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Taher Asgharpour Sentenced to Four Months in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Alborz province, Taher Asgharpour

The Court of Appeals in Alborz Province has handed down a four-month prison sentence to Taher Asgharpour, a teacher and translator, on charges of “propaganda against the regime.”

Originally, Asgharpour faced a six-month prison term, coupled with a prohibition on engaging in political activities and restrictions on Internet and social media use.

On September 30, 2023, security forces apprehended Asgharpour, detaining him at the Central Prison of Karaj until his release on bail the following day.

As HRA’s annual report reveals, in 2023, Iranian judicial institutions collectively imposed sentences totaling 25,124 months on citizens for exercising their rights of expression.

Twelve Individuals Facing Execution for Alleged Security-Political Charges

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Executions, Freedom of Expression, News
Anvar Khezri, Farhad Salimi, Farshid Hassan-Zahi, Hazhir Faramarzi, Iman Afshari, Kamran Sheikheh, Khosrow Besharat, Mansour Dahmardeh, Mohammad Moghiseh, moharebeh, Mohsen Mazloum, Mojahed Korkori, Pezhman Fatehi, Reza Rasaei, Vafa Azarbar

As of now, a minimum of twelve prisoners in Iran are on the verge of execution, convicted of security-political charges such as “enmity against God (moharebeh), spreading corruption on the Earth, and collaboration with adversary countries.”

HRANA has confirmed their imprisonment in various facilities, including Evin (Tehran), Ghezel Hesar (Karaj), Sheyban Prison (Ahvaz), Dizelabad (Kermanshah), and Zahedan Prisons.
The Tehran Revolutionary Court, specifically Branch 26 and 28 led by Judges Iman Afshari and Mohammad Moghiseh, respectively, is responsible for the majority of these verdicts.

Below is a detailed account of some of these individuals and their current legal status:

Mohsen Mazloum

Mohsen Mazloum

  • Prison: Evin Prison, Ward 209
  • Most Serious Charges: Due to the denial of access to case details for his lawyer, the precise charges leading to the verdict remain undisclosed. However, following the arrest, the Ministry of Intelligence accused him of collaborating with Israel, attempting to sabotage a military facility in Isfahan, and affiliating with the Komala Party (a Kurdistan organization associated with the Communist Party of Iran).
  • Court: Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Judge Iman Afshari
  • Current Status: Death sentence confirmed in Branch 9 of the Supreme Court. Retrial request rejected.

 

Pezhman Fatehi

Pezhman Fatehi

  • Prison: Evin Prison, Ward 209
  • Most Serious Charges: Due to the denial of access to case details for his lawyer, the precise charges leading to the verdict remain undisclosed. However, following the arrest, the Ministry of Intelligence accused him of collaborating with Israel, attempting to sabotage a military facility in Isfahan, and affiliating with the Komala Party (a Kurdistan organization associated with the Communist Party of Iran).
  • Court: Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Judge Iman Afshari
  • Current Status: Death sentence confirmed in Branch 9 of the Supreme Court. Retrial request rejected.

 

Vafa Azarbar

Vafa Azarbar

  • Prison: Evin Prison, Ward 209
  • Most Serious Charges: Due to the denial of access to case details for his lawyer, the precise charges leading to the verdict remain undisclosed. However, following the arrest, the Ministry of Intelligence accused him of collaborating with Israel, attempting to sabotage a military facility in Isfahan, and affiliating with the Komala Party (a Kurdistan organization associated with the Communist Party of Iran).
  • Court: Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Judge Iman Afshari
  • Current Status: Death sentence confirmed in Branch 9 of the Supreme Court. Retrial request rejected.

 

Mohammad (Hazhir) Faramarzi

Hazhir Faramarzi

  • Prison: Evin Prison, Ward 209
  • Most Serious Charges: Due to the denial of access to case details for his lawyer, the precise charges leading to the verdict remain undisclosed. However, following the arrest, the Ministry of Intelligence accused him of collaborating with Israel, attempting to sabotage a military facility in Isfahan, and affiliating with the Komala Party (a Kurdistan organization associated with the Communist Party of Iran).
  • Court: Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Judge Iman Afshari
  • Current Status: Death sentence confirmed in Branch 9 of the Supreme Court. Retrial request rejected.

 

Description:
On July 23, 2022, Mohsen Mazloum (28), Pezhman (Pejman) Fatehi (28), Vafa Azarbar (29), and Hazhir (Hajir) Faramarzi (29) were apprehended by Iran Police Intelligence (FARAJA) in Sumay-ye Beradust District, Urmia County.

