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Execution of Seven Individuals in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

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Executions, News
Ahmad Narooie, Arman Hedayati, Ghezel Hesar prison, Kamran Saghaie, Karaj, Mohammad Narooie

At dawn October 9, at least seven prisoners were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

Among those executed were Ahmad Narooie, Mohammad Narooie, and Kamran Saghaie, who had been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court for drug-related charges. Additionally, the Criminal Court sentenced two Afghan nationals to death for rape. The remaining two prisoners, who had been convicted of murder, included Arman Hedayati, whose identity was verified by HRANA.

Ahmad Narooie and Mohammad Narooie were from Sistan and Baluchestan, and Kamran Saghaie was from Khorramabad. The Narooie brothers were previously arrested in Tehran for possessing 25 kilograms of crystal meth and were sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. Saghaie was arrested in Shahriar for trafficking 700 kilograms of morphine and later received a death sentence.

Details about other executed individuals, as reported by Etemad newspaper, are as follows:

According to Etemad, one of the two prisoners convicted of murder had killed his father in 2007 during a family dispute. Initially, he attempted to murder his 10-year-old niece to take revenge on his brother but ultimately killed his father. After his trial and sentencing, he was granted a temporary reprieve by the victim’s family but was executed once this period expired, as he failed to obtain their pardon.

The second individual was a man who, in 2021, killed his neighbor over a personal dispute and then burned the body. Despite attempts to obtain the victim’s family’s consent, he was executed after the failed negotiations.

Etemad also reported, without revealing the identities of the Afghan prisoners, that they were sentenced to death for a gang rape that took place in 2019 in western Tehran. The incident occurred when the victim, a woman, visited a villa and was assaulted by seven Afghan men. Six members of this group received death sentences, with two being executed last week and two others yesterday. The remaining two defendants are currently awaiting execution in prison.

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2023, with Zahedan Prison following closely behind. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Mohammad Ahmadi, Creator of “Dialogue Iran,” Arrested by Security Forces

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Freedom of Expression, News
Dialogue Iran, Mohammad Ahmadi

Mohammad Ahmadi, a social researcher and creator of the talk show Dialogue Iran, was arrested by security forces on Tuesday, October 8, and taken to an undisclosed location.

Although the exact reason for Mr. Ahmadi’s arrest remains unclear, it is speculated that his detention may be connected to the interviews and discussions aired on his YouTube channel, Dialogue Iran.

Ahmadi, known for his work in social research, has used the Dialogue Iran platform to engage in critical conversations and explore social issues. The program, broadcast on YouTube, has gained attention for its candid discussions on various topics.

Journalist Hossein Jafarian Sentenced to Imprisonment

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Freedom of Expression, News
Farhang Ajabshir, HRANA, IRIB, Jafarian

Hossein Jafarian, a journalist from Ajabshir located East Azerbaijan province, has been sentenced to 13 months and 16 days in prison by the Second Criminal Court of this city.

A source told HRANA, “Based on the verdict issued by the Second Criminal Court of Ajabshir on Sunday, October 6, 2024, and communicated to Mr. Jafarian, he was sentenced to 13 months and 16 days in prison for the charge of ‘spreading false information on the Internet.’”

The source added that the basis for the charge was related to his stories published on his personal Instagram account.

Jafarian is a journalist for the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) and the manager of the virtual media outlet Farhang Ajabshir. He also has a background working with Fars News Agency.

Four Prisoners, Including a Juvenile Offender, Executed in Karaj and Zahedan

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Executions, News
Ahmad Narooie, Ghezel Hesar prison, Mehdi Brahooie, Mohammad Eshaq-Zahi, Saeed Safaie, Zahedan

Today, October 9, the death sentences of four prisoners, including a juvenile offender previously convicted of drug-related charges and murder, were carried out in Zahedan and Ghezel Hesar prisons in Karaj, accroding to Haal Vsh.

The identities of these hanged prisoners have been reported as follows: Ahmad Narooie, 33, and Mohammad Eshaq-Zahi, 31, both residents of Zahedan; Mehdi Brahooie, 21; and Saeed Safaie, approximately 55 years old, Kermanshah.

According to the report, Mehdi Brahooie was arrested in 2019 at the age of 17 on murder charges following a group altercation in Khash. After spending about two years in the Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center, he was transferred to Zahedan Prison. He was eventually sentenced to death by the Juvenile Court of Sistan and Baluchestan Province and was moved to solitary confinement on Sunday, October 6, in preparation for his execution, which was carried out in Zahedan Prison.

