Category: News

Two Prisoners Executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan

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Executions, News
Dastgerd Prison, HRANA, Isfahan, Mousa Alizadeh, Musa Alizadeh, Vahid Ebrahimi

HRANA – At dawn on Sunday, September 21, two prisoners previously sentenced to death on separate murder charges were executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan.

According to HRANA, quoting Iran Human Rights Organization, the executions took place at dawn on Sunday, September 21, 2025, in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan.

Iran Human Rigths has identified the prisoners as Vahid Ebrahimi, 33, from Isfahan, and Mousa Alizadeh, 28, from Tabriz.

According to the report, seven years ago, Vahid Ebrahimi was arrested on a murder charge and later sentenced to death by the judicial authorities. Mr. Alizadeh was also arrested about five years ago during a street fight on a murder charge and subsequently sentenced to death.

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

According to HRANA’s statistics, in 2024, 61 inmates were hanged in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan – a 74% increase compared to the previous year. This sharp rise reflects a disturbing escalation in executions at this facility.

Two Prisoners, Including a Woman, Executed in Sabzevar Prison

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Executions, News
Peyman Khani, Sabzevar Prison, سبزوار

HRANA – At dawn on Wednesday, September 17, the death sentences of two prisoners, including a woman, previously convicted of murder in a joint case, were carried out in Sabzevar Prison.

HRANA has identified the executed man as Peyman Khani.

According to information obtained by HRANA, the two prisoners were arrested in 2020 in connection with the murder of a middle-aged man and later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

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

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.

Mahabad: Soroush Yousefzadeh Sentenced to Six Months in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Mahabad, Soroush Yousefzadeh

HRANA – Soroush Yousefzadeh, a resident of Mahabad, has been sentenced to six months in prison by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of this city.

According to Kurdpa, the verdict was issued by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Mahabad, presided over by Judge Siami, and officially communicated to Mr. Yousefzadeh on September 16. Based on the ruling, he was sentenced to six months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

On June 19 of this year, Yousefzadeh was arrested by security forces at his home. During the arrest, agents confiscated some of his personal belongings as well as the mobile phones of his father and brother.

He was ultimately released on July 13 after posting bail set at one billion tomans.

More than Two Decades Behind Bars, Prisoner Profiles – No. 4: Abdul-Zahra Halichi

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News, Prisoners
Abdul-Zahra Halichi, ahvaz, Iran, Karun Prison, moharebeh, Sheiban Prison, TwoDecadesBehindBars, عبدالزهرا هلیچی

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, examines the latest status of Abdul-Zahra Halichi (Haliji) after more than two decades of imprisonment.

Case Information

• Name: Abdul-Zahra Halichi (Haliji)

• Year of arrest: 2005

• Charges: “Acting against national security, moharebeh (enmity against God), and efsad-e fel-arz (corruption on earth)”

• Initial sentence: Life imprisonment

• Current sentence: Life imprisonment

• Places of detention: Served his sentence in Karun Prison, Ahvaz; currently held in Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz.

• Leave / access: No prison leave 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 Background and Judicial Process

In 2005, Abdul-Zahra Halichi was arrested by security forces. Shortly thereafter, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz convicted him of “acting against national security, moharebeh, and corruption on earth,” sentencing him to life imprisonment. This verdict placed him among those serving indefinite terms, effectively extending incarceration for decades and severely limiting access to judicial review.

Key points in the process:

• Heavy security charges: The charge of moharebeh is among the most severe in Iran’s political-security cases and typically carries wide-ranging judicial and executive consequences.

• Continued imprisonment despite legal reforms: Although legislative changes allow for retrial, sentence reduction, or parole in some cases, Halichi remains incarcerated.

Conditions of Detention and Transfers

Throughout his imprisonment, Halichi has been held in Karun and Sheiban prisons in Ahvaz. He spent several years in Karun Prison following his sentencing.

• Feb 2019: Reports of beatings in Sheiban Prison.

• Apr 2020: Subjected to torture after being transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz.

• Apr 2024: Reported beatings by prison guards and intelligence protection officers in Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison.