Tasnim, a news agency affiliated with security institutions, reported their arrest, alleging the formation of “a network of Israeli spies.” According to Tasnim, the individuals were in possession of operational and communication equipment, as well as explosive materials. The agency claimed they had entered the country from the Kurdistan region with intentions of conducting unprecedented terrorist operations in strategically sensitive locations.

Approximately 80 days post their arrest, Iran’s state TV broadcasted coerced confessions, accusing them of espionage for foreign intelligence. The confessions stated they had been apprehended in sensitive sites in Isfahan.

In response to what he deemed an unjust and unfair trial, their attorney, Masoud Shams Nejad, asserted, “Since taking on this case as their legal representative, my clients and I have been denied any rights as a lawyer and defendants, rendering my role as their legal representative existing only on paper.”

Anvar Khezri

Anvar Khezri

  • Prison: Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj
  • Most Serious Charges: Enmity against God (Moharebeh) through membership in a Salafi group, and involvement in the assassination of Mamusta Abdolrahim Tina.
  • Court: Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Judge Mohammad Moghiseh
  • Current Status: Death sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court.

 

Kamran Sheikheh

Kamran Sheikheh

  • Prison: Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj
  • Most Serious Charges: Similar to Anvar Khezri
  • Court: Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Judge Mohammad Moghiseh
  • Current Status: Death sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court.

 

 

Farhad Salimi

Farhad Salimi

  • Prison: Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj
  • Most Serious Charges: Similar to Anvar Khezri
  • Court: Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Judge Mohammad Moghiseh
  • Current Status: Death sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court.

 

 

Khosrow Besharat

Khosrow Besharat

  • Prison: Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj
  • Most Serious Charges: Similar to Anvar Khezri
  • Court: Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Judge Mohammad Moghiseh
  • Current Status: Death sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court.

Currently incarcerated in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, these four Sunni prisoners were part of a group arrested in January-February 2010, accused of aiding in the assassination of Abdolrahim Tina, the Imam of a mosque in Mahabad, which occurred in February 2010.

 

Description:
Originally sentenced to death by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Mohammad Moghiseh, the verdict was later overturned by the Supreme Court. Subsequently, the case was transferred to Branch 15 of the court, led by Judge Salavati, who reinstated the death sentences for Davoud Abdollahi, Anvar Khezri, Kamran Sheikheh, Farhad Salimi, Khosro Besharat, Ghasem Abasteh, and Ayoub Karimi. On this occasion, the Supreme Court confirmed the death sentences for them and their co-defendants. Among them, Abasteh, Karimi, and Abdollahi have been executed.

Reza Rasaei

Reza Rasaei

  • Prison: Dizelabad, Kermanshah
  • Most Serious Charges: Involvement in the killing of Nader Beyrami, head of IRGC Intelligence, during protests in Sahneh County, Kermanshah province.
  • Court: Branch 1 of the Criminal Court of Kermanshah
  • Current Status: Death sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court.

 

Description:
Rasaei, 34 years old and known as a Yarsan follower residing in Sahneh County, was arrested on November 24, 2022, by the police and subsequently detained in Sahneh County. After the completion of the interrogation process, he was transferred to Dizel-Abad prison in Kermanshah.

His arrest followed the murder of Nader Beyrami, the head of IRGC Intelligence, in Sahneh County during the 21st annual commemoration ceremony of the death of Seyeed Khalil Alinejad, a leader of the Yaresan community.

Farshid Hassan-Zahi

Farshid Hassan-Zahi

  • Prison: Ward 9 of Zahedan Prison
  • Most Serious Charges: Shooting at the police station vehicle, causing the death of a conscript and a first lieutenant.
  • Court: Branch 1 of the Criminal Court of Zahedan
  • Current Status: Death sentence issued, awaiting confirmation by the Supreme Court.

 

Description:
Arrested for shooting at a police vehicle, Hassan-Zahi, aged 26, currently awaits confirmation of his death sentence.

Mansour Dahmardeh

Mansour Dahmardeh

  • Prison: Ward 9 of Zahedan Prison
  • Most Serious Charges: Spreading Corruption on Earth
  • Court: Branch 2 of the Criminal Court (Shahid Nouri) in Zahedan
  • Current Status: Death sentence issued.

