Nafarieh, Behnam Khakzad, Saeed Golbodaghi, Meisam Khaki, Milad Mahmoudi, Mohammad Rajabi, Ali Nabizadeh, Saeed Tamjidi, Hamid Farahbakhsh, Amir Salman Shirizad, Amir Hossein Keshavarzi, Pouria Mirzaei, Alireza Hosseinzadeh, Iman Daraei, Mohammadreza Doostdar, Mir Mohsen Ghoreishi, Mir Reza Ghoreishi, Masoud Torkpour, Seyed Mohammadreza Mousavi, Ramin Behnoush, Ahmad Ali Hatamian, Seyed Mahmoud Mousavi, Siamak Momeni.

Siamak Momeni, a political prisoner and one of the arrestees of the last November’s protest committed suicide by cutting his hand’s vein on January 25, 2020, and was transferred to the hospital but has not yet been returned to the Ward. Mr. Momeni is 18 years old and committed suicide after his sentence of 10 years imprisonment was ordered by the Revolutionary Court. In addition, Saber Rezaei was wounded by gunshot during the protests.

As mentioned earlier, 23 detained protesters of the last November’s protests were temporarily released on bail who are identified as the following:

Milad Arsanjani, Sina Naimipour, Javad Monafi, Mohsen Tashakori, Ehsan Khazaei, Mohammad Javad Foroughi, Hossein Adam, Mohammadreza Fathalizadeh, Kaveh Asadi, Mohsen Adibzadeh, Iman Abdi, Arash Salari, Mohammad Lotfi, Iraj Deldari, Danial Dadashzadeh, Mohammad Ali Safari, Shahram Kalantari, Rouzbeh Jahangiri, Shervin Beigi, Siamak Paymard, Jafar Dehdari, Reza Allahyari, Vahid Najafi Khuzestani.

Siamak Paymard, Jafar Dehdari, Reza Allahyari, and Vahid Najafi Khuzestani were shot in Qarchak during the last November’s protests. They were transferred to Tharallah Camp after being arrested and then to the hospital. They are charged with “assembly and collusion against national security”.

The inmates of the aforementioned ward are mostly residents of the poor neighborhoods of southern Tehran and were arrested in those areas. They mostly have no college education.

January Protests

During the January 2020 protests, more than 500 people were arrested on January 12 in Tehran of whom 300 were transferred to Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary. Some of them were temporarily released on bail and some others were transferred to Evin Prison. Only a few of them are still in Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary. These citizens who are mostly college students and government/private employees were arrested by the agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and were briefed in the Branch One of the Evin Prison’s prosecutor’s office. They were beaten, threatened and mistreated at the time of their arrest.

Most of these detainees were released in the past few days. However, there are still two detainees who have not been released. They are identified as Iman Heydari and Pouria Gozarabadi.

The name of 25 citizens who were arrested during the January protests and were released from Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary the last week of January 2020, were identified as the followings:

Bahador Hadizadeh, Mohammad Pakpour, Morteza Hosseini Lavasani, Pouria Foroughi, Pouya Gozarabadi, Iman Poonaki, Siavash Monfared, Mostafa Farahani, Bahram Fardi, Masoud Khaksar, Amir Soleiman Shiralizad, Mohammad Rajabi, Ali Salimi, Ashkan Dehghan, Nima Rajabzadeh, Kamyar Saadati, Behrouz Habibi, Mehrdad Norouzi, Mottaleb Kardarfar, Habib Pashai, Kasra Taghavi, Emad Rashidi, Sahand Babaei, Shahab Reisi, Behnam Zandi.

Injured protesters died due to infections

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Amir (Shahpour) Ojani, Mohammad Maleki, November Protests

Mohammad Maleki

Mohammad Maleki, born in 1996, was married and a resident of Qaleh Mir in Baharestan County in Tehran Province. He was a peddler and his only child was born two weeks ago. Mr. Maleki, 23-year old, was shot in the waist by the security forces in Saveh road during the last November’s mass protests. He was permanently paralyzed after the bullet passed his lungs and destroyed his spine. He passed away because of the injuries on January 26, 2020, two weeks after the birth of his child. He was buried on January 28 in Tehran.

