Category: Freedom of Expression

Workers’ Rights Activist Hirad Pirbodaghi Sentenced to Four Years and Eight Months In Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Asal Mohammadi, Hirad Pirbodaghi

Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced workers’ rights activist Hirad Pirbodaghi to four years and eight months in prison, two years prohibition from membership in political parties and groups, and a two year ban from leaving the country. If the verdict is confirmed on appeal, four years imprisonment as the severest punishment of one count will be enforceable for him.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, he was charged with “propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion against national security”.

As examples of the above-mentioned charges, the courts have cited frequent referring to Electronic Judicial Services Offices and complaints about detention conditions in solitary confinement.

On November 6, 2021, Pirbodaghi was arrested violently by security forces alongside Asal Mohammadi. Their houses were searched during the arrest. He was held in Ward 209 of Evin Prison until December 24, when he was relocated to the Public Ward of Evin Prison. On January 1, 2022, he was released on bail.

Political Prisoner Mohammad Moradi Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Mohammad Moradi, Naghadeh Prison, Piranshahr County

The Revolutionary Court of Mahabad sentenced political prisoner Mohammad Moradi, a resident of a village in Piranshahr County, to 15 years imprisonment in exile in Zanjan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, an informed source reported that “on Saturday 5, he was summoned and notified about the verdict”.

The initial verdict of 40 years in prison was quashed by the Supreme Court and the case was handed over to Branch 1 of Mahabad’s Revolutionary Court for a retrial. On February 27, the branch held a court session through video conference, changed the verdict to 15 years in prison and issued a bail of 8 billion tomans for his release.

Moradi was charged with “enmity against God (Moharebeh) through membership in an anti-regime political party”.

Earlier, he left Iran to join a Kurdish party. In September 2017, he left the party and returned to Iran. Upon return, he was arrested by security forces and transferred to an IRGC detention centre in Urmia City. After the interrogation process, he was sent to Urmia Prison and then to Naghadeh Prison.

Moradi is 35 years old, married and the father of two children. Currently, he is detained in Naghadeh Prison.

Two Citizens Arrested For Chanting Anti-Regime Slogans

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
anti regime, Bazar Reza, Razavi Khorasan, Shahriar

Iran’s Commander-in-Chief announced that two citizens have been arrested in Shahriar County in Tehran Province for chanting anti-regime slogans over a loudspeaker.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Mehr News Agency, the Commander-in-Chief stated that the citizens were “in some parts of the Shahriar City, chanting anti-regime slogans with small size loudspeakers. The police in Western Tehran began to investigate the case and subsequently, two citizens were arrested”.

According to this announcement, the police searched the house of the arrestees and confiscated some of their belongings, including flash memories, speakers, SIM cards and cell phones. The police did not reveal the identity of these citizens.

Earlier, in Bazar Reza in Mashhad, anti-regime slogans were shouted and one citizen was arrested by the IRGC Intelligence forces of Razavi Khorasan.

Detained Civil Activist Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb Still on Hunger Strike

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
solitary confinement, Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb

Detained Civil Activist Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb has been on hunger strike since his arrest on February 21. Last Monday, he was sent to a solitary confinement cell in Evin Prison. Yesterday, he was transferred to the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, yesterday, in blatant violation of prison rules, they sent him to Ward 4 of the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary, where the prisoners of violent crimes are held.

An informed source told HRANA that his health condition is poor and so far, he has not received any medical treatment.

On February 21, security forces arrested him at his home. They searched the house and confiscated some of his personal belongings.

On June 15, 2020, Ragheb was arrested during an appearance at Branch 4 of Public and Revolutionary Court in Shahriar City to serve his nine-month sentence in the Greater Tehran Prison. On January 15, 2021, he was released from jail after serving his sentence.

However, following a complaint by the Ferdosiye City Municipality, a new legal case was opened against him by Branch 28 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. During the trial, a piece of evidence invoked to support this charge included proof that he had signed a petition asking the Supreme Leader of Iran to step down.

