Reza Khandan Arrested by Security Forces

Reza Khandan, the husband of prominent human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, was arrested by security forces earlier today.

According to HRANA, the news arm of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Mr. Khandan was taken into custody on the morning of Friday, December 13, 2024.

Mehraveh Khandan, his daughter, revealed in a social media post that her father was arrested at their home.

At the time of this report, no details have been provided regarding the charges against him or his current location.

Reza Khandan is married to Nasrin Sotoudeh, a well-known lawyer and human rights activist who has been repeatedly arrested and sentenced for her advocacy work.

Prisoner Executed in Kashan Prison on Drug-Related Charges

The death sentence of a prisoner, previously convicted on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court, was carried out at dawn on Sunday, December 8, 2024, in Kashan Prison.

The prisoner, identified as Farhad Atashzadeh from a village in Bonab, East Azerbaijan province, was hanged at dawn on Sunday, December 8, 2024.

Mr. Atashzadeh was arrested approximately six years ago on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. He was buried on December 9.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or related institutions.

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Three Executions Carried Out in Isfahan and Mashhad Prisons

Yesterday, December 12, the death sentences of three prisoners, previously convicted on charges related to drug offenses and murder, were carried out in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan and Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

According to HRANA, quoting the Iranian Human Rights Organization, on Thursday, December 12, 2024, one prisoner was executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan.

According to the Iranian Human Rights Organization, Majid Esmaeili, 30 years old and a resident of Isfahan, was executed in Isfahan Prison. Based on this report, Mr. Esmaeili was arrested three years ago on charges of murder during a street altercation. He was subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

According to Haal Vsh, two prisoners were executed yesterday in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad.

The prisoners were identified as Mohammad Shah Achakzahi, 22, and Rahim Achakzehi, 24, both Afghan nationals residing in Mashhad.

The report states that the two individuals were arrested in 2022 on drug-related charges in Mashhad and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of the city.

At the time of this report’s publication, prison authorities and responsible institutions had not officially announced the executions.

According to latest HRANA’s annual report over between October 10, 2023, and October 8, 2024, at least 811 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, rising to 23.06% compared to the same period last year. Of these executions, four were carried out in public. Many of the defendants were denied a fair trial.

Symbolic Concert in Caravanserai Leads to Legal Action Against Parastoo Ahmadi and Crew

On December 11, Parastoo Ahmadi, a female singer, performed a symbolic concert with a group of musicians in an old caravanserai. The concert, held without an audience, was broadcast live on her YouTube channel. The event drew significant attention and praise on social media but also provoked a response from the Judiciary, which announced legal action against Ahmadi and the concert’s production team.

The Judiciary alleged that the performance violated “legal and religious standards” due to the participation of a female singer and cited the absence of proper authorization.

In a statement, the Judiciary Media Center said: “A video titled ‘Symbolic Concert’ was published online, showing a music performance led by a female singer without observing the country’s legal and religious standards. The clip, which lacked official authorization and failed to comply with cultural and legal regulations, has prompted judicial intervention. Legal cases have been filed against the singer and the production team for appropriate action.”

Parastoo Ahmadi, a dissenting singer based in Tehran, is known for her critical and protest-oriented works, including addressing issues such as the suppression of free speech and the killing of demonstrators. She has faced previous legal actions for her activities.

Two Prisoners Executed in Miandoab Prison

Early this morning, December 12, two prisoners previously sentenced to death on murder charges were executed in Miandoab Prison.

The identities of the prisoners, confirmed by HRANA, are Sajjad Azizi and Ebrahim Valizadeh, both residents of a village in Miandoab.

Based on information received by HRANA, the two individuals were involved in a fatal altercation and were subsequently convicted of murder by the Criminal Court of Miandoab.

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

According to latest HRANA’s annual report over between October 10, 2023, and October 8, 2024, at least 811 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, rising to 23.06% compared to the same period last year. Of these executions, four were carried out in public. Many of the defendants were denied a fair trial.

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A Prisoner Executed in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz

Early this morning, December 12, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.

