Two Prisoners Executed in Rajai Shahr Prison

At dawn on Wednesday, July 14, two prisoners were executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Iran Human Rights (IHR), the prisoners have been identified as Afshin Gheydar and Mohammad Abdol Rahim.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

Defendant Sentenced to Death in Criminal Court of Gonbad Kavus

A defendant was sentenced to death in the criminal court of Gonbad Kavus.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Tasnim News Agency,  the defendant was charged with the murder of Captain Nabiollah Khatiri, commander of the Border Regiment.

The Chief Justice of Golestan Province, Hadi Hashemian stated, “The first defendant was sentenced to death per the request of the victim’s family.”

“The defendant was also sentenced to imprisonment and payment of ransom to the soldiers whom he wounded with a knife,” Hashemian added.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

This verdict can be appealed in the Supreme Court.

Activist Arrests and Tear Gas: Khuzestan Protests Continue Into Sixth Day

Today, July 20, the widespread protests in Khuzestan over the ongoing water crisis continued for a sixth consecutive day. Since the start of the protests on Thursday, provincial authorities have confirmed that at least two civilians have been killed by military forces.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, today’s protests took place in the cities of Izeh, Khorramshahr, Ahvaz, Shadegan, Abadan, Susangard, and Behbahan. HRANA received reports of shootings and internet shutdowns in some areas, as well as a report of the death of a protester, but neither have been confirmed as of this writing.

Today a number of prominent civil activists also gathered in Tehran to voice their support for the protesters in Khuzestan, and were met with violence from security forces. Activists Narges Mohammadi, Arash Sadeghi, Arash Kaykhosravi, Ruhollah Mardani, Jafar Azimzadeh, Rasoul Bodaghi, Pooran Nazemi, Hamid Asefi, and Behzad Homayouni were arrested by security forces in Tehran and taken to an unknown location.

Below is our updated map of the protests of the last five days.

Watch our compilation of footage from the protests.

Read our fact sheet for more info on what is going on in Khuzestan.

Sufi Prisoner Hossein Mohammadi Executed in Zanjan Prison on Charge of Murder

On Sunday, July 18, a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death for murder was executed in Zanjan Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Iran Human Rights (IHR), the Sufi prisoner has been identified as 58-year-old Hossein Mohammadi.

According to this report, Mohammadi was arrested about 9 years ago on murder charges and was being held in prison up until his execution yesterday.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

The execution of Mohammadi has not been announced by Iranian media or official sources as of this writing.

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of protests took place in different parts of the country this week. Below is a quick recap and footage from the demonstrations.

 

Friday July 9 and Saturday July 10

Several civil and political activists in Tehran, several bakers in Qazvin, a group of women from Nasir Mahalla and Shalma villages located in Shaft county, a group of pest control workers from Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company, residents of Marqa village from the central part Izeh city, a group of employees of Qom Health Care Services, workers of rural telecommunication agents in Mashhad, a group of taxi drivers in Marivan, Kurdestan, residents of Ahvaz concerned about the drying rivers in Khuzestan province, workers of Kut Abdullah municipality, and a number of bakery workers in Neyshabur all held protest rallies on Friday and Saturday of last week.

Qazvin bakers:

Civil and political activists in Tehran in support of Manouchehr Bakhtiari:

 

Women from Nasir Mahalla and Shalma villages:

Haft Tappeh sugarcane workers:

Marqa village residents in Izeh:

Employees of health services in Qom:

Workers of rural telecommunication agents in Mashhad:

Taxi drivers in Marivan, Kurdestan:

Residents in Ahvaz protesting rivers in danger of drying, in Khuzestan:

Workers of Kut Abdullah municipality:

Sunday, July 11

A group of shareholders of Cryptoland exchange in Tehran, a group of pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company for the 16th consecutive day, Mashhad bakery workers, a group of retirees the Steel of Isfahan, retirees seeking social security in the cities of Rasht and Ahvaz, a group of water and sewage workers from the Azadegan plain in Khuzestan called on their demands to be addressed through protest rallies. Also, the strikes of contract workers of several companies affiliated with the oil, petrochemical, and power plants companies are still expanding, and so far, workers of 105 industrial units in different provinces of the country have stopped working and joined the strikes.