• Dec 2024: Threatened with solitary confinement or exile to remote areas after protesting authorities’ failure to enforce the principle of separation of crimes.
Since then, he has remained imprisoned in Sheiban.

Observations on Detention Standards

• Frequent transfers: Repeated relocations between wards and prisons disrupt access to family, lawyers, and medical care.

• Violence in custody: Multiple reports of beatings (2019, 2020, 2024) highlight the need for independent documentation and legal follow-up.

• Denial of medical care: Despite suffering from right leg infections, knee pain, and requiring urgent surgery to remove a metal rod from his leg, Halichi has been systematically denied hospital transfer and specialized treatment. Denying prisoners access to healthcare constitutes inhuman treatment and a violation of the right to health and even the right to life, often used as a tool of further pressure and repression.

Access to Family, Lawyer, and Leave

In recent years, Halichi has not been granted leave, and his access to family and legal counsel has been restricted. Such limitations not only have psychological and social consequences but also undermine his ability to mount an effective legal defense or pursue retrial procedures.

Potential Legal Avenues (General Recommendations)

1. Retrial: Assessing new evidence or procedural flaws.

2. Sentence reduction or commutation: If legal grounds are met.

3. Conditional release or suspension: Based on time served, good conduct, or health conditions.

4. Addressing rights violations in custody: Including access to treatment, protection from violence, regular visitation rights, and legal access.

International documentation and advocacy: Utilizing UN reporting mechanisms when domestic avenues are blocked.

Timeline (Summary)

• 2005: Arrested; charged with “acting against national security, moharebeh, and corruption on earth.”

• Initial verdict: Life imprisonment.

• Following years: Held in Karun Prison, Ahvaz.

• Feb 2019: Reported beating in Sheiban Prison.

• Apr 2020: Tortured in The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, Ahvaz.

• Apr 2024: Beaten by prison guards and intelligence officers in Sheiban Prison.

• Dec 2024: Threatened with solitary confinement or exile after protesting non-segregation of prisoners.

• Recent years: No leave granted; deprived of adequate medical care; limited access to family and lawyer.

• Current status: Continues to serve life imprisonment despite potential eligibility for legal review.

Conclusion and Need for Review

Despite legal reforms enabling retrial, sentence reduction, or release in moharebeh cases, Halichi remains behind bars. His case exemplifies long-term political-security imprisonment in Iran, underscoring the urgent need for review mechanisms.

Halichi’s situation highlights both the systematic denial of fundamental rights in detention (such as visitation, legal access, and healthcare) and the importance of using all available domestic and international legal avenues to reduce sentences and secure freedom.

Urgent Needs

• Regular, unrestricted access to lawyer and family.

• Independent medical evaluation following allegations of torture and long-term health issues.

• Review of eligibility for retrial or other mechanisms to reduce/terminate his sentence under current law.

• Enforcement of prison regulations regarding visitation, calls, and leave.

• Access to appropriate medical care 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.

Mehrdad Moghiseh Arrested in Sabzevar

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Mehrdad Moghiseh, Sabzevar, مهرداد مقیسه

HRANA – On Thursday, September 18, security forces in Sabzevar violently arrested Mehrdad Moghiseh, a former detainee of the 2022 nationwide protests, and transferred him to an undisclosed location. His family has since been left without information about his condition, raising serious concerns for his safety.

A source close to the family told HRANA: “Mr. Moghiseh was at the scene of the Sabzevar Cement Factory fire. In response to the poor conditions and lack of firefighting equipment, he voiced criticism and raised demands. Following this, security agents beat him and took him into custody.”

At the time of this report, neither his whereabouts nor the charges against him have been disclosed.

In May 2025, the Court of Appeals of Razavi Khorasan Province upheld in full a prison and exile sentence previously issued against him. In March 2024, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Sabzevar sentenced Moghiseh to seven months and 15 days in prison and one year of exile in Darmian County on the charge of propaganda against the regime.

Moghiseh, who was arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests in Sabzevar, has previously faced arrest and convictions in connection with his activism.

