Category: News

12 Baha’i Citizens Sentenced in Sari

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News, Religious Minorities
Anahita Koushakbaghi, Baha'i citizens, Banafsheh Asadian Arabi, Emilia Fanaian, Fouad Leghaei, Hossein Fanaian, HRANA, Keyumars Akbari, Melody Samimi, Nasim Samimi, Qaem Shahr, Raquel Ataian, Sari, Soheil Haghdoost, Sohrab Leghaei, Zahra Golabian

HRANA – Twelve Baha’i citizens have been sentenced by the Sari Revolutionary Court to a combined 26 years and 165 days in prison and 76 years of deprivation of social rights.

According to HRANA, 12 Baha’i citizens in Sari have been sentenced to prison.

According to a verdict issued on August 20, 2026, Baha’i citizens Raquel Ataian, Keyumars Akbari, Sohrab Leghaei, Zahra Golabian, Banafsheh Asadian Arabi, Fouad Leghaei, Anahita Koushakbaghi, Nasim Samimi, Hossein Fanaian, Emilia Fanaian, Melody Samimi, and Soheil Haghdoost were convicted by Branch 1 of the Sari Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Ammar Ramezani. Under the ruling, Ataian was sentenced to four years in prison and 10 years of deprivation of social rights. Each of the other defendants was sentenced to two years and 15 days in prison and six years of deprivation of social rights.

The verdict states that the charge against these citizens was “engaging in educational and promotional activities contrary and detrimental to the sacred Islamic Sharia, with the aim of promoting and encouraging the Baha’i sect.” Court hearings on the charges against these citizens were held on August 1, 2, and 3, 2026, before the same branch.

A source close to one of the Baha’i citizens confirmed the news to HRANA and, describing the proceedings in the case, said: “The first hearing on the charges against these citizens was held in May 2024 before Branch 1 of the Sari Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Shoja Zoghi. Due to deficiencies in the investigation, the court returned the case to the investigative branch three times. However, because the deficiencies were not addressed, the case was removed from the branch’s docket. It was subsequently referred to Branch 104 of the Qaem Shahr Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Reza Majazi, where hearings were held on July 12 and 13, 2025.”

The source added: “During these proceedings, Soheil Haghdoost and his wife, Raquel Ataian, were arrested and were unable to attend the hearings. Following their temporary release, the two were tried separately from the other defendants. The Criminal Court subsequently issued a ruling declaring that it lacked jurisdiction and referred the case back to Branch 1 of the Sari Revolutionary Court. After holding three hearings, the branch ultimately issued its verdict.”

The source further stated: “During her detention last year, Raquel Ataian faced a new judicial case. By decision of Branch 104 of the Qaem Shahr Criminal Court, the proceedings in that case were consolidated with this case. Ultimately, both cases resulted in a verdict issued by Branch 1 of the Sari Revolutionary Court.”

Previously, final defense sessions for these 12 Baha’i citizens were held separately in March 2024 before Branch 6 of the Investigative Office of the Qaem Shahr Prosecutor’s Office, presided over by Reza Majazi. Prior to that, security forces had searched their homes, and each of them had received a separate text message informing them that a judicial case had been opened against them at the Qaem Shahr Prosecutor’s Office.

Prisoner Executed in Maku Prison

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Executions, News
Ardalan Sabzi Balkhkanlou, HRANA, Maku

HRANA  – At dawn yesterday, the death sentence of a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death on a murder charge was carried out in Maku Prison.

According to HRANA, citing Kurdpa, on August 23, 2026, a prisoner was executed in Maku Prison, West Azerbaijan province.

His identity has been reported as Ardalan Sabzi Balkhkanlou, 38, who was married and the father of a young child.

According to the report, Ardalan Sabzi was arrested approximately four years ago on a charge of murder and subsequently sentenced to death.

As of the time of this report, the prisoner’s execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or other relevant institutions.

According to HRA’s Annual Report, in 2025 at least 2,063 citizens, including 61 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the sentences of 11 individuals were carried out in public. During the same period, 172 other individuals were sentenced to death.

