Category: News

More than Two Decades Behind Bars, Prisoner Profiles – No. 6: Nazem Barihi

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News, Prisoners
20years, ahvaz, HRANA, Nazem Barihi, TwoDecadesBehindBars, ناظم بریهی

HRANA – Many political and religious prisoners in Iran have endured over twenty years behind bars. To prevent their cases from fading from public memory in the flow of daily news, HRANA has launched a series of reports highlighting their situations. Each installment outlines the prisoner’s legal case, detention conditions, access to rights, and immediate needs.

In this report, HRANA, the news arm of Human Rights Activists in Iran, examines the latest situation of Nazem Barihi after two decades of imprisonment.

Profile Information

• Name: Nazem Barihi
• Year of arrest: 2005
• Charges: “acting against national security, moharebeh (enmity against God), and corruption on earth”
• Initial sentence: life imprisonment
• Current sentence: life imprisonment
• Place of detention: Initially held in Karun Prison, Ahvaz; currently in Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz.
• Furlough/access: No furlough reported in recent years; limited access to family and lawyer.
• Current status: Still serving a life sentence, despite legal changes that could allow for review or commutation.

Case History and Judicial Process

Nazem Barihi, born in 1986, was arrested by security forces in October 2005. Soon after, Branch 1 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court sentenced him to life imprisonment on charges of “acting against national security, moharebeh, and corruption on earth.”
This sentence placed him among prisoners serving indefinite terms, effectively prolonging incarceration for many years while limiting opportunities for judicial review.

Key Points in the Process

• Severe security charges: The charge of moharebeh is one of the gravest in Iran’s political-security cases, usually carrying harsh judicial and executive consequences.
• Continued imprisonment despite legal changes: Although amendments now allow for retrial, commutation, or conditional release in some cases, Mr. Barihi remains imprisoned.

Detention Conditions and Transfers

During his imprisonment, he has been held in Karun and Sheiban prisons in Ahvaz. After sentencing, he spent several years in Karun Prison. Reports indicate that in February 2019 and January 2025, he was subjected to verbal abuse and violence by Sheiban Prison officials. In January 2025, after protesting the authorities’ failure to uphold the principle of separation of crimes, he was threatened with solitary confinement or exile to remote prisons. Since then, he has remained in Sheiban Prison.

Observations on Standards of Detention

• Repeated transfers: Moves between wards and prisons disrupt access to family, lawyer, and medical services.
• Exposure to violence: In February 2019, Sheiban officials exploited prisoners’ religious differences and ignored separation-of-crimes standards, leading to pressure and violence against him.
• Denial of medical treatment: Despite suffering from a skin condition during his two decades in prison, he has been repeatedly denied hospital transfer and specialist treatment under various pretexts. Denial of medical care violates the right to health and life, and amounts to inhuman treatment often used as a means of further repression.

Access to Family, Lawyer, and Furlough

In recent years, Mr. Barihi has not received furlough, and his access to family and legal counsel remains restricted. Such limitations not only affect his psychological and social well-being but also hinder his right to mount an effective defense and pursue retrial mechanisms.

Potential Legal Avenues (General Recommendations)

1. Request retrial based on new evidence or procedural/substantive flaws in the verdict.

2. Seek commutation or conversion of the sentence if legal grounds exist.

3. Evaluate eligibility for parole or suspension of sentence (considering time served, conduct, and health).

4. Pursue remedies for violations in prison, including denial of medical care, exposure to violence, and restricted visits.

5. Engage international human rights mechanisms if domestic legal routes remain blocked.

Timeline Summary

• 2005: Arrest; charged with “acting against national security, moharebeh, and corruption on earth.”
• Initial sentence: life imprisonment.
• Post-sentencing: several years in Karun Prison, Ahvaz.
• Feb 2019: Reports of assault linked to failure to enforce separation of crimes in Sheiban Prison.
• Jan 2025: Threatened with solitary confinement or exile after protesting the same issue.
• Recent years: No furlough, inadequate medical care, restricted family and lawyer access.
• Current status: Still serving life sentence, despite potential eligibility for legal review.