 

Description:
Dahmardeh, a 23-year-old citizen with disabilities, was apprehended during the 2022 nationwide protests in Zahedan and confined to the city’s prison. In January 2023, Branch 2 of the Criminal Court (Shahid Nouri) sentenced him to death on charges of “spreading corruption on earth.” Despite his poor health condition, he has been denied sufficient medical care in Zahedan Prison.

Abbas (Mojahed) Korkori

Mojahed Korkori

  • Prison: Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz
  • Most Serious Charges: Enmity against God (Moharebeh) through using a weapon, spreading corruption on earth, and forming a rebellion group.
  • Current Status: Death sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court

 

Description
Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, claims that Korkori is responsible for killing 10-year-old Kian Pirfalak during protests in Izeh. However, Pirfalak’s parents have repeatedly denied these accusations and claimed that their son was killed in a shooting by regime forces. Zeinab Molaei-Rad, Kian’s mother, said during his funeral, “On the way back home, the regime agents opened fire on our car.”

The due process involving these twelve death-row convicts reveals a troubling trend of violations against the rights of citizens and prisoners in Iran. Some prisoners, who have managed to communicate from within prison, claim they have endured torture and coerced confessions. In cases where communication was restricted, families have attested to confessions obtained under duress, highlighting the inhumane treatment by judicial and security officials and a blatant disregard for human rights.

Iran’s judicial-security institutions have a long history of constructing legal cases, leveling false accusations, and engaging in torture and mistreatment against political prisoners. These actions constitute a clear violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other internationally ratified conventions.

Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights emphasizes that “Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.”

Furthermore, Article 5 of the declaration unequivocally states that “no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.”

Execution of Inmate Convicted of Drug Crimes in Hamedan

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Executions, News
Hamedan, Jalil Soleimani

On January 17, 2024, Jalil Soleimani, convicted of drug-related offenses, was executed in Hamedan Prison, according to Kurdpa.

Soleimani was sentenced to death for drug offenses three years ago.

At the time of writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have reported on this execution.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered the execution of  746 individuals. Out of these, 6 were carried out in public. Among the executed individuals whose genders were identified, 597 were male and 20 were female. Additionally, 2 juvenile offenders, defined as individuals under the age of 18 at the time of their alleged crimes, were also executed. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s annual report.

 

 

Sasan Chaman-Ara Detained in Ilam; Family Residences Searched

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Ilam, Sasan Chaman Ara

On January 17, 2024, security forces arrested Sasan Chaman-Ara in Ilam, transporting him to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in the city. Concurrently, his father’s and sister’s residences were subjected to searches by the agents.

Confirming the arrest, a source close to Chaman-Ara’s family informed HRANA that three agents from the Ministry of Intelligence detained him on a street in Ilam. Subsequently, they conducted comprehensive searches at his family members’ homes, seizing some belongings. Eventually, he was taken to the Ministry of Intelligence’s office.

“Since then, Chaman-Ara has been denied the opportunity to make a phone call to his family,” the source added.

Chaman-Ara’s initial arrest by security forces occurred in September-October 2022, and he was released on bail from Great Tehran Penitentiary in January 2023.

Following this, the Tehran Revolutionary Court issued a five-year prison sentence for “assembly and collusion against national security and propaganda against the regime,” a verdict upheld on appeal.

Siamak Nasiri Receives Six-Year Sentence and Two-Year Exile

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Freedom of Expression, News
Asef Al-Hosseini, IRGC Intelligence, Karaj, Siamak Nasiri

The Revolutionary Court in Karaj has sentenced Siamak Nasiri to six years in prison and two years of exile on political charges. Currently held in the Central Prison of Karaj, Nasiri, aged 39, was arrested by IRGC Intelligence in Karaj on August 28, 2023.

Presiding over Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, Judge Musa Asef Al-Hosseini conveyed the verdict on January 17. Nasiri received five years for “inciting people to violence and waging war against national security” and an additional year for “propaganda against the regime.” He is also mandated to reside in Ahvaz for two years.

According to a source who spoke to HRANA, Nasiri had a previous detention in December 2022 in Karaj, where he was held in the Ministry of Intelligence’s facility. Following this, he was transferred to the Central Prison of Karaj and later granted pardon and released under a general pardon and commutation directive.

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Execution of Three Inmates in Ghezel Hesar Prison for Drug Offenses

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Executions, News
Bahman Fathollahzadeh, Bamyar Fathollahzadeh, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Iman Sha'abani

On January 17, 2024, Ghezel Hesar Prison executed three inmates convicted of drug-related crimes.

