Category: Freedom of Expression

Amir Abbas Azarmvand Arrested by Security Forces in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Amir Abbas Azramvand, Azramvand, Citizen arrest, Citizen arrested, Citizen arrests, Citizen detained, detention, Labor activist, Tehran

Yesterday morning, Wednesday, September 1, Amir Abbas Azarmvand was arrested by security forces at his home in Tehran and taken to an unknown location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Azarmvand is a journalist and labor activist who has previously been detained for his activities. He was briefly detained by security forces in December 2019 and December last year.

As of this writing, the reasons for the arrest, the charges against him, and the whereabouts of the citizen are unknown.

Alireza Nikzadeh Summoned to Endure his Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Alireza Nikzadeh, Alireza Nikzadeh Damavandi, due process, Gonabadi Darvishes, Gonabadi Dervish, Mohammad Nourizad, Semnan

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Alireza Nikzadeh Damavandi, a Gonabadi dervish, was summoned to the Second Branch of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Semnan to endure his sentence.

According to the notification issued on July 20, Mr. Nikzadeh was asked to appear in the aforementioned branch within 5 days to serve his 6-month prison sentence. He was summoned despite not having been informed that his prison sentence had been finalized, and he was not given a chance to file an appeal.

Regarding the latest situation of Mr. Nikzadeh, an informed source told HRANA, “Mr. Nikzadeh suffers from heart, kidney, and neurological diseases, and the doctors have issued a certificate stating that he is unable to bear the imprisonment. However, agents went to Mr. Nikzadeh’s home and asked him to show up for execution of the sentence.”

Alireza Nikzadeh, born in 1961, has a history of arrest and conviction. In 2018, the First Branch of the Semnan Revolutionary Court sentenced him to three years in prison on charges of propaganda activities against the regime and insulting the leadership. He was released from prison after serving part of the sentence.

Alireza Nikzadeh Damavandi was arrested by security forces on March 30 of this year while holding a poster demanding the release of Mohammad Nourizad, a political prisoner and Gonabadi dervish.

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Asaluyeh, Azarkam Company, Azarkam Company in Urmia, Babol, Haft Tappeh, Haft Tappeh Sigarcane Agro-Industry Company, Kut Abdollah, Pardis-e-Rasht Housing Investment Company, Sari, Tehran, Urmia, Urmis workers
A number of protests took place this week in Iran, many of which were continuations of ongoing movements. According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, employees of Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company continued their protests for a 7th week. Read our recap below for details, photos, and videos from the demonstrations.

 

Saturday, August 21

A group of workers of Azarkam Company in Urmia, a number of dismissed workers from security department of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Co in the management office of this company, and for the 40th day in a row, the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Co in Shush, held protest rallies this Saturday.

Workers of Azarkam Company in Urmia:

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company:

Dismissed staff of security department of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company:

Sunday, August 22

A group of workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Co for the 41st consecutive day, as well as several young people from Qala-e-Chenan village of Kut Abdollah district in Khuzestan called for their demands to be addressed this Sunday.

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company:

People of Qala-e-Chenan village:

 

Monday August 23

This Monday, several workers in Asaluyeh in Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, a group nurses in the cities of Tehran and Sari, a group of medical staff in Babol, a number of municipal gardeners in Kut Abdollah, and a group of shareholders of the Pardis-e-Rasht Housing Investment Company held protest rallies.

Nurses in Tehran and Sari:

Medical staff in Babol:

Tuesday August 24


A group of workers of Bostan Municipality located in Dasht-e Azadegan city of Khuzestan, and a number of bus drivers in Qazvin in protest rallies called on their demands to be addressed.

Bus drivers in Qazvin:

Wednesday August 25


A group of bus drivers in Urmia, and workers of the oil project in Izeh in protest rallies called on their demands to be addressed.

Bus drivers in Urmia:

 

Workers of the oil project in Izeh:

Thursday August 26

A group of farmers in East Isfahan rallied yesterday, Thursday, August 26.

