A reliable source close to Naghavi’s family confirmed to HRANA that the arrest took place at one of his friends’ residences in Karaj. The reasons behind his arrest, the location of his confinement, and the charges against him are currently unknown.
These six individuals, along with six others—Abdolbaset Avarsan, Mohammad-Reza Sheikh Ahmadi, Morteza Fakoori, Hamid Rast Bala, Kabir Saadat Jahani, and Mohammad-Ali Arayesh—were detained by the Ministry of Intelligence in 2015 and imprisoned in Vakilabad Prison after one year. Except for Fadaie-Nasab, all these prisoners are members of the Sunni minority in Iran.
In 2019, the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced Ahmadi, Avarsan, and Fakoori to 15 years in prison for “armed rebellion (Baghi) through membership in a Salafi-ISIS group.” The remaining 9 defendants were sentenced to death for “armed rebellion through membership in the Salafi group known as Al-Furqan and the Iranian Sunni front known as Hambastegi Melli.”
Rast-Bala, Saadat Jahani, and Arayesh were executed in this prison on December 31, 2020. The case of the six other defendants was overturned by the Supreme Court, and it was forwarded to another court branch for a retrial. In July 2023, Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Ahmadian Salami, sentenced these six prisoners to death again. The verdict is currently under review by branch 39 of the Supreme Court.
A source close to one of their families informed HRANA that after the issuance of the death sentence, Shakeri and Abdolrahman Gorgij initiated a hunger strike that lasted for a while.
“The case has many flaws, and there is no substantial evidence to support the charges,” the source clarified. The source also confirmed that the prisoners have been subjected to torture during their detention.
In October 2020, Branch 102 of the Criminal Court of Behbahan, under the jurisdiction of Judge Rasoul Asadpour, sentenced Fathi to ten years for “destruction and arson of banks and public property.” He also received an additional one-year prison term and 74 lashes for “disturbing public order.” The verdict, featuring a ten-year enforceable prison term, was affirmed on appeal by the Khuzestan Court of Appeal.
The November 2019 protests were triggered by a surge in fuel prices, leading to demonstrations in numerous cities across the country. Seyed Hossein Taghavi, the spokesperson for the Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, stated that approximately 7,000 individuals were arrested during these protests. Reports from human rights organizations indicate that hundreds of people lost their lives as a result of the actions carried out by the security apparatus.
Both Ebrahimi and Ahmadi were arrested by security forces on February 7, 2023, and subsequently released on a 700 million tomans bail (approximately 14,000 dollars) from Evin Prison.
In August 2023, under the jurisdiction of Iman Afshari, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Ebrahimi to five years for “assembly and collusion against national security” and eight months for “spreading propaganda against the regime.” Ahmadi received a four-year sentence for “assembly and collusion against national security.” These sentences were upheld on appeal.
Reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA in 2023 indicate a total of 193 cases in which Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, has been involved in issuing verdicts that infringe upon the human rights of defendants. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics, refer to HRANA’s report.
On February 7, the couple was officially informed of the verdict, which mandates four years for Fakhimi and two years for Khanpour on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security,” in addition to one year each for “propaganda against the regime.” This totals eight years of imprisonment for the couple.
The Ministry of Intelligence conducted a raid on their residence on July 11, 2023, seizing belongings during an extensive search. Subsequently, Fakhimi and Khanpour were summoned to Evin Courthouse to face legal proceedings.
After the second inquiry session at Evin Courthouse on November 5, 2023, the couple was released on bail amounting to one billion tomans, approximately 20,000 dollars.
Sources close to their families have informed HRANA that the agents employed violence during the arrest of these individuals.
Notably, Asadi and Minaie have a history of previous judicial confrontations related to their activism.
As of now, the reasons for their arrest, their current whereabouts, and the charges filed against them remain unknown.
In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) documented 324 cases of citizens being arrested by security forces for advocating ethnic rights.
According to the verdict, Hooshmand has been convicted of “acting against national security.” During the court session held on November 14, 2023, Hooshmand’s social media and internet posts were cited as evidence supporting the charge.
Sources close to his family revealed to HRANA that the case has now been forwarded to the Executive Unit.
Having been arrested on October 25, 2023, Hooshmand spent 16 days in detention before being released on bail.
This isn’t Hooshmand’s first encounter with legal troubles, as the 29-year-old activist had previously faced arrest and conviction for his involvement in activism.
According to a source close to Azadani’s family, the Supreme Court, on January 24, 2024, upheld the 16-year prison term following an appeal for “assisting in enmity against God (Moharebeh).” Subsequently, the executive unit of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court executed the verdict.
In January 2023, the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan initially sentenced Azadani to five years for “membership in illegal groups to act against national security,” another five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” and sixteen years for “enmity against God (Moharebeh).” Upon appeal to the Supreme Court, he was acquitted of the first two charges, leaving the prison term for the third charge intact.
During nationwide protests on November 17, 2022, security forces arrested Azadani in connection to the “Khaneh e Isfahan” case. Notably, three co-defendants in the same case, Saleh Mir Hashemi (36), Majid Kazemi (30), and Saeed Yaghoubi (37), were executed on May 19, 2023, on charges of enmity against God (Moharebeh).
At present, the specific reasons behind his arrest, his current whereabouts, and the charges levied against him remain undisclosed.
This recent arrest comes after Taher Afshar was previously detained on December 19, 2023. A court hearing addressing the charge of “assisting in spreading propaganda against the regime” was conducted by the Tabriz Revolutionary Court on January 27, 2024.
In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) documented 324 cases of citizens being arrested by security forces for their advocacy of ethnic rights.
The arrest reportedly took place on January 31, with the reasons for Afshar Nik’s detention, the whereabouts of his confinement, and the charges against him currently remaining unknown.
Afshar Nik, known for his work with Etemad and Shargh newspaper, has a history of legal challenges in his career as a journalist.