Amin Naseri Arrested by Security Forces

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Amin Naseri, Asemanabad, HRANA, Ilam province, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, امین ناصری

HRANA – Amin Naseri, a resident of Asemanabad who had been wanted by security forces in connection with the January 2026 protests, was arrested yesterday by agents of the IRGC Intelligence Organization in the city and transferred to an undisclosed location. During his arrest, Naseri was shot and wounded following an altercation with the agents.

According to HRANA, Amin Naseri was arrested in the city of Asemanabad.

A source close to Naseri’s family, who is familiar with the matter, confirmed the news to HRANA and said: “On Sunday, August 23, 2026, a number of IRGC Intelligence agents entered Asemanabad, located in Ilam Province, to arrest Amin Naseri. During the arrest, an altercation occurred, and Mr. Naseri was shot and wounded. He was subsequently arrested and transferred to an undisclosed location.”

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding Naseri’s whereabouts or current condition.

Amin Naseri is a resident of Asemanabad, a city in Chardavol County, Ilam Province.

Five Baha’i Citizens Arrested in Sari

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizens, Fakhereh Zahedi, HRANA, Maral Roshani, Negar Badiei, Sari, Shima Sanaei

HRANA – On Saturday, August 22, four Baha’i citizens, identified as Maral Roshani, Negar Badiei, Shima Sanaei, and Fakhereh Zahedi, were arrested in Sari. Yesterday, HRANA reported the arrest of Soraya Manouchehrzadeh, another Baha’i citizen residing in the city. Including her, the number of Baha’i citizens arrested in Sari has reached five.

According to HRANA, on Saturday, August 22, 2026, four additional Baha’i citizens were arrested in Sari.

HRANA has verified the identities of these citizens as Maral Roshani, Negar Badiei, Shima Sanaei, and Fakhereh Zahedi. According to information received by HRANA, Maral Roshani and Negar Badiei were arrested by Security Police officers and, after several hours of interrogation, were released at approximately 7:00 p.m. the same day. The two women were instructed to report to the relevant authorities next Saturday for further questioning.

Shima Sanaei and Fakhereh Zahedi were also arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents. In a phone call with their families, they stated that they are being held at the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Sari, known as the “Keshouei” detention facility.

Yesterday, HRANA reported the arrest of Soraya Manouchehrzadeh, a Baha’i citizen residing in Sari. Ms. Manouchehrzadeh was also arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents and transferred to the Sari detention facility.

A source close to the family of one of these citizens confirmed the news to HRANA and said: “The judicial orders presented by the agents when they arrived were solely search warrants and did not include orders for the arrest of these citizens. Nevertheless, the agents proceeded to arrest them. During the interrogations of Maral Roshani and Negar Badiei, most of the questions focused on their professional activities and allegations that they had used their occupations to ‘promote the Baha’i faith.’ When agents went to the homes of these two citizens, four officers were present, including one female officer.”

The source further added: “The arrests of Soraya Manouchehrzadeh, Shima Sanaei, and Fakhereh Zahedi involved a larger number of security personnel. Approximately 14 agents, five private vehicles, and a representative of the prosecutor’s office were present during these arrests.”

Maral Roshani is a health and personal care products retailer; Negar Badiei is an English-language instructor; Soraya Manouchehrzadeh is a Montessori instructor; Shima Sanaei is a health and personal care products retailer; and Fakhereh Zahedi is a homemaker.

Baha’i Citizen Soraya Manouchehrzadeh Arrested

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, HRANA, Sari, Soraya Manouchehrzadeh, ثریا منوچهرزاده, هرانا

HRANA – On Saturday, August 22, Soraya Manouchehrzadeh, a Baha’i citizen residing in Sari, was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and transferred to an undisclosed location. At the same time, the agents searched her family home and confiscated a number of personal belongings and electronic devices.

According to HRANA, Soraya Manouchehrzadeh, a Baha’i citizen residing in Sari, was arrested.

According to information received by HRANA, Ministry of Intelligence agents climbed over the wall of Ms. Manouchehrzadeh’s family home and entered the property without presenting a judicial warrant before arresting her.