Farmers in Isfahan:

 

Aman Mohammad Khojamli Tried in the Revolutionary Court of Gonbad Kavous

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Ahmad Moradpour, Aman Mohammad Khojamli, Gonbad Kavous, Gonbad Kavous Prison, Gonbad Kavous Revolutionary Court, Judge Teymouri, Khojamli

On Tuesday, August 24, the first session of the trial of journalist Aman Mohammad Khojamli was held.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Ulkamiz news website, the trial was held in the Gonbad Kavous Revolutionary Court, and presided over by Judge Teymouri.

According to Ahmad Moradpour, Mr. Khojamli’s lawyer, the journalist was charged with “establishing and running a Telegram social media channel with the intention of disrupting national security”.

Mr. Khojamli was arrested by security forces on Jun 23 and released on a bail from Gonbad Kavous Prison 12 days later.

Previously, Mr. Khojamli was sentenced to pay a fine of 4 million tomans by Branch 102 of Gonbad Kavous court in August 2020 for “publishing lies”. This sentence was reduced to a fine of 2 million tomans after appeal.

Maryam Ebrahimvand Arrested by Security Forces in Tehran

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Cultural, Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners, Women
Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, cash bail, censorship, Ebrahimvand, Evin, Evin Prison, freedom of expression, irgc, Maryam Ebrahimvand, Ministry of Intelligence, Tehran, Women's Ward of Evin Prison

On the morning of Sunday, August 22, Maryam Ebrahimvand, a director, filmmaker, and former prisoner, was arrested by security forces and taken to an unknown location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, she was released after a couple of hours interrogation.

According to a close source to Ms. Ebrahimvand, she had gone to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to seek permission for her confiscated films, and was arrested in front of the Ministry’s building in Tehran.

“A few months ago,” the source told HRANA, “Ms. Ebrahimvand was told by the Ministry of Guidance that after receiving a letter working ban from the IRGC,  it is not possible to grant permission for her films.”

Ms. Ebrahimvand had previously been detained and convicted. IRGC intelligence agents arrested Ms. Ebrahimvand in September 2016. After 35 days, she was released on  a bail of 300 million Tomans from the IRGC Intelligence Detention Center, Ward 2A, Evin Prison.

Nearly two years later, in July 2018, Ms. Ebrahimvand was arrested again after being summoned to Branch 4 of the Culture and Media Court. She was transferred to Ward 2A of the IRGC, and then was transferred to prison a month after interrogations ended, while a bail of 10 billion Tomans was issued for her.

Ms. Ebrahimvand, who had been detained in the Women’s Ward of Evin Prison from July 2018, was sentenced by Branch 1059 of the Government Employees’ Court to ten years in prison in November of last year on charges of “making a vulgar film”, “insulting the President”, and “spreading lies against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps”.

In the second part of her case, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced her to 6 months in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime,” and in the final verdict, she was sentenced to a total of ten years and six months in prison.

Ms. Ebrahimvand was finally informed of her release in June of this year after appearing before the Culture and Media Court.

Maryam Ebrahimvand is a writer, film director, and producer of “Comedy of Love”, “We Are All Alone”, and “Girls’ Boarding House”.

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Citizen Arrested in Qazvin for Criticizing Ayatollah Khamenei’s Ban on US and UK Vaccine Imports

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Environment, Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Ali Khamenei, Ayatollah Khamenei, Citizen arrested, COVID, COVID vaccines, Khamenei, Mehregan, Qazvin, Reza Behrouzi

On Saturday, August 21, Reza Behrouzi, a resident of Qazvin, was arrested by security forces at his home.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Mr. Behrouzi had previously posted a video on his social media page criticizing the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, for banning the import of COVID vaccines. Ayatollah Khamanei banned US and UK vaccine imports in January.

Reza Behrouzi is a worker living in the Mehregan town of Qazvin and the father of three children. As of this writing, no information is available on the whereabouts and status of this citizen.

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

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Freedom of Expression
Eslam Ali Akbarloo, Eslamashahr, Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Agro-Business, Haft Tappeh, Haft Tappeh Sugar Company, Khuzestan, Power outage in Eslamashahr, Tehran, Tehran Protests
A number of protests took place this week in Iran, many of which were continuations of ongoing movements. According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, employees of Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company continued their protests for a 6th week. Read our recap below for details, photos, and videos from the demonstrations.

