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:

Javad Heydarian Informed of Charges Against him by the Prosecutor’s Office in Yasuj

On Sunday, July 11, environmental reporter Javad Heydarian was summoned and informed of the charges against him by the Yasuj Prosecutor Office on behalf of Branch 22 of the Shiraz Judiciary Complex.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Heydarian has been charged by Branch 22 of the Shiraz Prosecutor’s Office with “publishing lies on online media with the intention of disturbing the public mind” and has been charged by the Yasuj Prosecutor’s Office.

His case was referred to Branch 22 of the Judiciary of Shiraz for a final verdict. At the end of this hearing, he was temporarily released on bail until the end of the proceedings.

Christian Convert Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh Denied Conditional Release from Evin Prison

On June 22, Christian convert Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh’s request for conditional release from Evin Prison was rejected.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the news website Article 18, the rejection of the request for parole was given to Navard Gol-Tapeh without the provision of any specific reason.

In September 2020, the Supreme Court rejected Navard Gol-Tapeh’s request for a retrial. Navard Gol-Tapeh has been in Evin Prison for the past three years and six months without leave.

Navard Gol Tappeh was arrested in a private gathering in July 2016 and later was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran to 10 years in prison on charges of “acting against national security by forming and running an illegal organization of a house church”. The verdict was later approved by the Court of Appeals.

Although Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Iranian law, security services nevertheless pursue the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity and deal harshly with activists in this field.

The Iranian regime targets Christian converts despite Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that every individual has the right to freedom of religion and the freedom to express their religious beliefs.

Three Political Prisoners Facing New Charges of Questionable Legitimacy After Protesting the Beating of Nayeb Hajizadeh Yangjeh

On Monday, July 12, political prisoners Nayeb Hajizadeh Yangjeh, Kayhan Mokaram Al-Nabi, and Nayeb Askari were faced with new charges after protesting the beating of Hajizadeh Yangjeh.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, per an informed source, the lawsuit was filed at the request of Urmia Prison director Amir Sohrabi after several political prisoners protested the beating of Nayeb Hajizadeh by two prisoners accused of violent crimes.

It is said that one of the assailants was also summoned to the court as a witness in the case.

During the briefing session, the three accused were briefed on the alleged charges of “disturbing the order of the prison” and “blasphemy”.

Nayeb Hajizadeh was arrested by security forces in August 2019 and sentenced to 7 years and six months in prison shortly after being charged for membership in an opposition group. Kayhan Mokarram Al-Nabi was arrested by security forces in January 2020 and sentenced to five years in prison on charges of membership in an opposition group.

Nayeb Askari was arrested by IRGC intelligence agents in Urmia in April this year and was transferred to prison in June. Mr. Askari has been charged with collaborating with an opposition party.

Father Legally Bars 12-year-old Daughter From Attending World Equestrian Championship Abroad

12-year-old athlete Sara Pour-Azima was barred from participating in the World Equestrian Championships because her father legally banned her from leaving the country.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Pour-Azima was scheduled to leave for Russia his week with the rest of her team.

Mehrdad Mehravin, the lawyer of Sara’s mother, said the young athlete’s parents are currently embroiled in a legal battle regarding alimony, and that the father’s move to ban Sara from travel was part of an ongoing dispute with Sara’s mother. Sara reportedly found out that she had been barred from travel to the Championships upon arriving at the airport.

Given the importance of the trip in the athlete’s success and future, legal action was taken to obtain permission from the prosecutor so that Sarah could travel, but legal authorities did not ultimately issue an allowance for her to leave the country.

In Iran, before getting married, women need the legal permission of a father or paternal grandfather to leave the country, and the permission of a husband after marriage.

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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.”

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

Friday and Saturday, July 2 and July 3

 

Several young job seekers in the Ghal’e Chan’an in Koot-Abdollah city, a group of workers of Kaveh Float Glass in Saveh, a group of fired workers of Khuzestan Pipe Manufacturing Company, a group of Shiraz Telecommunication employees, workers of the transportation unit of South Zagros Oil and Gas Production Company in Shiraz, Agar and Delan, a group of Khorramshahr municipality workers, and a group of pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company all held labor protests on between Friday and Saturday.

A group of Khuzestan environmental activists, teachers of Green Score Letter, a number of farmers of Hamidiyeh city, and a group activists  protesting the killing of Kurdish Kolbars (cross-border labors) also held rallies.

