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Mehdi Tavakoli Zaniani Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison and Flogging Following Sentence Consolidation

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News, Prisoners
HRANA, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Mehdi Tavakoli Zaniani, Shahr-e Kord, مهدی توکلی زانیانی

HRANA News Agency – Mehdi Tavakoli Zaniani, a political prisoner held in Shahr-e Kord Prison, has been sentenced to eight years in prison and 74 lashes following the consolidation of his sentences.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the sentence was issued by Branch 1 of the Criminal Court One of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province.

A source close to Tavakoli’s family confirmed to HRANA that the verdict was issued on charges of insulting the Prophet of Islam (Sab al-Nabi), insulting the Supreme Leader, insulting sacred beliefs, and propaganda against the regime. He received:

5 years for insulting sacred beliefs
2 years for insulting the Supreme Leader
1 year for propaganda against the regime
74 lashes for insulting the Prophet

Previously, in two separate rulings—both later overturned by the case judge—Tavakoli had been sentenced by Revolutionary and Criminal Courts to 3 years and 10 months in prison and 29 lashes on the same charges.

Tavakoli was arrested on December 20, 2023, by IRGC Intelligence agents in Shahr-e Kord.

He is a specialist in painting and insulation for oil and gas projects.

Judicial Cases Filed Against Five Members of Adinezadeh Family

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News
Abolfazl Adinezadeh, Ali Adinezadeh, HRANA, Marziyeh Adinezadeh, ابوالفضل آدینه زاده

HRANA News Agency – Judicial cases have been opened against Ali Adinezadeh, the father of Abolfazl Adinezadeh—a teenager killed during the 2022 nationwide protests—and four other members of his family.

In a public statement, Marziyeh Adinezadeh, daughter of Ali Adinezadeh, revealed that cases have been filed against herself, her parents—Ali Adinezadeh and Goldasteh Hosseini-Jahanabad—and two of her uncles. The charges include disturbing public order, spreading false information, causing public anxiety, intentional assault, and resisting law enforcement.

Marziyeh also shared an image of a court summons issued to her father, requesting his presence at Branch 118 of Mashhad Criminal Court II to respond to the allegations today.

Ali Adinezadeh had previously been summoned by the same judicial authority for a hearing related to the case in March 2025. He was released from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad in September 2024 on bail. His arrest had taken place in July 2024 after appearing before Branch 1 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Quchan.

Ali Adinezadeh, father of slain protester Abolfazl Adinezadeh, has previously faced judicial action. His wife Goldasteh Hosseini-Jahanabad and daughter Marziyeh Adinezadeh have also been previously detained in connection with security-related cases.

Background on the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The protests in Iran were triggered by the arrest of Mahsa Amini by the Tehran Morality Police for her improper hijab and her subsequent suspicious death on September 16. The demonstrations quickly spread across the country, with participants rallying against the performance, laws, and structure of the regime. Thousands of people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students, and civil rights activists, were arrested during the nationwide protests.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activists Kazem Safabakhsh and Saman Bidar Arrested in Qazvin

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Azerbaijani Turk activists, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Kazem Safabakhsh, Saman Bidar, Tabriz Prison

HRANA News Agency –On Friday, May 2, Azerbaijani-Turk activists Kazem Safabakhsh and Saman Bidar were arrested in Qazvin and transferred to the city’s prison.

A source close to the families confirmed the arrests and told HRANA, “The two were detained by IRGC Intelligence agents in connection with their support for the Tractor football team during a recent match. Following their arrest, both Safabakhsh and Bidar were transferred to Qazvin Prison.”

Saman Bidar had previously been released on bail from Tabriz Prison on March 13, 2025, after being arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents on March 1 of the same year.

Both activists have a history of prior arrests and convictions related to their activism.

In 2024, HRANA reported the arrest of 262 ethnic activists. Although the specific charges and reasons for these arrests remain unclear in many cases, given the security agencies’ longstanding pattern of conduct, it is believed that most were detained due to their advocacy for ethnic rights. At least 109 of these arrests were carried out without a warrant.