During the operation, the agents also searched the home and confiscated a number of books and electronic devices belonging to Ms. Manouchehrzadeh and members of her family.

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding her place of detention, the charges against her, or her current condition.

In 2022, the home of this Baha’i citizen was also searched by security forces.

Over the past decade, Iran’s Baha’i community has been subjected to security and judicial actions more frequently than any other religious minority in the country. A review of HRA’s annual report reveals that over the past year an average of 62.41% of reports concerning religious minorities involved violations of the civil rights of Baha’is.

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New Case Filed in Prison: Hossein Shanbehzadeh Sentenced to One Year in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Hossein Shanbehzadeh, HRANA, Iman Afshari, حسین شنبه زاده

HRANA – Hossein Shanbehzadeh, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to one year in prison in connection with a new case opened against him during his incarceration.

According to HRANA, Hossein Shanbehzadeh has been sentenced to prison.

According to the court ruling, the political prisoner was sentenced to one year of discretionary imprisonment on the charge of “disturbing public opinion through the dissemination of false information.” Amir Raisian, Shanbehzadeh’s defense attorney, announced the news and stated that the case was brought against his client over the release of an audio recording by Mr. Shanbehzadeh from inside prison.

Hossein Shanbehzadeh was arrested by security forces on June 4, 2024. He is currently serving his prison sentence in Evin Prison.

In September 2024, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced this political prisoner to five years in prison for “propaganda in favor of Israel,” four years for “insulting religious sanctities,” one year for “propaganda against the regime,” and two years in prison and a fine of 50 million tomans for “disseminating false information.”

Pursuant to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, of the total 12-year prison sentence, the most severe punishment, five years’ imprisonment, is enforceable.

Hossein Shanbehzadeh is an editor and Tehran resident. He has previously been arrested and faced judicial proceedings due to his activities on social media.

January 2026 Protests: Majid Adineh Executed

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Executions, News
HRANA, January 2026 Protests, January 2026 Protests: Majid Adineh Executed, Majid Adineh, moharebeh, مجید آدینه

HRANA – The Judiciary’s Media Center announced that Majid Adineh, one of those arrested during the January 2026 protests in Karaj, was executed at dawn today. He had previously been sentenced by the Karaj Revolutionary Court to death and confiscation of his property on the charge of “taking operational action on behalf of hostile countries against national security and interests.”

According to HRANA, citing Mizan, Majid Adineh, one of those arrested during the nationwide protests of January 2026, was executed.

According to a report by the Judiciary’s Media Center, Mr. Adineh was arrested on the evening of January 9, 2026, in the Mohammadshahr area of Karaj by agents of the IRGC Intelligence Organization in Alborz Province. The outlet claimed that a firearm and several other pieces of equipment were discovered and seized from him at the time of his arrest.

According to the report, during the judicial proceedings, Majid Adineh faced charges including “taking operational action on behalf of hostile countries against national security and interests,” “moharebeh (enmity against God) through deliberate arson,” “assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security,” “propaganda against the regime,” and unauthorized possession of a firearm, a stun gun, and tear-gas spray.

The Karaj Revolutionary Court subsequently sentenced him to death and the confiscation of all his property on the charge of “taking operational action on behalf of Israel, the United States, and hostile groups and countries, pursuant to Article 1 of the Law on Intensifying Punishment for Espionage and Cooperation with Israel and Hostile Countries Against National Security and Interests.” According to Mizan, following an appeal, the sentence was upheld in full by the Supreme Court and carried out this morning.

The report provided no details regarding how the court sessions were conducted, the defendant’s access to legal counsel, or whether he was afforded the right to a fair trial.

Background on the January 2026 Protests

The protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.

Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence Against Arghavan Fallahi

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Arghavan Fallahi, Evin Prison, ارغوان فلاحی

HRANA – The death sentence against Arghavan Fallahi, a 24-year-old political prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been upheld by the Supreme Court.

According to HRANA, the Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence issued against Arghavan Fallahi.

