Category: Other

Several Individuals Arrested by IRGC Intelligence on Espionage Charges

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News, Other
irgc, IRGC Intelligence

HRANA – The IRGC Intelligence has announced the arrest of several individuals in various provinces of Iran on charges of spying for the United States and Israel.

According to Sepah News, the IRGC Intelligence accused the detainees of espionage activities on behalf of Israel and the United States. The IRGC claimed that these operations were carried out “in coordination with Israeli policies following its recent military failures” and took place simultaneously across several provinces.

The statement further alleged that the detainees had acted with the “intent to disrupt national security in the second half of autumn 2025.”

The organization has not disclosed the number of those arrested, their identities, or the exact locations of the arrests.

While combating espionage is not considered a human rights violation, given the Iranian government’s record of using espionage allegations as a pretext to suppress political dissent, such claims, particularly in the absence of clear details or transparent judicial procedures, are viewed with skepticism.

Kuhdasht: Reckless Shooting by Police Results in Death of a Citizen

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News, Other
HRANA, Kuhdasht, Reza Adinvand

HRANA – A 27-year-old man in Kuhdasht County was shot by police in a case of reckless gunfire. After being hospitalized for three days, he died on Tuesday, November 4, due to the severity of his injuries.

HRANA has identified the victim as Reza Adinvand, 27 years old, single, and a resident of Kuhdasht. A source close to the Adinvand family confirmed the incident to HRANA, stating:
“On Saturday, November 1, police forces opened fire on this young man while he was hiking in nature. He died yesterday in the hospital as a result of his injuries.”

As of this report, no information has been made available regarding the reasons behind the reckless shooting by the security forces.

In 2024 alone, indiscriminate gunfire by Iranian regime military forces claimed the lives of 163 civilians and left 321 others injured. Over the past five years, the number of victims of these unrestrained shootings has increased, more than doubling compared to five years ago.

Two Citizens Arrested by Security Forces in Mahabad

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News, Other
Keyvan Seyed-Ahmadi, Mahabad, Sirvan Shaveleh, مهاباد

HRANA – Keyvan Seyed-Ahmadi and Sirvan Shaveleh, residents of Mahabad, were arrested by security forces in this city and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to Krudpa, Mr. Seyed-Ahmadi was arrested on Tuesday, October 28, and Ms. Shaveleh in the early hours of Wednesday, October 29, both at their homes by security agents.

As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the reasons for their arrests, the charges against them, or their current whereabouts.

It is worth noting that Jalal Sadafi, Ms. Shaveleh’s husband, was arrested by security forces on December 15, 2024, and remains in Mahabad Prison under temporary detention without a verdict.

Pardon and Sentence Reduction Granted to 115 Security Prisoners

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News, Other
Asghar Jahangir, HRANA

HRANA – The spokesperson for Iran’s Judiciary announced that the Supreme Leader has agreed to the conditional pardon and sentence reduction of 115 individuals convicted on security-related charges. According to the spokesperson, this process will continue until late December, when the final number of pardoned individuals will be officially announced.

According to HRANA, quoting IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting), the Judiciary’s spokesperson provided details regarding the number of prisoners granted conditional pardon and sentence reductions.

On Tuesday, October 28, Asghar Jahangir stated that Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, had so far approved the conditional pardon and commutation of sentences for 115 security prisoners on the occasion of the birth anniversaries of the Prophet of Islam and the sixth Shia Imam.

Mr. Jahangir added that this process will continue until the end of December, when the final figures will be made public. He also promised that with the inclusion of additional cases, a greater number of security prisoners will benefit from this pardon.

Earlier, in September 2025, state media reported that the Supreme Leader had approved the Judiciary Chief’s proposal for the pardon and reduction of sentences for certain convicts. Official news agencies clarified that this pardon only applies to prisoners in so-called “security” cases whose sentences were issued at least five years ago and who have not engaged in any “anti-security” activities or statements during that time. Furthermore, the person’s sentence must not yet have been fully executed, a condition that effectively excludes many political and ideological prisoners.

In addition, a wide range of offenses, including “security-related crimes,” espionage, and collaboration with hostile states,” were explicitly excluded from eligibility for the pardon.

Amputation Sentence Carried Out in Isfahan for Theft Conviction

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News, Other, Prisoners
Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, Mohsen Ashiri

HRANA – The sentence of amputating four fingers of the right hand of Mohsen Ashiri, a 37-year-old prisoner from Falavarjan, Isfahan Province, was carried out in Dastgerd Prison of Isfahan, despite the victim’s consent and the submission of a repentance statement by the prisoner. This action took place even though, under Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, both repentance and the complainant’s consent can prevent the implementation of such punishments (hudud).

