HRANA News Agency – On Wednesday, May 21, Abdolghafour Azizi, a resident of Chabahar, was arrested by security forces in the city and taken to an undisclosed location.
According to Haal Vsh, the individual has been identified as Abdolghafour Azizi, approximately 65 years old, a retired employee of the Water and Wastewater Department, originally from Qasr-e Qand and currently residing in Chabahar.
According to the report, Mr. Azizi was arrested at his private residence without a judicial warrant. Following his arrest by security forces, he was transferred to an unknown location.
As of now, no information is available regarding the reasons for his arrest, his whereabouts, or the charges against him.
Arbitrary arrests, transferring detainees to undisclosed locations, and leaving families in the dark about the fate of their loved ones are routine practices of the Iranian regime’s security agencies, such as the Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC Intelligence Unit. This pattern of behavior stands in clear violation of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.
HRANA News Agency – On Friday, May 16, 2025, Armin Khodamoradi, a 26-year-old resident of Sanandaj, was arrested by security forces and transferred to an undisclosed location.
His identity was confirmed by Kolbar News, which reported that Khodamoradi was detained in Sanandaj by security agents.
Despite repeated inquiries, his family has been unable to obtain any information about his whereabouts or current condition, prompting growing concern for his safety.
At the time of this report, the reasons for his arrest and any charges brought against him remain unknown.
HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, Aziz and Omid Abdollahzadeh, two brothers from Bukan, were arrested by security forces in this city.
According to HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, on Thursday, May 15, 2025, two citizens were arrested by security forces in Bukan. The identities of the detainees have been confirmed as Omid Abdollahzadeh, 35, and Aziz Abdollahzadeh, 33, both residents of a village in Bukan county.
According to the report, Aziz Abdollahzadeh was arrested at his workplace in Bukan, without the presentation of a judicial warrant, while Omid Abdollahzadeh was detained after being summoned to the local office of the Ministry of Intelligence.
As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained about the reasons for their arrest or the charges against them.
HRANA News Agency -In April 2025, HRANA, via its Statistics Department, documented a continued deterioration in Iran’s human rights conditions. April marked the highest number of executions since the beginning of the year, with 107 individuals executed. It also saw the highest number of prison sentences issued this year against citizens for expressing their beliefs and opinions. Numerous other instances of human rights violations were also reported, as detailed below. The findings presented here aim to inform the public and international community of the systemic challenges within Iran’s legal, political, and social institutions.
Executions
In the past month, Iran’s prisons witnessed the execution of 107 individuals—a 180% increase compared to the previous month. Of those executed, 100 were men, four were women, and the gender of three remains unknown. Among those executed were three Afghan nationals.
Fifty-six individuals had been sentenced to death on drug-related charges—an accusation that has led to the execution of 148 people in Iran since the beginning of the year. Forty-eight others were executed on murder charges. Most of these executions are not publicly announced by the judiciary or domestic media, underscoring the lack of transparency and the judiciary’s failure to provide public information about legal proceedings.
Among those executed was Mohsen Langar-Neshin, who was hanged on April 30 in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj on charges of espionage and collaboration with hostile states.
This month, Iran’s courts sentenced seven individuals to death. Five were convicted of murder, and one was sentenced for rape. The charges against the seventh person remain unknown.
In April, security forces arrested 18 individuals for expressing their beliefs and opinions. Two others were summoned by security agencies for the same reasons, 14 were summoned to judicial agencies, and the home of one citizen was searched by security agents. Notably, six of the 18 arrests were carried out without a warrant.
During this period, Iranian courts, in violation of citizens’ freedom of expression, sentenced 40 individuals to a total of 1,221 months (approximately 101 years) in prison on charges related to freedom of expression. Of this total, 143 months were suspended sentences. Additionally, the courts issued sentences including 12 months of exile, 184 lashes, and fines totaling 5.65 billion rials.
Women’s Rights
In the past month, 13 women were killed in Iran, including two victims of so-called “honor” killings—underscoring the Iranian regime’s failure to provide legal protection for women. Fourteen cases of sexual assault were also reported.
