The report states that the arrest took place at Ebrahimian’s residence. So far, no information has been obtained about the reasons for the arrest or the whereabouts of Mr. Ebrahimian.
Afzali was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Nasrollah Mousavi, Bijan Gholizadeh, and Iman Salehi each received 5 years. Zohrab Shahbazi was sentenced to 9 months. The report also states that the two other Christian converts, whose identities are unknown, were each sentenced to 2 years in prison.
The report does not mention the charges brought against these citizens.
Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Islamic law, the security services pursue the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity and deal harshly with those who convert to Christianity.
The persecution of Christian converts is a blatant violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which state that every individual has the right to freedom of religion and belief, including the freedom to express their faith openly or privately.
Lawyer Mostafa Nili shared publicly that: “Based on the verdict issued by Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Narges Mohammadi has been sentenced to one year in prison for propaganda against the regime.” According to Nili, the reasons for this sentence include Ms. Mohammadi’s comments about Dina Ghalibaf, her letter regarding the boycott of parliamentary elections, and her letters to the parliaments of Sweden and Norway.
The trial for the charges against this renowned human rights activist was held on June 8 without her presence at the aforementioned branch.
Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has faced multiple convictions, was sentenced in January of this year by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, to fifteen months in prison, two years exile from Tehran and neighboring provinces, a two-year travel ban, a two-year ban on membership in social-political groups, and a two-year ban on using a smartphone for propaganda against the regime.
In October 2020, Mohammadi was released from Zanjan Prison after serving about five and a half years. Shortly after, regarding a case opened against her during her imprisonment, she was sentenced by a Criminal Court in Tehran to thirty months in prison, eighty lashes, and two fines.
In November 2021, during a memorial ceremony for the second anniversary of the death of Ebrahim Ketabdar, one of the victims of the November 2019 protests, she was arrested by security forces in Karaj. Subsequently, Ms. Mohammadi was sentenced by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to eight years in prison, seventy-four lashes, two years of exile, and other social deprivations.
In October 2022, regarding another case opened against her during her imprisonment, she was sentenced by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to one year and three months in prison along with other additional punishments. In August of last year, she was also sentenced to one year in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.
In 2023, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Narges Mohammadi by the Norwegian Nobel Committee “for her courageous fight for freedom and human rights over three decades.”
Mahan Mehrabi, Ms. Mehrabi’s brother, posted an update: “Today, my sister Maryam was arrested by security forces. Additionally, the security forces confiscated all electronic devices, including laptops and mobile phones.”
So far, there is no information on the reasons for her arrest or the whereabouts of Ms. Mehrabi and her children.
Mehrabi was previously arrested in March 2023 while pursuing her brother Mahmoud Mehrabi’s case. She was detained by security forces at the Mobarakeh County Prosecutor’s Office and transferred to Dolatabad Prison in Isfahan. This citizen was released on bail three days later. Last September, she was sentenced by Branch 102 of the Criminal Court Two of Mobarakeh City to seventy-four lashes and three months in prison, which was later converted to a fine.
Based on the verdict issued by the third branch of the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz, presided over by Judge Fathinia, and communicated to Mr. Mousavi, he has been sentenced to fifteen years in prison on charges including “membership in groups aimed at disrupting national security” and “propaganda against the regime through promoting Zionist Christianity.”
Mousavi was previously arrested on December 24, 2023, along with several other Christian converts in the city of Izeh. After enduring twenty days of solitary confinement at the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, he was transferred to Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz. Mousavi was released on bail from Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz on April 30, 2024.
Mousavi has a history of previous arrests and imprisonment in October 2017, April 2021, and November 2022.
Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Islamic law, the security services pursue the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity and deal harshly with those who convert to Christianity.
The persecution of Christian converts is a blatant violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which state that every individual has the right to freedom of religion and belief, including the freedom to express their faith openly or privately.
Based on the verdict issued on June 11 by Branch 105 of the Yasuj Criminal Court, Toorang was sentenced to one year in prison and 74 lashes for the charge of “disturbing public order by causing unrest and participating in protests on December 7, 2022.”
