Category: News

Over Three Months in Prison: Ongoing Legal Uncertainty for Atefeh Hassani

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News, Prisoners
Atefeh Hassani, HRANA, Kachouei Prison, Karaj, Mohammad Hassani

HRANA News Agency – Atefeh Hassani, the sister of political prisoner Mohammad Hassani, has spent more than three months in a state of legal uncertainty at Kachouei Prison in Karaj, with no formal charges yet addressed in court.

A source familiar with her case told HRANA, “It has been over 110 days since Ms. Hassani was arrested. She is accused of membership in anti-regime groups, but her legal case remains unresolved and no court hearings have been scheduled.”

Ms. Hassani was arrested by security forces in January 2025 at her family’s home in Karaj. Following a period of interrogation at a security detention facility in the city, she was transferred to Kachouei Prison, where she remains in custody without due process.

Atefeh Hassani is the sister of Mohammad Hassani, a political prisoner currently held in the Central Prison of Karaj.

Summons and Arrest of a Sunni Cleric in Kermanshah

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Ayat Gholami, HRANA, Kermanshah

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, April 23, Ayat Gholami, a Sunni cleric, was arrested after being summoned to and appearing before the Special Clergy Court in Kermanshah.

According to HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, Ayat Gholami was taken into custody following his appearance at the Special Clergy Court in Kermanshah. As of now, no information has been released regarding the reasons for his arrest, his place of detention, or the charges brought against him.

Ayat Gholami is the former imam of a mosque in Kermanshah and a teacher at a religious school.

Execution of Three Prisoners in Gorgan, Hamedan, and Arak Prisons

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Executions, News
Akbar Sheikhi, Ali Morad Kakayi, Arak, Citizens executed, Gonabad, Hamedan, HRANA, Reza Tabarteh Farahani

HRANA News Agency – Over the past three days, three prisoners were executed in the prisons of Gorgan, Hamedan, and Arak.

According to HRANA, on Monday, April 21, Ali Morad Kakayi, 58, was hanged in Gonabad Prison on drug-related charges. He had been arrested in 2021 and was subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

On Tuesday, April 22, a prisoner named Reza Tabarteh Farahani was executed in Arak Prison. According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Farahani had been arrested approximately seven years ago on charges of non-consensual same-sex acts (Lavat) and was sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

On Wednesday, April 23, Hamedan Prison carried out the execution of a 25-year-old prisoner named Akbar Sheikhi. He had been arrested in 2020 on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

None of these executions have been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

At Least Five Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

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Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, the death sentences of at least five prisoners previously convicted on drug-related charges were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the identities of the executed individuals have been confirmed as Salahuddin Amoudi, Mahmoud-Ali Naseri, Akbar Mousavi, Amanollah Barahouei, Abdollah Pashtooi.

Based on information received by HRANA, Pashtooi was convicted of Moharebeh (enmity against God) through armed robbery, while the remaining prisoners had been arrested in separate cases on drug-related charges and were later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

Earlier, HRANA had reported the transfer of 10 prisoners to solitary confinement in this prison in preparation for execution.

As of the time of this report, prison officials and responsible institutions have not publicly announced these 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 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Supreme Court Rejects Second Request for Retrial of Death Row Political Prisoner Mehdi Hassani

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Executions, News
Amin Adel Ahmadian, Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou, Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Mehdi Hasani, Mehdi Hassani

HRANA News Agency – Amin Adel Ahmadian, attorney at law, has announced that the Supreme Court of Iran has rejected the second request for retrial filed on behalf of Mehdi Hasani (Hassani), a political prisoner sentenced to death.

Ahmadian stated that the Supreme Court’s Branch 29 rejected the second retrial request without even requesting the case file from Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court. He also noted that no judicial body had allowed him access to the case documents.

Hassani’s first retrial request had previously been rejected by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court on February 24, 2024.

On January 26, 2025, Hassani and Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou were transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj under the pretext of receiving medical attention. Their executions were subsequently halted following the registration and temporary acceptance of their retrial requests by the Supreme Court.