Cryptoland shareholders:

 

Pest control workers of Haft Tappeh:

Bakers in Mashhad:

Retirees the Steel of Isfahan company:

Retirees of social security in the cities of Rasht and Ahvaz:

Water and sewage workers from the Azadegan plain in Khuzestan:

Monday, July 12

A group of pharmacists in Tehran and Shiraz, contract workers of Kut Abdollah municipality, a group of pesticide workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company for the 17th day in a row, drivers of Urmia minibus fleets, several workers of Khorasan Petrochemical Company, A group of people from Chabahar city in Sistan and Baluchestan province, a group of doctors, faculty members andresidents of the dermatology field, and a group of workers from Urmia Municipality all held protest gatherings.

Residents of Chabahr in Sistan and Baluchestan Province:

Pharmacists in Tehran:

Pharmacists in Shiraz:

Contract workers of Kut Abdollah municipality:

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company:

Physicians in Tehran

Workers of Khorasan Petrochemical Company:

Tuesday July 13

Several bakery workers in Mashhad, workers of Haft Tappeh Company from all sectors, a group of Ahvaz Municipality workers held protests this Tuesday. Additionally, marches against frequent water and electricity cuts were held in the cities of Khorramshahr and Qasr-e-qand.

Residents of Khorramshahr:

 

Workers of Ahvaz municipality:

 

Bakers in Mashhad

 

Workers of Haft Tappeh Company from all sectors:

Wednesday, July 14

Ranchers in four cities, including Shahrekord, Neyshabur, Birjand, and Torbat Heydariyeh, a group of workers from Haft Tappeh Company from all sectors for the second day and workers of the pest control department for the nineteenth consecutive day protested this Wednesday. A group of people from the western Hume, a number of social security workers and retirees, as well as a group of farmers in the villages of Janadaleh and Khazrajin Hamidiyeh in Khuzestan Province, drivers of tankers truck and fuel trucks in Qasr Shirin held demonstrations of protest as well.

Ranchers in Neyshabur:

 

 

Workers from Haft Tappeh Company from all sectors:

 

Pest control workers of Haft Tappeh:

Residents of western Hume:

Retirees of social security:

Farmers in Khuzestan:

 

 

Drivers of tanker trucks:

Thursday July 15

at least 13 rallies protest were held this Thursday. A group of workers of Ahvaz Municipality, workers of Jahan Pars Company, bakers and workers in Bojnourd in of North Khorasan, a group of workers of Haft Tappeh Company from all sectors and workers of the pest control department of this company for the twentieth day protested. Several environmental activists in Isfahan, residents in Sepehr town located in Karaj, farmers in the villages of Bavi district of Ahvaz city – Masjed Soleiman, some cities of Khuzestan including Abadan, Hamidiyeh, Bostan, Susangard and Mahshahr port due to water cut and lack of access to Drinking water also separately marched and protested in their  respective cities.

Workers of Ahvaz Municipality:

 

Workers of Jahan Pars Company:

 

Gathering of bakers and bakery workers in Bojnourd:

 

Rally of Haft Tappeh workers

 

Residents in Sepehr town in Karaj:

Farmers in Bavi village:

 

Protesters in Khuzestan Province (including Hamidiyeh, Bostan, Susanger, Shadegan) in light of ongoing water shortages:

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Three Citizens Arrested by Security Forces Without a Warrant in Urmia

On Sunday, July 11, three citizens from rural regions in Urmia were arrested by security forces and transferred to one of Urmia’s detention centers.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa,  the identities of these citizens have been verified as Mamel Abdi from Naznaz village, Khorshid Ebrahimi from Ziveh village, and Jalal Ebrahimi from Bardkashk village from the Dizaj region of Urmia.

According to the report, these citizens were detained without a court order in their private homes.

As of this writing, no information is available on the reason behind the arrests or the charges against these three citizens.

Prisoner Released from Gallows After Forgiveness from Parents

A prisoner in the city of Jiroft in Kerman Province, who had previously been sentenced to death for the murder of his brother, was released from the gallows after his family expressed their forgiveness.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rokna News, a prisoner in the city of Jiroft in Kerman Province was saved from execution following the pardon of his parents.

Mohammad Reza Sharifi, head of the Jiroft Prison Administration, commented on the reversal of the prisoner’s fate.

“With the efforts of the Dispute Resolution Council and the Peace and Reconciliation Committee of the prison, the family of the victim, including his parents, wife, and children, expressed their consent and forgiveness,” Sharifi added, “and the prisoner was released from execution.”

Sharifi stated that the prisoner had murdered his brother with a firearm in one of the villages of Jiroft city in September 2019 due to family disputes, and had been in Jiroft Prison for almost 2 years.

“Due to the consent of the parents, the imprisonment due to the general aspect of the crime was reduced from ten years to three years with a reduction of the sentence, and during the meeting of the prison classification council, it was agreed to employ this prisoner.”