Category: Freedom of Expression

Five Sanandaj Residents Sentenced to Total of 20 Years in Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Aliollah Veisi, arzieh Morad-Veisi, Fardin Rahimi, Mehdi Seyfi, Sanandaj City, Sirvan Abdollahi

The Revolutionary Court of Kurdistan sentenced five residents of Sanandaj city to a total of 20 years in prison and 25 months of suspended imprisonment.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kolbar News, the revolutionary Court sentenced Fardin Rahimi, Aliollah Veisi, Mehdi Seyfi, Sirvan Abdollahi, and Marzieh Morad-Veisi each to four years in prison and five months floating imprisonment on the charges of “propaganda against the regime, collaboration with one of the anti-regime parties, and forming illegal groups”.

These individuals were arrested in May 2021 and later released on bail after interrogation.

Student Activist Leila Hosseinzadeh Arrested in Tehran

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Gonabadi Dervish, Leila Hosseinzadeh, Mohammad Sharifi Moghaddam, Tehran

On August 20, 2022, security forces arrested student activist and former political prisoner Leila Hosseinzadeh in Tehran and transferred her to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 20, 2022, student activist Leila Hosseinzadeh was arrested in front of her house in Tehran.

The reason for this arrest and her whereabouts are unknown so far.  

In February 2021, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Hosseinzadeh to five years in prison and a two-year ban on online social activity on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security.”  Her attendance at the birthday ceremony of imprisoned Gonabadi Dervish, Mohammad Sharifi Moghaddam, was presented during the trial as evidence to substantiate the charges. The verdict was upheld on appeal.

Hossein Razzagh Arrested in Amol

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Amol prosecutor, Hossein Razzagh, saeed dehghan

On August 21, 2022, security forces arrested media activist Hossein Razzagh in Amol and transferred him to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists,  media activist Hossein Razzagh was arrested in Amol, Mazandaran Province.

Razzagh’s lawyer, Saeed Dehghan announced the arrest on his social media page, saying that the Amol prosecutor had called and summoned Razzagh and he was later arrested while riding in a taxi and transferred him to an unidentified location.”

The reason for this arrest and the charges are unknown so far.

Azerbaijani Turk Activist Yashar Piri Arrested in Tabriz

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Azerbaijani Turk activist, yashar piri

On August 17, 2022, the Ministry of Intelligence summoned Azerbaijani Turk activist Yashar Piri in Tabriz and arrested him after interrogation. The agents transferred him to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 17, 2022, Azerbaijani Turk activist Yashar Piri was arrested in Tabriz.

The reason for this arrest is unknown so far.

Piri was arrested on two prior occasions. Amid nationwide protests, on November 17, 2019, security forces arrested and held him for 26 days in an IRGC detention facility. They later sent him to Tabriz Prison for three months until he was released on a bail.  

Ali Kajbaf Sentenced to Six Months in Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
ahvaz, Ali Kajbaf, Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz, Sheyban Prison

The Court of Appeals of Ahvaz reduced the initial verdict against Ali Kajbaf to six months in prison. Previously, the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz had sentenced him to one year and six months.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ali Kajbaf, a resident of Ahvaz, was sentenced to six months in prison.

On April 27, 2022, Kajbaf was notified of the verdict that he was sentenced to one year on the charge of “membership in an anti-regime group” and six months on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”.

The Court of Appeals exonerated Kajbaf for the first charge, reducing his sentence to six months.

On August 18, 2021, the Ministry of Intelligence agents arrested Kajbaf while he was leaving the country. He spent 11 days of his detention in solitary confinement in Urmia. Reportedly, during detention, the agents beat him severely which led to a bone fracture in his chest.

After completing the interrogation process, Kajbaf was transferred to Sheyban Prison in Ahvaz. On November 1, 2021, he was released on bail.

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Journalist Vida Rabbani Sentenced to Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Blasphemy, Evin Prison, HRANA, the Union of Islamic Iran People Party, Vida Rabbani

The Court of Appeal of Tehran sentenced Vida Rabbani to ten years and four months imprisonment and additional punishments. 

