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Execution of Three Inmates at Qezel Hesar Prison

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Executions, News
Ehsan Hamedi, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, kbar Qara Gozlu, Qezel Hesar Prison

Qezel (Ghezel) Hesar Prison in Karaj recently executed three inmates who had been convicted of murder and rape.

HRANA has identified two of the executed individuals as Akbar Qara Gozlu and Ehsan Hamedi, both previously convicted of murder. The third inmate subjected to capital punishment was convicted of rape.

As of the time of this report, no official statements from authorities or coverage by domestic media outlets within the country have confirmed these executions.

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 behind. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Asadollah Fakhimi and Hoori Khanpour Receive Combined Eight-Year Prison Sentences

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Mazloum, Asadollah Fakhimi, Evin Courthouse, Hoori Khanpour

The Tehran Revolutionary Court has handed down a five-year prison sentence to Asadollah Fakhimi and three years to his wife Hoori Khanpour.

Seyed Ali Mazloum, presiding over Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, found the couple guilty of “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion against national security.”

The Ministry of Intelligence executed a raid on the couple’s residence on July 11, 2023, conducting a thorough search and seizing some of their belongings. Subsequently, Fakhimi and Khanpour were summoned to Evin Courthouse to face legal action.

Following the second inquiry session at Evin Courthouse on November 5, 2023, the couple was released on bail of one billion tomans.

Sajjad Zare Receives Ten Years and Six Months Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Adelabad Prison, Mahmoud Sadati, Sajad Zare, Sajjad Zare, Sajjad Zareh, Shiraz, سجاد زارع

Shiraz’s Revolutionary Court has issued a ten-year, six-month sentence to Sajjad Zare, a former political prisoner.

Judge Mahmoud Sadati presided over the recent ruling, sentencing Zare to seven years and six months for “assembly and collusion against national security” and three years of imprisonment with an additional two years of exile in Yazd province for “insulting the Supreme Court of Iran.”

A source close to Zare’s family informed HRANA that the verdict is notably harsh for the charges, given Zare’s previous conviction. Due to his prior record, the court applied half of the severest prison term for each count.

Sajjad Zare was apprehended by the Ministry of Intelligence on September 16, 2023, at his residence, and initially held at House No 100 detention facility before being transferred to Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.

Zare has a history of arrests and convictions. He was released from Adelabad Prison on October 4, 2021, after completing a sentence. However, on November 14 of the following year, he was arrested again, only to be released later under the “general pardon and commutation” directive.

Execution in Birjand for Drug Offenses

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Executions, News
Birjand, Citizen execution, Esmaeil Ghader Magham, Zahedan

December 27, Birjand – Haal Vsh reports that Esmaeil Ghader Magham (Brahui), a 32-year-old death-row prisoner convicted of drug offenses, was executed in Birjand Prison, South Khorasan province.

Ghader Magham, originally from Zahedan and a resident of Birjand, was arrested for drug-related crimes four years ago in Nehbandan. He was subsequently sentenced to death by the Birjand Revolutionary Court.

Despite the customary practice of allowing a final family visitation, prison officials executed Ghader Magham without providing him with this opportunity, raising concerns about the adherence to humane practices in the execution process.

At the time of writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have reported on this execution.
According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.

 

Student Arzhang Mortazavi Sentenced to Prison and Social Restrictions

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Freedom of Expression, News
Alborz province, Arzhang Mortazavi, Damghan University, Kharazmi University, ارژنگ مرتضوی

Arzhang Mortazavi, a student at Kharazmi University, has been handed a one-year sentence by the Revolutionary Court of Alborz province.

Issued by Judge Asef Al-Hosseini, the verdict finds Mortazavi guilty of “spreading propaganda against the regime,” with the detention period subtracted from the prison term. In addition to imprisonment, he faces restrictions such as a ban on joining social media communities, limited use of social media, and a two-year prohibition from leaving the country.

Security forces apprehended Mortazavi in Karaj on October 7, 2023, leading to his detention. After approximately one month, he was released on bail.

His initial arrest occurred on December 17, 2022, at the university entrance. However, on February 21, 2023, he was released from the Central Prison of Karaj under a general “pardon and commutation” directive.

In a separate development, Mortazavi faced a university suspension for four semesters and was mandated to transfer to Damghan University late last month.

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Christian Convert Esmaeil Nariman-Pour Arrested in Dezful

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News, Religious Minorities
Christian convert, Dezful, Esmaeil Nariman-Pour, Esmaeil Narimanpour, اسماعیل نریمان پور

Esmaeil Nariman-Pour, a Christian convert, was apprehended by security forces in Dezful county, Khuzestan province, on Sunday, December 24, as reported by Mohabat News.