Special Clerical Court in Urmia Sentences Two Sunni Clerics to Prison

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News, Religious Minorities
Hassan Khezri, HRANA, Salam Mahmoudian, Sardasht

HRANA News Agency –Hassan Khezri and Salam Mahmoudian, two Sunni clerics from Sardasht, have each been sentenced to two years in prison and a monetary fine by the Special Clerical Court in Urmia. The prison sentences were suspended.

According to a report by HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, the Special Clerical Court in Urmia issued the verdicts against the two clerics, sentencing each to two years in prison and paying a fine. The prison terms have been suspended.

The report does not specify the charges brought against Khezri and Mahmoudian.

Salam Mahmoudian is the Friday prayer leader of Boyuran-e Sofla (lower Boyuran) village, and Hassan Khezri is the Friday prayer leader of Boyuran-e Olya (upper Boyuran), both located in Sardasht County. The two were previously summoned to the Urmia Special Clerical Court in July of 2024.

HRANA’s compiled reports show that in 2024 alone, the Iranian regime’s judiciary sentenced 82 members of religious minorities to nearly 400 years in prison on charges solely related to their religious beliefs and sharing those beliefs. This alarming figure highlights the regime’s relentless persecution of religious communities through its judicial system.

Appeals Court Upholds Over 5-Year Sentence for Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Vadood Asadi

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Ethnic Minorities, News, Prisoners
Abolghasem Salavati, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Evin Prison, Rasht, Vadood Asadi

HRANA News Agency –The Gilan Province Appeals Court has upheld the five-year-and-six-month prison sentence of Vadood Asadi, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist currently detained in Evin Prison. The verdict was confirmed without any changes.

A source close to Asadi’s family told HRANA that the sentence, originally issued by Branch 3 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court, was reaffirmed by Branch 11 of the Gilan Appeals Court. Asadi was convicted on charges of propaganda against the regime, membership in anti-regime groups, and insulting the Supreme Leader.

On March 3, 2025, Asadi was transferred to Evin Prison to begin serving his sentence following an official summons.

In a separate case, Asadi had earlier been sentenced to four years in prison by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, for “assembly and collusion to act against national security.” That sentence was later reduced to one year under a general pardon. After he accepted the verdict, a further reduction was applied, resulting in a final sentence of nine months.

Asadi was initially arrested by security forces in Rasht in February 2024. He was transferred to Evin Prison in March of that year and released on bail several days later.

The activist has a history of facing legal action related to his civil and political activities.

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, 20 ethnic minority rights activists were sentenced to a total of 471 months (nearly 40 years) in prison. Over the past decade, the total length of such prison sentences has reached 913 years.

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Prisoner Executed in Hamedan on Murder Charge

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Executions, News
Amir Mohammad Tavakkoli, Hamedan prison, HRANA

HRANA News Agency – At dawn today, May 5, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death on a murder charge was carried out in Hamedan Prison.

The prisoner has been identified by HRANA as Amir Mohammad Tavakkoli, 32 years old. According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Tavakkoli had been arrested on murder charges and later sentenced to death by a judicial authority.

As of the time this report was published, prison officials and relevant institutions have not publicly announced the execution.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Younes Azadbar Arrested by Security Forces

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Rasht, Rasht County, Younes Azadbar, یونس آزادبر

HRANA News Agency – Younes Azadbar, a resident of Rasht County, was arrested today by IRGC Intelligence agents and transferred to their facility for interrogation.

A source close to Azadbar’s family confirmed the news to HRANA and said: “Mr. Azadbar was arrested a few minutes ago at his home by IRGC Intelligence agents without a court warrant and was taken for questioning. At the same time, his home was searched, and personal belongings, including his mobile phone, were confiscated.”

The source added: “Mr. Azadbar is 62 years old, suffers from epilepsy, and has a mechanical heart valve and a cardiac pacemaker. His physical condition is highly concerning, and his family is worried about the impact of interrogation pressure on his health.”

He was initially arrested on July 19, 2023 and then released on bail in December 2023 to receive medical treatment.

During his previous detention, he appeared before Branch 1 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office, where he defended himself against charges including “enmity against God (moharebeh),” propaganda against the regime, and “membership in anti-government groups.”

Younes Azadbar, 62, is a resident of Sangar, a town in Rasht County. He has a prior conviction related to his activism.