 

Saturday, August 14

A group of workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry entered the 33rd day of their strike in Shush. Several teachers of Literacy Movement Organization of Iran in front of the parliament building, rallied and called on their demands to be addressed. Also, following the power outage in Eslamshahr, many citizens held a protest rally in Tehran.

Citizens in Tehran following power outage in Eslamshahr:

 

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company:

 

Sunday, August 15 and Monday, August 16

Workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry continued their strike for a 34th day in a row in Shush, a number of Isfahan farmers rallied in front of the Isfahan Governor’s Office, and a group of workers of Pajan Company held protest rallies in Tehran.

Farmers in Isfahan:

 

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company:

 

Workers of Pajan Company in Tehran:

 

Tuesday, August 17 and Wednesday, August 18

For the second day in a row, workers of Pajan company protested in Tehran, also, a group of civil activists in Karaj, gathered in a protest calling on their demands to be addressed.

Workers of Pajan company in Tehran:

 

Civil activists in Karaj:

Friday, August 20

A group of farmers in Parsabad gathered in front of the governor’s office to protest water cuts for their farms.

 

Farmers in Parsabad:

Javid Rahman’s Latest Report on the Human Rights Situation in Iran has been Published

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Executions, Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
accountability, COVID, covid-19, death sentence issuances, death sentences in Iran, Javid Rahman, Rahman, Ukranian aircraft, UN Human Rights Council

Javid Rahman, Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in Iran, has published his latest report, which is scheduled to be presented at the next meeting of the UN Human Rights Council.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, various issues have been addressed, such as the COVID-19 crisis, the alarming rate of death sentence issuance, and the Islamic government’s lack of accountability for human rights violations in the country.

According to the report, journalists and civil society activists were under pressure from security agencies as this year’s presidential election approached. Those who called for a boycott of the election were detained or harassed by security forces.

Expressing concern over the non-observance of the preconditions for free elections, Javid Rahman called for fundamental reform of Iran’s electoral laws.

The rapporteur reiterated the lack of accountability of individuals and institutions that have violated the rights of Iranian citizens, such as the violence in November 2019, and the downing of a Ukrainian 752 aircraft, and he added that restitution to the families of individuals killed in the flight can in no way replace serious prosecution and punishment of perpetrators.

He further expressed concern about the impact of international sanctions on the state of the Corona epidemic and called the government’s efforts to reduce the impact of the crisis on the social and economic life of citizens insufficient.

You can read the complete report here. 

Several Civil Activists Arrested During a Rally at Site of Pouya Bakhtiari’s Death in Karaj

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Activists arrested, Civil activists, Civil activists arrested, Khuzestan, Khuzestan province, Nahid Shirbisheh, Narges Mohammadi, Nazemi, Pouya Bakhtiari, Tehran

Today, Wednesday, August 18, during a gathering of civil activists at the site of Pouya Bakhtiari’s death in Karaj, several of those in attendance were arrested and then released an hour later.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Narges Mohammadi, Pouran Nazemi, and Nahid Shirbisheh were among the arrested.

Nahid Shirbisheh is the mother of Pouya Bakhtiari who was one of the victims of the November 2019 national protests in Iran.

Recently, a lawsuit was opened against Ms. Nazemi and Ms. Mohammadi charged in Branch 2 of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office, along with seven other civil activists.

These activists were arrested in Tehran on July 20, during a rally in support of the people of Khuzestan, and were released hours later.

 

Charo Ahmadi Arrested in Divandarreh in Kurdistan Province

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners, Women
Ahmadi, Charo (Jaleh) Ahmad, Charo Ahmadi, Divandarreh, Kurdish language teacher, Kurdistan, Kurdistan Province, Zagros

On Monday, August 16, Sanandaj resident Charo (Jaleh) Ahmadi was arrested and transferred to an unknown location by security forces in Divandarreh .

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Center of Democracy and Human Rights in Kurdistan, A day later, Ms. Ahmadi was released on bail from a security detention center on Tuesday, August 17.

The security forces searched Ms. Ahmadi’s house and confiscated some of her personal belongings at the time of the arrest.

Charo Ahmadi is a Kurdish language teacher. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Ms. Ahmadi is a member of the board of directors of the Zagros Socio-Cultural Institute in Divandere.

As of this writing, no information is available on the reasons for the arrest or the charges against her.