Category: Freedom of Expression

Woman and Several Others Arrested After Semi-Nude Appearance in Yazd

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Freedom of Expression, News, Women
HRANA, Yazd

HRANA – The Public Relations Office of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Yazd has announced the arrest of a woman who appeared semi-nude in the city, along with several individuals involved in recording and publishing a video of her, accusing them of what it described as “violating social norms.”

According to HRANA, citing IRIB News, several citizens, including a woman, have been arrested in Yazd.

The Public Relations Office of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Yazd claimed that following the circulation of a video showing a semi-nude woman in Yazd’s Ghadir Park, where she allegedly engaged in “norm-breaking” behavior, the prosecutor’s office launched a special investigation into the case.

According to the authorities, following legal procedures and under a judicial order, the woman and several individuals who had recorded and shared the video were identified and arrested.

The report did not provide further details, including the identities of those arrested, the exact number of detainees, or where they are being held.

Environmental Activists Arrested by Security Forces in Tehran

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Environment, Freedom of Expression, News
Environmental activists, Hojjat Kermani, Hooman Jokar, Sima Kashani, Tehran, سپیده کاشانی, هومن جوکار

HRANA – Yesterday, Wednesday, environmental activists Hooman Jokar and his wife, Sepideh Kashani, along with Sima Kashani, were arrested by security forces in Tehran. During the arrests, officers also confiscated their electronic devices.

According to a report by HRANA, citing Emtedad, Sepideh and Sima Kashani, along with Hooman Jokar, were arrested in Tehran.

According to the report, security forces arrested environmental activists Hooman Jokar and his wife, Sepideh Kashani, at their residence this afternoon. Sima Kashani, Sepideh Kashani’s sister, was also arrested by security forces. During the arrests, officers confiscated all of their electronic devices.

The report further quotes attorney Hojjat Kermani as saying: “Given the lengthy holiday ahead and the closure of judicial offices, these arrests have heightened concerns among the families of those detained.”

As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the agency responsible for the arrests, the reasons for the detentions, or the whereabouts of the three individuals.

Hooman Jokar and Sepideh Kashani, both environmental activists, have previously been arrested and subjected to judicial prosecution in connection with their activism.

Masoud Chamani Sentenced to Prison by the Revolutionary Court of Bukan

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Freedom of Expression, News
Bukan, Masoud Chamani, مسعود چمنی

HRANA – Masoud Chamani, a resident of Bukan, has been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Bukan to two years and seven months of discretionary imprisonment.

According to a report by HRANA, citing Kurdpa, Masoud Chamani has been sentenced to prison. Based on a ruling issued in recent days by the Revolutionary Court of Bukan, Mr. Chamani was sentenced to a total of two years and seven months of discretionary imprisonment on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “membership in groups or associations with the aim of disrupting the national security.”

Mr. Chamani was arrested at his home by security forces on February 12, 2026, without the presentation of a judicial warrant. He was later released on bail after a period of detention.

Masoud Chamani, 35, is a resident of Ebrahimabad village, a rural district of Bukan in West Azerbaijan Province.

Teacher Azadeh Saleki Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Azadeh Saleki, HRANA, Razavi Khorasan Province

HRANA – Azadeh Saleki, a teacher employed in Khaf and one of those arrested during January 2026 protests, has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Appeals Court of Razavi Khorasan Province. She had previously been sentenced to 10 years in prison at the trial court.

According to a report by HRANA, citing the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Azadeh Saleki has been sentenced to imprisonment.

Based on the report, the Appeals Court of Razavi Khorasan Province reduced her sentence to five years in prison. She had initially been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment at the trial stage.

Saleki was arrested during January 2026 protests and was released temporarily after approximately one month upon posting bail of 30 billion rials.

In 2022, she was also suspended from her job for one month due to her statements and activities. She was subsequently transferred from Torbat-e Heydarieh to Khaf.

January 2026 Protests: Aria Norani Sentenced to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Aria Norani, Arya Norani, North Khorasan province, آریا نورانی

HRANA News Agency – Aria Norani, a teacher and one of those arrested during the January 2026 protests, has been sentenced to 14 months in prison by the judicial authorities of North Khorasan Province.

According to a report by HRANA  , citing the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Aria Norani has been sentenced to imprisonment.

According to the report, the teacher was sentenced to 14 months in prison by the judicial authorities of North Khorasan Province. The report does not specify the charges brought against him.

Mr. Norani was arrested by security forces during the January 2026 protests and was released on bail after two weeks.

Aria Norani is a formally employed primary school teacher in Maneh County, North Khorasan Province.

It should be noted that protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.

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Journalist Omid Faraghat Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Karaj, Omid Faraghat, امید فراغت

HRANA – Omid Faraghat, a journalist based in Karaj, was arrested yesterday after being summoned by security authorities. He was transferred to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office and was ultimately sent to prison following the issuance of a temporary detention order.

According to HRANA, Omid Faraghat has been arrested. The journalist was summoned by security authorities earlier this morning and taken to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office. Following the issuance of a temporary detention order, he was transferred to prison.

The charges brought against Omid Faraghat are “disturbing public opinion” and “acting against national security.”

Faraghat had announced the previous day that he had been summoned to the Security Police by phone.

In November 2025, Branch 36 of the Tehran Province Court of Appeals sentenced Faraghat to pay a fine of 20 million tomans in lieu of serving a three-month prison sentence. He had previously been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court in the same case.

In August 2025, a hearing was held at the Karaj Revolutionary Court in another case against Faraghat on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “disturbing public opinion.” He was acquitted of both charges in that case.

Omid Faraghat, a journalist and political media activist based in Karaj, has previously faced judicial prosecution due to his professional activities.

Saba Talebi Held in Limbo for Over a Month at Vakilabad Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Mashhad, Saba Talebi, Vakilabad prison, صبا طالبی

HRANA – Saba Talebi, a blogger from Mashhad, was arrested by security forces on May 26, 2026, and remains in detention without clarification of her legal status at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

According to HRANA News Agency, the news outlet of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), Saba Talebi, a blogger from Mashhad, remains in custody.

A source close to Talebi’s family confirmed the information to HRANA, stating: “Ms. Talebi has been held for 34 days without clarification of her legal status in the Aramesh ward of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. She is facing charges of insulting the Supreme Leader, insulting Islamic sanctities, and propaganda against the regime. Additionally, the investigating judge has so far refused to issue a bail order for her temporary release.”

Talebi was arrested by security forces at her home in Mashhad on May 26, 2026, and was later transferred to Vakilabad Prison in the city.

Saba Talebi, 23, is a blogger and resident of Mashhad.

It is worth noting that HRANA previously published a report examining the conditions of women held in the Aramesh ward and the quarantine section of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. According to the report, at least 30 women arrested during the January protests, amid heightened security measures following the recent military conflict, are being held in these wards under difficult conditions, facing numerous challenges, including a lack of basic necessities and adequate facilities.

Parnian Hashempour Sentenced to Prison by the Court of Appeals

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Fatemeh Hashempour, HRANA, January 2026 Protests, Parnian Hashempour, پرنیان هاشم پور

HRANA – The five-year prison sentence of Parnian (Fatemeh) Hashempour, arrested during the January 2026 protests, has been reduced to two years on appeal. She is currently serving her sentence in Evin Prison.

Based on information received by HRANA, Ms. Hashempour has been sentenced by the Court of Appeals to two years in prison on the charge of assembly and collusion. At the trial court stage, she had been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on the same charge by the judiciary.

HRANA’s investigation into the details of the current case, including the judicial authorities that issued the ruling, is ongoing.

Hashempour was arrested in connection with the nationwide protests of late December 2025 and January 2026. After spending several days in solitary confinement, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison on December 31, 2025.

Parnian (Fatemeh) Hashempour, who holds a master’s degree in archaeology, was also arrested in 2022 and was detained for a period in Qarchak Prison in Varamin. She was ultimately granted amnesty and released in that case.

It should be noted that protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.

January 2026 Protests: Ribwar Marabi Sentenced to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Ribwar Marabi

HRANA – Ribwar Marabi, arrested during the nationwide protests of January 2026, has been sentenced by the Tehran Province Court of Appeals to 10 years in prison, with four years of the sentence suspended. He had previously been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

In a statement published yesterday, Mr. Marabi announced that Branch 36 of the Tehran Province Court of Appeals had upheld a 10-year prison sentence, while suspending four years of the punishment. In the initial proceedings, Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mohammadreza Amouzad, had sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

Marabi was arrested by security forces in Tehran on January 9, 2026, and subsequently transferred to Greater Tehran Penitentiary. He was released from the prison on March 15, 2026, after posting bail.

Ribwar Marabi, 26, is originally from the village of Marab in Kamyaran County and currently resides in Tehran. He has previously faced judicial prosecution and arrest.

Nirvana Torbati Nejad Arrested in Gorgan

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Freedom of Expression, News
Gorgan, HRANA, Nirvana Torbati-Nejad

HRANA – Nirvana Torbati Nejad, a resident of Gorgan, was arrested at her home by police forces on Saturday, June 27, and transferred to the Law Enforcement Intelligence Organization (Sazman-e Ettela’at-e FARAJA).

Based on information received by HRANA, police officers raided Nirvana Torbati Nejad’s home on the morning of Saturday, June 27, arrested her, and transferred her to one of the Law Enforcement Intelligence Organization’s facilities in Gorgan. Officers also seized the mobile phones of Torbati Nejad and her mother, Sayeh (Roqiyeh) Amirkhani.

A source close to the family confirmed the arrest to HRANA, stating that Torbati Nejad is scheduled to stand trial on July 21 in connection with a case opened against her last year. The source added that a new case has recently been filed against her, and she has been summoned to appear before a branch of the Gorgan Revolutionary Court on July 20 regarding those new charges.

In March, Branch One of the Golestan Province Court of Appeals sentenced her to pay a fine of 30 million tomans. In the same case, Branch One of the Gorgan Revolutionary Court had previously sentenced her to six months of discretionary imprisonment, a ruling that was later reduced to a monetary fine on appeal.

On February 22, 2026, Torbati Nejad was arrested by officers of the Golestan Province Public Security and Intelligence Police during the memorial ceremony marking the fortieth day after the death of Hossein Soleimani, one of those killed during the January 2026 protests, in Gorgan. She was released 16 days later on bail.

In a separate case, this political defendant had previously been tried on charges of “membership in groups opposed to the regime with the intent to disrupt national security” and “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security.” She was initially sentenced to 10 months in prison and a fine of two million tomans, but was ultimately acquitted of all charges on appeal.

Torbati Nejad was also arrested by security forces at her workplace on September 10, 2023, and was released on October 5, 2023, on bail pending judicial proceedings.

A hearing in one of Torbati Nejad’s earlier cases is scheduled to be held on July 20 before a branch of the Gorgan Revolutionary Court. She is also due to stand trial in another case on July 21.