Abbas Sharifi Arrested in Behshahr

On April 11, Abbas Sharifi, a resident of Behshahr, was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents and taken to a detention facility in Sari. He was previously arrested amid the 2022 nationwide protests.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on April 11, 2023, Abbas Sharifi was arrested by IRGC intelligence agents.

Abbas Sharifi’s brother, Mohammad Sharifi, stated, “IRGC intelligence agents arrested my brother at his home and took him to a detention facility in Sari.”

On October 1, 2022, security forces arrested Sharifi violently in Sari and transferred him to Sari Prison after seven days of holding him in a detention facility.

On November 13, 2022, the Sari Revolutionary Court sentenced Sharifi to 43 months in prison. On March 1, he was released on bail.

About the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. During the nationwide protests, about 19600 people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.

 

Journalist Saeed Seyf-Ali Arrested

Saeed Seyf-Ali, the managing editor of the Didban Iran news outlet, was arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, journalist Saeed Seyf-Ali was arrested by security forces.

Asal Esmailzadeh, Seyf-Ali’s wife, stated that her husband went to the courthouse on Tuesday, April 11, to inquire about his case, but was subsequently arrested. She added that she has not been informed about his whereabouts or the security institutions responsible for his arrest.

Earlier on January 7, 2023, Seyf-Ali was arrested after an appearance at Evin Courthouse and was released on bail of one billion Toman after eight days.

The reason for his arrest, his current location, and the specific allegations against him are still unknown.

 

Golrokh Iraee Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison and Additional Punishments

Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced former political prisoner Golrokh Iraee to seven years and additional punishments.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee was sentenced to imprisonment and additional punishments.

Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Iraee to six years in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.” In addition, she has been banned from leaving the country, travelling to Tehran, and joining political and civil groups for two years. Her cell phone has also been confiscated by the court.

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

An informed source close to her family told HRANA, “the Judge sentenced Golrokh to six years despite the maximum five years sentence for the charge of assembly and collusion, determined in the Islamic penal code. The judge cited the possibility of reoffending as the reason for the longer sentence, even though Iraee has never been convicted of this crime in her previous legal cases.”

“Iraee and her family were told by security and judicial officials that the only way to avoid incarceration is to submit a written request for a pardon, which Iraee has repeatedly refused to do. As a result, Judge Afshsari has refused to grant her bail,” the source added.

On September 26, 2022, security forces arrested Iraee violently at her home in Tehran.

Iraee faced other arrests and convictions on prior occasions. In the last case, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to three years and seven months, which was upheld later on appeal. Applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, two years and one month was enforceable.

Also earlier, in April 2021, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her in absentia to one year and additional punishments for “propaganda against the regime.” She was released on Amol Perison on May 9, 2022.

 

Lawyer Mohammad Najafi Sentenced to Three Years and Paying a Fine

The Criminal and Revolutionary Courts of Arak have sentenced lawyer Mohammad Najafi to a total of three years in prison and a fine for two parts of a legal case.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Mohammad Najafi, an attorney at law, was sentenced to three years and paying a fine for a legal case opened against him while he was in prison.

Najafi stated that he was sentenced to two years in prison and a 15-million-toman fine by Branch 106 of the Arak Criminal Court for “spreading falsehood” and to one year in prison by Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court for “propaganda against the regime”.

Najafi clarified that he did not attend the court and did not object to the verdict nor submit a plea of no contest for any part of the legal case. He stated that the reason for this legal case was due to his submission of a voice recording in prison showing support for the nationwide protests, which led to charges against his sister and brother as well.

Najafi has faced several other legal cases on prior occasions. In his last legal case, for the first part, he received three years in prison for insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran and four months for spreading falsehood. In December 2018, for the second part of this legal case, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for “propaganda against the regime,” “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and “collaborating with hostile foreign countries by giving interviews with the Voice of America and Persian BBC.”

For the first part, he was pardoned and released from jail under a “pardon and commute” directive approved by Iran’s Supreme Leader. However, four days later, he was re-arrested and jailed in Arak Prison for the second part of this case.

In another legal case, Najafi received two years in prison and a fine for spreading falsehood to disturb public opinion after writing an open letter addressing Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran. This verdict was upheld on appeal. He was given this sentence while he had already been sentenced to one year in prison for the same charges in December 2018.

Furthermore, in February 2020, Najafi received six months in prison for attending and giving a speech at a ceremony in commemoration of Sattar Beheshti, a blogger who was tortured and killed in custody.

Ultimately, from all the above charges, Najafi received 10 years in prison for the charge of “collaboration with hostile foreign countries by giving interviews with the Voice of America and Persian BBC,” which was the charge with the severest punishment. This sentence was later reduced to four years and six months.

 

 

 

Jina Modarresi Gorji Arrested in Sanandaj

On April 10, 2023, security forces arrested Jina Modarresi Gorji in Sanandaj and took her to the Sanandaj Correctional Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on April 10, 2023, Jina Modarresi Gorji was arrested by security forces in Sanandaj.

Security forces arrested Gorji violently and took her to the Sanandaj Correctional Prison. In recent days, she reportedly had been summoned to appear in Sanandaj Court, both in writing and via phone.

On September 21, 2022, Gorji was arrested during nationwide protests. On October 30, she was released on bail from the Sanandaj Correctional Prison. She has been reportedly accused of “forming a group to overthrow the regime” and “assembly and collusion against national security.”