Continuing the pattern of repression by Iran’s police and security forces, seven female singers in Behbahan were summoned and interrogated by security agencies. They were threatened and pressured to abandon their profession. HRANA also documented one case of physical assault by police.
Workers’ Rights
In April, 34 labor protests were held across Iran, and in six cases, workers went on strike to press for their demands. Reports also documented the non-payment of wages for 1,856 workers, the unjustified dismissal of 30 workers, and 100 cases of job suspension or employment uncertainty.
In the same month, 78 workers lost their lives in workplace accidents, and 1,285 others were injured. The number of workplace fatalities was five times higher than the previous month.
Although the International Labour Organization (ILO) does not rank Iran in terms of occupational safety due to insufficient data, an analysis based on statistics gathered by HRANA places Iran 97th out of 109 countries in terms of workplace accident fatalities—a notably low ranking. According to these figures, in the past year, roughly 9 out of every 100,000 workers in Iran died in workplace accidents.
In April, professional guilds and unions held 57 protest gatherings, and two strikes were also reported.
Additionally, on April 12, Asghar Amirzadegan, a teachers’ union activist, was arrested. In two separate verdicts issued against labor activists, a total of 27 months of prison sentences were handed down. Two years of this imprisonment were issued against Mohsen Ramazanpouron charges of “spreading false information” and “disturbing public opinion.”
Kolbars and Fuel Carriers
This month, unregulated gunfire by military forces resulted in the deaths of two fuel carriers. Additionally, two kolbars and one fuel carrier were injured by military forces. Additionally, two kolbars lost their lives and one was injured due to hypothermia or falling from heights.
In the border region of Baneh, landmines left over from the Iran-Iraq war claimed more lives. Mohammadreza Sedaghatpour, a government employee, and Ali Karimi, a conscripted soldier, were killed in a landmine explosion.
Children’s Rights
HRANA documented one case of non-fatal suicide (a 15-year-old girl in Ardabil), four cases of murder, and six incidents of sexual assault involving minors. Additionally, 56 children were injured as a result of official negligence, including unsafe school conditions and the absence of basic public safety infrastructure.
Ten minors were also subjected to physical violence and corporal punishment, including nine schoolboys who were beaten and abused by a teacher at a school in Shahr-e Rey.
Religious Minorities
This month, four members of religious minorities were sentenced to a total of 510 months in prison. Three of them—Christian converts—were collectively sentenced to 41 years of imprisonment along with other penalties. Additionally, they were fined 910 million tomans.
Three members of religious minorities were also arrested, two were summoned to court, and the home of one individual was searched by security forces.
Prisoners’ Conditions
In Iran, prisoners’ rights are systematically violated, and numerous instances of unfair legal proceedings and legal uncertainty have been observed. This month alone, violations included: the denial of medical care to 17 prisoners (including renowned civil rights activist Mohammad Nourizad), 43 cases of legal limbo, 52 transfers to solitary confinement, four cases of denied access to legal counsel, eight cases of denied visitation, and 18 instances of threats or pressure against inmates.
In reponse to the hard prison conditions and legal limbo, five hunger strikes and one suicide were reported this month. On April 26, in Mahidasht Prison, Hamed Geravand, a 34-year-old inmate, died by suicide after ingesting pills, methadone, and crystal meth. He had been imprisoned on drug-related charges.
Ethnic Rights
Targeting of ethnic minorities—particularly Kurds and Azerbaijani Turks—persisted through arrests, interrogations, and surveillance. HRANA documented 4 arrests without presenting arrest warrant, and one house search
This month, Alireza Farshi, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, was sentenced to eight months in prison for “propaganda against the regime.”
HRANA News Agency – Manouchehr Jafari Ahmadabadi, a protester from the 2022 nationwide demonstrations, has been serving a two-year sentence of exile in Ardakan, Yazd Province, since February 2025. He suffers from Hemophilia A and Hepatitis C, and the lack of access to specialized healthcare in the area has severely impacted his physical and mental health.