Ragheb is a firefighter with 17 years of work experience who was fired from his work due to his civil activities.

Hossein Ronaghi Maleki Released on Bail after Seven Days Detention

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, Hunger Strike

On  March 2, civil activist Hossein Ronaghi Maleki was released on bail from prison. On February 23, his family announced that he was missing. After three days of inquiry at Evin Courthouse, their lawyers found out that he had been abducted by security forces and detained in Evin Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on the fifth day of detention, Ronaghi’s brother, Hasan Ronaghi, announced that he was allowed to make a phone call. Hossein Ronaghi Maleki told his family that he had been on hunger strike since the arrest, which raised concerns due to his poor health condition, including  severe kidney problems.

Ronaghi has faced other arrests and convictions due to his civil activities.

In 2009, IRGC intelligence agents arrested him and detained him for ten months in Ward 2-A of Evin Prison. On October 5, 2010, he was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court. The verdict was upheld on appeal and he was sent to Ward 350 of Evin Prison. In May of 2016, he was released from jail after granting an imprisonment intolerance certificate due to his severe kidney problems.

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UN Human Rights Experts Ask Iran Parliament to Abandon Bill Restricting Access to Global Internet

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
internet access in iran, Tarh-e-Sianat

In an open statement, United Nations human rights experts asked Iran’s Parliament to abandon the User Protection Bill (Tarh-e-Sianat), which aims to disrupt the Iranian people’s access to the global internet, including international service and social media platforms.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, UN human rights experts asked Iran’s Parliament not to enact the controversial restrictive law known as the “User Protection bill” which would “effectively isolate the country from the global Internet”.

Referring to nationwide protests that broke out in November 2019, experts express their concerns about Internet blackout and the regime’s control over private data.

“In November 2019, Government efforts to control the online space culminated in a total internet shutdown in Iran for one week during nationwide protests. At the time, UN experts raised concerns that the information blackout following the shutdown had facilitated human rights violations, including excessive use of force by security forces against protesters, resulting in the deaths of at least 324 people. Shutdowns and disruption of internet services have since continued, particularly in connection with protests”.

UN experts point out that enacting such a bill not only restricts the circulation of information but also impedes business operations and other activities, which “adversely impact sectors reliant on information technology, including science, education and medicine”.

If the bill is passed, Internet Service providers in Iran will be forced to follow strict government instructions in order to limit access and narrow the internet bandwidth.

Christian Convert Naser Navard Goltappeh’s Request for Retrial Rejected

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Christian convert, christian converts in iran, Naser Navard Goltappeh, Religious Minorities, religious minorities in iran

Branch 9 of the Supreme Court rejected the imprisoned Christian convert Naser Navard Goltappeh’s request for a retrial for the fourth time. He is currently serving a 10 year sentence in Evin Prison. Despite suffering from oral and dental diseases and severe visual impairment, he has been denied medical treatment in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, his lawyer, Iman Soleymani, called the Supreme Court’s decisions arbitrary and erratic. He told HRANA that “the Supreme Court issued its verdict regardless of defendant’s rights, which is in violation of citizen rights and the principle of legality of crime and punishments, the principle of innocence and Article 474 of the Criminal Procedure Code whereby different punishment in degrees for similar charges is not allowed”.

“His request has invoked the recent retrial of nine Christian converts which subsequently led to their acquittal”, he added. In November of last year, Branch 28 of the Supreme Court of Iran announced that promoting Christianity and forming a home church is neither a crime nor an act against national security.

On June 24, 2016, Naser Navard Goltappeh was arrested along with three people of Azerbaijan nationality. All four were interrogated for two months and detained in solitary confinement cells. After four months, they were released on bail of 100 million tomans. The Azerbaijani citizens returned to their country after the release.

Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced Goltappeh to 10 years in prison on the charge of “acting against national security by organizing an illegal home church”. The verdict was upheld on appeal on November 12, 2017.

He is currently serving his sentence in Ward 8 of Evin Prison.

Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Iranian law, security forces nevertheless harass and prosecute Muslims who convert to Christianity.

The prosecution of Christian converts stands in blatant violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which state that every individual has the right to freedom of religion and belief and freedom to express it openly or secretly.

Five Citizens Arrested for Circulating “Obscene Pictures” On the Internet

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
free speech, Gilan, obscene pictures

The Deputy Chief of Police of Gilan announced that they have arrested five people for allegedly circulating so-called “obscene pictures” on the Internet. The regime’s police and judicial authorities have been criticized for violating privacy rights of citizens and interfering with individual affairs.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the detained people have been delivered to judicial authorities pending legal proceedings.

Imposing a certain lifestyle on citizens stands in blatant violation of Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which entitles everyone the right to life, liberty and security of person. Additionally, Article 12 of this declaration affirms, “One shall not be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks”.

Detention of Hossein Ronaghi Maleki Confirmed After Three Days Missing

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News

On February 26, three days after civil activist Hossein Ronaghi Maleki went missing, his lawyers informed the family that he was arbitrarily detained by security forces and a new legal case has been opened against him.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 23, Maleki’s family announced that his son was missing until last Saturday, when their lawyers confirmed he had been abducted and detained by security forces.

Following his lawyer’s inquiry with judicial authorities in Evin Courthouse, it was revealed that a new legal case has been opened against him in Branch 2 of the Prosecutor Office, headed by Mahmood Haj-Moradi.

Confirming this news, one of his lawyers told HRANA that “they did not allow Hossein’s lawyers to access to the documents of this case”.

A source close to Ronaghi told HRANA that the Ministry of Intelligence’s agents had abducted him. One day after he went missing, intelligence agents searched his house using a key they had confiscated from him. During his detention, they did not allow him to contact his family to inform them about his arrest and whereabouts.

The charges against him are still unknown at the time of writing.

Ronaghi suffers from severe kidney problems. During his last incarceration, this granted him an imprisonment intolerance certificate, raising concerns about his health condition.

Ronaghi has faced other arrests and convictions due to his civil activities.

Detained Civil Activist Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi Hospitalized

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi, Khatam Publishing, Mashhad, prisoner hospitalized

On February 26, educator and civil activist Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi was hospitalized in critical condition in Mashhad City. However, on Monday, while he was in needed treatment, he was forcefully sent back to a detention centre by security forces. He has been held in a solitary confinement cell for six months in a detention centre in Mashhad.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights, a source close to his family reported that he was dispatched to a hospital following symptoms such as poisoning, shortness of breath and low heart rate leading to partial consciousness. Security forces did not allow visitation or let him inform his family. Monday, he was sent back to his cell despite uncompleted treatment.

Earlier, HRANA reported his poor health condition in a solitary confinement cell in a detention center at the disposal of the Ministry of Intelligence.

On September 1 of this year, intelligence agents arrested Vahedian in Rezvanshahr County. Two days later, in a phone call to his family, he informed them that a news case had been opened against him on a charge of “acting against national security”. Meanwhile, his daughter’s home in Mashhad was searched by security forces and some personal belongings were confiscated.

Vahedian has previously been arrested and convicted for his writings and civil activities. In one case, he was arrested in Mashhad in October 2018 and later charged by Branch 903 of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad with “acting against national security”, and “attempting to overthrow the regime”. He was released on bail of 350 million tomans from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad in December 2018.

Shortly after his interrogation, in August 2019, Vahedian was again arrested and transferred to Vakilabad Prison. He was one of the 14 signatories of a letter of request for the resignation of Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran. He was released on bail from Vakilabad Prison in July 2020.

Vahedian is an author of several books including “The Return of Genghis Khan”, published by Khatam Publishing in Mashhad.