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Imam of Friday Prayer in Rask Apprehended by Security Forces

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Freedom of Expression, News
Chah Bahar, Fathi Mohammad Naghshbandi, Rask

Fathi Mohammad Naghshbandi, the Imam of Friday Prayer in Rask, has been arrested by security forces on August 20, according to a report by Rasank News.

Naghshbandi’s arrest reportedly occurred during his journey from Rask to Chah Bahar. Agents from both the IRGC intelligence and the Ministry of Intelligence allegedly coordinated with the Chah Bahar oil company to summon Naghshbandi to Chah Bahar under the pretext of collecting his fuel allocation for his vehicle and his family members. Subsequently, security forces intercepted and detained him along the route.

The exact location where Naghshbandi is being held remains undisclosed. The nature of the charges against him has yet to be revealed.

It’s worth noting that Naghshbandi had previously received summons from judicial authorities, indicating a prior interaction with legal proceedings.

Azerbaijan Citizen Farid Safarli Receives Two-Year Prison Sentence

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News, Other
Azerbaijan, Farid Safarli

Farid Safarli, a citizen of Azerbaijan (the Country), has been handed a two-year prison sentence on charges of alleged “espionage,” as reported by a security institution-affiliated news outlet.

This news channel had previously reported on Safarli’s arrest. In March 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan disclosed his disappearance on March 4, 2023, subsequent to his journey from Germany, where he was studying at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, to Iran on February 20.
As of now, the location of Safarli’s detention remains undisclosed.

While the legal pursuit of individuals for espionage is not inherently categorized as a human rights violation, apprehensions arise regarding the veracity of these accusations. The Iranian regime frequently deploys such allegations to suppress political dissidents, and the opacity surrounding legal proceedings exacerbates doubts about the authenticity of these cases.

 

Mohammad Moradi Kia-Pey Receives Six-Year Prison Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News
irgc, Mohammad Moradi Kia-Pey, Sari, Tir Kola

Mohammad Moradi Kia-Pey, a resident of Sari, has been sentenced to six years in prison by the Sari Revolutionary Court. The verdict includes the forfeiture of particular possessions, a travel prohibition, and other social restrictions.

The court’s ruling specifies that Moradi Kia-Pey will serve five years for “inciting actions against national security by disseminating false accusations against the regime” and an additional year for “repeatedly promoting anti-regime propaganda.” Among the items seized are technical and telecommunications equipment, along with SIM cards. Furthermore, he is prohibited from traveling abroad for two years, engaging in information technology-related work, and using the Internet and social media without limitations.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, five years in prison will be enforceable.

On June 25, 2023, IRGC intelligence agents apprehended Moradi Kia-Pey in Sari. He was subsequently confined in a detention facility located in Tir Kola Village. After 16 days of detention, he was released on bail.

Moradi Kia-Pey had a previous encounter with the law during the nationwide protests of 2022. He was granted clemency through a general “commutation and pardon” directive, leading to his release after roughly 30 days of confinement.

Mohammad Vaziri Arrested in Isfahan

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Freedom of Expression, News
Chalus, HRANA, Isfahan, Koroush Vaziri, Mohammad Vaziri, Shirin Alizadeh

On August 17, Mohammad (Koroush) Vaziri was arrested by security forces in Isfahan and taken to an undisclosed location. His wife, Shirin Alizadeh fell victim to regime forces in Chalus, Mazandaran province, amid the nationwide protests (aka Mahsa Amini protests).

A source close to the Vaziri family disclosed to HRANA that Vaziri’s detention transpired after a commemorative ceremony at his wife’s gravesite on her birthday. His apprehension unfolded at the entrance of the cemetery. This source outlined that during the arrest, authorities confiscated both his mobile phones and those of his friends and accompanying relatives.

The motives behind this arrest, Vaziri’s current location, and the specific charges levied against him remain shrouded in uncertainty.
Shirin Alizadeh was tragically shot dead by the police/security forces on September 22 during the 2022 nationwide protests.

Background on the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hijab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. Protesters came to the streets with the central slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in protest against the performance, laws, and structure of the regime. During the nationwide protests, thousands of people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students, and civil rights activists, were arrested.

 

Three Individuals Arrested by Security Forces in Tabriz

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News, Other
Abdollah Ansari, Karim Esmailzadeh, Mehdi Nasirzadeh, Tabriz

On August 16, security forces arrested Abdollah Ansari, Karim Esmailzadeh, and Mehdi Nasirzadeh in Tabriz and transferred them to an undisclosed location.