The identity of this prisoner has been confirmed as Mohsen Ashiri, 37, a resident of Falavarjan County in western Isfahan Province. His amputation sentence was carried out on Tuesday, September 30, in Dastgerd Prison. The implementation occurred despite the fact that the complainant had already granted consent.

A relative of Mr. Ashiri confirmed the incident and told HRANA:

“About five years ago, Mohsen Ashiri, along with another individual named Majid, was arrested on charges of stealing from the home of a provincial official’s son-in-law. The Isfahan Criminal Court sentenced him to six months in prison and the amputation of four fingers of his right hand. After the stolen property was returned, the complainant expressed consent, and Mr. Ashiri submitted a written repentance statement. He was later released on bail of one billion tomans.”

The source added:

“Later, during the judicial process, the case was referred to the Supreme Court. At that stage, despite not having committed any new offense, Mohsen was again summoned to court and detained. His bail was suddenly increased from one billion to 200 billion tomans without a clear explanation from the judiciary. Eventually, on Tuesday, September 30, the amputation was carried out in Dastgerd Prison, and he was released after being transferred to a hospital.”

Under Articles 114 and 119 of the Islamic Penal Code, in crimes punishable by hadd (such as theft), repentance before the proof of the crime, the victim’s consent, and the existence of doubt about the fulfillment of religious conditions can prevent the execution of the sentence. Furthermore, Article 113 provides that if the convicted person repents after conviction, the judge may request clemency from the Supreme Leader. Considering that in this case the prisoner had repented, the victim had consented, and the stolen property was returned, the execution of the amputation sentence raises serious legal and ethical concerns.

The unprecedented increase in bail amount and the execution of such an irreversible and severe corporal punishment despite the absence of a new offense may indicate judicial misconduct or external interference in the case.

It should be noted that hand amputation sentences violate the fundamental principle of human dignity. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) explicitly prohibits inhuman and degrading punishments, yet Iran continues to carry out such sentences despite domestic and international objections.

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Piranshahr: Three Citizens Arrested by Security Forces

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News, Other
Khaled Ghaderpour, Mohammad Ghaderi, Morad-Rasoul Bahrami, Moradrasoul Bahrami, Piranshahr

HRANA – On the evening of Wednesday, October 8, Khaled Ghaderpour (30), Mohammad Ghaderi (27), and Morad-Rasoul Bahrami (36), residents of the village of Tamarchian in Piranshahr County, West Azerbaijan Province, were arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, quoting Kolbar News, the arrests were carried out by security forces without the presentation of a judicial warrant.

As of this report’s publication, no information is available regarding the reasons for the arrests, the detainees’ whereabouts, or the charges brought against them.

Over the past year, HRANA published 585 reports of human rights violations in West Azerbaijan Province, making it the third province with the highest number of HRANA reports on human rights abuses.

Families of Six Executed Prisoners in Ahvaz Threatened Against Holding Mourning Ceremonies

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News, Other
Adnan Ghobeishavi, ahvaz, Ali Mojaddam, Habib Deris, HRANA, Khuzestan, Moein Khanfari, Mohammadreza Moghaddam, Salem Mousavi, Sepidar Prison

HRANA – Security forces in Khuzestan Province have severely threatened the families of six executed Arab prisoners, warning them not to hold mourning ceremonies or communicate with media outlets and human rights organizations.

The six men – Ali Mojaddam, Mohammadreza Moghaddam, Moein Khanfari, Habib Deris, Adnan Ghobeishavi, and Salem Mousavi – were executed at dawn on Saturday, October 4, 2025, in Sepidar Prison, Ahvaz, without prior notice to their families or lawyers.

According to HRANA, agents of the Ministry of Intelligence contacted the families by phone on the day of the execution to inform them of the death of their loved ones. Prior to these calls, the families had received no information regarding the scheduled execution or the prisoners’ transfer to solitary confinement.

Sources close to the families told HRANA that, following the executions, security authorities summoned several relatives and tribal elders to intelligence offices, including the local headquarters of the Ministry of Intelligence, and explicitly forbade them from holding mourning ceremonies in mosques or public halls. The authorities also prohibited the recitation of the Quran, poetry, or other religious rituals over loudspeakers – traditional mourning practices among the Arab community in Khuzestan.