A source close to Mr. Maleki told HRANA that Mr. Maleki was released from the hospital in December 2019 and died on January 26, 2020, in his residence. The physician who was called to visit him refused to issue a death certificate after learning about his condition claiming that he should inform the police. After the physician called the police, his body was taken to the forensic medicine while four undercover security agents monitored his house. His body was taken to Kahrizak’s medical examiner’s office despite his family’s disapproval. His family was permitted to bury him in Emamzadeh Baqer Golestan Saleh Abad cemetery in Baharestan County in Tehran Province after medical examination a removing the bullet from his body.

According to this source, his family was pressured to permit medical examination and in return, he could be regarded as a martyr and his body would be given back to his family for burial. Otherwise, he should be buried overnight without any ceremony. Eventually, his family got permission to bury him, on the condition that if later authorities find out the bullet that was removed from his body was shot by a police’s weapon, the family should pay for the bullet.

While he was in the hospital, YJC reporter interviewed him and claimed that he is a victim of rioters who shoots ordinary people. During this report that was aired on November 22 on the Iranian state TV (IRIB), Mr. Maleki explains that there are still three bullets left in his abdomen. In this report, it was implied that he was shot by the protester. The source close to him added that Mr. Maleki was in a state of fear and his injuries made him do the interview, but he disagrees that the protesters shot him.

Amir (Shahpour) Ojani

Amir Ojani was 43 years old, married, and father to four children. He owned a sandwich shop in Parand city. Mr. Ojani was shot in the foot by the security forces during the last November’s mass protests in Parand city located in Tehran Province. Several state-owned hospitals refused to admit him claiming that they received an order not to admit the injured protesters. Eventually, Ebnesina private hospital admitted him. Mr. Ojani died on January 9, 2020, because of infection and pulmonary embolism.

A source close to Mr. Ojani told HRANA that Mr. Ojani was shot in foot during the last November’s mass protests in one of the main squares of Parand city, breaking his foot’s bone. He went to a local clinic in the first 3-4 days just to refresh his bondage. After a few days, he was transferred to several hospitals, including Firouzgar Hospital in Tehran but they refused to admit him because of his gunshot wound. Finally, a private hospital accepted him, but he died because of infection and pulmonary embolism. There were only 45 days between his injury and his death.

The source added that the security forces identified him after checking footages from the CCTVs and went to his residence to arrest him when they were informed by his wife that he is hospitalized and in a serious condition. The security forces went to the hospital to monitor him. He was banned from having a visitor in the last ten days of his life.

 

The nationwide protests of November are one of the most significant events of 2019. During the November protests that lasted more than 10 days simultaneously in 719 parts of the country. At least 7133 people were arrested, hundreds died on the streets, and many protesters got gunshot wounds.

An updated report on January protests in Iran

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Freedom of Expression, Students
Amanj Nikpay, Arman Mohammadi, Ashkan Valizadeh, Azad Abbasi, Farideh Veisi, Fatemeh Mohammadi, January Protests, Keyvan Anbari, Keyvan Kouti, Majid Mehripour, Mohammad Amin Hosseini, Mohammad Esmaeili, Mohammad Sefid Jameh, Mohammad Sheykh Kanlu, Nabi Tardast, Nima Ahmadipour, Razi University, Salah Gharib, Sirus Abbasi

On January 8, 2020, the Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, killing all 176 people onboard including Iranians, Canadians, Ukrainians, Swedes, Afghans, Germans, and British nationals. On January 11, 2020, thousands of people took to the streets across the country after General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran officially admitted that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unintentionally shot down a Ukrainian airliner in Tehran. He blamed human error and US adventurism for this plane crash. HRANA has earlier published a report about the first three days of the protest.