 

Job seekers in the Ghal’e Chan’an in Koot-Abdollah:

Protesters against the killing of Kolbars:

 

Employees of Kaveh Float Glass in Saveh:

Employees of Shiraz Telecommunication:

Workers on the transportation unit of South Zagros Oil and Gas in Shiraz:

Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Co. workers:

Khuzestan environmental activists:

 

Teachers of Green Score Letter:

Fired workers of Khuzestan Pipe Company

 

Khorramshahr municipality workers:

 

Sunday July 4:

A group of Karnameh Sabz teachers (Teachers of Green Score Letter) protested for a seventh day and night in a row. Animal rights advocates in Qazvin, ranchers in Takab city in West Azerbaijan province, shareholders of the Rezvan Qom project, retirees in Khorramabad , Shush, and Ahvaz, a group of Shush farmers, a group of pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company for several consecutive days, a number of school janitors and caretakers in different provinces, retirees of Khuzestan Steel Company in Khuzestan and Isfahan Steel Company in Isfahan provinces, staff of Qom Health Centers, young job seekers from the village of Maravneh in Ahvaz, workers of Khorramshahr municipal for the second day in a row, and taxi drivers in Zanjan all also held protest rallies this Sunday.

 

Animal rights advocates in Qazvin:

Ranchers in Takab:

 

Shareholders of the Rezvan Qom project:

Qom Health Center staff:

Retirees in Khorramabad, Shush, and Ahvaz:

Shush farmers:

Khorramshahr municipally workers:

 

Pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane:

School janitors:

 

Retirees of Khuzestan Steel and Isfahan Steel Companies:

Teachers of Green Score Letter:

 

Young job seekers from the village of Maravneh in Ahvaz:

 

Taxi drivers in Zanjan:

 

Monday, July 5

 

Following the general strikes of contract workers of refineries, petrochemicals and power plants, contract workers of Jofeir refinery in Khuzestan province, people in some cities of Golestan province including Gonbad Kavous, Bandar-e-Gaz, Bandar-e-Turkmen and Aqqala and also Kazerun in Keshavarzan in Fars province gathered after frequent, long-lasting power outages.  Farmers in Isfahan, shareholders and remitters of Azico Company, a group of pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company for several consecutive days, a group of truck drivers from Rasht, a group of bakers in Qazvin, and a number of people with disabilities additionally organized demonstrations.

 

Protest of a of people in different cities with frequent, long-lasting power outages:

Kordkuy

Gonbad Kavus

 

Kazerun

 

Farmers in Isfahan:

 

Shareholders and remitters of Azico Company:

 

Pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company:

Bakers in Qazvin:

Truck drivers in Rasht:

 

People with disabilities in Tehran:

 

Tuesday, July 6

 

Farmers in Ahvaz, a group of social security nurses in Tehran, kitchen workers in the Khark Offshore Oil Operation Area, employees in the Fars Region Telecommunication Company, a group of workers in the pest control department of Haft Tappeh Sugar Company for several consecutive days, a group of Retirees of Homa Airlines, Abadan bus contract workers, and contractors of the new city of Hashtgerd Metro all held protest rallies on Tuesday.

 

Ahvaz Farmers:

 

Social security nurses:

 

Kitchen workers in the Khark island Offshore:

Employees in the Fars Region Telecommunication Company:

Pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugar Company

Retirees of Homa Airline:

 

Abadan bus contract workers:

Staff contractors of Hashtgerd metro:

 

Wednesday, July 7

 

At least 4 rallies were held this Wednesday. Workers of Abadan Petrochemical, a group of third-party contract workers working in the South Pars Special Economic Zone, a group of Damghan cattle breeders, a group of railway maintenance workers in Azerbaijan all held protest rallies. Pest control workers from Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Cultivation also gathered for a twelfth for days in a row.

 

Workers of Abadan Petrochemical:

Contract workers South Pars Economic Zone:

 

Damghan cattle breeders:

 

Pest control workers of Haft Tappeh:

Lawyer and Defendant Amirsalar Davoodi to Face Retrial on July 13

The retrial of lawyer Amirsalar Davoodi will be held on July 13 in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Davoodi’s request for a retrial was accepted in June of this year. After awaiting a verdict for nearly three years, he was released from Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj on a bail of 2 billion Tomans.

Amirsalar Davoodi was arrested by security forces in November 2018 and was transferred to Evin Prison after being charged.

In April 2019, Vahid Meshgani Farahani, Mr. Davoodi’s lawyer said 8 – 9 charges are filed against Mr. Davoodi, including forming a group to overthrow the regime, cooperating with hostile states, propaganda against the regime, spreading lies, insulting officials and the leadership, and several other charges, two of which have been referred to Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Tribunal.

In June 2019, on charges of conspiracy against national security, Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Mr. Davoodi to 30 years in prison and 111 lashes. The sentence was confirmed by the court of appeals in August of that year.

Mr. Davoodi’s wife had previously stated that  15 out of 30 year prison sentence for Mr. Davoodi was for setting up a group on the social media application Telegram.

190 days after his arrest, Mr. Davoodi was transferred from the detention center of the Judiciary’s Intelligence Protection Organization to the General Ward of Evin Prison in June 2019.

Davoodi had defended many cases of prisoners and political defendants, including Soheil Arabi and Saeed Shirzad.

Two Death Sentences Issued in Tehran

Two death sentences were recently issued in Tehran.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Shargh Newspaper, a man was sentenced to death for the murder of a police officer he committed in April, 2004. Mehdi was sentenced under Qisas (“eye-for-an-eye”),  a pillar of Islamic sharia law .