Report on the Arrest of 9 Supporters of the “Yamani” Movement in Kashmar

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News, Religious Minorities
Ahmad al-Hasan Yamani, Ali Davoudi, Hadi Aghaei, Hassan Davoudi, Hossein Davoudi, HRANA, Kashmar, Kazem Ghavidel

HRANA News Agency – Hassan Davoudi, Hossein Davoudi, Ali Davoudi, Kazem Ghavidel, Hadi Aghaei, and four women—supporters of the “Yamani” movement—have been in detention by security forces in the city of Kashmar for the past 10 days. However, no information has yet been obtained regarding their place of detention.

A source with knowledge of the case has requested that the identities of the detained women not be disclosed.

According to information obtained by HRANA, these individuals were arrested on April 26, 2025, at their residences in Kashmar. As of now, their whereabouts remain unknown, and the authorities have refused to provide any information to their families.

Each year, individuals in Iran are arrested solely for claiming a connection with the Hidden Imam of Shia Islam. The “Yamani” movement, led by a figure named Ahmad al-Hasan Yamani, is known for making claims related to the Mahdist belief system.

Iran’s security apparatus—particularly the Ministry of Intelligence—has dedicated divisions for targeting religious minorities, spiritual movements, and ideological groups that fall outside the ideological framework of the Islamic Republic.

Mahboobeh Rezaei and Reza Mohammad-Hosseini Receives 5 Years in Prison After Retrial

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News, Prisoners
Ali Sharifzadeh Ardakani, Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar, Ghezel Hesar prison, Mahboobeh Rezaei, Reza Mohammad Hosseini, Tehran

HRANA News Agency – The prison sentences of political prisoners Reza Mohammad-Hosseini and Mahboobeh Rezaei have each been reduced to five years following the acceptance of their request for retrial and a re-examination of their cases by Branch 21 of the Tehran Province Court of Appeals. They were previously sentenced to six years and three months in prison.

Ali Sharifzadeh Ardakani, their attorney, announced today, Sunday, May 4, that following the Supreme Court’s acceptance of the retrial request in January 2025, their cases were referred to a parallel branch for review. Branch 21 of the Tehran Appeals Court reduced their sentences to five years each.

Mahboobeh Rezaei was arrested by security forces on May 22, 2023, and later transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison. She was ultimately sentenced by Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court to 19 years and 9 months in prison and a fine of eight million tomans on charges including: “membership in anti-state groups with the aim of disrupting national security,” “assembly and collusion against national security,” “propaganda against the regime,” “blasphemy,” “removing hijab and showing the act of depravity on the Internet.”

Reza Mohammad-Hosseini was arrested in May 2023 at his home by security forces. In January 2024, he was sentenced by Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court to 14 years and 6 months in prison and a fine on charges including: “membership in anti-state groups with the aim of disrupting national security,” “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security,” “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” and “disobedience toward law enforcement officers during duty.” He is currently serving his sentence in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

7 Prisoners Executed in Birjand Prison for Drug Offences

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News
Birjand Prison, Nehbandan

HRANA News Agency – On May 4, 2025, the death sentences of seven prisoners previously convicted of drug-related offenses were carried out in Birjand Prison, South Khorasan province, according to Haal Vsh.

The identities of the executed individuals have been reported as: Khosrow Sarani, Mahmoud Sarani (Rakhshani), Yousef Sorour Vash (Narouei), Alireza Laloozaei, Mousa Shokoohi, Mojtaba Lakzaei, and Ali Noori.

According to the report, Khosrow Sarani and Ali Noori were arrested in 2021, Mahmoud Sarani, Alireza Laloozaei, Yousef Sorour Vash, and Mousa Shokoohi were arrested in 2022, and Mojtaba Lakzaei was arrested in 2023. Following their arrests, they were all sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of Nehbandan on drug-related charges.

As of the time this report was prepared, the executions have not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, over 52 percent of executed prisoners had been convicted on drug-related charges. Over the past ten years, individuals convicted of drug trafficking have accounted for 40 percent of all executions. Unfortunately, HRANA’s statistics show no progress in reducing executions for drug-related offenses.