Additionally, Narooie and Eshaq-Zahi were arrested in 2020 in Tehran, along with three others, in a joint case on drug-related charges. They were sentenced to death by the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Saeed Safaie, a retired teacher, was also arrested on drug-related charges in 2018. The executions of these three individuals were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

At the time of this report’s publication, the prison authorities and responsible organizations have yet to officially announce the executions.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Edris Karsaz Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Edris Karsaz, Idris Karsaz, Oshnavieh, Urmia

Edris (Idris) Karsaz, a resident of Oshnavieh, has been sentenced to three years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of this city, according to a report by Kurdpa.

Based on the verdict recently communicated to Mr. Karsaz, the Oshnavieh Revolutionary Court sentenced him to three years in prison for charges related to “membership and collaboration with an anti-regime group.”

On July 3, 2023, Edris Karsaz was arrested by security forces at his home in Oshnavieh without a judicial warrant and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Urmia. He was eventually released on bail from Oshnavieh Prison on August 21.

Karsaz is 55 years old and a resident of Oshnavieh.

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Reza Arabpour Sentenced to 15 Years Following 2022 Protests in Izeh

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Freedom of Expression, News
and Esmail Mousavi Nazari, Bahman Bahmani, Behrooz Salahshoor, Mohsen Ahmadpour, Rasoul Bodaghi, Sadegh Ghasemi, Vahid Abbasi

Reza Arabpour, one of the detainees from the 2022 nationwide protests in Izeh, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by Branch 4 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court.

According to his defense attorney, Hossein Ali Hatami, Mr. Arabpour was convicted on charges of “aiding and abetting moharebeh” (enmity against God) but was acquitted of charges related to participation in rebel groups. Mr. Hatami also stated that Mr. Arabpour’s vehicle has been released and that they plan to appeal the verdict. Before the issuance of this verdict, Arabpour was released on bail on September 28, 2024, after spending 21 months in detention.

On October 6, 2023, the same court acquitted several other defendants in the case—Bahman Bahmani, Mohsen Ahmadpour, Behrooz Salahshoor, Rasoul Bodaghi, Vahid Abbasi, Sadegh Ghasemi, and Esmail Mousavi Nazari—of charges including moharebeh, “corruption on earth,” and membership in groups opposing the regime.

A few months later, the joint indictment of these individuals on charges of moharebeh, corruption on earth, and forming rebel groups was referred to Branch 4 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court.

Annual Report on Executions in Iran: Marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty

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Executions, News
Citizen executions, Corruption on Earth, drug-related executions, Execution, World Day Against the Death Penalty

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)– Ahead of the World Day against the Death Penalty, the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) has published its annual report in an effort to inform the public about situation of the death penalty in Iran, particularly thousands of individuals facing the death penalty and awaiting looming executions.

HRA’s Statistics Center relies on the work of HRANA reporters, as well as a network of independent and verifiable sources. It also incorporates the judicial authorities’ announcements or confirmations of prisoner executions on media, and as such, is exposed to a margin of error representing efforts by the Iranian authorities to omit, conceal, or restrict the collection of such data.

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.

HRANA obtained 721 reports regarding executions and death penalty in Iran during this period. The identified executed individuals, include 23 women and 4 juvenile offenders under the age of 18 at the time of alleged crime. Compared to the last period, the execution of female offenders has increased 35.29%.

According to the reports obtained by HRANA, over this period, Iranian authorities sentenced at least 186 defendants to death penalty, including at least 12 women, and 3 individuals to public execution. Death sentences issued increased by 13.41% compared to the last year. In the reporting period, the Supreme Court additionally upheld 59 previously imposed death sentences.

The chart below shows a breakdown of executions by capital offense: 55.49% were charged with drug trafficking, 35.51% with murder, 2.34% with rape, 2.34% with unknown offenses, 1.23% with spying, terror, and bombing, 1.11% with Corruption on Earth (Non-political), 0.86% with Political or Security-related offenses, 0.62% with armed robbery and 0.49% with Corruption on Earth.

execution in Iran

The pie chart below displays execution numbers by the province in which they took place. According to this chart, the Alborz (where three overcrowded prisons are located)  had the highest number of executions at 21.70%. Fars and Isfahan Provinces come second and third, with 9.86% and 6.78%, respectively.

The chart below depicts the distribution of executions’ information sources. The chart indicates that 71.64% of HRANA-confirmed executions were not announced by the official Iranian sources. Undisclosed executions are referred to as “secret” executions.