Conclusion and Need for Review

Although legal changes could enable retrial, commutation, or release for those charged with moharebeh, Mr. Barihi remains in prison. His case highlights both the long-term use of harsh security sentences and the urgent need for consistent review of such cases.

His file underscores the dual challenges of denied fundamental rights in prison (furlough, visits, legal counsel) and the necessity of utilizing all domestic and international mechanisms to secure a reduction of his sentence and eventual release.

Urgent Needs

• Regular and non-discriminatory access to family and lawyer.
• Independent medical evaluation in light of reported violence and ongoing health issues.
• Review of retrial or other legal mechanisms for reduction or suspension of sentence.
• Enforcement of prison regulations regarding contact, visits, and furlough.
• Access to proper medical services and treatment.

About this Series

This report is part of the “Two Decades Behind Bars” series, which aims to document the cases of long-term prisoners and to highlight the collective responsibility to ensure their visibility and pursue their rights.

A Christian Convert Sentenced to Over Eight Years in Prison

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News, Religious Minorities
Evin Prison, Hesamoddin Mohammad Joneydi, Varamin

HRANA – Hesamoddin (Yahya) Mohammad Joneydi, a Christian convert residing in Varamin, has been sentenced by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in this city to eight years and one month in prison.

According to Mohabat News, this Christian convert was sentenced by Branch 1 of the Varamin Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Ashkan Ramesh, to seven years and six months in prison for “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law due to ties with foreign countries,” and an additional seven months for “propaganda against the regime.”

According to the report, the charges against Mohammad Joneydi included participating in Christian training courses abroad (in Turkey), attending online and house churches, and promoting Christianity both online and in person.

Mohammad Joneydi, age 45, was arrested by security forces in October-November 2024 and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

He was later released after posting bail set at 1.5 billion tomans.

Based on about 180 reports compiled by HRANA over the past decade, 11% of all victims of religious minority rights violations by Iran’s security-judicial apparatus were Christians—particularly Christian converts. In 2024 alone, Christians made up over 9% of those targeted.

Death Sentence of Peyman Farah-Avar Upheld by Supreme Court

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Ahmad Darvish Goftar, HRANA, Lakan prison, Peyman Farah-Avar, Peyman Farahavar, Ramin Safarnia, پیمان فرح آور

HRANA – The death sentence of Peyman (Amin) Farah-Avar, a poet from Gilan currently held in Lakan Prison, Rasht, has been upheld by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court.

Ramin Safarnia, Mr. Farah-Avar’s defense lawyer, announced that Branch 39 of the Supreme Court rejected his client’s appeal and confirmed the death sentence. He added that a petition for retrial will be submitted to the country’s highest judicial authority.

Mr. Farah-Avar’s original death sentence was issued by Branch 1 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Ahmad Darvish Goftar, on charges of “Baghi” (armed rebellion) and “Moharebeh” (enmity against God).

A source close to the prisoner’s family told HRANA: “These charges were leveled against Mr. Farah-Avar based on his poetry and protest activities in the areas of social justice and civil rights.”

Farah-Avar was arrested by security forces in September 2024 and taken to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility. He was later transferred to Lakan Prison following the interrogation phase.

A father of a 10-year-old boy, Peyman (Amin) Farah-Avar has previously been detained for his activism.

Political Prisoner Yousef Savari Denied Medical Care in Sheiban Prison

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News, Prisoners
ahvaz, RGC Intelligence, Sheiban Prison, یوسف سواری

HRANA – Yousef Savari, a political prisoner held in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, has been denied transfer to medical facilities and access to healthcare despite his poor physical condition and suffering from a respiratory illness.

