Category: News

Four Citizens Arrested by Security Forces

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News, Other
Bukan, Dehgolan, Esmail Choukali, Farya Chavoshini, HRANA, Mohammadollah Rezaei, Piranshahr, Zubair Mahmoudi

HRANA– Farya Chavoshini, Mohammadollah Rezaei, Esmail Choukali, and Zubair Mahmoudi—residents of Dehgolan, Bukan, and Piranshahr—have been arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to Kurdpa, Mohammadollah Rezaei was arrested in Dehgolan, while Farya Chavoshini and Esmail Choukali were detained in Bukan, and Zubair Mahmoudi in Piranshahr.

Mr. Mahmoudi was arrested on Thursday, July 10, and the other three individuals on Saturday, July 12.

As of the time of this report, no information has been made available regarding the reasons for the arrests, the whereabouts of the detainees, or the charges against them.

Supreme Court Rejects Death-Row Political Prisoner Mehdi Hasani’s Retrial Request for the Fourth Time

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Executions, News
Behrooz Ehsani, Behrouz Ehsani Eslamlou, HRANA, Iman Afshari, Mehdi Hasani

HRANA — The Supreme Court has, for the fourth time, rejected the retrial request of Mehdi Hasani, a political prisoner on death row currently held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

Amin Adel Ahmadian, Hasani’s defense attorney, announced the decision in a public statement, saying: “The Supreme Court rejected the retrial request without retrieving the original case file from the lower court and likely without reviewing the legal brief I submitted. I have also not yet been granted access to examine Mr. Hasani’s case file.”

This marks the fourth rejection of a retrial request for Hasani. The third was denied in April 2025, and the second earlier that same month. The first request was dismissed on February 24, 2024, by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court.

On January 26, 2025, Mehdi Hasani and fellow death row political prisoner Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou were transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar under the pretense of receiving medical care. The execution of their death sentences was subsequently paused after their retrial requests were registered and initially accepted by the Supreme Court.

In September 2024, both men were tried by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. They were sentenced to death on charges including baghi (armed rebellion), moharebeh (waging war against God), efsad-e fel arz (corruption on earth), gathering classified information, and assembly and collusion against national security.

Alleged membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) is among the central charges brought against them.

Mehdi Hasani, approximately 49 years old, is married and the father of two. He was arrested on September 9, 2022, while attempting to leave the country through Zanjan and was subsequently transferred to Evin Prison.

Number of Executions in Karaj Central Penitentiary Rises to Three

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Executions, News
Abdolhossein Jaberi, HRANA, Khorramabad, Saeed Mehrabi

HRANA– With the identification of two additional inmates executed on Wednesday, July 10 (18 Tir), in Karaj Central Penitentiary, the number of people executed that day in the prison has risen to three.

In addition to the execution of Amin Shokripour, who had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges, two more inmates were hanged. HRANA has confirmed their identities as Abdolhossein Jaberi and Saeed Mehrabi, both from Khorramabad.

According to information received by HRANA, these inmates were arrested four years ago on drug-related charges and were later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and official sources have not publicly confirmed these executions.

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.

Two Citizens Arrested in Piranshahr

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News, Other
Aziz Khezri, Piranshahr, Zaniar Khezri

HRANA– On Thursday, July 10, Aziz Khezri and his son Zaniar Khezri, residents of Piranshahr, were arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

Kolbar News has identified the individuals as Aziz Khezri, 57, and his son Zaniar Khezri, 33, from a village in Piranshahr. According to the report, the arrests were carried out by security agents without the presentation of a judicial warrant.

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

Mansour Rahimi Arrested by Security Forces in Mahabad

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Freedom of Expression, News
Mahabad, Mansour Rahimi, منصور رحیمی

HRANA – On Friday, July 11, Mansour Rahimi, a resident of Mahabad, was arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

The report by Kolbar News states that Mr. Rahimi was detained at his parents’ home by security agents, who also confiscated his electronic devices.

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for his arrest, his whereabouts, or the charges against him.