In late September 2023, Mehdi Hassani and Behrouz Ehsani Eslamloo were tried in Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. The court sentenced both men to death on charges including baghi (armed rebellion), moharebeh (enmity against God), spreading corruption on earth, gathering classified information, and collusion against national security. These verdicts were later upheld by Iran’s highest judicial authority and communicated to their lawyers.

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

Mehdi Hassani, aged about 47, is married and the father of two. He was arrested on September 9, 2022, while attempting to leave the country and was later transferred to Evin Prison.

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Two Prisoners Executed in Yasuj Prison on Drug-Related Charges

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Executions, News
HRANA, Mohammad Ahmadzadeh, Yasuj Prison, یاسوج

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, April 21, the death sentences of two prisoners previously convicted on drug-related charges were carried out in Yasuj Prison.

HRANA has identified the hanged individuals as Mohammad Ahmadzadeh and Behnam (last name unknown).

According to information received by HRANA, both individuals had been arrested on drug-related charges and were later sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

As of the time of this report’s publication, the executions have not been officially announced by prison officials or relevant authorities.

According to data compiled by HRANA, 52.69% of all executions in Iran in 2024 were related to drug-related charges. Notably, only 6% of the executions were officially announced, highlighting a significant lack of transparency. For a detailed analysis of these executions and the associated statistics, see HRANA’s full report.

Execution of a Prisoner Carried Out in Malayer Prison

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Executions, News
HRANA, Malayer, Sajad Emkani, Sajjad Emkani, سجاد امکانی, ملایر

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Monday, April 21, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out in Malayer Prison, Hamadan province.

HRANA has identified the executed prisoner as Sajad (Sajjad) Emkani, who was hanged at dawn yesterday.

According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Emkani had been previously arrested on a murder charge and was later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

As of the time of this report’s publication, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or responsible institutions.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

Ten Death Row Inmates Facing Imminent Execution in Ghezel Hesar Prison

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Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, قزل حصار

HRANA News Agency – On April 22, at least ten inmates sentenced to death were transferred to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison in preparation for the execution of their sentences.

According to information received by HRANA, two of these prisoners had previously been sentenced to death on charges of murder. A third individual, an Afghan national, was sentenced to death for the charge of rape. The remaining seven inmates had received death sentences for drug-related offenses.

Further details, including the identities of these prisoners, are currently being investigated by HRANA.

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 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Two Prisoners Executed in Yazd Prison

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Executions, News
Vahid Narouei, Yaroli Mahmoudvand, Yazd Prison

HRANA News Agency – In the early hours of today, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, two prisoners were executed in Yazd Prison.

According to Hal Vash, the identity of one of the prisoners has been confirmed as Vahid Narouei (Narui), a 30-year-old father of two from Zahedan. HRANA has identified the second prisoner as Yaroli Mahmoudvand from Lorestan.

Both individuals were arrested in Yazd in 2020 on charges related to drug possession and were later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court for the same charges.

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

According to data compiled by HRANA, 52.69% of all executions in Iran in 2024 were related to drug-related charges. Notably, only 6% of the executions were officially announced, highlighting a significant lack of transparency. For a detailed analysis of these executions and the associated statistics, see HRANA’s full report.

Teachers’ Union Activist Mansoureh Erfanian Sentenced to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Mansoureh Erfanian, Mashhad, Vakilabad prison

HRANA News Agency – Mansoureh Erfanian, a teachers’ union activist, has been sentenced to three months in prison by Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court.

The verdict, issued by Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, was officially communicated to Ms. Erfanian on Tuesday, April 21, 2025. She was sentenced to three months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime” through the publication of content on social media. According to the ruling, she was acquitted of the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

Ms. Erfanian was previously arrested by security forces in October 2023 and released a week later from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad after posting bail.

Mansoureh Erfanian, a teachers’ union activist based in Mashhad, has a prior record of arrest due to her activism.