The identity of the prisoner, previously arrested on charges of murder and sentenced to death by the Criminal Court, has been confirmed by HRANA as Gholam Roosta.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions. In 2023, 66% of HRANA’s reports on executions lacked official announcements by judicial authorities and went unreported by media inside Iran, highlighting a troubling lack of transparency in due process.

According to data compiled by HRANA, Adelabad Prison carried out 49 executions in 2023, ranking five among prisons across Iran. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Gholam Roosta

Gholam Roosta

 

 

 

Hazhar Soltani-Azar Sentenced to Six Months in Prison

Hazhar Soltani-Azar, a resident of Bukan, has been sentenced to six months in prison by the Revolutionary Court of this city.

According to HRANA, quoting Kolbar News, the Branch 104 of the Revolutionary Court in Bukan issued the sentence against Soltani-Azar on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

Previously, Soltani-Azar was arrested by security forces on October 6, 2023, and released on bail on October 13.

Mehdi Bahman Sentenced to Prison by Revolutionary Court

Mehdi Bahman, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to five years and one month in prison by Branch 54 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Bahman’s sentence was issued following a retrial ordered by the Supreme Court.

Previously, Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court had issued the same sentence against Bahman. However, after his appeal was accepted, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling and referred the case back to Branch 54 for reconsideration.

In the initial stages of his case, Bahman faced charges of espionage. He was later acquitted of this accusation during the appeal process and ultimately sentenced to five years in prison.

Bahman was arrested on October 13, 2022, by security forces at his home and subsequently transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is operated by the Ministry of Intelligence.

Mehdi Bahman is an author and illustrator known for his work in illuminating religious texts, including the Torah, Psalms, Gospel, and the Book of Ezra. His illustrated version of the Psalms is held in the Library of Congress, while his illuminated Book of Ezra is housed in Israel.

At Least Nine Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison

At dawn on December 11, 2024, the death sentences of at least nine prisoners were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj. Five of the individuals had been convicted of murder, while four were sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, has confirmed the identities of five of the executed prisoners: Ahmad Jahan Khani, Nasser Tokhchi, Iman Moghadam, Rahman Sarlak, and Abdullah Tajik.

According to HRANA, Jahan Khani and four others had been convicted of murder. Tokhchi, Moghadam, Sarlak, and Tajik were sentenced to death for drug-related offenses. Abdullah Tajik was identified as an Afghan national.

On December 9, HRANA reported that the prisoners had been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions.

At the time of this report, neither prison authorities nor relevant officials have officially announced or confirmed the executions.

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2023, with Zahedan Prison following closely behind. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence of Abbas (Mojahed) Korkor

The Supreme Court of Iran has overturned the death sentence of Abbas (Mojahed) Korkor (Korkori), a prisoner in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, and referred his case to a parallel branch for retrial.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Korkor’s death sentence was annulled following a Supreme Court review prompted by legal appeals from his defense team.

A source close to Korkor’s family confirmed the development to HRANA, stating: “Korkor’s lawyers had separately filed requests for a retrial and invoked Article 477. After the Supreme Court accepted these requests, it reviewed the case and ultimately overturned his death sentence.”

In April 2023, Korkor was sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court on charges of “waging war against God (moharebeh) and corruption on Earth.” Although the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence in December 2023 and referred the case to the Execution Branch of the Izeh Court, the recent decision marks a significant reversal.

Korkor was initially held in solitary confinement at Sheiban Prison starting December 20, 2022, before being moved to Ward 8 in early August 2023.

The judiciary accused Korkor of involvement in the killing of Kian Pirfalak, a child who died during nationwide protests. However, Kian’s family has consistently denied these allegations, with his mother stating, “When we were returning home, security forces opened fire on our car.”

The court had charged Korkor with “disrupting public order, causing severe injuries and the deaths of seven individuals, including Kian Pirfalak, significant damage to public and private property, forming opposition groups, and engaging in armed rebellion against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

In January 2023, the Izeh prosecutor reported that judicial cases had been filed against 70 protesters involved in the November 16 protests, during which at least seven people, including Kian Pirfalak, were fatally shot by security forces.

While officials have described the November 16 events in Izeh as “terrorist attacks,” eyewitness accounts and testimonies from victims’ families directly contradict these claims.