Category: News

Lack of Information on Condition of Four Political Prisoners after Ten Months

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Freedom of Expression, News
Hajir Faramarzi, Hazhir Faramarzi, HRANA, Komalah, Mohsen Mazloum, Perjman Fatehi, Pezhman Fatehi, Sumay-ye Beradust, Urmia, Vafar Azarbar

The families and the lawyer of Mohsen Mazloum, Pezhman (Pejman) Fatehi, Vafa Azarbar, and Hazhir (Hajir) Faramarzi remain uninformed about the well-being and legal status of these political prisoners, causing growing concern.

On July 23, 2022, Iran Police Intelligence (FARAJA) arrested them in the Sumay-ye Beradust District of Urmia County.

Despite repeated inquiries from families and lawyers, the whereabouts of these individuals and the specific charges against them remain unknown. Families have sought answers from various prisoners and judicial authorities in Kurdistan, Isfahan, and Tehran, but have faced threats, disrespect, and coerced confessions broadcasted on Iran state TV instead.

Security-institution-affiliated news agency, Tasnim, reported the arrest of “a network of Israeli spies,” referring to these individuals. Tasnim also claimed that they possessed operational and communication equipment, as well as explosive materials, and had crossed into the country from the Kurdistan region with the intention of carrying out unprecedented terrorist operations in secure-sensitive locations.

Approximately 80 days after their arrest, Iran’s state TV aired their coerced confessions, accusing them of spying for foreign intelligence and stating that they had been apprehended in sensitive sites in Isfahan.

In response, Komalah (CPI-a Kurdish oppositional political party) issued a statement denying all these allegations and warned about intelligence institutions’ conspiring against detainees who have been accused of being members of the party.

Lawyer Farzaneh Zilabi Receives Prison Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News
ahvaz, Farzaneh Zilabi, Haft Tappeh, Mandanda Sadeghi, Mehrnoosh Tafian, Ronak Rezaie

HRANA, Human Rights Activists News Agency-The Branch 4 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court sentenced attorney Farzaneh Zilabi to one year and six months in prison.

According to the verdict, Zilabi received one year for the charge of “propaganda against the regime” and six months for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran.” The court session, held on April 17, 2023, addressed these charges along with two other charges of “membership in anti-regime groups” and “assembly and collusion against national security.”

It should be noted that Zilabi is also facing the charge of “spreading falsehood” in another ongoing legal case.

Zilabi has been a legal representative for the Syndicate of Workers of Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company and has represented several recently arrested individuals, including media activist Mehrnoosh Tafian, journalist Mandanda Sadeghi, and student activist Ronak Rezaie. Zilabi has a history of arrests and convictions related to her activism.

 

Two Defendants Sentenced to Public Execution in Shah Cheragh Attack Case

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Executions, News
Fars Province, moharebeh, Shah Cheragh mosque, Shiraz

Two defendants involved in the Shah Cheragh shrine attack have been sentenced to death publicly and are set to be executed soon, according to the Chief Justice of Fars Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, as reported by Fars News Agency, two defendants allegedly responsible for the Shah Cheragh mosque attack has been sentenced to death.

The terrorist attack took place on October 26, 2022, at the Shah Cheragh mosque in Shiraz, resulting in the death of at least 13 people. According to Chief Justice Kazem Mousavi, the primary perpetrator was killed during the attack and out of the five defendants in this case, two have received the death penalty and will be executed publicly in the near future.

Earlier, Mousavi stated that the Tehran and Shiraz revolutionary courts have charged the five defendants, all from a neighboring country, with various offenses, including “enmity against God (Moharebeh), spreading corruption on earth, and armed rebellion (Baghi).”

Mousavi also mentioned that in a separate legal case related to this attack, additional defendants will face trial in Fars Military Court for their alleged failure and negligence in providing security.

Shahrooz Sokhanvari Executed in Rajai Shahr Prison

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Executions, News
Rajai Shahr Prison, Shahrooz Sokhanvari

On May 20, 2023, Shahrooz Sokhanvari was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj, as reported by Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency. Sokhanvari was found guilty of allegedly “international human trafficking” and “spreading corruption on earth.”

Prior to his execution, Sokhanvari was placed in solitary confinement for three days.
On May 19, 2022, the Iranian police announced the extradition of Sokhanvari, also known as Alex, to Iran. The judiciary accused him of trafficking women for sexual exploitation, stating that he had been apprehended in Malaysia and handed over to the Iranian police by Interpol.
Notably, in recent years, several women who were accused of aiding Sokhanvari have been incarcerated with severe charges.

In recent weeks, the number of execution has been alarmingly raised. According to reports obtained by HRANA, at least 57 prisoners, including two women and two prisoners of conscience, have been executed in various Iranian prisons from April 28 to May 9, 2023.

 

Five Azerbaijani (Turk) Activists Arrested in Tabriz

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Alireza Sabri, Hamzeh Valizadeh, Javad Ahmadzadeh, Ruhollah Ahmadinejad, Tabriz

Security forces in Tabriz arrested five Azerbaijani (Turk) activists on May 18, 2023. The individuals arrested are Davoud Shiri (Derakhshan), Hamzeh Valizadeh, Ruhollah Ahmadinejad, Javad Ahmadzadeh, and Alireza Sabri. They were taken to an undisclosed location following their arrest.

During the operation, the agents conducted searches in their residences and seized some of their personal belongings.

Davoud Shiri had a court session in April 2023 to address the charges against him. It’s worth noting that all these individuals have a history of previous arrests and convictions related to their activism.

At present, the location of their detention and the specific allegations against them remain unknown.

