Author: A MN

Baha’i Citizen Shahnaz Sabet Arrested and Sent to Adel-Abad Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Adel-Abad Prison, Bahais, Religious_Minorities, Shahnaz Sabet

On Saturday, March 12, 2022, Baha’i citizen Shahnaz Sabet was arrested by security forces and transferred to Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz city.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Saturday, March 12, 2022, Iranian Bahai citizen Shahnaz Sabet was arrested and sent to Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz for her sentencing.

According to an informed source close to Ms Sabet, while she was still awaiting the final verdict of the Supreme Court of Iran, they arrested her and took her to prison. Ms Sabet suffers from severe back pain and kidney stone, which raises concerns about her health conditions in prison.

On September 1, 2019, the security forces arrested Shahnaz Sabet at her house in Shiraz. After a while, she was released on bail until the end of legal proceedings. At the time of the arrest, the agents searched her house and confiscated some of her personal belongings.

On May 10, 2020, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz sentenced her to six years imprisonment on the charges of “propaganda against the regime and membership in anti-regime groups.”

In July of 2020, in a trial in absentia, the Court of Appeals of Shiraz reduced the sentence to two years in prison.

On October 12, 2020, she was arrested to serve her sentencing. On May 2, 2021, she was released temporary from prison after the approval of her request for a retrial by the Supreme Court of Iran.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian constitution recognizes only Islam as the official religion, in addition to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Bahai faith is not considered legitimate by the authorities, and the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

Freedom of religion is a breach of 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 practice religion freely, freedom of converting to a religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Former Political Prisoner Mehrdad Mohammadnejad Arrested in Shahriar City

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
#detained_Iranian_student, #freedom_of_expression, Mehrdad Mohammadnejad

On Saturday, March 12, 2022, the security forces arrested former political prisoner Mehrdad Mohammadnejad at his house in Shahriar city and transferred him to an unidentified location. The agents also searched the house and confiscated some of his personal belongings.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, On Saturday, March 12, 2022, former political prisoner Mehrdad Mohammadnejad was arrested by security forces in Shahriar city.

Confirming the arrest, his parent told HRANA, “ten agents took him without stating any reasons or charges against him. At the time of arrest, they searched the house and confiscated some of his belongings, including his cell phone and tablet.”

“After an inquiry from the judicial authorities in Shahriar city, we were told that we have to go to the Evin courthouse. During his imprisonment, Mehrdad got cervical disc issues and since then he has had sleeping problems. Spending time in detention makes it worse for him”, according to Mohammadnejad’s parents.

The reason for the arrest, the charges and his whereabouts are still unknown.

Earlier on October 21, 2018, Mohammadnejad was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) agents at his house in Shahriar and transferred to Evin prison. Then, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to two years on the charge of “offensive statements against the regime officials and authorities,” and one year for the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” This verdict was upheld by Branch 36 of Tehran’s Court of Appeals. On January 22, 2020, he was sent from Evin prison to the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary to start this sentencing. On May 2, 2020, he was granted early release while he was on furlough.

Mehrdad Mohammadnejad is 26 years old and an economics student at the Islamic Azad University of Central Tehran.

 

Political Prisoner Firooz Musaloo Sentenced to Death

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Citizen death sentence, Death Penalty, Firooz Musaloo, Urmia prison

Recently, Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia sentenced the political Prisoner Firooz Musaloo to death.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the political prisoner, Firooz Musaloo, the resident of Khoy city has been sentenced to death.

According to the verdict issued recently, he has been found guilty of “enmity against God (Moharebeh) and membership in one of the anti-regime political parties.”

On July 11, 2019, Firooz Musaloo was arrested by IRGC’s Intelligence agents and transferred to a detention center in Urmia. On January 1, 2020, he was sent to Urmia Prison.

On June 20, 2020, he was again sent to the detention center for interrogation and on June 27 of that year was sent back to Urmia Prison.

Inmate Executed in Khash Prison

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Citizen executed, Execution, Khash Prison

On Saturday morning, March 12, 2022, an inmate who had been previously convicted for murder was executed in Khash prison located in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rasank News, on Saturday, March 12, 2022, the execution of an inmate identified as Alam Yarahmadzehi, age 48, was carried out in Khash prison.

Yarahmadzehi was accused and convicted of murder during 2010. He was relocated to the quarantine section of the prison the day before as a routine procedure while awaiting execution.

This execution has not been reported by official sources and media outlets inside Iran so far.

The most recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between January 1 of 2021 and December 20 of 2021, at least 299 citizens, including four juvenile offenders, were executed. In addition, 85 citizens were sentenced to death in this period.

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 88% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

 

Forty One Citizens Summoned By the Ministry of Intelligence of Marivan City

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Other

In recent days, 41 residents of the village Ney in Marivan County, Kurdistan Province were summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence. They have been threatened and told not to hold gatherings to celebrate Nowruz, the day of the Iranian New Year.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, intelligence agents summoned them via phone and interrogated them for hours.