It is worth noting that on May 9, Mansour Rahimi had been summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence’s office in Mahabad after sharing information on social media about a protest gathering held by farmers and seasonal workers in Mahabad.

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Number of Executions in Qom Prison Rises to Five

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Executions, News
Fereydoun Naziri, Hadi Naseri, HRANA, Ilam, Qom prison

HRANA – With the identities of two additional inmates confirmed, the number of individuals executed at Qom Prison on the morning of Tuesday, June 24, has risen to five.

According to HRANA, citing Iran Human Rights, five inmates—including one woman—were executed at Qom Prison on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.

In addition to the previously reported executions of Azim Mohammadi, Hassan Rostam Nejad, and Tal’at Sabzi—who had all been sentenced to death for murder—the executions of two more inmates were carried out. These individuals were identified as Fereydoun Naziri, 36, from Mehrshahr, Karaj, and Hadi Naseri, 26, from Robat Karim.

According to the report, Mr. Naziri was arrested three years ago on murder charges following a dispute over financial matters. Mr. Naseri was also arrested three years ago for murder. Both were later sentenced to death by the criminal court.

As of now, prison authorities and official sources have not publicly confirmed these executions.

Iranian Foreign Minister Confirms Arrest of Franco-German Citizen

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News
Abbas Araghchi, HRANA, Lennart Monterlos

HRANA– Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, confirmed in an interview with a French magazine that Lennart Monterlos, a Franco-German national, has been arrested in Iran. He claimed that the individual was detained for committing a crime.

According to ISNA, in an interview with a French publication, Araghchi stated that the arrest was due to “committing a crime.” According to him, “an official notice regarding this individual’s status has been sent to the French embassy.”

A while ago, a German-language news outlet covering news related to France and the world reported that Lennart Monterlos, an 18-year-old French citizen, had traveled to Iran by bicycle. He went missing on June 16 , and there has been no news of him since.

Prisoner Executed in Nahavand Prison

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Executions, News
Ahmadali Mahdinejad, Nahavand, Sahneh County

HRANA – On Wednesday, July 9, 2025, a prisoner previously sentenced to death on murder charges was executed in Nahavand Prison.

HRANA has identified the executed prisoner as Ahmadali Mahdinejad, a resident of Sahneh County, Kermanshah province.

Mahdinejad had been arrested on charges of murder and later sentenced to death by a criminal court.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or other responsible 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 Prisoners Executed in Qom Prison

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Executions, News
HRANA, Qom prison

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Thursday, July 10, two prisoners previously sentenced to death on murder charges were executed in Qom Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the executions took place early this morning, with both individuals hanged after being convicted of murder in criminal courts.

Efforts by HRANA to confirm the identities of the executed prisoners and obtain further details are ongoing.

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

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.

Arrest of Alleged Israeli Agents Accused of Disrupting Iran’s Gold and Currency Markets

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News, Other
Fatemeh Maghsoudi, HRANA

HRANA– The spokesperson for Iran’s Parliamentary Economic Commission has announced the arrest of several individuals she described as “Israeli operatives” accused of disrupting the country’s gold and currency markets.

According to HRANA, quoting ILNA, Commission spokesperson Fatemeh Maghsoudi claimed that the detainees were arrested for “links to Israel and for destabilizing the gold and currency markets.”
She alleged that “the turbulence in Iran’s gold and currency markets has been caused by foreign interference,” and said: “Israeli agents were entering the markets with large sums of money and triggering extreme volatility. They were previously unknown figures who played a major role in the economic imbalance. These spies were the key cause of the disruptions, but now they’ve been neutralized.”

Maghsoudi offered no details on the judicial proceedings or legal status of the detainees. She added: “Many of them have been identified and arrested. Security agencies are continuing efforts to locate and remove these individuals from the market.”

The report did not mention the number or identities of those arrested.

In recent years, Iranian officials across various branches of government have frequently attributed political and economic crises to the interference of “foreign enemies” or “infiltrators.” Currency and gold rates remain key indicators of Iran’s economic health and are closely watched by both citizens and economic actors.