According to information received by HRANA, Ardakan lacks facilities equipped to treat hemophilia. Although specialized care is available in the provincial capital, Yazd, Mr. Jafari is barred from traveling there due to the restrictions imposed by his sentence. This medical deprivation, combined with the psychological strain of forced exile and separation from his family, has worsened his health and triggered a recurrence of depression symptoms.
Mr. Jafari Ahmadabadi, 35, is a resident of Savojbolagh County in Alborz Province. He has faced persistent judicial and security harassment since his participation in the 2022 protests and related online activism. His first encounter with security threats occurred in November 2022 while he was volunteering at the Red Crescent in Ardakan. Over time, he was subjected to repeated summonses, threats, attempted arrests, and eventual prosecution.
In February 2023, he was forced to end his cooperation with the Red Crescent due to mounting security pressure. That same month, authorities made two unsuccessful attempts to arrest him without formal notice. He was also pressured to sign a written confession of repentance, which he refused.
Legal proceedings against Mr. Jafari began in May 2023. He was initially released on bail, and his first hearing took place in September 2023 at the Karaj Revolutionary Court. In August 2024, a lower court sentenced him to three years in prison and two years in exile. The appeals court later reduced the sentence in October 2024 to five months of imprisonment and two years of exile.
Mr. Jafari turned himself in to begin serving his sentence in November 2024 and spent 77 days in Karaj Central Prison (Ward 15, designated for political prisoners and prisoners of conscience). In February 2025, he was released with an electronic ankle monitor and transferred to Ardakan to begin his exile. Since then, he has been required to report daily to the police station in Ahmadabad.
HRANA News Agency – Amirhossein Bagheri Alavijeh, a student at Arak University, has been held in detention for six days after being arrested by security forces at his private residence in Isfahan. His whereabouts remain unknown.
According to the Iranian Student Unions Council, Bagheri Alavijeh is was arrested on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, by security agents at his home. Despite five days having passed since his arrest, there is still no information about the reasons for his detention or his place of confinement.
The report adds that he suffers from a specific medical condition and requires regular medication. Lack of access to his medication could pose a serious threat to his health.
Amirhossein Bagheri Alavijeh is a graduate student at Arak University and resides in the city of Alavijeh, Isfahan Province.
HRANA News Agency – The head of the Public Security Police of FARAJA announced that several citizens were arrested at various historical sites across the country on the first day of the Iranian New Year (1404). He claimed that these individuals were attempting to disrupt public order through “norm-breaking” behavior.
According to HRANA, quoting Mehr News Agency, a number of citizens were detained at cultural and historical locations across Iran on the first day of the new year.
The police official referred to the detainees as “leaders” and “main instigators,” accusing them of engaging in acts of “norm violation.” Seyed Majid Feyz Jafari, without providing any specific examples of the alleged misconduct, asserted that the detainees intended to disturb public security.
The report does not mention the identities or the number of those arrested. There is also no information available regarding their legal status or current conditions of detention.
In recent years, during the Nowruz holidays, as public presence in cultural and historical sites increases, numerous incidents have been reported involving authorities confronting citizens over issues such as dress code, dancing, or public celebration. In some cases, detainees were later released on bail but faced charges such as “propaganda against the regime” or “encouraging corruption and prostitution.”
HRANA News Agency -The year 1403 paints a stark picture of the continued violation of human rights in Iran. The persistent threat to freedom of thought and expression, the crackdown on peaceful protesters, increased pressure on ethnic and religious minorities, the prosecution and harassment of human rights activists, the execution of juveniles, the plight of child laborers, violations of women’s rights and the rights of sexual and gender minorities, and the poor conditions in detention centers and prisons are just some examples of the daily human rights violations in Iran. The comprehensive report by the Statistics and Publications Center of Human Rights Activists in Iran, presented below, provides a distressing account of human rights violations in the country over the past year.