This political prisoner suffers from a lung disease and has recently experienced repeated shortness of breath attacks. According to a family member, Mr. Savari experiences choking sensations when lying down and, due to his lung condition, is unable to sleep. Despite this situation, prison officials have refused to transfer him to a hospital outside the prison. His family has repeatedly requested his transfer to a hospital from both prison authorities and the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court, but these requests remain unanswered.

Mr. Savari was arrested on November 8, 2018, by IRGC intelligence agents at his father’s home and transferred to the IRGC Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz. On April 29, 2020, he was released from Sheiban Prison on bail. Ultimately, last year, the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court sentenced him to 10 years in prison on charges of having ties to groups opposed to the Islamic Republic. He is currently being held in Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz.

Yousef Savari, 37, married and father of three, is from Dasht-e Azadegan County, Khuzestan Province.

Drug-Related Charges; Three Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

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Executions, News
Ahmad-Reza Geravand, Farshad Geravand, HRANA, Kuhdasht

HRANA – At dawn on Wednesday, September 24, the death sentences of three prisoners previously convicted on drug-related charges were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

The identities of those executed this morning were confirmed by HRANA as Ahmad-Reza Geravand and Farshad Geravand, both from Kuhdasht, and an individual named Amir (last name unknown).

These prisoners had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts.

On September 21, HRANA reported that 14 prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison, all convicted on drug-related charges, had been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for execution.

As of the time of this report, the executions of these prisoners have not been announced by prison officials or relevant authorities.

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year – a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

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Execution of Three Prisoners in Dizelabad Prison, Kermanshah

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Executions, News
Dizelabad Prison, Kazem Jameh Shourani, Kermanshah, Kurdistan, Saeed Ghobadi, Sarpol-e Zahab

HRANA – On Sunday, September 21, three prisoners were executed in Dizelabad Prison in Kermanshah.

According to HRANA, one of those executed was Hadi Norouzi, who had previously been arrested on charges of murder and later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

The Iran Human Rights confirmed the identities of the other two prisoners as Saeed Ghobadi and Kazem Jameh Shourani.

Saeed Ghobadi, a resident of Sarpol-e Zahab, had been arrested seven years ago on charges of murdering his wife and later sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

Mr. Jameh Shourani, 27 years old and a native of Kurdistan, had been arrested about 17 months ago on charges of murdering his cousin and subsequently sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

As of the time of this report, the executions of these prisoners have not been announced by prison officials or relevant authorities.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

More than Two Decades Behind Bars, Prisoner Profiles – No. 5: Saeed Masouri

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News, Prisoners
ahvaz, Evin, Ghezel Hesar, HRANA, Rajai-Shahr, Saeed Masouri, TwoDecadesBehindBars, سعید ماسوری

HRANA – Many political and religious prisoners in Iran have endured over twenty years behind bars. To prevent their cases from fading from public memory in the flow of daily news, HRANA has launched a series of reports highlighting their situations. Each installment outlines the prisoner’s legal case, detention conditions, access to rights, and immediate needs.

In this installment, HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, reviews the current situation of Saeed Masouri after more than two decades in prison.

Profile

• Name: Saeed Masouri

• Year of Arrest: 2000 (1379 in the Iranian calendar)

• Declared Charge: Moharebeh (enmity against God) through membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI)

• Initial Sentence: Death

• Current Sentence: Life imprisonment (commuted by one degree)

• Detention Locations:

◦ 14 months in solitary confinement at the Ahvaz Ministry of Intelligence detention facility

◦ Ward 209 of Evin Prison

◦ Several years in Rajai Shahr Prison (Karaj), including transfers between wards

◦ June 2015: moved to the IRGC-controlled ward of Rajai Shahr

◦ August 2017: forcibly transferred from Ward 12 to Ward 10 of Rajai Shahr

◦ August 2023: after Rajai Shahr’s closure, moved to Ward 8, Hall 10 of Evin Prison, then a month later to Ghezel Hesar Prison

