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Report on the Arrest of Four Citizens in West Azerbaijan Province

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Afshin Khalifehzadeh, Amin Bazian, Jamal Sheikhehpour, Khaled Mohammadian, Mahabad, Sardasht

In recent days, four citizens named Khaled Mohammadian, Amin Bazian, Jamal Sheikhehpour, and Afshin Khalifehzadeh were arrested by security forces in Sardasht, Piranshahr, and Mahabad and transferred to undisclosed locations.

According to HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, early Sunday morning, December 29, Sheikhehpour and Khalifehzadeh were arrested in Mahabad. These individuals, residents of Qom Qaleh village in Mahabad county, were detained without judicial warrants and taken to unknown locations.

In a separate report, Kurdpa confirmed the arrest of a citizen in Sardasht identified as Khaled Mohammadian in Sardasht County. Security forces entered Mr. Mohammadian’s home early the previous morning, arrested him without presenting a warrant, and transferred him to an undisclosed location. During the arrest, they also searched his home.

On Friday, December 27, another citizen, identified as Amin Bazian, aged around 28, a resident of Piranshahr, was arrested and taken to an unknown location.

The arrest of this individual was also carried out without a judicial warrant by security forces.

So far, no information is available regarding the reasons for the arrests or the charges brought against these citizens.

Appeals Court Upholds Prison Sentence and Political Ban for Former Isfahan City Council Member

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Freedom of Expression, News
Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, Mehdi Moghadari, مهدی مقدری

The Appeals Court of Isfahan Province has upheld the prison sentence and additional penalties imposed on Mehdi Moghadari, a former member of Isfahan’s City Council.

In its recent ruling, the court confirmed a one-year prison sentence for “propaganda against the regime.” Additionally, it upheld a set of complementary penalties, including a travel ban, a prohibition on social media activity, and a two-year ban on participation in political groups, parties, and organizations.

The initial trial for Mr. Moghadari took place in Branch 1 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court. In August 2024, the court sentenced him to these penalties.

Mr. Moghadari was first arrested by security forces in late November 2022 in Isfahan. He was released from Dastgerd Prison in February 2023 under a general “pardon” directive. The former city council member has a history of previous arrests and convictions related to his activities.

Revolutionary Court Sentences Sajjad Sadeghi to Imprisonment and Additional Punishments

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Freedom of Expression, News
Iman Afshari, Sajjad Sadeghi, سجاد صادقی

Sajjad Sadeghi, former radio host and expert, has been sentenced in absentia by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to five years and six months in prison, along with social deprivations.

The ruling, issued in absentia by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court under Judge Iman Afshari and communicated to Mr. Sadeghi, includes one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime” and four years and six months for “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security,” with previous detention time considered. He has also been sentenced to a 10-year ban on teaching and conducting research at universities as an additional punishment. Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the most severe punishment—four years and six months in prison—will be enforceable.

The court hearing for Sajjad Sadeghi’s charges was held on December 2 of 2024 in the aforementioned judicial branch.

In September, Mr. Sadeghi was arrested in Tehran by security forces and later released.

Sajjad Sadeghi has previously faced legal actions due to his activities, including prior detention and a sentence of 74 lashes.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA reported a total of 81 cases where Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, issued verdicts that violated the human rights of defendants.

Mojahed Korkor Sentenced to Death for the Second Time

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Abbas Korkor, ahvaz, Izeh, Kian Pirfalak, Mojahed Korkor, Sheiban Prison, عباس کورکور, کیان پیرفلک, مجاهد کوکور

Abbas (Mojahed) Korkor, a prisoner held in Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, has been sentenced to death for the second time by the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz. He had previously been sentenced to death by the same court, but that ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court, and his case was referred to a parallel branch for retrial.

The prisoner’s sister, in a public statement, announced: “Based on the latest information, we have learned that Mojtaba has been sentenced to death once more.”