Provincial Comparison: Introducing HRANA’s Human Rights Violation Index (HRVI)
This year, HRANA – the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) – has introduced the Human Rights Violation Index (HRVI) as a data-driven tool for analyzing and comparing the human rights situation across different provinces of Iran. The index provides organizations and researchers with a geographical and temporal framework for monitoring human rights violations.
The HRVI is built on thousands of HRANA’s reports and comprises 37 carefully developed indicators. It categorizes human rights violations into three main areas, each represented by a sub-index:
Political Rights Suppression Index (PRSI):
This sub-index measures actions by Iran’s security and judicial apparatus aimed at suppressing political and civil activism. It covers state-led violations against a wide range of groups, including civil rights activists, labor and women’s rights advocates, journalists, and others. Focused on direct government involvement, it captures incidents such as arbitrary arrests by security forces, prison sentences for political charges, and frequent summons or interrogations.
PRSI values across Iran’s provinces, reflecting the intensity of political repression.
Lack of Legal Protection Index (LLPI): This sub-index assesses the government’s failure or unwillingness to provide legal protection for vulnerable groups such as women, workers, and children. It measures the state’s inability to shield people from violence, discrimination, and exploitation through a variety of indicators.
LLPI values across Iran’s provinces, reflecting the extent of legal protection failures for vulnerable groups.
Physical Integrity Index (PII):
This sub-index tracks state-led violent actions directly targeting citizens, including prisoners, kulbars (border porters), and fuel carriers. It also covers severe and inhumane punishments such as executions, torture, and prolonged solitary confinement.
PII values across Iran’s provinces, reflecting the intensity of state-led physical violence and inhumane punishments.
Each indicator is weighted according to the severity and impact of the violation to ensure that the most egregious cases have a greater influence on the overall index. The final HRVI score is calculated based on the weighted sum of these three sub-indices.
HRVI values across Iran’s provinces, reflecting the overall severity of human rights violations.
For a detailed breakdown of the indicators and the methodology behind the index, please refer to the HRVI documentation.
In summary, through extensive data collection and statistical modeling, the Human Rights Violation Index offers a quantitative and structured approach to assessing the human rights landscape in Iran.
Freedom of Thought and Expression
In 1403, a total of 1,141 reports were recorded in the field of thought and expression. During this period, at least 1,300 people were arrested, 168 of whom were detained without a judicial warrant. Additionally, 307 cases of prosecution, 39 cases of home searches, 25 instances of convicting publications, 3 cases of internet filtering, 1 case of property confiscation, 74 protest gatherings, 3 cases of preventing gatherings, 2,621 summonses to judicial authorities, and 161 instances of sentence enforcement were documented.
In this domain, judicial authorities issued at least 22,986 months of imprisonment for 548 individuals. This included 20,864 months of enforceable imprisonment and 2,122 months of suspended sentences. Notably, 4,965 months of these sentences were issued by the appellate court and 252 months by the Supreme Court. Additionally, 81 individuals were fined a total of 5,589 million tomans (approximately 70,000 dollars), 95 individuals were sentenced to 6,994 lashes, 28 individuals to 1,152 months of exile, and 78 individuals were deprived of their social rights.
