Supreme Court Rejects Retrial for Political Prisoners Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou and Mehdi Hasani

HRANA News Agency – The Supreme Court’s Branch 39 has rejected the retrial request for political prisoners Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou and Mehdi Hasani, who are currently held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. The two were sentenced to death by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court in September 2024. Their executions had recently been halted following the Supreme Court’s acceptance of their lawyer’s retrial request.

According to information received by HRANA, Branch 39 of the Supreme Court has now denied their retrial. This decision was verbally communicated to Mehdi Hasani’s lawyer today.

On January 26, 2025, the two political prisoners were transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison under the pretext of medical treatment. Their executions had been temporarily suspended after their retrial request was officially submitted and accepted by the Supreme Court.

The two were sentenced to death in late September 2024 by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, on charges of “armed rebellion (baghi),” “enmity against God (moharebeh),” “spreading corruption on earth,” collecting classified information, and collusion against national security. Their alleged membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) was cited as evidence against them.

On Monday, November 28, 2022, Mr. Ehsani was arrested at his home in Tehran and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Mr. Hasani was also arrested on September 9, 2022, while attempting to leave the country in Zanjan and was transferred to Evin Prison. Both individuals spent months in a state of uncertainty and incommunicado detention.

Behrooz Ehsani is 64 years old. Mehdi Hasani, aged around 48, is married and the father of two children. Before his arrest, he was active in the real estate sector.

Miandoab: Seven Citizens Arrested by Security Forces

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, seven residents of Miandoab—Sediq Abbasnejad, Behzad Barjasteh, Keyvan Barjasteh, Shahab Tavan, Nima Ghorbanzadeh, Mobin Majidzadeh and Khalegh Rahimi—were arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to Kurdpa, Sediq Abbasnejad is from the village of Qaleh Holakukhan, Behzad Barjasteh and Keyvan Barjasteh are from Miandoab, Shahab Tavan and Nima Ghorbanzadeh are from the village of Ebrahimabad, Mobin Majidzadeh and Khalegh Rahimi is originally from the village of Gavmish Goli but resides in the village of Shinabad.

According to the report, these individuals were arrested at dawn yesterday by security forces at their private residences without a judicial warrant.

As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the reasons for their arrest, their whereabouts, or the charges against them.

Prisoner Executed in Sepidar Prison, Ahvaz

HRANA News Agency – On Thursday, February 20, 2025, a prisoner previously sentenced to death on murder charges was executed in Sepidar Prison, Ahvaz.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, the executed prisoner has been identified as Babak Hajipour, 49, from Masjed Soleyman, Khuzestan province.

A source close to Hajipour’s family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “In 1994, following a dispute, he was arrested and charged with murder. After serving four years in prison, he was acquitted and released. However, his case was reopened, and he was sentenced to death in absentia by the Criminal Court. In 2014, he was rearrested and transferred to Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz.”

As of the time of this report, prison and judicial authorities have not publicly announced the execution.

Babak Hajipour’s Death Notice

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

Former Student Activist Ali Abdi Summoned to Serve Prison Sentence

HRANA News Agency – Ali Abdi, a former student activist, has been summoned to begin serving his prison sentence.

In a post on his Telegram channel, Abdi announced that he has been ordered to appear at the Sentence Enforcement Branch of Evin Prosecutor’s Office and will report there on Monday, February 24.

According to Abdi, he was sentenced to six years in prison for articles he wrote a decade ago about gender and sexual minorities, five years in prison for protesting the announced results of the 2009 presidential election, and one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime.” His sentence was later upheld by the Court of Appeals.

Abdi was previously arrested in June 2023 in Isfahan and spent 140 days in detention before being released on bail.

Mohammad Sultani Arrested by IRGC Intelligence in Arak

HRANA News Agency – On Friday, February 21, Mohammad Sultani (Soltani), a resident of Arak, was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents in the city. He is currently being held in one of the agency’s detention centers.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Sultani was detained by IRGC Intelligence agents on a street in Arak. A day after his arrest, he contacted his family by phone and informed them of his transfer to the agency’s detention facility.

As of the time of this report, the reasons for his arrest and any charges against him remain unknown.

Sultani had previously been arrested on August 5, 2023, after attending a memorial ceremony at the gravesite of Mehrshad Shahidi, one of those killed during the 2022 nationwide protests. Following his arrest by security forces in Arak, he was transferred to the city’s prison.

In September 2023, he and seven others were tried in a joint case by Branch 2 of the Arak Criminal Court. He was ultimately sentenced to six years in prison and 74 lashes.

On October 1, 2023, Sultani was released from Arak Prison on bail.

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67-Year-Old Political Prisoner Asadollah Hadi Denied Medical Care in Evin Prison

HRANA News Agency – Despite severe health issues and a forensic medical report confirming his inability to endure imprisonment, 67-year-old political prisoner Asadollah Hadi remains incarcerated in Evin Prison. He has been denied specialized medical treatment, phone calls, and family visits.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Asadollah Hadi continues to serve his sentence in Evin Prison without access to proper medical care.