A source close to the family confirmed this news to HRANA, stating: “Mr. Toorang’s case was previously closed following the issuance of an amnesty directive. However, the case was reopened, and after the rejection of the appeal request, he was summoned to start serving his sentence.”
Toorang, aged around 29, was initially arrested by security forces in Dehdasht on December 26, 2022. He was released on bail from Yasuj Prison on February 2, 2023. He was re-arrested by security forces in Yasuj on September 15, 2023, coinciding with the first anniversary of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini’s death, and was released on bail after 11 days.
Based on information received by HRANA, Mohammadian’s arrest took place on Sunday, June 16, by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence. Mohammadian is a relative of Kourosh Jalil, a detained citizen from Yasuj who is currently being held by the Ministry of Intelligence’s office in this city.
As of the time of this report, no information is available about the location where Shahab Mohammadian is being held or the reasons for his arrest.
Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Dastyar’s arrest took place on Sunday, June 16, by agents of the Intelligence Department. A source close to the family confirmed this news to HRANA, stating: “We do not know the charges against Iman Dastyar, but it is likely that his arrest is due to posts on his Instagram page.”
As of the time of this report, no information is available about the location where this citizen is being held.
On September 21, 2022, this citizen was also arrested by security forces in one of the squares of Yasuj during the nationwide protests and was released on bail after twelve days. Dastyar was re-arrested on January 14, 2023, after being summoned to Branch 7 of the Yasuj Prosecutor’s Office. He was eventually released on bond from Yasuj Prison after seven days of detention.
A source close to Davari’s family confirmed this news to HRANA, saying: “Mr. Davari was transferred from solitary confinement to the judicial suite of Adelabad Prison, Shiraz today. At the same time, by the order of the prison supervising judge, he has been denied the ability to make phone calls to his family.”
Davari went on a hunger strike on June 8 in protest of his relocation to solitary confinement as a punitive measure.
Davari began serving his sentence on May 15 this year in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz.
Earlier in November of 2023, he was sentenced by Branch 1 of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Mahmoud Sadati, to three years of imprisonment for the charge of “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran”, a ban on leaving the country with passport cancellation, a ban on online activities, and mandatory residence in Bardsir, Kerman for two years. Additionally, for the charge of propaganda against the regime in favor of anti-regime groups, he was sentenced to one year and six months of imprisonment.
Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the most severe punishment from multiple charges, which is three years of imprisonment, will be enforceable for him.
A source close to the Davari family told HRANA about the details of the court process: “The court did not cite any examples regarding the charge of “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran” against the defendant. Furthermore, another part of his case concerning the charge of “disseminating falsehoods” is under review in the Shiraz Criminal Court.”
The hearing on Mohammad Davari’s charges was held in absentia on November 19, 2023, in this judicial body.
Mohammad Davari, aged around 30, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Azad University of Yasuj and is a Political Science undergraduate student at Golestan University of Shiraz. He has a history of arrest and conviction due to his activities.
Hamid Nouri was arrested in Sweden for crimes against humanity in the summer of 1988 and the massacre of political prisoners. During this period, his detention was extended several times by a Swedish court. On July 14, 2022, a Swedish court charged Hamid Nouri with “gross and criminal violation of international law (equivalent to war crimes) and premeditated murder,” and he was found guilty on both counts. Ultimately, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to pay compensation to the survivors and families of the victims of the 1988 executions.
Nouri was a prosecutor at Evin and Gohardasht prisons in Karaj in 1988. That summer, thousands of political prisoners in Iran were executed by the regime and secretly buried in mass graves.
Regarding Johan Floderus, an employee of the European Union’s foreign policy department, the Swedish government and the European Union had previously demanded the “immediate” release of this Swedish citizen from prison, calling his detention “arbitrary.” He faced several court sessions with charges such as “corruption on earth by a wide scale organizing act against the country’s security and territorial integrity, and collaborating with the Zionist occupying regime,” as well as “gathering and conspiring to commit crimes against national security.”
Saeed Azizi, a 63-year-old Iranian-Swedish citizen who was released along with Floderus, was arrested by security forces at his home in Tehran on November 12, 2022, during a trip to Iran. He was later sentenced to five years in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari.