According to a source, the arrests transpired near a sports stadium where the trio was en route to witness a soccer match.

“Each of them has been granted a 900-million-Toman (approximately 18000 dollars) bail,” the source added.

As of now, the rationale behind their apprehensions, the specific detention site, and the precise allegations leveled against them remain veiled in uncertainty.

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Baha’i Citizen Arash Nabavi Arrested in Isfahan

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News, Religious Minorities
Arash Nabavi, Baha'i arrest, Baha'i citizen, Isfahan

Arash Nabavi, a 37-year-old Baha’i community member residing in Isfahan, was apprehended at his residence, on Monday, August 14th, by security forces.

A source connected to Nabavi’s family disclosed to HRANA that a team of five intelligence agents executed the arrest at his home on Monday. During this operation, a thorough search was conducted, leading to the confiscation of various personal items belonging to Nabavi.

Upon contacting the Ministry of Intelligence, his family received information stating that Nabavi is presently undergoing interrogation. The authorities, however, have refrained from disclosing the specific location where he is being held.

HRANA’s annual report has highlighted a concerning trend where, in 2022, 64.63% of reported human rights violations against religious minorities are directed toward the Baha’i community.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

 

Poet and Workers’ Rights Activist Peyman Farhangian Sentenced to One Year in Prison Alongside Additional Penalties

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Freedom of Expression, News
Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh, Lahijan, Peyman Farhangian, Seyed-Sadegh Hosseini, Zabol

Peyman Farhangian, a poet and workers’ rights activist, has been handed a one-year prison sentence by the Criminal Court of Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh. This ruling also encompasses a travel ban and other social restrictions.

The court has deemed Farhangian guilty of “propaganda against the regime.” In addition to the prison term, he faces a mandatory two-year residency requirement in Zabol, a two-year prohibition from leaving the country, and the mandate to delete his Instagram account.

The initial verdict, issued on September 23, 2020, under the jurisdiction of Judge Seyed-Sadegh Hosseini, amounted to a staggering 38-year prison term. However, a significant development occurred on May 15, 2021, when the Court of Appeals in Gilan Province lessened the sentence to a decade behind bars. Seven years of this revised sentence remained suspended for a period of five years.

Following his conviction, Farhangian was incarcerated in Lahijan, located in Gilan Province, on May 16, 2022, marking the commencement of his imprisonment. Subsequently, he was granted provisional release in December 2022.

Narges Sardari Apprehended in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Mehdi Saeed Etemad, Narges Sardari, Tehran

On August 16, Security forces arrested Narges Sardari at her residence in Tehran, subsequently transporting her to an undisclosed destination.

A source connected to her family, who shared insights with HRANA, disclosed that during the apprehension, she was compelled to bring her three-year-old child along, who was later entrusted to a family member a few hours following the incident at the courthouse.

Furthermore, Narges Sardari’s spouse, Mehdi Saeed Etemad, a well-known actor and comedian, has been under detention for more than two months. Etemad Saeed’s arrest was executed by security forces on June 9, 2023, in Tehran. Intelligence agents conducted a search of his residence and confiscated a portion of his possessions.

The precise reasons underlying her arrest, and her current location are currently unknown.

 

 

Execution Carried Out in Dezful Prison for Drug Conviction

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Executions, News
Dezful, Ebrahim Mouloud Pour

On Wednesday, August 16, an inmate found guilty of drug-related crimes was executed in Dezful Prison.

HRANA has verified the identity of the individual as Ebrahim Mouloud Pour, who had been imprisoned for five years.

As of now, no official statements from authorities or domestic media channels have provided coverage of this execution.

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.

 

Additional Four Individuals Detained in Gilan Province

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Freedom of Expression, News, Women
Gilan province, Hooman Taheri, Sara Jahani, Shiva Shah Siah, Vahedeh Khoshsirat

In a recent development on Wednesday, August 16, security forces apprehended Shiva Shah Siah, Vahedeh Khoshsirat, Hooman Taheri, and Sara Jahani in Gilan Province.

This event follows HRANA’s report of the arrest of seven women’s rights activists on the same day within the province.

Khoshsirat and Shah Siah, both advocates for women’s rights, were taken into custody in Lahijan. Meanwhile, Mr. Taheri and Mrs. Jahani were apprehended separately in Rasht.

The precise reasons underlying their detentions, their current locations, and the specific charges brought against them all remain undisclosed at this juncture.