A source close to Hadi’s family told HRANA: “Mr. Hadi suffers from cardiovascular diseases, herniated cervical and lumbar discs (which required surgery and metal implants), knee problems, hearing loss, kidney stones, and a brain condition that causes headaches and fainting. Nine years ago, the Social Security Organization confirmed that he is 63% disabled. Despite medical professionals acknowledging the severity of his condition, the forensic medical examiner ruled him unfit to endure imprisonment. However, higher authorities ordered the closure of his medical case, preventing his family from pursuing further action. He remains in urgent need of specialized treatment.”

The source added that since his arrest, Hadi has only been transferred to the hospital twice. In recent months, he has been denied family visits and phone calls. Last week, his family was once again barred from seeing him.

Hadi has previously undergone three angiographies and one open-heart surgery. In 2015, while serving a prior prison sentence, he underwent spinal surgery due to herniated cervical and lumbar discs that had affected his spinal cord, resulting in the implantation of metal screws and plates.

Asadollah Hadi was arrested on September 29, 2022, during the nationwide protests. He was initially held in Ward 209 of Evin Prison for repeated interrogations before being transferred to the Greater Tehran Prison after 45 days. Six months later, he was moved back to Evin Prison.

Without access to legal representation, Hadi was sentenced by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, to a total of seven years and seven months in prison on charges of “acting against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” His sentence was later reduced to five years by the Tehran Court of Appeals.

Hadi, a former political prisoner from the 1980s, has a history of previous arrests and convictions.

Four Months in Legal Limbo: Mohammad-Ali and Hoda Mehreganfar Denied Medical Care in Shiraz Prison

HRANA News Agency – Mohammad-Ali Mehreganfar and his daughter, Hoda Mehreganfar, political detainees from Zarghan in Fars Province, have been held in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz for over four months without due process. Despite suffering from serious health issues, both have been denied medical care and access to essential medication.

HRANA has learned that the father and daughter were arrested by security forces in Zarghan on October 22, 2024. They were held for 58 days in an IRGC Intelligence detention facility before being transferred to Adelabad Prison. Authorities have accused them of alleged ties to an opposition group, and they remain in custody without the possibility of release on bail.

A source close to the family confirmed to HRANA: “Hoda Mehreganfar had recently undergone gynecological surgery before her arrest. She received no medical care while in IRGC Intelligence detention, and now in Adelabad Prison, she is also being denied access to hospital treatment. Additionally, Mohammad-Ali Mehreganfar suffers from heart problems, and one of his eyes requires surgery, yet he has not received any medical attention.”

The source further stated: “Prison authorities have refused to provide Hoda Mehreganfar with her prescribed medications. The prison’s medical unit has informed her that she must personally cover the cost and arrange for the medicine to be brought from outside. However, she has no one outside prison to handle her medical needs.”

Mohammad-Ali Mehreganfar, 66, is a former political prisoner from the 1980s. His daughter, Hoda Mehreganfar, 38, is an electronics engineer. Both are residents of Zarghan, Fars Province.

Prisoner Executed in Bushehr Prison

HRANA News Agency – At dawn yesterday, February 20, the execution of a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death on murder charges was carried out in Bushehr Prison.

Based on information received by HRANA, the prisoner, approximately 35 years old, had committed murder during a dispute in the city of Borazjan and was subsequently sentenced to death by a criminal court.

A knowledgeable source told HRANA: “The victim was one of the managers of a private addiction treatment camp in Borazjan and a resident of the same city. About a year ago, while trying to break up a street fight, he was killed. The murder case was processed swiftly, reaching the execution stage within approximately 18 months. Today, after the victim’s family refused to grant clemency, the convicted individual was executed in prison.”

Further details, including the identity of the prisoner, are still under investigation by HRANA.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant officials have not publicly announced the execution.

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

Rap Artist EYCIN Arrested in Tehran

HRANA News Agency – Arash Sayadi (Sayyadi), a rap artist known by his stage name EYCIN, was arrested today during an underground concert in Tehran.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Sayadi was taken into custody by security police and transferred to a detention facility operated by the same agency.

Arash Sayadi, 26 years old, is a rapper and a resident of Tehran.

Two Prisoners Executed in Mahabad Prison

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on February 20, 2025, the death sentences of two prisoners convicted in separate cases of rape and murder were carried out in Mahabad Prison.

HRANA has identified the executed prisoners as Shahin Mahdavi and Soran Aminpour. According to available information, Mahdavi was sentenced to death for rape, while Aminpour was convicted of murder.

Both prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement a day before their executions.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant institutions have not publicly confirmed the executions.

Shahin Mahdavi

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