Annual Statistical Comparison of Arrests in the Past Five Years (Freedom of Thought and Expression)
Year
Number of Arrests
Arrests per Million People
Percentage Change Compared to Previous Year
1399
2,292
27.5
-45%
1400
1,419
16.88
-11%
1401
28,647
338.2
+95%
1402
2,496
29.25
-48%
1403
1,300
28.89
–
Judicial Authorities Issuing the Most Sentences in the Freedom of Thought and Expression Category
Judge Name
Court Branch
Court Place
Number of Cases
Prison Sentences (Months)
Lashes
Fine (Million Toman)
Jabar Javadi Rami
Criminal Court Branch 2
Tehran
44
3,576
5,550
–
Iman Afshari
Revolutionary Court Branch 26
Tehran
41
2,095
148
4,460
Mohammad Reza Tavakoli
Revolutionary Court Branch 1
Isfahan
29
2,244
–
–
Abbasali Houzan
Appellate Court Branch 36
Tehran
23
1,569
–
–
Mahdi Rasekhi
Revolutionary Court Branch 3
Rasht
17
1,023
–
–
Abolghasem Salavati
Revolutionary Court Branch 15
Tehran
15
1,015
–
–
Mohammad-Sadegh Iran Aghideh
Appellate Court Branch 11
Gilan
11
727
–
–
Mahdi Fakhri
Criminal Court Branch 101
Boukan
11
145
–
–
Sajad Doosti
Revolutionary Court Branch 1
Mahabad
9
402
–
–
Mohammad Karami
Revolutionary Court Branch 1
Sanandaj
7
277
–
–
Children’s Rights
In 1403 Hijri year, a total of 498 reports were recorded in the field of children’s rights. During this period, at least 27 cases of child rape and sexual abuse, 43 cases of child murder, 5 cases of honor killings, 3 abandoned newborns, 9 deaths and 17 injuries among child laborers, 14 deaths and 204 injuries of children due to officials’ negligence, 58 suicides, at least 4,296 cases of child abuse, 28 arrests of individuals under 18, at least 3 million school dropouts, and approximately 2 million child laborers were documented. Additionally, 48 months of enforceable imprisonment were reported for 2 individuals under the age of 18.
Also, at least 5 juvenile offenders were executed in Iran over the past year.
According to official data from the Iranian Statistics Center, as of 1398 in the Hijri calendar, approximately 16.8% of girls aged 15 to 19 in Iran had been married. Among the limited available government statistics on this issue, a report from the same center shows that between winter 1400 to autumn 1401, at least 27,448 girls under the age of 15 were married in Iran. While the rate of child marriages among girls under 15 had been declining since 1396, the trend reversed and began rising again from 1398 onward.
Reports indicate that in 1399 and 1400, 31,646 and 32,655 girls under 15 were married, respectively. The number of marriages involving girls under 15 increased by 933 cases in autumn 1401 compared to the summer of the same year. Furthermore, in autumn 1401, over 5,500 more girls aged 15 to 19 were married compared to the previous season (summer 1401).
According to this report, most child brides become mothers at a very young age. As announced by the National Organization for Civil Registration, in 1400, at least 69,103 newborns were born to mothers aged 10 to 19, and 1,474 newborns were born to mothers aged 10 to 14.
Etemad newspaper reported that Iranian authorities would stop publishing statistics on child marriages and the number of children born to underage mothers. According to the report, an official from National Organization for Civil Registration confirmed that an “order was issued” to prevent the release of this data.
Women’s Rights
In 1403, a total of 253 reports were recorded in the field of women’s rights. These included 125 cases of femicide, 33 honor killings (including the murder of 19 men), 16,567 cases of domestic violence, 5 acid attacks, 3 suicides, 30,642 cases of enforcement related to improper veiling, 2 cases of prosecution, and 14 months of imprisonment for women. Additionally, 74 cases of flogging and fines amounting to 9,500,000 tomans were issued against women.
Over the past year, at least 649 arrests were documented in this category, of which 643 were due to non-compliance with mandatory hijab laws.
Workers’ Rights
In 1403, a total of 1,712 reports were recorded in this category, documenting the arrest of 13 individuals. Additionally, 10 workers or labor activists were sentenced to a total of 340 months of enforceable imprisonment. Furthermore, one individual was sentenced to 24 months of exile. Other documented cases include 31 summonses to judicial authorities, 12 interrogations, 3 trials, 5 instances of sentence enforcement, 5 cases of self-immolation, 6 suicides, 724 protests, 1,377 strikes, 1 house search, and 1 case of property confiscation.
Reports from 1403 indicate that delays or non-payment of wages affected at least 18,121 workers for a total of 592 months. Additionally, 4,765 workers were dismissed or laid off, 585 cases of unemployment were recorded, and 525,592 workers experienced a total of 488 months without insurance coverage. Furthermore, 11 factory closures were reported, leaving 4,835 workers in an uncertain employment status. At least 2,042 workers lost their lives in workplace accidents, and 16,113 workers sustained work-related injuries. Iran ranked 102nd globally in workplace safety compliance, a very low ranking.