Between January 11-14, people took to the streets in 21 cities and 21 universities:

Cities: Isfahan, Mashhad, Tabriz, Sari, Kerman, Shiraz, Amol, Babol, Gorgan, Rasht, Sanandaj, Tehran, Karaj, Semnan, Arak, Yazd, Kermanshah, Qods, Zanjan, Ahvaz, Qazvin

Universities: University of Arak, University of Damghan, University of Tehran campus of Karaj, Shahid Beheshti University,  Isfahan University of Technology, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology, Alzahra University, Iran University of Science and Technology, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, University of Kurdistan, Bu-Ali Sina University, Razi University, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran University of Art, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and Tabriz University. Moreover, the demonstration inside the Amirkabir University of Technology got violent after anti-riot police fired tear gas. Witnesses reported that an unprecedented number of militia forces were among the protesters. In Tehran, protests held in Rodaki street, Jomhoori street, Ostad Moin and from Azadi square to Sadeghieh square.

The themes of the slogans used by the demonstrators in Tehran were: calling the authorities to take accountability, questioning the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ actions, and urging the resignation of the Supreme Leader and other country’s seniors. They protest the government’s coverup and chant slogans such as “Death to liars!” and “Death to the dictator!”

Forces used against protesters

Security forces, anti-riot police, and militia groups used tear gas, shooting rubber bullet, and birdshot against protestors and several protesters were injured or arrested. According to Amnesty International, security forces and Intelligence department’s agents were at hospitals and in some cases wanted to transfer the injured protesters to military hospitals. Several hospitals in Tehran did not accept injured claiming that they fear being arrested if admitting injured protesters. According to Amnesty International, a woman was sexually assaulted by militia groups. A few hours after her arrest, an agent took her to a room and forced her to perform oral sex on him and was about to rape her.

On January 12, two women were shot in foot on Azadi street in Tehran and their status is unknown. 14 people were arrested in Amol and their whereabouts is still unknown after one week.

Arrests

On January 14, Iran’s Judiciary spokesman, Gholam Hossein Esmaeili, confirmed the arrest of 30 people in the protests. He also confirmed the arrest of the British Ambassador to Iran and added that no other foreigner was arrested. The head of the security department of Iranian Police confirmed the arrest of several people suspected to be leaders of protesters who encouraged others in the cyberspace to act against the national security.

HRANA identified 20 arrested individuals during January protests:

1.Keyvan Anbari, arrested in Tabriz, on January 12

2.Mohammad Sefid Jameh, arrested in Tabriz, on January 12

3.Nima Ahmadianpour, arrested in Tabriz, on January 12

4.Moslem Soleimani (student), arrested in Kurdistan, on January 15

5.Zanyar Ahmadpour (student), arrested in Kurdistan, on January 15

6.Arshad Atabak(student), arrested in Kurdistan, on January 15

7.Majid Mehrpouri (student), arrested in Tehran, on January 12

8.Ashkan Valizadeh, arrested in front of the Razi University in Kermanshah, on January 12

9.Salah Gharibi, arrested in front of the Razi University in Kermanshah, on January 12

10.Nabi Tardast, Razi University in Kermanshah, on January 12

11.Mohammad Esmaeili, arrested in Tehran, on January 12

12.Mohammad Amin Hosseini, arrested in Gorgan, on January 12

13.Fatemeh (Mary) Mohammadi (former political prisoner), arrested in Tehran, on January 12

14.Ali Noorizad, arrested in Tabriz, on January 12

15.Shora Fekri, arrested in Amol, on January 12

16.Robert Macaire (British Ambassador to Iran), arrested in Tehran, on January 11

17.Hossein Karoubi (the son of Mehdi Karoubi), arrested in Tehran, on January 13

18.Rakhshan Banietemad (film director), arrested in Tehran, on January 13 and was released after few hours

19.Siavash Hayati, arrested in Kermanshah, on January 12 and was released on January 15

20.Masoud Hokmabadi (theater producer), arrested in Mashhad, on January 18; he announced earlier that he will not participate in Fajr Festival. According to Emtedad News, this is the reason for his arrest.

21.Ali Farmani (sound designer and producer), arrested in Shiraz (after attending a memorial ceremony for the victims of the plane crash), January 19.

Additional arrests

10 individuals were arrested by the security forces in Ilam, Sanandaj, Dehglan, Marivan, Khoy, and Kermanshah which according to Center of Democracy and Human Rights in Kurdistan, these arrests were related to their participation in protests after Iran admitted that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unintentionally shot down a Ukrainian airliner in Tehran

1.Amir Ali Majd was beaten and arrested by the security forces at his book store on January 18, in Ilam.

