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Report on Mass Release of Prisoners in the Past 24 Hours

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Freedom of Expression, News
Akbar Azadifar, Anis Mohammadi, Bahareh Soleimani, Beniamin Moghaddasi, Elham Salmanzadeh, Hadi Sepehri, Jamileh Pakroo, Kianoosh Salmanzadeh, Mehrnoosh Zarei Hanzaki, Mohammad Turkmani, Mojgan Ilanlu, Mojtaba Esmaili, Monireh Arabshahi, Nazanin Mohammadnejad, Neda Shabani, Parvan Ma'anavi, Payam Shabani, Peyman Maanavi, Peyman Pourdad, Reza Khandan Mahabadi, Reza Mohammad Hosseini, Saeed Allahverdi, Soheil Yadollahi, Soroush Agahi, Yasaman Aryani

The mass releases of prisoners continued in the past 24 hours, as several prisoners of conscience were released from different prisons across the country.

Of these freed prisoners, the most known prisoners are:

  1. Documentary filmmaker Mojgan Ilanlu from Evin Prison
  2. Nazanin Mohammadnejad, a student at Allameh Tabataba’i University, from Evin Prison
  3. Political prisoner Bahareh Soleimani from Evin Prison
  4. Journalist Mehrnoosh Zarei Hanzaki from Evin Prison
  5. Civil rights activist Monireh Arabshahi from Kachooie Prison
  6. Civil rights activist Yasaman Aryani from Kachooie Prison
  7. Soheil Yadollahi from Bojnurd Prison
  8. Saeed Allahverdi, arrested at recent protests, from Adel-Abad Prison, Shiraz
  9. Political prisoner Reza Mohammad Hosseini from Rajai Shahr Prison
  10. Political prisoner Reza Khandan Mahabadi from Rajai Shahr Prison
  11. Political prisoner Peyman Pourdad from Rajai Shahr Prison
  12. Political prisoner Mohammad Turkmani from Rajai Shahr Prison
  13. Akbar Azadifar, arrested at recent protests, from Kuhdasht Prison
  14. Beniamin Moghaddasi, a student at the University of Tehran

Moreover, following the approval to “pardon and commute” the sentence of some prisoners, the legal cases against Hadi Sepehri, arrested at recent protests, Mojtaba Esmaili (Nima), a member of the Society of Students Against Poverty, and Anis Mohammadi were closed.

Also, Baha’i citizens Soroush Agahi, Peyman Ma’anavi, Parvan Ma’anavi, Jamileh Pakroo, Elham Salmanzadeh, Kianoosh Salmanzadeh, Neda Shabani and Payam Shabani, who were serving their sentences outside the prison with electronic tags, were set free and the restrictions were removed.

Details of these prison releases are still unknown. They are, however, likely released under recent approval to “pardon and commute” the sentence of some prisoners.

Earlier, the head of the Judiciary proposed to pardon or commute the sentences of some prisoners as an enactment of Article 110, paragraph 11 of the constitution, which was approved by Ali Khamenei under some conditions which the legal case should meet. Judicial authorities have not yet provided statistics about the number of pardoned prisoners.

Hadi Atashbar Arrested in Mashhad

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News, Other
Hadi Atashbar, Mashhad

On February 14, 2023, security forces arrested Hadi Atashbar, a former political prisoner, at his home in Mashhad and took him to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 14, 2023, Hadi Atashbar was arrested in Mashhad.

An informed source told HRANA that the plainclothes agents did not show any arrest warrant. The reason for his arrest is still unknown.
Atashbar, age 45, faced other arrests and convictions on a prior occasion.

 

Three Inmates Executed in Karaj

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Executions, News
drug-related executions, Karaj, Mehdi Doostari, The Central Prison of Karaj

On February 14, 2023, the Central Prison of Karaj officials executed three inmates convicted of drug-related crimes and murder.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 14, 2023, three inmates were executed in the Central Prison of Karaj.

HRANA has identified one of these individuals as Mehdi Doostari, previously convicted of drug offenses. HRANA is working on identifying two other executed prisoners convicted of murder.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

Report on Mass Release of Prisoners in the Past 24 Hours

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ahad Barzgar, Akbar Faraji, Ashkan Omrjooie, Elvar Gholivand, Hossein Toyoori, Mahnaz Tarah, Masoud Kurdpour, Morteza Ghaderi, Pouya Mazloumi, Ramin Pouramin, Zeinab Mousavi

The large-scale releases of prisoners continued in the past 24 hours, as several prisoners of conscience were released from different prisons across the country. Meanwhile, the case against comedian and parody artist Zeinab Mousavi was closed without further legal proceedings.