It took 14 years following the incident until police officers discovered that Mehdi had started a secret new life in the city of Bonab and arrested him. Now, three years after his arrest, Mehdi has been sentenced to death, five years in prison, and 50 lashes.

According to HRANA, quoting Shahrvand Newspaper, another man was sentenced to death in Tehran on a charge of Moharebeh. Moharebeh, loosely translated as “waging war against God”, is a pillar of Islamic sharia law that is typically applied to those suspected of connection to any acts against the state.

Per the report, in late May 2017, detectives from the capital’s police station began investigating the case, and several men were arrested for extortion.

The case was sent from the Theft Court to the Revolutionary Court after a confession was obtained from the accused. Finally, the judge sentenced the leader of the extortionists to death.

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 1st and December 20th 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.

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

Saturday, June 26

Following the nationwide strikes of contract workers of refineries, petrochemicals and power plants, workers of Rijal Petrochemical Complex located in Mahshahr Special Zone, workers of the ODCC working in Isfahan Oil Refinery, and workers of Phase 2 of Bidboland Gas Refinery of Behbahan (ODCC) joined the movement. Kerman ranchers, and political and civil activists of Tehran also held protest rallies.

ODCC workers in Isfahan:

 

Regal petrochemical workers in Bandar-e-Imam:

 

Political and civil activists in Tehran:

Ranchers in Kerman:

 

Sunday, June 27

Workers of Gamma Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Company in Jask terminal, workers of Sazeh Pod Company working in Bushehr Petrochemical Company, radiograph workers of Nima Azmoun Steel, Radiography Companies, Pishtazan Aria, and Pioneers of Fars Technologies working in Phase 2 of Abadan Refinery, went on strike and joined the “Strike” movement.

A number of other protests happened as well. A group of shareholders of Azerbaijan Automotive Industry Company (Azovico), several official employees of Shiraz Oil Refinery, a group of pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugar Company, retirees of the Isfahan Steel Company and Khuzestan Steel Company, Homa Airlines retirees, a group of teachers of Green Score Letter, a group of retired workers, ranchers in Isfahan, Yazd, Fars and Khorasan Razavi provinces, a group of Izeh Azad University students, several businesses in Iranshahr, and workers at truck-washing and disinfection sites all staged protest rallies to call on their demands be addressed.

 

Workers of Gamma Oil, Engineering and Construction Companies Association of Oil, and Gas and Petrochemical Company:

 

Bushehr petroleum workers:

 

Abadan refinery workers:

 

Shareholders of Azerbaijan Automotive Industry:

 

Parsian petroleum workers in Shiraz:

Pest control workers:

Retirees of the Isfahan Steel Company and Khuzestan Steel Company:

Homa Airlines retirees:

Teachers of Green Score Letter:

 

Ranchers of Isfahan, Yazd, Fars and Khorasan Razavi provinces

Retirees seeking social security:

Workers at truck-washing and disinfection:

Students of Izeh University:

Monday, June 28

East Azarbaijan Railway technical workers,  a group of Isfahan farmers, bankrupted shareholders of Samen coin, and a group of MG car remitters, a group of truck drivers in Ardakan city went on strike to protest the non-fulfillment of their demands. Teachers at Green Score Letter also gathered in protest for the second day in a row.

Shareholders of Samen coin:

 

MG car remitters:

 Technical construction workers of East Azerbaijan railway:

Green Score Letter teachers:

 

Isfahan Farmers:

Ardakan truck drivers:

 

Tuesday, June 29

Workers of Arta Energy Company working in Ardabil Petrochemical Company, workers of Andimeshk Power Plant, Lamerd Refinery workers and Lordegan Petrochemical Workers, Azad University professors, a group of Kaveh company shareholders, a group of servants and caretakers of Mashhad schools, a group of dermatology assistants of medical universities, a group of school teachers, a group of green resume teachers, and a number of medical students and physicians in different cities of the country, including Kerman, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Isfahan, Shiraz and Tehran, held protest rallies.

Andimeshk Power Plant employees:

 

Ardabil Petrochemical Company employees:

 

Lamerd Refinery workers:

 

 Green Score Letter teachers:

University professors:

Physicians and medical students in different cities:

Kaveh company shareholders:

School janitors in Mashhad:

Dermatologists and assistants:

School teachers:

Wednesday, June 30

North Azadegan Oil workers, employees of Sepahan Isfahan Cement Factory, a group of retirees of the bus company, a group of taxi drivers in Saqez, a group of journalists, and a group of official employees of Gachsaran Oil and Gas Company held protest rallies.

Taxi drivers in Saqez:

Sepahan Isfahan Cement Factory workers:

Bus company retirees:

Journalists:

 

Gachsaran Oil and Gas Company employees:

 

Thursday, July 1

A group of employees of Persian Gulf Holding Petrochemical Companies, and retirees of Isfahan Telecommunication Company held protest rallies.

Isfahan Telecommunication Company workers: