Category: Freedom of Expression

Political Prisoners Fatemeh and Mohammad-Hossein Sepehri Face New Charges

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Ali Sepehri, Fatemeh Sepehri, Mashhad, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, Vakilabad prison

HRANA News Agency – Fatemeh Sepehri and Mohammad-Hossein Sepehri, political prisoners held in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad, were charged yesterday, January 27, in connection with a new case opened against them.

Ali Sepehri, their brother, announced that the charges were brought by Branch 905 of the Mashhad Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office. The siblings are accused of “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran” and “propaganda against the regime.” The charges reportedly stem from a letter recently published by the two prisoners.

Background on Arrests and Sentences
Fatemeh Sepehri was arrested in September 2022, and Mohammad-Hossein Sepehri in September 2023, both by security forces.

Fatemeh Sepehri has faced multiple convictions. She was sentenced to:

  • 10 years imprisonment for “collaboration with hostile governments,”
  • 5 years for “assembly and collusion,”
  • 2 years for “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and
  • 1 year for “propaganda against the regime.”

These sentences were upheld by the appeals court, with the 10-year sentence enforceable under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code. In February 2023, the Mashhad Criminal Court also sentenced her to 1 year in prison and a fine of 20 million tomans for “spreading falsehoods and disturbing public opinion.”

Additionally, in June 2023, Fatemeh Sepehri, alongside her brothers Mohammad Hossein and Hossein Sepehri, was sentenced to 18 years and 6 months in prison in a joint case. Mohammad Hossein Sepehri received an 8-year sentence in this case.

Fatemeh Sepehri is also known as one of the signatories of an open letter calling for the resignation of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. For this, she was initially sentenced to 5 years imprisonment by Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, later reduced to 3 years and 6 months on appeal. In early 2020, she was conditionally released for 5 years.

Additional Developments
In late November 2023, the Mashhad Education Department issued an order dismissing Mohammad-Hossein Sepehri from his teaching position, which was officially conveyed to him in Vakilabad Prison. In September 2024, Branch 25 of the Administrative Justice Court upheld his dismissal.

Both siblings have a history of arrests and convictions due to their political activities.

Tehran Prosecutor Files Charges Against Sadegh Zibakalam

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, HRANA, Mohammad Izadi, Sadegh Zibakalam, Tehran, صادق زیباکلام

HRANA News Agency – The Tehran Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against Sadegh Zibakalam for posts he made on social media. Zibakalam, a political analyst and prisoner, is currently on medical furlough from Evin Prison.

According to HRANA, quoting Mizan, the charges against Mr. Zibakalam were initiated without specifying the exact nature of the allegations, with the reasoning cited as his social media activity.

Previously, following the enforcement of his prison sentences, Mr. Zibakalam was transferred to Evin Prison on May 12, 2024. Shortly thereafter, his lawyer, Mohammad Izadi, revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer while in custody. In September 2024, he was granted medical furlough.

In his first case, Mr. Zibakalam was sentenced to 18 months in prison and a two-year ban on participating in political parties, groups, and online activities for “propaganda against the regime.” In a second case, he received a one-year prison sentence for similar charges. In a third case, he was sentenced to six months in prison for “publishing false information.” These sentences were enforced following appeals to the Supreme Court.

In recent years, the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against Mr. Zibakalam for posts on topics such as the deadly Kerman explosions, reports of student poisonings, and “publishing false, undocumented, and inaccurate information” online.

Sadegh Zibakalam is a political science professor, author, and prominent Iranian analyst with reformist and liberal views. He has previously faced convictions for his activities.

Blind Poet Sakineh Asvadi Faces Legal Action for Charges of Disturbing Public Opinion

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Freedom of Expression, News
Eslamshahr, Sakineh Asvadi, Simin Asvadi, سکینه اسودی

HRANA News Agency – Sakineh (Simin) Asvadi, a blind poet residing in Eslamshahr, is facing a judicial case filed against her at the district prosecutor’s office in Eslamshahr, Tehran province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Ms. Asvadi has been summoned to appear at Branch 2 of the Eslamshahr Prosecutor’s Office on January 31, to defend herself against charges of “disturbing public opinion.”

The charges reportedly stem from her social media posts.

Sakineh (Simin) Asvadi, a 47-year-old poet, has previously been summoned by judicial authorities due to her activities.

Journalist Azhdar Piri Sentenced to One Year in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Azhadar Piri, Karaj, Ministry of Intelligence, اژدر پیری

HRANA News Agency – Azhdar (Ajdar) Piri Sarmanlou, editor-in-chief of the Pazhuhesh-e Melal monthly magazine, has been sentenced by Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj to one year in prison and a two-year ban on online activities.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Mr. Piri was convicted of ‘propaganda against the regime’ and ‘insulting officials and agents.’ The verdict, issued in January by the Revolutionary Court of Karaj, also imposes a two-year prohibition on membership and activity on social media as additional penalties.

Earlier, on October 21, 2024, Mr. Piri was arrested at his residence in Karaj by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence. He was transferred to one of the city’s security detention facilities, where he was denied access to legal counsel throughout his detention. After 21 days, Mr. Piri was moved to Karaj Central Prison upon the completion of interrogations. He was released three days later on a bail of 200 million tomans (approximately 3,300 dollars).

Azhdar Piri Sarmanlou, 36, originally from Urmia and currently residing in Karaj, serves as the editor-in-chief of Pazhuhesh-e Melal magazine.

Interrogation Sessions Held for 12 Azerbaijani-Turk Activists at Tabriz Prosecutor’s Office

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Babaei, Amirhossein Aghaei, Araz Ebrahim-Nejad, Azerbaijani Turk activists, Davoud Shiri, Ebrahim Avaz-Zadeh, Hamed Yeganehpour, Hossein Azadi, Javad Soodbar, Mehrdad Ghaderi, Mohammadreza Movahed, Morteza Nourmohammadi, Tabriz, Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou

HRANA News Agency – Interrogation sessions for 12 Azerbaijani-Turk activists, were held at Branch 15 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Tabriz.

According to HRANA, the interrogation sessions, related to a joint case involving the 12 individuals, took place separately from January 11 to January 22, 2025. These activists are: Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou, Araz Ebrahim Nejad, Davoud Shiri, Mehrdad Ghaderi, Hamed Yeganehpour, Mohammadreza Movahed, Amirhossein Aghaei, Ali Babaei, Javad Soodbar, Morteza Nourmohammadi, Hossein Azadi, and Ebrahim Ava-Zadeh

During these sessions, the defendants defended themselves against charges of “membership in an illegal group with the intent to oppose the regime” and “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security.” Additionally, Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou faced the separate charge of “forming a group with the intent to oppose the regime.”

Although Naser Razmjoo, one of the accused in the case, was named and notified of his case registration at Branch 15, he has not yet been summoned. The other activists had been summoned through individual notices prior to the sessions.

Background on the Activists

  • Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou was arrested in November 2023 in Jolfa and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Tabriz. In February 2024, he was transferred to Tabriz Prison and later released on bail. He has a history of prior arrests and convictions related to his activism.
  • Mohammadreza Movahed, Araz Ebrahim Nejad, and Davoud Shiri were arrested in September 2023 and transferred to Tabriz Prison. They were released on bail in December 2023. Both Shiri and Movahed have previously faced judicial actions due to their activism.
  • Mehrdad Ghaderi was arrested in September 2023 by security forces in Tabriz and released on bail in November 2023.
  • Morteza Nourmohammadi Nadarli (Nazarlo) was arrested in September 2023 and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Tabriz. He was later moved to Tabriz Prison but then returned to the same detention facility. In early November 2023, he was charged with “assembly and collusion to act against national security” in Shabestar Prosecutor’s Office and later faced new charges of “membership in a group to act against national security.” He was released on bail in November 2023.
  • Hamed Yeganehpour, a resident of Maragheh, was arrested in November 2023 by security forces in Tabriz and released from detention in November 28, 2023.
  • Amir-Hossein Aghaei was arrested in September 2023 in Baghmisheh, Tabriz, and released on bail in December 2023.
  • Ali Babaei and Javad Soodbar were arrested in September 2023 in Tabriz and released on bail in December 2023.
  • Hossein Azadi was arrested in September 2023 in Baghmisheh, Tabriz, and released on bail in November 2023.
  • Ebrahim Avaz-Zadeh was arrested in October 2023 in Tehran and released on bail in late-November 2023.
  • Naser Razmjoo was arrested in October 2023 in Tabriz and released on bail in late-November 2023.

This case highlights the ongoing judicial and security pressures faced by Azerbaijani-Turk activists in Iran.

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Hiresh Nowgaran-Zadeh Arrested by Security Forces in Sanandaj

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Freedom of Expression, News
Hirash Nowgaran Zadeh, HRANA, Pakhshan Azizi, Sanandaj

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, January 20, Hiresh Nowgaran-Zadeh, a resident of Sanandaj, was arrested by security forces and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, citing Kurdpa, Hiresh Nowgaran-Zadeh, a 39-year-old resident of Sanandaj, is married and a father of two children. He is also a member of the campaign against the execution of Pakhshan Azizi.

The report indicates that Mr. Nowgaran-Zadeh was detained by security forces without the presentation of a judicial warrant.

As of now, no information is available regarding the reasons for his arrest, the charges brought against him, or his current place of detention.

It is noteworthy that in 2007, Mr. Nowgaran-Zadeh was sentenced to one year in prison on charges of membership in one of the political parties opposed to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Beniamin Rahimpour Arrested in Sanandaj

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Freedom of Expression, News
Beniamin Rahimpour, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Sanandaj, بنیامین رحیم پور

HRANA News Agency – On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Beniamin Rahimpour, a resident of Sanandaj, was arrested by security forces and transferred to the IRGC Intelligence detention facility in the city (Shahramfar), According to Kurdpa.

Security forces reportedly arrested Mr. Rahimpour at his workplace and transferred him to the IRGC Intelligence detention facility. They then searched his home, seizing some of his electronic devices.

As of the time of this report, no information is available about the reasons for his arrest, the charges against him, or his current location.

Rahimpour, 33, originally from Avihang village and residing in Sanandaj, has a history of previous arrests due to his activism.

From the human rights cases reported and compiled by HRANA, in 2024, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Intelligence has been involved in 117 cases, including arbitrary arrests. For details and statistics read HRANA’s 2024 annual report.

Kurdistan Shopkeepers’ Strike; 7 Protesters Against Executions Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News
Divandarreh, HRANA, Marivan, Pakhshan Azizi, Sanandaj, Saqqez, Varisha Moradi, Varisheh Moradi

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, January 22, 2025, amid a strike by shopkeepers across cities in Kurdistan Province protesting the death sentences of Varisheh Moradi and Pakhshan Azizi, seven citizens were arrested by security forces and taken to unknown locations.

According to HRANA, quoting Kolbar News, Soheila Mataei, previously arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests in Dehgolan, was detained for participating in the strikes. Additionally, six residents of Sanandaj—Amjad Geriakhiz, Naeem Doosti, Mohammad Seif-Panahi, Sina Rezaei, Mohammad Atlasi, and 33-year-old Omid Mohammadi—were arrested without judicial warrants for joining the strike.

As of this report, no information about the charges against these individuals has been released. Soheila Motaei has a history of arrests and legal confrontations due to her activism.

Yesterday, shopkeepers in various cities across Kurdistan, including Sanandaj, Saqqez, Divandarreh, and Marivan, went on strike, halting daily activities in protest against the death sentences of Varisheh Moradi and Pakhshan Azizi.

Within Two Days, Six Citizens Arrested in Piranshahr

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Anvar Ebrahimi, Fardin Mahmoudi, Hiwa Shojaei, HRANA, Mohammad Sohrabi, Morad Ostavar, Nemat Ahmadnejad, Piranshahr

HRANA News Agency – On Sunday and Monday, January 19 and 20, 2025, at least six individuals were arrested by security forces in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan province.

According to HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, on Sunday, security forces arrested a citizen in Piranshahr identified as Hiwa Shojaei, a 34-year-old resident of the city. The arrest reportedly occurred at his workplace without a judicial warrant.

Additionally, on Monday, January 20, 2025, security forces detained five more individuals in Piranshahr: Mohammad Sohrabi, Fardin Mahmoudi, Morad Ostavar, Nemat Ahmadnejad, and Anvar Ebrahimi.

Among the detainees, Sohrabi, who was previously arrested during the nationwide protests of 2022, has a history of legal confrontations and convictions due to his activism.

As of the time of this report, there is no information about the reasons for the arrests, the detainees’ whereabouts, or the charges against these six citizens.

Court of Appeals: Lawyer Behnam Nezadi Sentenced to Prison and Temporary Disbarment

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Freedom of Expression, News
Arak, Behnam Nezadi, HRANA, بهنام نزادی

HRANA News Agency – The Court of Appeals of Markazi Province reduced the sentence of lawyer Behnam Nezadi to four months in prison and a one-year ban on practicing law. Previously, the Revolutionary Court of Arak had sentenced Nezadi to one year in prison and a two-year ban from legal practice. In a separate case, the Criminal Court of Arak sentenced him to over 16 months in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Branch 9 of the Court of Appeals of Markazi Province issued and communicated the revised sentence to Nezadi. He was sentenced to four months in prison and a one-year ban on practicing law for the charge of propaganda against the regime.

Earlier, Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Arak had sentenced Nezadi to one year in prison and a two-year professional ban on the same charge.

In another part of his case, Branch 106 of the Criminal Court of Arak sentenced him to 13 months and 16 days in prison for disclosing confidential information and 113 days in prison for spreading falsehoods.

Nezadi’s interrogation session took place in late July this year at the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran. During this session, he faced charges including propaganda against the regime, spreading falsehoods via social media, and disclosing the contents of confidential investigations. After the session, he was released on bail. The charges also referenced alleged acts such as “undermining the judiciary, eroding the courage of judges, and aiming to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Nezadi is the administrator of an Instagram page titled “Judges’ Disciplinary Violations,” where he recently published documents addressing the Judicial Disciplinary Prosecutor’s Office. In one statement, he wrote:
“Filing complaints against judges is provided for by law, and even encouraging people to seek legal recourse cannot be considered a crime. Additionally, the judiciary, as a branch of governance, cannot be equated with the entire regime.”

Behnam Nezadi, a licensed attorney from Arak currently residing in Tehran, is a member of the Central Bar Association. His case highlights the restrictions imposed on lawyers and legal activists in Iran.