◦ September 2023: transferred from the secure unit (Ward 3) of Ghezel Hesar to Dar al-Quran Hall (Ward 4), designated for drug-related prisoners

◦ August 2025: exiled from Ghezel Hesar to Zahedan Prison; after rejection there, secretly transferred and ultimately returned on August 5, 2025, to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar

• Furlough/Access: No furlough reported in recent years; limited access to family and lawyer

• Current Status: Serving life imprisonment despite legal changes that could allow review or sentence reduction

Case History

Dr. Saeed Masouri, born in 1965, lived in Norway for his studies. Upon returning to Iran, he was arrested in Dezful on January 8, 2001, on charges of membership in the PMOI. His family was informed in May 2001.

In 2002, the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced him to death on charges of moharebeh. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. While this prevented execution, it effectively placed him among those serving indefinite sentences, limiting opportunities for judicial review or relief.

Key points in the case:

• Severe security charges: Moharebeh is among the most serious charges in Iran’s political-security cases, carrying broad judicial and punitive consequences.

• Sentence commutation: The initial death sentence and its later reduction to life imprisonment demonstrate both the severity of the charge and the judiciary’s capacity for intervention, but do not necessarily address concerns over fairness of proceedings.

• Continued imprisonment despite legal reforms: Although recent legal changes allow retrial, sentence reductions, or conditional release, Masouri remains imprisoned.

Detention and Transfers

Throughout his imprisonment, Masouri has been repeatedly moved: from solitary confinement in Ahvaz, to Ward 209 of Evin, to Rajai Shahr, and later to Ghezel Hesar and Zahedan. These transfers have often involved violence, including beatings during moves in 2017, 2023, and 2025.

He has staged hunger strikes in protest, including after being beaten and transferred without warning in 2017. Following Zahedan Prison’s refusal to accept him in August 2025, he was held in an unknown location for several days before being returned to Ghezel Hesar.

Observations on Conditions

• Repeated transfers: Frequent relocations disrupt access to family, lawyer, and healthcare.

• Solitary confinement as punishment: He spent 14 months in solitary in Ahvaz, and has repeatedly been returned to solitary in later years, including in 2013, 2017, 2023, and 2025.

• Exposure to violence: Reports document physical and verbal abuse in Ahvaz, Rajai Shahr, Evin, Ghezel Hesar, and during forced transfers.

• Medical neglect: Despite suffering from chronic back pain, eye and dental problems, a broken ankle, urinary bleeding, and needing ultrasound examinations, prison authorities have systematically obstructed his access to specialized care. Denial of medical treatment is considered inhuman treatment and a violation of the right to health and even life.

Access to Family, Lawyer, and Furlough

In recent years, Masouri has been denied furlough. His access to family and his lawyer remains limited, negatively affecting both his mental well-being and his ability to pursue legal remedies.

Potential Legal Avenues (General Recommendations)

1. Retrial (Eda‘e Dadrasi): Based on new evidence or substantive/procedural flaws.

2. Sentence reduction or commutation: If legal grounds exist.

3. Conditional release/suspension: If requirements such as served time, conduct, or health conditions are met.

4. Remedying rights violations in detention: Including access to medical care, freedom from ill-treatment, and regular visitation rights.

5. International documentation and advocacy: In case domestic legal remedies are blocked.

Timeline Summary

• 2000 (1379): Arrest on charges of moharebeh through PMOI membership

• 2002 (1381): Sentenced to death; commuted to life imprisonment

• 2000–2001: 14 months in solitary, Ahvaz Intelligence facility

• 2000s–2010s: Long-term detention in Rajai Shahr Prison

• 2013: Solitary confinement reported; beatings in Rajai Shahr

• 2015: Moved to IRGC ward in Rajai Shahr

• 2017: Beaten and transferred to Ward 10, Rajai Shahr

• 2023: Transferred from Rajai Shahr to Evin, then Ghezel Hesar; solitary confinement and beatings reported