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Prisoner Executed in Gachsaran on Drug-Related Charges

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Executions, News
Gachsaran, Gachsaran Prison, Hossein Mousavi

HRANA – Yesterday, Sunday, September 21, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted on charges related to drug offenses was carried out in Gachsaran Prison.

HRANA has identified the prisoner executed at dawn yesterday, as Hossein Mousavi, 31 years old, a resident of Abadan, and father of two young daughters. Mr. Mousavi was arrested in Gachsaran in 2018 on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report, the execution of this prisoner has not been announced by prison authorities or official 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.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Peyman Ebrahimi Arrested

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Ethnic Minorities, News
HRANA, Peyman Ebrahimi, Tabriz, پیمان ابراهیمی

HRANA – On Saturday, September 20, Peyman Ebrahimi, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, was arrested after appearing at Branch 15 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Tabriz.

A source close to the family of this Azerbaijani-Turk activist confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Today, Mr. Ebrahimi’s interrogation session was held at Branch 15 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Tabriz. He had been summoned there on charges of propaganda against the regime and, without any opportunity for defense, was arrested. He has now been transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Tabriz.”

According to information received by HRANA, this Azerbaijani-Turk activist had been summoned to the mentioned branch last week after receiving an official notice.

Peyman Ebrahimi was previously arrested by security forces in Tabriz on August 26, 2023, and released from prison in that city on October 25 of the same year after posting bail.

In December of the same year, Branch 1 of the Public and Revolutionary Court of Tabriz, presided over by Judge Hamlbar, sentenced him to seven months and sixteen days in prison for the charge of propaganda against the Islamic Republic, and fifteen months and one day in prison for insulting the Supreme Leader. The verdict was later commuted to a monetary fine after the appeals court hearing.

Peyman Ebrahimi, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, is a resident of Tabriz and an Azerbaijani dance instructor.

More than Two Decades Behind Bars, Prisoner Profiles – No. 3: Abdolemam Zaeri

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News, Prisoners
20years, Abdolemam Zaeri, ahvaz, Karun Prison, moharebeh, Sheiban Prison, TwoDecadesBehindBars, عبدالامام زائری

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 arm of Human Rights Activists in Iran – reviews the current situation of Abdolemam Zaeri after two decades in prison.

Information Summary

• Name: Abdolemam Zaeri

• Year of Arrest: 2005

• Charges Announced: “Acting against national security, moharebeh (enmity against God), and corruption on earth”

• Initial Sentence: Life imprisonment

• Current Sentence: Life imprisonment

• Detention Facilities: Initially held in Karun Prison of Ahvaz; later transferred to Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, where he remains.

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

• Current Status: Still serving a life sentence despite legal changes that could allow for review or reduction.

Case History and Judicial Process

Zaeri was arrested by security forces in 2005. Shortly 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 life sentence placed him among prisoners with indefinite incarceration—effectively subjecting him to decades of confinement while restricting his access to review mechanisms.

Key Points:

• Severe security charges: The label moharebeh is one of the most severe charges in political-security cases in Iran and carries broad judicial and executive consequences.

• Continued imprisonment despite legal reforms: Although legal changes allow for retrials, sentence reductions, or parole in some cases, Zaeri has remained in prison.

Detention Conditions and Transfers

Over the course of his imprisonment, Zaeri has been held in Karun and Sheiban prisons in Ahvaz. He spent several years in Karun Prison before being transferred.

Reports from February 2019 and April 2024 indicate that he was beaten by prison guards and the intelligence protection unit of Sheiban Prison. He remains incarcerated in Sheiban.

Observations on Detention Standards

• Frequent transfers: Moving between wards and prisons can disrupt access to family, lawyers, and medical care.

• Exposure to violence: Documented beatings in 2019 and April 2024 highlight the need for independent monitoring and legal follow-up.

• Denial of medical care: Despite suffering from stomach bleeding, prostate inflammation, infection and bleeding in the left ear, and stomach ulcers, Zaeri has repeatedly been denied transfer to a hospital or access to specialized treatment. Prison authorities have obstructed care on various pretexts.
Denial of medical treatment is a violation of the fundamental right to health and can amount to inhumane treatment, even endangering life. It is often used as a tool of additional pressure and repression against prisoners.