According to information received by HRANA, Fallahi was sentenced to death in July of this year on the charge of baghi (armed rebellion) by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, head of Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

Following Israel’s attack on Evin Prison in June 2025, Fallahi was initially transferred to the Greater Tehran Prison and subsequently to Qarchak Prison in Varamin. She was later transferred back to Evin Prison.

Previously, an informed source told HRANA regarding the political prisoner’s situation: “Following her arrest, Ms. Fallahi spent some time in Wards 209 and 241 of Evin Prison, under the supervision of the Judiciary’s Intelligence Protection Organization. During this period, she was subjected to severe psychological torture, and attempts were made to extract forced confessions from her in connection with the assassinations of two judges, Mohammad Moghiseh and Ali Razini.”

Arghavan Fallahi was arrested by security forces in late January 2025 and transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

Fallahi had previously been arrested alongside her father by security forces in November 2022 and was later transferred to Evin Prison. She was subsequently sentenced by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, to two years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion” and “propaganda against the regime.”

She was released from Evin Prison after completing her sentence.

Political Prisoner Masoumeh Sarban-Zadeh Held Without Furlough for Over a Year

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News, Prisoners
Dowlatabad Prison, HRANA, Isfahan, Masoumeh Sarban-Zadeh, Najafabad, معصومه ساربان زاده

HRANA – Masoumeh Sarban-Zadeh, a political prisoner, is serving her prison sentence in Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan. Last year, she was sentenced by the judiciary to five years in prison.

According to HRANA, Masoumeh Sarban-Zadeh is currently serving her sentence in Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan.

According to information received by HRANA, Ms. Sarban-Zadeh was arrested by security forces in Najafabad, Isfahan Province, in June-July 2025. She was subsequently sentenced by a judicial authority to five years in prison on charges including “forming a group with the aim of disrupting national security.”

An informed source close to the political prisoner’s family confirmed the report and told HRANA: “Ms. Sarban-Zadeh, who is the mother of two children, has not been granted furlough despite more than a year having passed since her arrest and imprisonment.”

Sarban-Zadeh was arrested along with one of her daughters in June-July 2025 by security forces in connection with the 12-day war. During the judicial proceedings, her daughter was cleared of the allegation against her, acquitted, and released.

HRANA’s investigation into details of the current case, including the court or judicial authority that issued the sentence, remains ongoing.

Masoumeh Sarban-Zadeh, approximately 50 years old and a resident of Najafabad, is the mother of two daughters, approximately 14 and 18 years old.

Execution of Three Prisoners in Isfahan and Two in Ilam

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Executions, News
Abdolbaset Barahouei, Donya Mohammadi, HRANA, Ilam prison, Isfahan, Khodadad Mohammadi, Omidreza Ghanbarian, v

HRANA – On August 19, the death sentences of two prisoners, including a woman, who had previously been sentenced to death on murder charges in separate cases, were carried out in Ilam Prison.

According to HRANA, citing Iran Human Rights Organization, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, three prisoners were executed in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

According to the report, the three prisoners were identified as Abdolbaset Barahouei, 30, from Zahedan; Omidreza Ghanbarian, 40, from Tabriz and the father of one child; and Amir Farhadi, from Isfahan.

Abdolbaset Barahouei was arrested in Isfahan in 2018 on charges related to drug offenses and was subsequently sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court.

Mr. Ghanbarian was arrested five years ago, while Mr. Farhadi was arrested three years ago, both on charges related to drug offenses. They were subsequently sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts.

Execution of Two Prisoners in Ilam Prison

According to Kurdpa, on the same day, two prisoners, including a woman, were executed in Ilam Prison.

The two prisoners were identified as Donya Mohammadi (female) and Khodadad Mohammadi, residents of Eyvan-e Gharb County.

According to the report, the two prisoners were arrested approximately two years ago in separate cases on murder charges and were subsequently sentenced to death by criminal courts.

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

According to HRA’s Annual Report, in 2025 at least 2,063 citizens, including 61 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the sentences of 11 individuals were carried out in public. During the same period, 172 other individuals were sentenced to death.