The chart down shows the execution numbers by gender.

The chart below displays execution numbers by the prison where the executions were carried out. The Qezel Hesar Prison of Karaj And Adel Abad of Shiraz officials have carried out the highest number.

The chart below displays percentage of executions carried out in public vs the number of executions that were carried out in prison. According to statistics, 0.49% of the executions in Iran were carried out in public.

 

For further inquiries please contact Skylar Thompson, Deputy Director Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) at [email protected]

Motahareh Goonehi Arrested and Transferred to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News, Students
Ardabil University, Mahdi Hadizadeh, Motahareh Goonehi, Tehran

Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, has announced the arrest and imprisonment of Motahareh Goonehi, a student activist.

The report indicates that her arrest and imprisonment were prompted by content she posted on social media.

On the previous day, Ms. Goonehi had received an electronic summons ordering her to appear before Branch 9 of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office for Media and Culture.

The Deputy Minister for Culture and Student Affairs at the Ministry of Health also announced that Goonehi’s right to continue her studies has been revoked, and a disciplinary file has been opened against her at the university.

Recently, the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office pressed charges against Goonehi, a suspended student from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, citing her “online posts” regarding Iran’s recent military actions.

Earlier, Ms. Goonehi had announced her transfer to Ardabil University. She and her husband, Mahdi Hadizadeh, also a student at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, had previously been temporarily suspended and transferred to Ardabil University of Medical Sciences by the Central Committee of the Ministry of Health.

On May 1, 2024, Goonehi was detained by IRGC Intelligence agents in Tehran after being summoned. She was taken to Evin Prison but was released on bail after several days of detention.

In July, Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to one year in prison.

Goonehi, a dentistry student and former political secretary of the Islamic Association of Students at the University of Tehran and Tehran University of Medical Sciences, had also been detained by security forces during the nationwide protests of 2022.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Mohammadreza Khalili Sentenced to One Year in Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Azerbaijani Turk activist, Mohammadreza Khalili, Rasht

Mohammadreza Khalili, a 22-year-old Azerbaijani-Turk activist, has been sentenced to one year in prison by a court in Rasht.

According to HRANA, Khalili was convicted based on a recent ruling issued by the Judiciary of Rasht. He was sentenced to one year in prison on charges of “inciting or provoking people to warfare and violence with the intent to disrupt national security.” Khalili defended himself against these charges on August 6, 2024, in Branch 103 of the Astara Criminal Court.

Previously, this activist, originally from Khalkhal, was arrested by the Cyber Police (FATA) in the city of Sowme’eh Sara, Gilan Province, and subsequently transferred to prison. He was later released on bail set at 2 billion tomans.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) recorded 329 reports, citing the arrest of 324 citizens linked to ethnic and national rights. Notably, 156 of these arrests occurred without the issuance of a judicial warrant.

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence of Political Prisoner Mahmood Mehrabi

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Executions, News
Dastgerd, Mahmoud Mehrabi, Revolutionary Court in Isfahan

The Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of Mahmood (Mahmoud) Mehrabi, a political prisoner detained at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, after accepting his appeal. The case has now been referred for retrial to a different branch of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan.

Mehrabi’s defense attorney, Babak Farsani, confirmed the development, stating: “Through the diligent efforts of our legal team and the support from the Supreme Court, the death sentence of my client, Mehrabi, initially convicted of ‘corruption on earth,’ has been annulled. His case has now been assigned for retrial to a parallel branch of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan.” In June, Farsani had noted that his appeal highlighted over ten major errors in the original verdict, each providing substantial grounds for the Supreme Court to reconsider.

In May, Branch 5 of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan had sentenced Mehrabi to death for “corruption on earth,” citing “the extensive dissemination of false information” on his Instagram account as a primary offense.

Mehrabi was first arrested by security forces in Isfahan on February 1, 2023. He was released on bail from Dastgerd Prison on March 16, 2023, but was re-arrested at his home in Isfahan only hours after his release, and subsequently returned to the same prison.

In September 2023, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Mobarakeh County indicted Mehrabi on several charges, including “corruption on earth through spreading false information, anti-regime propaganda on social media, inciting military and police forces to disobey orders and surrender online, inciting violence and unrest to disrupt security, and insulting the Supreme Leader and Ruhollah Khomeini on social media.”

In January 2024, Mehrabi faced additional charges, including “publishing criminal content in the media and insulting religious figures and sacred entities.”

Mahmood Mehrabi, 35, a resident of Isfahan, worked as an electrical engineer prior to his arrest.