Of these freed prisoners, the most known prisoners are:

  1. Political prisoner Akbar Faraji (Farajim) from Evin Prison
  2. Civil rights activist Elvar Gholivand from Evin Prison
  3. Hossein Toyoori, arrested during 2019 protests, from Evin Prison
  4. Mahnaz Tarah from Evin Prison
  5. Dancer and parkour Morteza Ghaderi, a resident of Tehran
  6. Ashkan Omrjooie, a student at the University of Kurdistan, from Urmia
  7. Ahad Barzgar from Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj
  8. Student Pouya Mazloumi from the Great Tehran Penitentiary
  9. Ramin Pouramin, arrested at recent nationwide protests, from the Great Tehran Penitentiary
  10. Masoud Kurdpour, Mukrian News Agency chief editor, from Bukan Prison

Moreover, the legal case against comedian Zeinab Mousavi, known for her parody character ‘Empress of Kuzcoo’, was announced closed.

Details of these prison releases are still unknown. They are, however, likely released under recent approval to “pardon and commute” the sentence of some prisoners.

Earlier, the head of the Judiciary proposed the issuance of a pardon decree for some prisoners, including those arrested at recent protests, which was approved by Ali Khamenei under some conditions which the legal case should meet.

 

 

 

Protestor Mina Yaghoubi Sentenced to Eleven Years and 85 Lashes

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Freedom of Expression, News
Arak, Mina Yaghoubi

Mina Yaghoubi, one of the defendants of a legal case known as “insulting the Martyrs’ cemetery of Arak”,  was sentenced to eleven years in prison, 85 lashes and additional punishments.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Mina Yaghoubi was sentenced to imprisonment and flogging.

In a video published on social media, Yaghoubi stated that the Revolutionary Court sentenced her to eight years and prohibited her from residing in the city of residence for two years. Additionally, the Criminal Court sentenced her to three years in prison, 85 lashes and 124 hours of cleaning graves as penal labor.

Without mentioning the charges, she stated that during the past three months, she did not speak out about these verdicts hoping that her lawyer’s objection led to commuting the sentences.

Yaghoubi was arrested and accused of throwing stones toward the Martyrs’ memorial gate of a cemetery in Arak.

At the time of her release from detention, a video of Yaghoubi showed bruises on her eyes after her release, indicating she has been tortured during detention.

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Report on the Release of Prisoners in the Last 24 Hours

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Aakbar Naeimi, Asrin Darkaleh, Esmail Gerami, Farshad Ahmadi, Forough Taghipour, Kazem Alinejad Baraloo, Khadijeh Mehdipour, Mahsa Mohammadi, Maryam Mohammadi, Mehdi Abbaspour, Mohammad Rasoulof, Mojtaba Tavakol, Mostafa Abdi, Shahrooz Ramezan Afshar, Soheila Ojaghi, Tohid Goreishi, Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb

In the past 24 hours, several prisoners of conscience were released from different prisons across Iran. Although details of these releases are still unknown, they are likely released under recent approval to “pardon and commute” the sentence of some prisoners.

Of these pardoned prisoners, the most known prisoners are:

  1. Film Director Mohammad Rasoulof from Evin Prison
  2. Azerbaijani (Turk) activist Akbar Naeimi from Evin Prison
  3. Gonabadi Dervish Mostafa Abdi from Evin Prison
  4. Political prisoner Forough Taghipour from Evin Prison
  5. Women rights activist Maryam Mohammadi from Evin Prison
  6. Women rights activist Asrin Darkaleh from Evin Prison
  7. Political prisoner Kazem Alinejad Baraloo Evin Prison
  8. Farshad Ahmadi from Evin Prison
  9. Political prisoner Khadijeh Mehdipour from Ilam Prison
  10. Mahsa Mohammadi from Isfahan Prison
  11. Tohid Goreishi from Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj
  12. Worker’s rights activist Esmail Gerami from Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj
  13. Political prisoner Mojtaba Tavakol from Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj
  14. Shahrooz Ramezan Afshar from Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj
  15. Mehdi Abbaspour from Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj
  16. Civil rights activist Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb from Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj
  17. Soheila Ojaghi from Qarchak Prison, Varamin

Moreover, the legal cases against Milad Alavi,(journalist), Elham Sayrafi and Amir Sheibani Zaveh were closed without further legal proceedings.

Earlier, the head of the Judiciary proposed the issuance of a pardon decree for some prisoners, including those arrested at recent protests, which was approved by Ali Khamenei under some conditions which the legal case should meet.