Trade and Labor Unions
In 1403, the Statistics and Publications Center recorded 1,436 incidents related to trade unions and professional associations across Iran. These reports include the arrest of 28 union activists, 122 summonses to judicial or security authorities, 536 closures of business premises, 5 instances of physical assault, 1 license revocation, 17 trials in judicial courts, 19 security agency interrogations, 13 dismissals or layoffs, 4 cases of forced retirement, 1,187 protests, and 70 strikes. Additionally, at least 1,613 individuals experienced wage delays totaling 393 months, 3 home searches, and 6 cases of sentence enforcement.
Moreover, 75 individuals were sentenced to a total of 881 months in prison, including 777 months of enforceable imprisonment and 104 months of suspended sentences. Of this total, 147 months were issued by the appellate court. Additionally, 5 individuals were sentenced to 168 months of exile, 1 individual received 29 lashes, and 29 individuals were fined a total of 59,540,000 tomans.
Prisoners’ Rights
In 1403, the following violations of prisoners’ rights were documented: 14 cases of physical assault against political prisoners, 375 instances of medical neglect or deprivation of healthcare services, 312 illegal transfers of prisoners to solitary confinement, 79 hunger strikes, 36 cases of forced transfers or exile of prisoners, 335 cases of threats and pressure against political and ideological prisoners, 156 instances of denied family visits, 5 prisoner deaths due to illness, 18 suicides, 2 cases of self-immolation, 7 prisoner murders, 106 instances of denied access to legal representation, 105 cases of restrictions on phone calls, 75 cases of failure to separate prisoners based on their offenses, 495 cases of prisoners being held in unsuitable conditions, 18 forced confessions, and 99 instances of denial of medical leave.
Additionally, 275 cases of prisoners being held incommunicado and 928 cases of detainees being kept in an indeterminate legal status were documented.
Executions
As in previous decades since the 1979 Revolution, executions in Iran continue to represent one of the most severe forms of human rights violations. In 1403, at least 1,050 individuals — including 29 women and 5 juvenile offenders — were executed. Among them, 5 executions were carried out publicly. During the same period, 189 additional people were sentenced to death, including one individual specifically condemned to public execution. Notably, the Supreme Court also upheld the death sentences of 55 individuals within this timeframe.
Annual Statistical Comparison of Executions in the Past Five Years
Year
Number of Executions
Executions per Million People
Percentage Change Compared to Previous Year
1399
246
2.95
+334%
1400
351
4.17
+192%
1401
620
7.3
+75%
1402
771
9.03
+35%
1403
1,050
12.18
–
Execution Rate by Province (Executions Per 100,000 People)
Province
Population
Number of Executions
Execution Rate
Alborz
2,712,400
190
7.19
Fars
4,851,274
108
2.23
Isfahan
5,120,850
84
1.64
Razavi Khorasan
6,434,501
67
1.04
East Azerbaijan
3,909,652
63
1.61
Kerman
3,164,718
45
1.42
West Azerbaijan
3,265,219
43
1.32
Lorestan
1,760,649
40
2.27
Sistan and Baluchestan
2,775,014
36
1.3
Zanjan
1,057,461
31
2.93
South Khorasan
768,898
31
4.03
Yazd
1,138,533
30
2.63
Golestan
1,868,819
29
1.55
Hamadan
1,738,234
29
1.67
Qazvin
1,273,761
28
2.2
Gilan
2,530,696
28
1.11
Kermanshah
1,952,434
24
1.23
Qom
1,292,283
23
1.78
Khuzestan
4,710,509
18
0.38
Mazandaran
3,283,582
17
0.52
Hormozgan
1,776,415
17
0.96
Markazi
1,429,475
14
0.98
Ardabil
1,270,420
9
0.71
Ilam
580,158
9
1.55
Semnan
702,360
7
1
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad
713,052
6
0.84
Kurdistan
1,603,011
6
0.37
Bushehr
1,163,400
6
0.52
North Khorasan
863,092
4
0.46
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari
947,763
2
0.21
Ethnic Minorities’ Rights
In 1403, a total of 278 reports were documented in the category of ethnic-national rights. According to these reports, the arrest of 332 citizens was recorded, of which 153 arrests were carried out without a judicial warrant. Although the charges against 234 of these detainees remain unclear, based on patterns and the historical actions of security agencies in the mentioned regions, these arrests have been categorized under ethnic rights violations.