In December of this year, the Supreme Court had overturned Korkor’s initial death sentence and referred his case for retrial to a parallel branch. In April of 2023, he had been sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz on charges such as “enmity against God” (Moharebeh) and “spreading corruption on earth” (Efsad-e Fel-Arz). Then, in December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence, and his case was forwarded to the execution enforcement branch of the Izeh court.

Korkor was initially held in solitary confinement at Sheiban Prison starting December 20, 2022, before being moved to Ward 8 in early August 2023.

The judiciary accused Korkor of involvement in the killing of Kian Pirfalak, a child who died during the 2022 nationwide protests. However, Kian’s family has consistently denied these allegations, with his mother stating, “When we were returning home, security forces opened fire on our car.”

The court had charged Korkor with “disrupting public order, causing severe injuries and the deaths of seven individuals, including Kian Pirfalak, significant damage to public and private property, forming opposition groups, and engaging in armed rebellion against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

In January 2023, the Izeh prosecutor reported that judicial cases had been filed against 70 protesters involved in the November 16 protests, during which at least seven people, including Kian Pirfalak, were fatally shot by security forces.

While officials have described the November 16 events in Izeh as “terrorist attacks,” eyewitness accounts and testimonies from victims’ families directly contradict these claims.

Italian Female Journalist Arrested in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Cecilia Sala, Evin Prison, Tehran, Zeinab Mousavi

Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the arrest of Cecilia Sala, a 29-year-old Italian journalist, in Tehran. Sala was detained on December 19, 2024.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the Ministry confirmed Sala’s identity and reported that she has made two phone calls to her family since her arrest. On Friday, December 27, Italy’s Ambassador to Tehran, Paola Amadi, visited her in prison.

Italian media have revealed that Sala is being held in solitary confinement at Evin Prison. They have linked her arrest to her reporting on Iran, including her recent publications critical of the regime.

Shortly before her detention, Sala had conducted and published an interview with Zeinab Mousavi, an Iranian comedian and creator of the character “Emperor Kuzco.”

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Charges of “Baghi” and “Moharebeh” Filed Against Rezgar Beigzadeh Babamiri, a Detainee from Nationwide Protests

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News, Prisoners
Bukan, HRANA, Rezgar Beigzadeh Babamiri, Urmia prison, رزگار بیگ زاده

Rezgar Beigzadeh Babamiri, a political detainee and resident of Bukan, has been charged with “Baghi” (armed rebellion) and “Moharebeh” (enmity against God), charges that could lead to a death sentence. He was arrested by security forces on April 17, 2023, during the nationwide protests and is currently held in Urmia Prison.

Zhino Beigzadeh Babamiri, his daughter, told HRANA that her father was arrested in Bukan for providing aid to those injured during the 2022 nationwide protests. He was subjected to nearly four months of torture in detention centers in Bukan and Urmia to extract forced confessions before being transferred to Urmia Prison.

The indictment against him, issued by Branch 10 of the Urmia Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office, includes charges of ” Moharebeh,” “Baghi,” assembly and collusion against national security,” “financing terrorism,” “propaganda against the regime,” “espionage and collaboration with hostile governments,” “possession of satellite internet equipment (Starlink),” “possession of unauthorized weapons,” “membership in illegal groups,” and “ordering an assassination.” The case has been referred to Urmia’s Revolutionary and Criminal Courts.

According to Ms. Beigzadeh, her father’s case is connected to several other defendants, and on Monday, December 23, 2024, a court session was held at Urmia Criminal Court to address accusations that he ordered the killing of a security agent. She told HRANA that there is no evidence implicating her father in this crime.

Another part of his case is being reviewed by Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court. In a letter to the head of this branch, Mr. Beigzadeh recently protested his treatment during the investigation, citing issues such as 133 days of interrogation, hearings conducted electronically, denial of his lawyer’s presence during trial sessions, and the court’s failure to address his complaints about torture during detention.

Rezgar Beigzadeh Babamiri, a resident of Bukan, was a farmer before his arrest.