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Vida Rabbani, journalist and a member of the Union of Islamic Iran People Party, was sentenced to ten years and four months in prison.

According to this verdict, she has been sentenced to five years in prison on the charge of “blasphemy”, four years for “assembly and collusion to act against national security”, eight months for “propaganda against the regime”, and eight months for “disrupting public order”. Based on article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, five years for the first charge will be enforceable.

Rabbani has also been banned from practising journalism and engaging in political activities.

On November 22, 2020, Rabbani was arrested and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. She was released on bail later on December 20, 2020.

Eight People Arrested for Publishing Immodest Pictures

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Malek Hossein Chegini, Shazand

Malek Hossein Chegini, deputy police chief of Shazand County, Markazi Province, announced the arrest of eight people for publishing what he called “immodest pictures” on the internet.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rokna, the police have arrested eight people in Shazand, Markazi Province.

According to Chegini, judicial authorities have summoned and arrested eight websites and social media administrators who were publishing unconventional and immodest pictures.

Five Individuals Arrested in Mahabad

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, Other
Amir Bayazidi Azar, Cia Pirzad, Geok Tepe, Jalal Mahmoudi, Kambiz Bayazidi Azar, Kurdpa, Mahabad, Shahram Bayazidi Azar

On August 16, 2022, security forces arrested five individuals in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, and transferred them to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on August 16, 2022, security forces arrested Amir Bayazidi Azar, Shahram Bayazidi Azar, Kambiz Bayazidi Azar, Chia Pirzad and Jalal Mahmoudi.

All these individuals are residents of the village Geok Tepe located in Mahabad County.

At the time of arrest, the agents searched their house and arrested them without showing any arrest and search warrant.

Last year, Amir Bayazidi Azar was arrested and sentenced to three months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” He was released from jail on January 1, 2022, after serving out his sentence.  

Health Defenders’ Sentences Upheld on Appeal

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Arash Keykhosravi, Health Defenders, Mehdi Mahmoodian, Mohammad Reza Faghihi, Mostafa Nili, v

The Court of appeals of Tehran upheld the verdict against Mehdi Mahmoodian, Arash Keykhosravi, Mostafa Nili, Mohammad-Reza Faghihi, and Maryam Afrafaraz. Previously, these individuals, whose case is known as “Health Defenders”, had been sentenced to over ten years combined and additional punishments.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the Court of Appeals of Tehran upheld the verdict for the five defendants in the case known as “Health Defenders”.

The verdict was issued without a court hearing.

The sentences are issued as: :

  •       Mehdi Mahmoodian: four years in prison, banned from presence in media for two years,
  •       Mostafa Nili: four years in prison, banned from presence in media for two years, prohibited from practising law for two years,
  •       Arash Keykhosravi: two years in prison, banned from presence in media for one year, and prohibited from practising law for one year,
  •       Mohammad-Reza Faghihi: six months in prison,
  •       Maryam Afrafaraz: 95 days in prison.

Attorney Babak Paknia said that at a public court session, he was not allowed to attend the court even as a spectator.

The first three defendants were convicted on the charge of “creating anti-regime groups to disrupt national security and propaganda against the regime”. The two last were convicted of “membership in anti-regime groups.”

On August 14, 2021, during a meeting to make a decision on filing a lawsuit against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the government for banning foreign vaccines, nine Iranian lawyers and civil rights activists were arrested.

Two Student Activists Kaveh and Yashar Daroshafa Imprisoned

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Students
Black Thursday, Evin Prison, Kaveh Daroshafa, Yashar Daroshafa

Two student activists Kaveh and Yashar Daroshafa were taken to Evin Prison to sever their sentences. Previously, judicial authorities had sentenced Kaveh and Yashar Daroshafa to 10 and 15 years respectively.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, two student activists Kaveh and Yashar Daroshafa were taken to Evin Prison for sentencing.

Security forces arrested these brothers during the nationwide Aban protests in 2019. After a few days, there were released on bail. During the arrest, Yashar Daroshafa’s broken foot was infected.

On a prior occasion in 2014, Daroshafa brothers were arrested for the protest against the assault of political prisoners in Ward 350 of Evin Prison, known as “Black Thursday”.