Evin Prison: Medical Care and Medical Leave Denied to Layan Darvish

HRANA News Agency – Layan Darvish, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, is being denied essential medical care and transfer to a hospital despite suffering from a severe kidney and bladder infection.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Darvish is in urgent need of medical treatment, yet prison authorities have blocked her transfer to external medical facilities.

A source close to her family told HRANA, “Ms. Darvish’s request for conditional release has been approved and is legally due for implementation, but prison officials continue to withhold her release. Her application for short-term medical leave was initially approved but has yet to be carried out. These repeated broken promises are taking a serious toll on her mental health.”

Darvish was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison on February 21, 2024, to begin serving her sentence.

A mother in her early 40s from Gilan Province, Layan Darvish was sentenced to a total of five years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security,” “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and “propaganda against the regime.”

Omid Moloudian Arrested by Security Forces in Bukan

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, Omid Moloudian, a resident of Bukan County, was arrested by security forces in the city and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to Kurdpa, Omid Moloudian, 22 years old, is a resident the village of “Kahrizeh Sardar,” a rural district of Bukan. The report states that Mr. Moloudian was arrested in connection with his participation in Nowruz celebrations.

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding his whereabouts or the charges against him.
Each year, the regime’s security forces attempt to prevent Nowruz celebrations in Kurdish-populated areas, resorting to summoning, threatening, and arresting dozens of citizens to that end.

Detention Without Due Process: Farzaneh Mohammadi Parsa Still Held in Evin Prison Without Charges

HRANA News Agency- Farzaneh Mohammadi Parsa, a political detainee, remains in a state of legal uncertainty more than 90 days after her arrest. She is currently being held in the women’s ward of Evin Prison.

According to information received by HRANA, Mohammadi Parsa has been in detention for over three months without formal charges or legal proceedings. After spending more than 40 days in the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison, she was transferred to the prison’s women’s ward on February 11, 2025. Authorities have so far denied her release on bail.

A source close to the family confirmed to HRANA that her arrest was linked to her public protest against compulsory hijab laws in Tehran.

She was arrested on December 25, 2024, by security forces at her home in Tehran. The arrest reportedly involved physical assault.

According to earlier reports, Mohammadi Parsa had previously been detained over issues related to mandatory hijab and for sharing content discouraging participation in Iran’s presidential elections. She was released on that occasion after signing a written pledge.

To date, no formal charges have been announced against her.

Farzaneh Mohammadi Parsa is approximately 55 years old, a dentist by profession, and resides in Tehran.

Mehdi Eydi Vandi Arrested and Transferred to Prison in Masjed Soleyman

HRANA News Agency – Mehdi Eydi Vandi, a resident of Masjed Soleyman, was arrested by security forces on March 18, 2025, and is currently held in limbo at the city’s prison.

Based on information received by HRANA, he was arrested by security forces on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in front of his workplace. Following his arrest, he was transferred to Masjed Soleyman Prison in Khuzestan province, where he remains in a state of uncertainty.

The reasons for his arrest and the charges against him remain unknown at the time of this report.

16-Year-Old Teenager Arrested by Security Forces in Bandar Lengeh

HRANA – On Tuesday, March 25, Yousef Rasaneh, a 16-year-old teenager, was arrested by security forces in Bandar Lengeh County, Hormozgan province, and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, citing the Baloch Activists Campaign, Rasaneh is a resident of Firoozabad village in Rask County. The report states that Rasaneh had traveled to a district of Bandar Lengeh, for work. Security forces from the Ministry of Intelligence raided his resting place and arrested him without presenting any judicial warrant.

As of this report, there is no information about the reason for his arrest or his current whereabouts.

In 2024, HRANA documented the detention of 34 individuals under the age of 18 by security forces in Iran. For detailed statistics and further insights into children’s rights violations, read HRANA’s 2024 Annual Report.

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Labor Activist Morteza Seydi Goes on Hunger Strike in Evin Prison

HRANA News Agency –Morteza Seydi, a labor activist imprisoned in Evin Prison, began a hunger strike yesterday, March 25, 2025.

According to information obtained by HRANA, in the final days of the previous Iranian year, Evin Prison officials attempted to transfer Seydi from Ward 8 to Ward 7. Seydi resisted the transfer, after which prison authorities punished him by moving him to the quarantine ward. In protest, he launched a hunger strike.

Morteza Seydi was arrested on November 5, 2024, after appearing at Branch 3 of the Enforcement Unit of the Shahr-e Qods Prosecutor’s Office to begin serving his sentence. He was subsequently transferred to Evin Prison.

In June 2024, Branch 2 of the Shahriar Revolutionary Court sentenced Seydi to two years in prison on charges of “forming a group under the name of a labor union with the intent to disrupt national security.”