According to sources, Ministry of Intelligence agents raided Nariman-Pour’s residence on the eve of Christmas without presenting an arrest warrant. During the arrest, a thorough search was conducted, leading to the confiscation of some of his belongings.

Despite inquiries made by Nariman-Pour’s family to the Ministry of Intelligence office in Dezful, there has been no response. On Monday, he was permitted to make a brief phone call to inform his family about his relocation to Ahvaz, though specific details were not disclosed.

The charges against Nariman-Pour remain undisclosed at this time. Notably, as a Christian convert and a member of the Payam Rahaeee church, he has previously faced arrests.

It is noteworthy that despite Christians being officially recognized as a religious minority according to law, security apparatuses persist in monitoring their religious activities, resulting in prosecution and judicial confrontations.

It is crucial to emphasize that such actions stand in blatant violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. These international instruments affirm the right of everyone to freedom of religion, the freedom to change their religion or belief, and the freedom to express these beliefs individually or collectively, openly or in private.

Three Political Defendants Face Varied Penalties Following Convictions

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ehsan Ghadiri, Evin Prison, Hamed Mohagheghi, Sajjad Bakhsh-Ali, Sajjad Bakhshali

In the wake of political charges, Ehsan Ghadiri, Sajjad Bakhsh-Ali, and Hamed Mohagheghi have received a range of sentences, including imprisonment, exile, fines, and additional social restrictions.

As per the Tehran Revolutionary Court’s verdict, delivered under the authority of Judge Iman Afshari, the trio has been sentenced to a one-year prison term, mandatory two-year exile, and a prohibition from engaging in online activities and social media.

The charges against these political figures include assembly and collusion to commit crimes, as well as propagating against the regime.

Ghadiri, taken into custody by security forces at his residence on September 14, 2023, was subsequently transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. The arrests of Bakhsh-Ali and Mohagheghi occurred during August and September 2023, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings.

Political Prisoner Zeynab Jalalian Denied Vital Medical Care, Faces Risk of Blindness

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News
HRANA, Yazd Prison, Zeynab Jalalian

Zeynab Jalalian, a political prisoner, is currently enduring her sixteenth year of a life sentence at Yazd Prison, where she is housed alongside inmates convicted of violent crimes. Despite grappling with health issues, she continues to be deprived of proper medical attention within the prison.

A credible source disclosed to HRANA that due to pterygium, Jalalian’s eyesight has significantly deteriorated. Information from additional sources further affirms that she is now at a heightened risk of blindness. Additionally, she is suffering from kidney and digestive diseases, yet she remains without adequate medical care.

Jalalian is confined to a ward with inmates convicted of violent crimes, and her location in an exiled city results in infrequent family visits.

In 2007, Iranian intelligence arrested Zeynab Jalalian, leading to a death sentence by the Revolutionary Court on charges of “enmity against God through membership in an anti-regime group” and an additional year for illegal departure from the country. The sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment on appeal.

Throughout her detention, Jalalian has undertaken hunger strikes on multiple occasions. She has endured torture, including flogging on her feet, physical beatings, and threats of sexual violence. The denial of essential medical care adds to the urgent concerns for her well-being.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Karim Esmaeil-Zadeh Receives Six-Month Imprisonment

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Abdullah Ansari, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Ebrahim Rezaie, Karim Esmaeil Zadeh, Tabriz Prison

The Tabriz Revolutionary Court has sentenced Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Karim Esmaeil Zadeh to six months in prison. Co-defendants Abdullah Ansari and Ebrahim Rezaie have been acquitted of charges in this legal case.

The verdict finds Esmaeil-Zadeh guilty of “inciting people to violence on the Internet,” with the detention period to be subtracted from the overall prison term.

On August 16, 2023, security forces arrested these individuals as they entered a football stadium in Tabriz. Three days later, they were released on bail from Tabriz Prison. Subsequently, Esmaeil-Zadeh was re-arrested on August 27 in Tabriz, only to be released on a second bail from the city’s prison.

Execution of Three Prisoners for Drug Offenses in Isfahan

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Executions, News
Reza Keshavarzi, Saman Mogooye, Shirali Saeedi

Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan has executed three death-row prisoners convicted of drug offenses in separate legal cases, according to the Iran Human Rights Organization.

The executed inmates are identified as Shirali (Shir-Ali) Saeedi (36), Saman Mogooye (31), and Reza Keshavarzi. Reza Keshavarzi faced execution on December 15, while Shirali Saeedi and Saman Mogooye were executed on December 23.

At the time of writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have covered these executions. The absence of official information raises concerns about transparency and accountability in the execution process.

These executions bring attention to the controversial issue of capital punishment for drug-related offenses in Iran. According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.