Five Inmates Executed in Arak and Urmia

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Executions, News
Arak prison, Milad Jajooie Khanik, Mohammad-Ali Akhtari Kohlan, moharebeh, Urmia prison

On February 14, three inmates were executed in Arak Prison for drug-related crimes. Also, on the same day, two inmates convicted of murder were executed in Urmia Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 14, three unidentified death-row inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed in Arak Prison.

HRANA is working on identifying these prisoners and finding out details on their cases.

Also, Kurdpa reported the execution of two inmates, identified as Mohammad-Ali Akhtari Kohlan and Milad Jajooie Khanik, in Urmia prison. In October 2018, these individuals, reportedly, along with another person, were arrested for armed robbery of a jewellery store in Urmia. Subsequently, they were sentenced to death on the charge of enmity against God (Moharebeh).

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

 

Journalist Siamand Mohtadi Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News
Bukan, Siamand Mohtadi

On February 11, 2023, security forces arrested journalist Siamand Mohtadi, a resident of Bukan, and took him to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on February 11, 2023, Siamand Mohtadi was arrested by security forces.

He was reportedly arrested at his home. His whereabouts and the allegations are still unknown.

 

Report on the Release of Prisoners in the Last 24 Hours

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Amir Mehdi Khadem, Arash Ganji, Besmellah Barahooie, Ebrahim Sargolzaie, Elmira Rahmani, Esmail Sargolzaie, Fariba Adelkhah, Fariba Afshar, Khaled Pirzadeh, mir Abbas Azarmvand, Mohammad-Reza Moradi, Naser Hemmati, Nasrollah Lashti, Niloofar Mirzaie Bafti, Zahra Kashkaki

Following the approval of a proposal to “pardon and commute” the sentence of some prisoners, in the last 24 hours, several prisoners of conscience were released from prison.

Of these pardoned prisoners, the most known prisoners are:

  1. Amir Mehdi Khadem from Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan
  2. Mohammad-Reza Moradi from Great Tehran Penitentiary
  3. Nasrollah Lashti from Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj
  4. Fariba Afshar (Baha’i citizen) from Dolatabad Prison, Isfahan
  5. Elmira Rahmani (Baha’i citizen) from Dolatabad Prison, Isfahan
  6. Niloofar Mirzaie Bafti from Evin Prison, Tehran
  7. Zahra Kashkaki from a prison in Tehran
  8. Naser Hemmati from a prison in Isfahan, and

Three underage prisoners, Besmellah Barahooie, Esmail Sargolzaie and Ebrahim Sargolzaie, were also released from the Correctional Center of Zahedan.

Details on these releases are still unknown. They are, however, likely released under the recent pardon decree issued for some prisoners, including those arrested at protests.

In recent days, other known prisoners, including Iranian-French academic Fariba Adelkhah, journalist Amir Abbas Azarmvand, writer Arash Ganji and political prisoner Khaled Pirzadeh, were released.

Meanwhile, the Revolutionary and Public Prosecutor of Gachsaran announced the release of 106 convicts and defendants from Dogonbadan Prison, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province.

“The sentences of 60 prisoners have also been commuted,” he added.

Also, The Chief Justice of Kerman Province announced that about 1500 prisoners have been released in this province.

Earlier, the head of the Judiciary proposed the issuance of a pardon decree for some prisoners, including those arrested at recent protests, which was approved by Ali Khamenei under some conditions which the legal case should meet.

 

 

Farhad and Farzad Tahazadeh Indicted for “Enmity against God” and “Spreading Corruption on Earth”

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Freedom of Expression, News
aleh Nikbakht, Farhad Tahazadeh, Masoud Shams Nejad, Oshnavieh, Urmia

Brothers Farhad and Farzad Tahazadeh, arrested at recent nationwide protests, were indicted for “enmity against God (Moharebeh) ” and “spreading corruption on earth.” The case was delivered to the Urmia Revolutionary Court.

An informed source close to their family told HRANA that “a while ago, the Urmia Revolutionary and public prosecution office briefed Tahazadeh brothers about the charges of Moharebeh and spreading corruption on earth. After the indictment, the case was handed over to branch three of the Urmia Revolutionary Court.”

“Their lawyers, Masoud Shams-Nejad and Saleh Nikbakht, did not have any access to their client’s case until a few days ago,” the source added.

Tahazadeh brothers were arrested amid nationwide protests in Oshnavieh and jailed in Urmia Prison. It is still unknown which acts have been invoked as examples of these charges.

The charges of “enmity against God (Moharebeh) ” and “spreading corruption on earth” can result in severe punishment, even the death penalty.