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Political Prisoner Nayeb Askari Denied Medical Treatment in Urmia Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Nayeb Askari, prisoner health

Despite his poor health and urgent need for treatment, political prisoner Nayeb Askari has been denied adequate medical treatment in Urmia Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, an informed source told HRANA that “Askari collapsed following a seizure. The inmates called the healthcare and the prison officer but none of them has done anything. The health conditions of political prisoners have been exacerbated after their relocation to highly secured new ward on January 10. Inmates in this ward do not have direct access to prison healthcare”.

Askari suffers from kidney disease. On August 26, 2021, despite the prison doctor’s recommendation for hospitalization, prison officials refused to dispatch him to a hospital outside the prison. In protest, he went on hunger strike, which ended after a few days.

Askari was arrested by IRGC intelligence agents in Urmia in April and transferred to an IRGC detention centres. He was eventually transferred from the IRGC Intelligence Detention Center to the city prison in June, after completing the interrogation process. Askari has been charged with “collaborating with an opposition party”.

On July 12, 2021, a new case was opened against him following the complaint of the head of Urmia Prison. For this case, he was sentenced to three months more imprisonment and 50 lashes for the charge of “Disrupting prison order”.

Several Citizens Arrested During the Memorial for Samad Shabani

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Alireza Saghafi, Elham Salehi, Haleh Safarzadeh, Saha Mortezaie, Samad Shabani, Samaneh Moradi

On March 11, during the memorial for Samad Shabani, the writer and poet in Karaj, at least 20 attendees were arrested by Karaj’s Security Police of NAJA. Saha Mortezaie, Alireza Saghafi, Haleh Safarzadeh, Elham Salehi and Samaneh Moradi were transferred to an unidentified location and the rest was released a few hours later after signing a commitment letter.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, during the memorial ceremony which was attended a number of citizens, civil and worker’s rights activists, police raided and arrested 20 attendees. The police released some arrestees after taking photos for them and forcing them to sign a commitment letter. They transferred the rest to an unidentified location.

Samad Shabani is a playwright and poet who passed away from disease on March 1.

Sunni Prisoner Hamzeh Darvish Sentenced to Two Years and One Month In Prison

Posted on by A MN
Prisoners
Hamzeh Darvish, Rajai Shahr Prison, Sunni

In a new case recently opened against him, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht sentenced Sunni prisoner Hamzeh Darvish to two years and one month iin prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Darvish is currently serving a 15 year sentence in Lakan prison, and was sentenced to two years and one month in prison in a new legal case.

In this verdict, he has been sentenced to 18 months on the charge of “offensive statements against the supreme leader of Iran” and seven months and sixteen days on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. This verdict was issued on March 5, and he was notified yesterday, March 9.

This case was opened following complaints by the Ministry of Intelligence regarding audio of Darvish that circulated on social media. In this audio recording, Darvish explains his condition in prison.

Darvish claims that in 2014, ISIS troops tricked him into Turkey and then he travelled to Syria. He had been in ISIS jail for some time, then escaped to Iran and introduced himself to security forces.

After spending a year in detention, he was released on bail. However, he was arrested again and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in a trial which raised many questions. On May 11, 2020, he was transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison to Lakan Prison. On September 30, 2020, he was held in solitary confinement for more than two months for the second time.

Amir Abbas Azarmvand Sent From Detention to Evin Prison to Serve His Sentence

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Amir Abbas Azarmvand, International Women's Day

Journalist and workers’ rights activist Amir Abbas Azarmvand was sent to Evin Prison to serve his sentence after his arrest by Security Police in Tehran on March 8 during an International Women’s Day celebration. He was jailed without receiving summons.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Azarmvand was sent to the Quarantine Section of Evin Prison. Last Tuesday, he was violently arrested by security forces at a gathering held by a number of civil activists to mark Women’s Day and protest against honor killings and other forms of violence against women. In a break with routine, he was sent to Evin Prison to endure his sentence without summons.

On September 1, 2021, security forces arrested Azarmvand at his home.

In January of this year, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to four years and three months imprisonment, a two-year ban from leaving the country and a two year prohibition from membership in civil and political groups. Since he has refused to appeal the sentence and asked for commutation, the sentence is enforceable per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.

Three Kolbars Injured in Direct Shooting by Military Forces in Nowsud

Posted on by A MN
News, Other
kolbars, Mansoor Abdi, Pejman Abdi, Pouria Abdorahmani-Nejad

On March 8, military forces at a border area in Nowsud opened fire on three Kolbars (cross border carriers) without warning, injuring them.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, the Kolbars were identified as Pouria Abdorahmani-Nejad, Pejman Abdi and Mansoor Abdi, all residents of Salas-Babbai County.

They have been hospitalized and reportedly, their conditions are stable.

Many poor people living in border areas work as Kolbars to make ends meet. This work is illegal and involves carrying loads on foot across national borders. Yearly, dozens of Kolbars are injured and killed from accidents, dangerous conditions, and border guard shootings.