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Behrooz Izadi Rad Arrested in Gorgan

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News, Other
Behrooz Izadi Rad, Gorgan, nationwide protests

Behrooz Izadi Rad was arrested by security forces in Gorgan on May 15, 2023, according to HRANA, the Human Rights Activists News Agency.

Izadi Rad was reportedly arrested at his residence in Gorgan. The exact location of his detention remains undisclosed, and the reason for his arrest has not been disclosed either.

In September 2022, amid nationwide protests, security forces arrested Izadi Rad in Golestan Prison and, after a while, jailed him in Amirabad Prison in Gorgan.

On December 19, 2022, the Revolutionary Court sentenced Izadi Rad to four years and one month in prison. However, due to his no-contest plea, his sentence was reduced to nine months for “propaganda against the regime” and 25 months for “inciting people to unrest,” totaling two years and ten months, including the time already served.

Following five months of imprisonment, Izadi Rad was released in February 2023 under the “pardon and commutation” directive. It’s worth noting that he has a history of previous arrests and convictions related to his activism.

 

 

Saleh Mirhashemi, Majid Kazemi and Saeed Yaghoubi Executed

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Executions, News
executions in iran, Majid Kazemi, Saeed Yaghoubi, Saleh Mirhashemi

Three defendants in the “Khaneh e Isfahan” case were executed today, May 19, 2023, for charges of enmity against God (Moharebeh), as reported by Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency.

Despite numerous errors and defects in the legal case, Branch 9 of the Iranian Supreme Court recently upheld their death sentences. The execution took place at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, disregarding both domestic and international calls to halt the executions. Yesterday, the families of the defendants were allowed brief visitations.

The death sentence was issued by Judge Morteza Barati, who has been involved in several human rights violations cases.

Saleh Mir Hashemi (36), the primary defendant, was sentenced to death for “Moharebeh through using a Colt gun,” “forming and running groups to act against national security,” and “assembly and collusion against national security.” He also received ten years for “membership and collaboration with Monafeghin.”

Majid Kazemi (30) and Saeed Yaghoubi (37) were sentenced to death for “Moharebeh through using warm weapons” and ten years in prison for “forming and running groups to act against national security” and “assembly and collusion against national security.”

The fourth-row defendant, Amir Nasr Azadani, was sentenced to 16 years for “assisting in enmity against God,” five years for “membership in illegal groups to act against national security,” and five years for “assembly and collusion against national security.”

The fifth-row defendant, Soheid Jahangiri, was sentenced to two years for “assembly and collusion against national security.” The sixth-row defendant, Jaber Mirhashemi, was acquitted of all charges.

Background on the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. Protesters came to the streets with the central slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in protest against the performance, laws and structure of the regime. During the nationwide protests, about thousands of people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.

 

Eight Workers’ Rights Activists Detained in Sanandaj

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Abdollah Kheirabadi, Eghbal Pishkari, Habibollah Karimi, Hajar Saeedi, Hayat Mahmoodi, Kamal Karimi, Sanandaj, Shadman Abdi, Sirvan Mahmoodi

Eight workers’ rights activists were apprehended on May 17, 2023, by intelligence agents in Sanandaj and transported to a local detention facility.

The activists who were arrested are Hajar Saeedi, Abdollah Kheirabadi, Shadman Abdi, Kamal Karimi, Khabat Mahmoodi, Sirvan Mahmoodi, Eghbal Pishkari, and Habibollah Karimi.

The arrests took place at the residence of the father of Hooman Abdollahi who was killed by regime forces during the 2022 nationwide protests.
The specific reasons for these arrests and the allegations against the activists are currently undisclosed.

It’s worth noting that Hajar Saeedi has previously been subjected to detention for her activism.

 

Three Inmates Executed in Khorramabad Prison

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Executions, News
Ali Khorramshah Amraie, Khorramabad Prison

HRANA, Human Rights Activists News Agency- On May 18, 2023, three inmates convicted of murder were executed in Khorramabad Prison.

HRANA has identified one of these inmates as Ali Khorramshah Amraie. HRANA is working to identify the remaining two executed inmates.

As of the time of writing, no official sources or media outlets within the country have reported on these executions

In recent weeks, the number of execution has been alarmingly raised. According to reports obtained by HRANA, at least 57 prisoners, including two women and two prisoners of conscience, have been executed in various Iranian prisons from April 28 to May 9, 2023.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

 

Bahai Citizen Payam Vali Sentenced to Nine Years and Nine Months in Prison

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News, Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Alborz province, Baha'i citizen, Karaj, Payam Vali

Bahai citizen Payam Vali has been sentenced to nine years and nine months in prison by the Alborz Court of Appeals, with six years to be served. Previously, he had received a 16-year prison sentence.

The verdict, issued on May 10, 2023, states that Vali was given six years for “collaboration with adversary countries,” three years and one month for “inciting people to commit violence,” and eight months for “propaganda against the regime.” The first count carries an enforceable six-year prison term under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.
Initially, in February 2023, Vali had been sentenced to ten, five, and one-year terms for the aforementioned charges, respectively.

On September 24, 2022, security forces arrested Vali at his house in Karaj, searched the house, and detained him in Rajai Shahr Prison.

According to HRANA annual report, from the full human rights reports regarding the violation of religious minorities’ rights, 64.63% belonged to the violation of the rights of Baha’is.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian Constitution recognizes only Islam as the official religion, in addition to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Bahai faith is not considered legitimate by the authorities, and the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

Freedom of religion is a breach of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations Covenant holds that every person has the right to practice religion freely, freedom of converting to a religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.