Previously, on April 15, 2022, Seydi was arrested along with several other labor activists by security forces. He was released on bail on May 9, 2022.

Morteza Seydi has faced repeated judicial prosecution over his labor activism.

Political Prisoner Behfar Lalehzari Awaits Supreme Court Review of Retrial Request After 14 Months in Limbo

HRANA News Agency– Behfar Lalehzari, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been waiting more than 14 months for the Supreme Court of Iran to review his retrial request. Despite repeated follow-ups, his case remains unresolved.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the Supreme Court has yet to process Lalehzari’s retrial petition.

A source close to the prisoner’s family confirmed the prolonged delay, telling HRANA: “During a visit by a judicial official to Ward 4 of Evin Prison, Behfar Lalehzari raised his protest over the lack of progress on his retrial request pending in Branch 39 of the Supreme Court. The official responded by claiming the case file had been ‘lost’ and that the branch currently has no file to review.”

In protest, Lalehzari launched a hunger strike on February 11, 2025, demanding action on his case. He ended his strike in late March after prison authorities promised to address his demands.

Lalehzari first submitted his retrial request to the Supreme Court in February 2024. Despite suffering from multiple health conditions, he has filed nine requests for medical furlough to date—each denied by prison officials.

On September 18, 2023, security forces arrested Behfar Lalehzari at his home. After seven days in solitary confinement at the Security Police detention facility, he was transferred to Evin Prison.

Later, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced him to four years in prison for “assembly and collusion against internal security” and one year for “propaganda against the regime,” totaling five years. The verdict was upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals.

Christian Convert Naser Navard Goltapeh Denied Medical Care Amid Ongoing Detention in Evin Prison

HRANA News Agency – Naser Navard Goltapeh, a Christian convert imprisoned in Evin Prison, has been denied access to specialized medical care. He was recently transferred to a hospital due to deteriorating health but was returned to prison without receiving adequate treatment.

According to HRANA, quoting Article 18 News Outlet, on the 35th day of his hunger strike, Goltapeh was transferred to a hospital with symptoms suggesting a possible stroke. Following initial examinations, doctors suspected either a mild stroke or a minor heart attack. He experienced impaired movement in his left arm and leg. Despite the attending physician’s recommendation for physiotherapy and continued medical treatment, he was returned to prison without receiving adequate care.

The report states that no action has been taken so far to address his case or hold a trial. Although bail has been set, his release remains impossible.

On February 6, 2025, Goltapeh was arrested along with another Christian citizen, Joseph Shahbazian, in Tehran and transferred to Evin Prison.

At the time of this report, no information has been made available regarding the charges brought against him.

Goltapeh, a Christian convert residing in Tehran, has previously been arrested and imprisoned for his religious activities.n July 2016, he was detained during a private gathering and was ultimately sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of “establishing a house church.” He served his sentence in Evin Prison from 2017 without any furlough, and multiple requests for a retrial or conditional release were denied. After serving more than half of his sentence, he was released in October 2022.

Notably, while Christianity is officially recognized as a minority religion in Iran, security agencies view the conversion of Muslims to Christianity as a highly sensitive matter and respond with severe crackdowns on those involved in religious activism.

The persecution of Christian converts in Iran persists despite Article 18 of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which affirm every individual’s right to freedom of religion, including the right to change their faith and to practice it openly or privately, alone or in community with others.

Six Citizens Arrested Over Nowruz Celebration in Sanandaj

HRANA News Agency – Six citizens have been arrested by security forces in Sanandaj in connection with a Nowruz celebration. They were subsequently taken to an undisclosed location.

The individuals have been identified by Kolbar News as Sheno Mohammadi and Ariwan Shakeri, both residents of Sanandaj; Shirwan Heydari, Edris Heydari, and Sirwan Hatami, all from the village of Avihang; and Mahmoud Naderi, from the village of Dadaneh Kamangar.

According to the report, five of the detainees were arrested on Sunday, March 23, 2025. Mahmoud Naderi was arrested a day earlier, on Saturday, March 22.

At the time of this report, there is no information available regarding their current whereabouts or the charges filed against them.

It is worth noting that Mahmoud Naderi had previously been arrested on March 4, 2025, and was released on bail.

Milad Mokhtari Arrested by Security Forces in Urmia

HRANA News Agency – Today, Monday, March 24, 2025, Milad Mokhtari, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, was arrested by security forces in Urmia and taken to an undisclosed location.

His arrest took place today, Monday, March 24, 2025, in the city of Urmia. As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the reasons for his arrest, his whereabouts, or the charges brought against him.

Milad Mokhtari has previously faced security-related actions due to his activism.

In 2024, HRA documented the arrests of 262 individuals from ethnic minority groups or those advocating for ethnic minority rights, including Azerbaijani-Turk activists.