Access to Family, Lawyer, and Furlough

Zaeri has not been granted furlough in recent years. His access to family visits and legal counsel has been restricted. These limitations, beyond their psychological and social toll, also undermine his ability to mount an effective defense or pursue retrial mechanisms.

Potential Legal Avenues (General Recommendations)

1. Retrial: Reviewing new evidence or substantive/procedural flaws in the ruling.

2. Sentence reduction or conversion: If legal conditions apply.

3. Parole or suspension: Based on time served, good conduct, health status, etc.

4. Pursuing violations of rights during detention: Including denial of medical care, exposure to violence, right to visits, and lawyer access.

5. International documentation and advocacy: Using reporting and human rights mechanisms if domestic avenues remain blocked.

Timeline Summary

• 2005: Arrest; charged with “acting against national security, moharebeh, and corruption on earth.”

• Initial ruling: Life imprisonment.

• Following years: Held in Karun Prison, Ahvaz.

• Feb 2019: Reported beating in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz.

• Apr 2024: Reported beating in Ward 5, Sheiban Prison.

• Recent years: No furlough, denied medical care, restricted family and lawyer access.

• Present status: Still serving life imprisonment despite legal reforms that could allow review.

Summary and Importance of Review

Despite legal changes enabling retrial, sentence reduction, or release for those convicted of moharebeh, Zaeri remains imprisoned.

His case exemplifies the plight of political-security prisoners serving long sentences in Iran. Reviewing such cases is a critical step toward justice and securing their rights.

Zaeri’s file highlights both the deprivation of fundamental rights during incarceration (such as furlough, visitation, and legal access) and the urgent need to utilize all domestic and international mechanisms to seek case review and sentence reduction.

Urgent Needs

• Unrestricted and regular access to lawyer and family.

• Independent medical evaluation, especially regarding reported beatings and chronic conditions.

• Assessment of eligibility for retrial or sentence reduction under updated regulations.

• Enforcement of prison regulations on calls, visits, and furloughs.

• Access to adequate 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.

Two Prisoners Executed in Tabriz Prison

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Executions, News
Morteza Shirkhani, Tabriz Prison, Zahra Fotouhi

HRANA – At dawn on Wednesday, September 17, the death sentences of two prisoners previously convicted of murder in separate cases by the Criminal Court were carried out in Tabriz Prison.

Iran Human Rights has identified the identities of the two prisoners as Zahra Fotouhi, 52, from Tabriz, and Morteza Shirkhani, 40, from Tabriz.

According to the report, Ms. Fotouhi was arrested in 2020 on a charge of murder and later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court, while Mr. Shirkhani was arrested in 2021 on a similar charge and likewise sentenced to death.

Ms. Fotouhi was accused of murdering her first husband due to alleged harassment, nine years after remarrying following her divorce. Mr. Shirkhani, meanwhile, was arrested for allegedly killing a friend over financial disputes.

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

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.

Two Citizens, Including a Minor, Arrested by Security Forces in Oshnavieh

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Children, News, Other
Mohsen Dehar, Oshnavieh, Zaniar Shadikhah

HRANA – On Thursday, September 18, two citizens, including a teenager, were arrested by security forces in Oshnavieh and transferred to an undisclosed location. They have been identified as Zaniar Shadikhah and Mohsen Dehar.

According to Kurdpa, the identities of those arrested are: Zaniar Shadikhah, 17 years old, Mohsen Dehar, 24 years old, both residents of Singan village, Oshnavieh County.

Yesterday, Thursday, September 18, intelligence agents raided the family homes of these two citizens without presenting a judicial warrant and arrested them.

As of this writing, no information has been made available regarding the reasons for their arrest, their whereabouts, or the charges against them.

It is worth noting that two days ago, intelligence agents also arrested two other 16-year-old teenagers, Diyar Gargul and Alan Tabnak, in the same county.