2.Arman Mohammadi was arrested by IRGC officers in Sanandaj on January 17.

3.Sirus Abbasi and his wife Farideh Veisi were arrested on January 14 at “Zanest Educational Center” by Dehgolan Intelligence Department and were transferred to Sanandaj. His brother, Azad Abbasi, who went to the Intelligence Department’s office to follow up on their case was also arrested.

4.Keyvan Kouti was arrested by the highway patrol in Sarpol Zahab and was transferred to a detention center in Kermanshah, on January 14.

5.Amanj Nikpay was arrested by the Intelligence department’s officers on January 14, His father, Khaled Nikpay, who went to the Intelligence department office to follow up on his son’s case, was arrested and released on bail after interrogation. Moreover, Mohammad Sheykh Kanlu was arrested by the IRGC officers in Khoy and was transferred to the Urmia Intelligence detention center and Saman Abdolalizadeh was arrested by the security forces in Kermanshah.

 

Backlashes

Several artists said that they will not participate in the Fajr Festival:

The executives and judges of the Fajr Visual Arts Festival in categories of photography, graphic art, and ceramic art and 40 cartoonists will not participate as an act of protest. In addition, the following artists and actors/actresses will not participate in the Fajr Film Festival: Masoud Kimiai, film director, Fatemeh Motamed-Arya, Afsaneh Mahiyan, Naghmeh Samini, Saeed Changizian, Shiva Fallahi, Manouchehr Shoja, Mohammadreza Jadidi, Behrouz Seifi, Maryam Deyhoul, Amir Sepehr Taghilou, Rojan Kordnejad, Mehdi Safarzadeh Khaniki, Amir Ahmad Ghazvini, Romin Mohtasham, Seifollah Samadian, Kiyarang Alaei, Shahriar Tavakoli, Mehdi Khoushki (theater director), Amin Amiri, Samaneh Zandinejad, Shirin Samadi, Nooroldin Heydari Maher, Amin Tabatabaei, Arash Dadgar, Meisam Abdi, Alireza Koushk Jalali, Naghmeh Samini, Shirin Samadi, Atila Pesyani, theater group “Quantum”, Cinemafa News Agency, theater group “Vaghti Bozorgtar Boudam”, and theater group “Parvaneh Aljarayeri”. Moreover, Shahram Lasemi, Zahra Khatami Rad, and Saba Rad announced their resignations from their posts at the state television on their Instagram pages.

Keyvan Saket, composer, and Tar player, in a note on his Instagram page, expressed his empathy for people’s protesting the shot down of Ukrainian Airline flight 752 by IRGC and announced that he will not participate in any of the Fajr Festivals. Alireza Ghorbani, an Iranian singer, canceled his concerts on January 17-18.

Voria Ghafouri, an Iranian footballer, wrote on his personal page “I am speechless about the tragedy but covering the reality was unacceptable. The people who were responsible for it should be tried. Also, people who are distributing lies on the state TV”.

Monireh Arabshahi, Nasrin Sotoudeh, and, Maryam Akbari Monfared Iranian Association of Writers for Children and Youth, and Iranian Journalist Association wrote separate announcements to denounce the plane crash and called on resignation and trial of authorities who caused this tragedy.

Lufthansa Airlines canceled its flights to Tehran till March 28, 2020. Sweden canceled Iran Air flights between Tehran to Stockholm and Gothenburg. Several other airlines changed their flight routes from Tehran and Iraq to avoid flying over the Iranian airspace.

 

The videoes of the January protests (first, second, third and fourth days) are available on Youtube.

Injured protesters are facing life threatening infections

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Freedom of Expression
Abdollah Yamasi, ahvaz, Anvar Matroudi, Ardeshir Omidi, Behbahan, Ebrahim Sheikhi, Eslamshahr, Iman Alafchin, Karaj, Mahshahr, Majid Majdam, Maryam Payab, Meisam Odgipour, Mohammad Kamrani, November Protests, Qods, Sirjan

The nationwide protests of November are one of the most significant events of 2019. During the November protests that lasted more than 10 days simultaneously in 719 parts of the country. At least 7133 people were arrested, hundreds died on the streets, and many protesters got gunshot wounds. This report is compiled by HRANA from field investigations of the injured individuals during the last November’s protests. The majority of the injured who are interviewed for this report are living in Karaj, Eslamshahr, Sirjan, Behbahan, Mahshahr, Qods, and Ahvaz. Their ages range between 19 to 30 and were mostly shot in their feet, chest, and upper body.  They are suffering from life-threatening infections.