• 2025: Violently exiled to Zahedan Prison; after refusal there, returned to Ghezel Hesar solitary

• Recent years: No furlough, inadequate medical care, restricted access to family/lawyer

• Present: Still serving life sentence

Conclusion

Despite legal reforms enabling retrial, sentence reduction, or release for those convicted of moharebeh, Saeed Masouri remains imprisoned. His case exemplifies the plight of long-term political-security prisoners in Iran. Reviewing such cases is a vital step toward securing their rights and release.

Urgent Needs

• Regular, unrestricted access to lawyer and family

• Independent medical evaluation, especially after reported abuse

• Judicial review of case in light of legal reforms

• Compliance with prison regulations on visits, furloughs, and communication

• Adequate medical treatment

About this Series

This report is part of the “Two Decades Behind Bars” series, which aims to document the cases of long-term prisoners and to highlight the collective responsibility to ensure their visibility and pursue their rights.

Execution of Two Prisoners in Taybad Prison

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Executions, News
HRANA, Mojtaba Mahdavi, Taybad Prison

HRANA – At dawn on Sunday, September 21, two prisoners previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges were executed in Taybad Prison.

The identities of the executed prisoners have been confirmed as Mojtaba Mahdavi and (first name unknown) Ahmadi, an Afghan national.

According to information received by HRANA, the two had been arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant state institutions.

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, over 52 percent of executed prisoners had been convicted on drug-related charges. Over the past ten years, individuals convicted of drug trafficking have accounted for 40 percent of all executions. Unfortunately, HRANA’s statistics show no progress in reducing executions for drug-related offenses.

Detained Citizen Bijan Kazemi on Hunger Strike in Qom Intelligence Facility

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News, Prisoners
Bijan Kazemi, Evin Prison, Kuhdasht, Qom, Shahnaz Khosravi

HRANA – Bijan Kazemi, a detained citizen, has been on hunger strike since Thursday, September 18, to protest the poor conditions of his detention. He is currently held in The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Qom, in a state of prolonged legal uncertainty.

According to his mother, Shahnaz Khosravi, Kazemi began the strike in response to mistreatment by intelligence agents, his detention far from his hometown, and the indefinite nature of his case.

In mid-August, an interrogation session was held at Branch 5 of the District 33 Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran without the presence of a lawyer. Although bail was set at 4 billion tomans, the case officer opposed his release. Shortly afterward, he was transferred to Qom.

Earlier, following Israel’s military attack on Evin Prison, Kazemi was among dozens of detainees moved to the Greater Tehran Prison.

Kazemi was first arrested on January 19, 2025, by intelligence agents in Kuhdasht County. Two days later, on January 22, he was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence.

Kazemi has previously faced judicial proceedings due to his activism.

Rostam Bagheri Held Over Three Months in Khorramabad Prison Without Bail

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
HRANA, IRGC Intelligence, Khorramabad, Kuhdasht, Rostam Bagheri

HRANA News Agency – Rostam Bagheri, a citizen from Kuhdasht, has been held in detention for over three months and remains in a state of legal uncertainty in Khorramabad Prison. Despite his family securing the bail set for his temporary release, the judicial authority has refused to register and accept it.

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Bagheri has been held for 94 days. In a letter to the head of the Kuhdasht judiciary, he protested both his continued detention and the refusal to accept his bail.

In a second case, Bagheri faces the charge of “supporting Israel.” The court session related to this case was held on September 2.

Previously, in his first case, he was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to three years in prison on charges of “insulting the Supreme Leader” and “propaganda against the regime.”

Rostam Bagheri, a 36-year-old citizen from Kuhdasht and father of one child, was arrested on June 21 by IRGC intelligence agents in the city without a judicial warrant and was later transferred to Khorramabad Prison.