Additionally, 29 individuals were sentenced to a total of 1,244 months in prison, including 1,178 months issued by primary courts and 66 months by appellate courts. Furthermore, 4 individuals were fined a total of 53,600,000 tomans. Other documented cases include the summons of 59 individuals to security and judicial authorities, 5 instances of sentence enforcement, 36 trials, and 17 interrogations.
Annual Statistical Comparison of Arrests in the Past Five Years (Ethnic Minorities’ Rights)
Year
Number of Arrests
Arrests per Million People
Percentage Change Compared to Previous Year
1399
400
4.79
-25%
1400
358
4.26
-10%
1401
242
2.9
+33%
1402
371
4.35
-11%
1403
332
3.85
–
Religious Minorities’ Rights
In 1403, a total of 169 reports were documented in the category of religious minorities’ rights. According to these reports, 124 citizens were arrested. Additionally, 86 individuals were sentenced to a total of 4,364 months of enforceable imprisonment and 516 months of suspended imprisonment. Of this total, 4,070 months were issued by primary courts and 810 months by appellate courts.
Other documented violations include 63 summonses to judicial and security authorities, 49 trials, 19 interrogations, 1 case of preventing the burial of deceased individuals, 2 cases of cemetery destruction, 47 home searches, 37 travel bans, 20 instances of sentence enforcement, 1 case of property confiscation, and 10 cases of restrictions on economic activities.
Annual Statistical Comparison of Arrests in the Past Five Years (Religious Minorities’ Rights)
Year
Number of Arrests
Arrests per Million People
Percentage Change Compared to Previous Year
1399
100
1.2
+20%
1400
67
0.8
+80%
1401
175
2.1
-31%
1402
148
1.73
-17%
1403
124
1.44
–
Judicial Authorities Issuing the Most Sentences in Religious Minorities’ Rights
Judge Name
Court Branch
Court Type
Number of Cases
Prison Sentences (Months)
Lashes
Fine ( million Toman)
Mohammad Reza Tavakoli
Revolutionary Court Branch 1
Isfahan
28
2,220
–
1,800
Kamran Zare
Appellate Court Branch 37
Fars
7
232
–
261.3
Mahdi Rasekhi
Revolutionary Court Branch 3
Rasht
5
145
–
320.02
Iman Afshari
Revolutionary Court Branch 26
Tehran
4
524
–
910
Gholi Mir Nasab
Revolutionary Court Branch 2
Sari
3
–
–
100
Protests and Strikes
In 1403, at least 2,255 protest gatherings took place across Iran. This figure includes 724 labor protests, 1,187 trade union protests, 74 protests related to freedom of thought and expression, 47 student protests, and 48 environmental protests. Additionally, 175 protests were held across 31 provinces by citizens, most of whom were victims of financial fraud or individuals whose civil rights had been violated. Alongside these protests, at least 70 trade union strikes and 1,377 labor strikes were also recorded.
Civilian Killings
Throughout 1403, a total of 355 civilians were shot by military forces, resulting in the deaths of 156 individuals. This includes the deaths of 31 kolbars (border couriers), 42 fuel carriers, and 83 other civilians. Additionally, 199 civilians sustained injuries due to indiscriminate gunfire by military personnel, comprising 105 kolbars, 51 ordinary citizens, and 43 fuel carriers.
It is also worth noting that 30 other kolbars were involved in accidents due to environmental and geographical conditions such as hypothermia and falls from heights. Of these, 21 kolbars were injured, and 9 lost their lives. Moreover, 19 fuel carriers were involved in accidents following pursuits by military forces, resulting in the deaths of 5 and injuries to 14 others.