Oshnavieh: Four Citizens Arrested by Security Forces

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News, Other
Mohammad Behroozi, Morad Abdollah Omari, Nouraddin Molla-Alizadeh, Oshnavieh, Tawfiq Amini, Urmia

Yesterday, December 26, four citizens from Oshnavieh, identified as Morad Abdollah Omari, Nouraddin Molla-Alizadeh, Tawfiq Amini, and Mohammad Behroozi, were arrested by security forces in this city and transferred to a security detention facility in Urmia.

Kurdpa identified the detainees as Morad Abdollah Omari, Nouraddin Molla-Alizadeh, and Tawfiq Amini, and Mohammad Behroozi, 28 years old and father of one child.

The report indicates that the arrests were carried out at their homes, without presenting a judicial warrant, and involved physical violence. The detainees were subsequently transferred to a security detention facility in Urmia.

As of now, no information is available regarding the reasons for the arrests or the charges against these individuals.

In 2024, HRANA documented 561 cases of human rights violations in West Azerbaijan Province, including Oshnavieh, placing it third among all provinces in Iran for reported violations.

Execution of Three Prisoners in Jiroft Prison on Drug-Related Charges

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Executions, News
Baneh, Jiroft Prison, Sardasht

Yesterday, December 26, three prisoners were executed in Jiroft Prison on charges related to drug offenses.

According to Kurdpa, the identities of two of them have been confirmed as “As’ad Amini, 27, from Sardasht, and Saman Fakhri, 33, from Baneh.” The report states that these two prisoners had been arrested in Jiroft in connection with a joint case involving drug-related offenses and were sentenced to death by the judiciary.
HRANA has identified the third individual as Jasem Jahan Tigh, an Afghan national. Mr. Jahan Tigh had also been previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

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

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 777 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 207 individuals to death and the execution of 883 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 772 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

Execution of Six Prisoners Carried Out in Gonabad and Adelabad Prisons

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Executions, News
Adelabad Prison, Gonabad, Gonabad Prison, Shiraz

The death sentences of six prisoners, previously convicted on separate charges of drug-related crimes and murder, were carried out in Gonabad and Adelabad prisons.

According to HRANA, quoting Hal Vash, four prisoners were executed early this morning, Thursday, December 26, 2024, in Gonabad Prison. Their identities have been confirmed as:

  • Abdullah Narooie, 35, married with two children, from Zahedan.
  • Hossein Salarzahi, approximately 45, married with three children, from Zahedan.
  • Javad Ghaffari, 35, from Mashhad.
  • Ahmad Ghafran, approximately 43, from Birjand.

The report states that Abdullah Narooie was arrested in 2020, Ahmad Ghafran and Javad Ghaffari in 2019, and Hossein Salarzahi in 2018 on drug-related charges. They were subsequently sentenced to death by the Gonabad Revolutionary Court. The prisoners were transferred from the general ward to solitary confinement on Tuesday to await execution.

Three of the prisoners were executed without a final meeting with their families.

In a separate report from the Iran Human Rights Organization, two other prisoners were executed early yesterday morning in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz. They were identified as:

  • Hamed Ranjbar, 40, from Kerman, arrested four years ago on drug-related charges.
  • Kateb Seyednian, an Afghan national arrested three years ago on murder charges.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and responsible institutions have not officially announced the executions.

According to latest HRANA’s annual report over between October 10, 2023, and October 8, 2024, at least 811 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, rising to 23.06% compared to the same period last year. Of these executions, four were carried out in public. Many of the defendants were denied a fair trial.

Death Row Prisoner Dies by Suicide in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

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News, Prisoners
Ghezel Hesar prison, Karaj, Mohammad Koushki

Yesterday, December 25, a death row prisoner in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj, ended his life by ingesting methamphetamine pills.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the prisoner has been identified as Mohammad Koushki, a resident of Kuhdasht.

Mr. Koushki had been previously arrested on drug-related charges and sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. On Wednesday, December 25, 2024, he took his own life by consuming methamphetamine pills.

The 2023 annual report by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights documented 12 suicides, one case of self-immolation, and four murders of prisoners in Iran’s prisons.