According to information obtained by HRANA, family members and tribal elders were compelled to sign written pledges promising not to organize any public gatherings. They were further warned that any communication with media or international human rights organizations would result in punitive measures.

The six Arab prisoners were arrested by security forces in February 2019 and later sentenced to death by a branch of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court in March 2023. The judiciary of the Islamic Republic accused them of “membership in the armed wing of Harakat al-Nidal al-Arabi li-Tahrir al-Ahwaz and armed action against the foundations of the Islamic Republic.”

As of two days after the executions, the families remain unaware of the burial locations or the circumstances under which the sentences were carried out.

Forced Confessions of Three Rappers Published by Tehran Security Police

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Arash Sayyadi, Ashkan Shekarian Moghaddam, HRANA, Rasam Sohrabi

HRANA – Three rap artists, Arash Sayyadi, Ashkan Shekarian Moghaddam, and Rasam Sohrabi, were arrested by the Tehran Security and Intelligence Police. Videos of their forced confessions have been circulated on social media while their cases are still pending judicial review.

In the published videos, the three men appear half-naked, apparently to display their tattoos, suggesting the security forces intended to showcase them.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, these rappers, often labeled “underground” musicians for lacking official production licenses, were detained by Tehran’s Security Police. Following their arrests, videos were posted on social media accounts attributed to Arash Sayyadi, Rasam Sohrabi, and Ashkan Shekarian Moghaddam, in which they appear half-naked and confess to “taunting” and “disrupting public order” online.

At the end of the videos, the three express “gratitude and apologies” to “law enforcement, judicial authorities, the Second Base of the Intelligence Organization, and the Prosecutor’s Office of District 5 of Tehran.”

It is worth noting that, beyond violating human dignity, the recording and broadcasting of forced confessions constitute a breach of legal principles: under the law, individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and any punitive action before a final conviction is a violation of their civil and human rights.

These three citizens are active in rap music. Arash Sayyadi, known by his stage name “Isin,” and composer Rasam Sohrabi had previously faced security-related confrontations and arrests. Ashkan Shekaryan Moghaddam performs under the stage name “Ashkan Leo.

Bandar Abbas Revolutionary Court Acquits German National of Espionage Charge

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Hormozgan, Lennart Christian Jean-Pierre Monterlos, Mojtaba Ghahremani

HRANA – The head of the Hormozgan Province Judiciary announced that the Bandar Abbas Revolutionary Court has acquitted Lennart Christian Jean-Pierre Monterlos, a German national, of espionage charges. Monterlos, who also holds French nationality, was arrested during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran on suspicion of spying.

According to Mizan News Agency, Mojtaba Ghahremani, head of the Hormozgan Judiciary, stated that Monterlos had been detained on espionage charges during the conflict.

Ghahremani added: “Despite the indictment issued by the prosecutor’s office, the Revolutionary Court, adhering to legal principles and considering doubts regarding the alleged offense, issued a verdict of acquittal. However, under the law, the prosecutor has the right to appeal the ruling.”

The report did not specify the current status or location of the foreign national.

During the 12-day Iran–Israel conflict, a German-language news outlet covering France and international affairs reported that Jean-Pierre Monterlos, an 18-year-old French citizen, had traveled to Iran by bicycle and had been missing since June 16, 2025.

Shortly afterward, Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, confirmed his arrest in an interview with a French publication, claiming that the individual had been detained “for committing a crime.”

Family Left in the Dark Nine Days After Saro Yarahmadi’s Arrest by IRGC Intelligence

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irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Kermanshah, Saro Yarahmadi

HRANA – Saro Yarahmadi (Yar-Ahmadi), a dentist residing in Kermanshah, has been held in detention by IRGC Intelligence agents in this city for the past nine days, with no information available about his whereabouts. The uncertainty surrounding his fate has heightened the concerns of his family and relatives.

A source close to his family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “On Wednesday, September 24, 2025, Mr. Yarahmadi was arrested in Kermanshah by IRGC Intelligence agents and transferred to an undisclosed location. Despite the family’s efforts, none of the security or judicial institutions have provided clear answers regarding his situation.”

The lack of information about Mr. Yarahmadi’s condition has caused increasing concern among his family and close relatives.

In 2024, a total of 2,783 Iranian citizens were arrested by security and judicial authorities due to their beliefs, opinions, or political and civil activities. Over the past decade, the number of such arrests has exceeded 56,000. The highest number of arrests occurred in 2022, during the nationwide protests, when HRANA documented 23,977 detentions.