Landmine and Explosion Victims
Landmines left from past wars continue to pose a deadly threat to border residents each year. Meanwhile, the Iranian government continues to produce and plant anti-personnel mines, insisting—contrary to international treaties—that the use of such mines is the only effective way to secure the country’s long borders.
According to data from the past year, at least 9 civilians lost their lives due to landmine explosions in border areas, while 19 others sustained injuries.
Flogging and Amputation Sentences
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights explicitly prohibits degrading and inhumane punishments such as flogging and amputation. However, according to compiled data from 1403, at least 4 defendants were subjected to a total of 108 lashes under judicial orders in Iran. Additionally, Iranian courts sentenced at least 159 individuals to a total of 10,984 lashes.
Furthermore, the amputation sentences of two convicts were carried out, while four other individuals were sentenced to amputation by Iranian judicial authorities.
Sentences Issued
Over the past year, courts across Iran issued verdicts in 744 cases, collectively sentencing individuals convicted on political or ideological grounds to 27,857 months of enforceable imprisonment and 21,831 months of suspended imprisonment. Of these, 43,209 months were ruled by primary courts, 6,227 months by appellate courts, and 252 months by the Supreme Court.
Additionally, judicial authorities issued fines totaling 9,999,172,000 tomans, 7,127 lashes, 86 travel bans, 142 instances of deprivation of social rights, and 1,344 months of exile.
Arrests
In the past year, the arrest of 2,491 individuals in Iran was based on political or ideological grounds, or in clear violation of human rights principles. Among the most significant cases were 1,300 arrests related to freedom of thought and expression. Other documented arrests include:
. 13 laborers and labor activists . 28 individuals under 18 . 4 student activists . 28 trade union activists . 124 religious minority members . 1 individual in the cultural sector . 1 individual from the LGBTQ+ community . 11 environmental activists . 332 individuals of ethnic backgrounds
It should be noted that the charges against 234 of these ethnic individuals remain unclear. However, based on established patterns and the actions of security agencies in the affected regions, these arrests have been classified under ethnic-national rights violations.
Additionally, at least 649 arrests related to women’s rights were recorded, of which 643 were due to non-compliance with mandatory hijab laws.
Comparison of the Number of Convicted Individuals Over the Past Five Years
Year
Number of Convicted Individuals
Percentage Change Compared to Previous Year
1399
741
+0.4%
1400
1,051
+40%
1401
1,075
-30.7%
1402
843
-11.7%
1403
744
–
Comparison of the Number of Imprisonment Sentences (Months) Over the Past Five Years
Year
Number of Months of Imprisonment Issued
Percentage Change Compared to Previous Year
1399
26,775
+4%
1400
13,316
+109.1%
1401
33,671
-17.2%
1402
33,790
-17.5%
1403
27,857
–
Judicial Authorities Issuing the Most Sentences in the Past Year
Annual Statistical Comparison of Arrests in the Past Five Years
Year
Number of Arrests
Arrests per Million People
Percentage Change Compared to Previous Year
1399
2,950
35.37
-18%
1400
1,884
22.28
+30%
1401
29,950
353.6
-92%
1402
3,864
45.28
-35%
1403
2,491
28.89
–
Final Note
It is important to emphasize that the statistics presented in this report do not fully capture the state of human rights in Iran. The Iranian government restricts the activities of independent human rights organizations and limits their access to essential information. As a result, these figures represent only a minimum estimate of the human rights situation in the country, compiled exclusively by civil society groups — including HRANA — and documented by its Statistics and Publications Center.
HRANA News Agency – Hajat Susani and Karim Jalili Gandaeli, residents of Masjed Soleyman, Khuzestan province, were arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the identities of the detained individuals have been verified as Hajat Susani and Karim Jalili Gandeli. Based on information received by HRANA, these two citizens were arrested in recent days and transferred to an unknown location.
As of now, no information is available regarding the reasons for their arrest, their whereabouts, or the charges against them.