Alborz and Tehran

An informed source told HRANA that more than 20 days after the protests, a trusted physician agreed to treat seven of the injured in Karaj. They were shot on the same day in Karaj. Two were shot by bird shots and five were shot by rifle bullets. One of the injured was severely shot in his right foot and right shoulder and was bleeding heavily.

Another informed source in Alborz Province told HRANA that some of the victims from Mohammadieh, Shahriyar, and Eslamshahr who were injured between 16 to 18 November did not seek medical help fearing to be arrested: however, they could not afford private medical treatment. Therefore, one of the injured, a 19-year-old, died because of injuries and infection. The others are relying only on antibiotics to fight infections. The bullets are mostly in the chest and face and the upper body of these victims. Ayob Bahramian is one of the victims who left his house in Shahriar for shopping on November 16 and was shot in the thigh while crossing the street. He was hospitalized and went to a coma. He died on December 18, 2019. He was married and father of a four-year-old and a five-month-old baby.

One of the protesters in Qods city was shot in a foot while filming the security forces beating the protesters. His injury was not serious and was later treated by a trusted doctor.

An informed source told HRANA about the condition of the injured in Qods city “the first night of the protest, about 60 to 70 injured protesters were transferred to the hospital by the police vans and were treating under control of the police. Some of these injured were interrogated and released while being treated”.

Khuzestan

Another protester who interviewed with HRANA was shot by tear gas from a very short distance that broke his ribs. Some of the injured in Behbahan who were hospitalized, and their identities were given to the police are as the following:

1- Ardeshir Omidi, shot in both feet

2- Mohammad Kamrani lost his knee to a gunshot wound

3- Ebrahim Sheikhi, from Asad Abad village in Behbahan who was shot in the eye

4- Iman Alafchin, living in Khorasani neighborhood of Behbahan, who was shot in thigh and hand on November 16 was transferred to Ahvaz Hospital. He lost one foot from the knee down due to severe bleeding and medical negligence. The hospital billed him for approx. $2000. He couldn’t afford to pay this bill, so the hospital refused to release him. He is a baker and lives with his brother.

5- Maryam Payab was shot with a rifle bullet in the waist on November 16 and underwent surgery in Shahidzadeh Hospital in Behbahan She was released three days later by paying approx. $250. She was later arrested on December 19, 2019.

Three of the arrested citizens in Behbahan were also injured and have not contacted their families after their arrest. An informed source told HRANA that the security forces did not allow the personnel of Behbahan Hospital to register the injured individuals. They were even present in the operation rooms and took away the injured right after the bullets were removed from them. They even took bodies out of the hospital. Another citizen was shot in the neck and is in a coma in Ahvaz Hospital where he is under 24-hour monitoring of the security forces. The family of this victim is not allowed to visit him.

Meisam Odgipour, a resident of Khoramshahr, Anvar Matroudi, and Abdollah Yamasi, residents of Shadegan who were injured during the last November’s protest were arrested after being transferred to the hospital. Another citizen of Mahshar who was shot is not yet been treated and his life is in danger. Majid Majdam, a resident of Sarband, in Karun county in Khuzestan, was injured and died in the hospital. In addition, Mansour Dorris, son of Sarabad’s Imam of Friday Prayer was killed by gunshot and was buried on November 26, 2019.

Other provinces

Two protesters in Sirjan were treated by a trusted doctor. They were shot in the stomach. In Yasuj and Gachsaran, some of the arrested protesters were beaten severely. Among them, a 30-year old man had a broken wrist as a result of police beating. He was denied medical treatment and was transferred to the prison where he was only given pain killers for his injury before being released on bail.

Ayub Bahramian

 

Infections of the injured protesters