HRANA has identified two of them as Iman Sha’abani and Bahman Fathollahzadeh. The third inmate is an Afghan national whose name remains undisclosed.

Sha’abani and Fathollahzadeh received the death penalty in a legal case. Another co-defendant, Bamyar Fathollahzadeh, met the same fate last month.”

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing. The lack of official information raises concerns about transparency and accountability in the execution process.

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.

 

Media Activist Sina Band-Alizadeh Arrested in Ardabil

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ardabil, Sina Band-Alizadeh

On January 15, 2024, security forces apprehended Sina Band-Alizadeh in Ardabil.

The grounds for Band-Alizadeh’s arrest and his current location remain undisclosed. However, close associates have confirmed his arrest, linking it to his criticism in published posts as a media activist addressing the current state of the country.

As reported in HRA’s annual report, there has been an alarming 86% increase in the number of citizens arrested for expressing opinions and thoughts compared to the previous year. Band-Alizadeh’s arrest adds to concerns about the shrinking space for free expression in the country.

Workers’ Rights Defender Mostafa Zamani Arrested in Isfahan

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
IIWU, Independent Iranian Workers Union, Isfahan, Isfahan Oil Refinery, Izeh, Mostafa Zamani

Mostafa Zamani, an advocate for workers’ rights and a resident of Izeh, was arrested on January 14, 2024, by security forces in Isfahan. The Independent Iranian Workers Union (IIWU) reported his arrest and subsequent transfer to an undisclosed location.

The arrest allegedly took place within the premises of Isfahan Oil Refinery, yet the reasons behind his detention and his current location remain undisclosed.

Zamani, known for his advocacy of workers’ rights, is also employed as a welding worker.

As HRA’s annual report reveals, in 2023, 64 workers’ rights advocates were arrested by security forces in Iran. Additionally, 29 labor activists or defenders of workers’ rights were sentenced to 654 months of imprisonment, which includes 568 months of actual imprisonment and 86 months of suspended imprisonment. These alarming statistics underscore the challenging environment faced by those advocating for labor rights in the country.

Arrest of Swedish National in Iran Raises Concerns Amidst String of Arbitrary Detentions

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News, Other
Foreign Ministry, Hamid Nouri, Iran-Sweden, irgc, Johan Floderus, The Swedish Ministry

The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has disclosed the recent arrest of a Swedish national in Iran within the past two weeks.

The detainee, whose identity remains undisclosed, was apprehended in the early days of the new year and is currently held in custody. The Ministry revealed that the individual is a resident of the central regions of the country.

“The embassy in Tehran is in contact with local authorities. The Foreign Ministry is in contact with relatives in Sweden,” as reported in an email statement to Reuters.

This arrest is part of a concerning trend of arbitrary detentions of foreign citizens by the Iranian regime. It comes in the wake of the trial and life sentence conviction of former IRGC official Hamid Nouri in Sweden for his involvement in the mass execution of political prisoners in 1988. Notably, another Swedish national, Johan Floderus, was arrested by the Iranian regime in April 2022 and is presently on trial, facing espionage charges. The situation underscores growing international apprehension regarding the safety of foreign nationals in Iran.

Maryam Jalal Hosseini and Fatemeh Tadrisi Receive Lengthy Prison Sentences and Exile

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Freedom of Expression, News
Fatemeh Tadrisi, Ilam County, Kachooie Prison, Maryam Jalal Hosseini, Mojgan Tadrisi, Musa Asef-Al-Hosseini, Revolutionary Court in Karaj, zanjan

In a recent verdict, the Revolutionary Court in Karaj has sentenced Maryam Jalal Hosseini and Fatemeh (Mojgan) Tadrisi to six years of imprisonment and a two-year exile on charges related to their political activities.

Presiding over the court, Judge Seyed Musa Asef-Al-Hosseini ruled that both individuals were guilty of “inciting people to violence, engaging in propaganda against the regime, insulting the Supreme Leader, and forming groups to act against national security.”

In addition to their prison terms, Fatemeh Tadrisi has been ordered to serve a mandatory two-year residence in Zanjan County, while Jalal Hosseini will be in exile in Ilam County. Presently, they are confined in Kachooie Prison, Karaj.

Security forces arrested Hosseini and Tadrisi in August of the previous year. Subsequently, on August 28, 2023, they were transferred to Kachooie Prison.

Both activists have a history of arrests and legal confrontations stemming from their engagement in activism.