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Majid Khademi Sentenced to over Ten Years and Additional Punishments

The Mahshahr Revolutionary Court sentenced Majid Khademi, a resident of Behbahan, to ten years and one month and additional punishments. If the verdict is upheld on appeal, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, six years and three months for one count will be enforceable to him.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Majid Khademi, age 31, was sentenced to over ten years in prison.

Khademi was given by the Mahshahr Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Mehran Mehman-Navaz, six years and three months for “assembly and collusion against national security,” one year and four months for “propaganda against the regime,” and two years and six months for “membership in anti-regime groups.”

Additionally, Khademi was sentenced to two years of exile in Taft County, Yazd Province, a ban from membership in civil or political groups and mandatory participation in orientation classes.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, six years and three months for the “assembly and collusion” charge will be enforceable.

Moreover, Khademi faces other charges for the second part of his legal case, which has been delivered to Behbahan Criminal Court.

On January 18, 2020, IRGC Intelligence arrested Khademi and Mehran Gharebaghi and transferred them to a detention facility in Behbahan City. After one month of interrogation, they were relocated to Behbahan Prison.

They were later indicted for “propaganda against the regime, participating in the destruction of public property, producing non-military explosive materials, membership in one of the anti-regime parties (The People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran) and spreading corruption on earth.”

On June 15, 2021, Khademi was released on a 2.5 billion-toman bail until the end of legal proceedings.

 

 

Abbas Korkori Sentenced to Death

According to the news agency of Iran’s judiciary, Mizan, Abbas (Mojahed) Korkori, a resident of Izeh, has been sentenced to death by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court on charges of  “enmity against God (moharebeh)” and “spreading corruption on earth.” Korkori was also convicted of the destruction of private and public properties, forming and participating in anti-regime groups, and armed rebellion against the regime.

The Revolutionary Court claims that Korkori was found guilty based on evidence obtained by CCTV cameras and Criminal Justice expert reports, which testify that the bullets that led to the death of 10-year-old Kian Pirfalak during protests in Izeh, were shot from the gun discovered with the defendant. Additionally, weapons, bullets, and Molotov cocktails were discovered at the defendant’s hideout, and the Governor of Izeh reported damages caused by the defendant and his associates to public and government properties.

“This verdict is not final and can be appealed to the Supreme Court,” the report asserts.

However, Pirfalak’s parents have repeatedly denied these accusations and claimed that their son was killed in a shooting by regime forces. Zeinab Molaei-Rad, Kian’s mother, said during his funeral, “On the way back home, the regime agents opened fire on our car.”

“As Kian’s mother, I will refute any claims that any regular citizen can be the murderer of my son,” his mother said in reaction to the accusations against Abbas Korkori and several others.

During the protest in Izeh, on November 16, 2022, at least seven individuals, including Kiran Pirfalak, were killed in the shooting by regime forces.

About the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. During the nationwide protests, about 19600 people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.

 

 

Media Activist Hossein Razzagh Sentenced to Four Years and Three Months

The Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced media activist Hossein Razzagh to four years and three months in a legal case opened against him while he was in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, media Activist Hossein Razzagh was sentenced to imprisonment.

Razzagh was convicted of “assembly and collusion against national security and propaganda against the regime.”

According to this media activist, “if the verdict is upheld on appeal, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, three years and seven months will be enforceable.”

On August 21, 2022, security forces arrested Razzagh in Amol for his previous legal case, and a while later, he was arraigned for a new case. In March 2023, he went on furlough.

Razzagh faced other arrests for his civil activities on prior occasions.

Javad Heidari’s Parents and Brother Arrested

On April 5, 2023, Javad Heidari’s parents and his brother, Mohammad Heidari, were arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location. Javad Heidari was killed by regime forces amid the 2022 nationwide protests.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on April 5, 2023, security forces arrested three family members of the killed protestor Javad Heidari.

His sister, Fatemeh Heidari informed the public, “They handcuffed my parents and brother, Mohammad, and arrested them. They told my parents that they should change Javad’s gravestone if they want to be released.”
Earlier, on April 3, security forces also arrested Ruhollah Heidari, Javad Heidari’s other brother.

Their detained location and the allegation against them are unknown so far.

On September 22, 2022, his brother, Javad Heidari, age 36, was shot dead at protests in Qazvin.

About the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. During the nationwide protests, about 19600 people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.

Teachers Union Activist Mohammad Habibi Arrested

On April 5, 2023, security forces arrested Mohammad Habibi, the spokesperson of the Tehran Teachers’ Trade Association, at his workplace in Tehran and took him to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. The agents also raided and searched his house.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on April 5, 2023, teachers union activist Mohammad Habibi was arrested.

His wife, Khadijeh Pakzamir, stated, “This afternoon, having an arrest warrant, four agents from the West Intelligence Department of Tehran Province arrested Mohammad Habibi at the school where he works. Then, along with my husband, the agents came to our house for a search. They insulted us and took him to Ward 209 of Evin Prison.”

Habibi had been released from Evin Prison, on February 8, 2023.

On April 30, 2022, Habibi was arrested and detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. In October 2022, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced him to three years and seven months for “assembly and collusion against national security” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.” He was also banned from leaving the country, membership, or participating in civil groups for two years.