Shahria Kurd Arrested in Abdanan

On February 20, 2023, security forces arrested Shahriar Kurd, a resident of Abdanan, and took him to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on February 20, 2023, Shahriar Kurd was arrested by security forces at his home in Abdanan, Ilam Province.

The intelligence agents, reportedly, did not show any arrest warrant.
Kurd’s whereabouts and the allegation against him are still unknown.

 

Teacher Hamid Jafari Nasrabadi Sentenced to Three Years of Suspended Imprisonment

The Kashan Court of Appeals recently sentenced Hamid Jafari Nasrabadi to three years in prison. This sentence has been suspended for five years.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Iran Teachers’ Trade Association, the Kashan Court of Appeals upheld a three-year sentence against teacher Hamid Jafari Nasrabadi. This sentence has been suspended for five years.

Initially, the Kashan Criminal Court sentenced Nasrabadi to two years for “spreading falsehood” and one year for “contempt of the order.”

In the other part of his legal case, Nasrabadi was previously sentenced to 22 months and social deprivations.
According to this report, 15 months of this sentence was quashed by the Revolutionary Court in accordance with a recent directive to “pardon or commute” the sentences of some prisoners.

On October 19, 2022, security forces arrested Nasrabadi and jailed him in Kashan Prison.

Earlier, the head of the Judiciary proposed to pardon or commute the sentences of some prisoners as an enactment of Article 110, paragraph 11 of the constitution, which was approved by Ali Khamenei under some conditions which the legal case should meet.

 

 

Jailed Rapper Saman Seydi on Hunger Strike

Singer Saman Seydi (Yasin), arrested amid nationwide protests, went on a hunger strike in Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

An informed source told HRANA that Seydi has been on hunger strike since February 16 to protest against uncertainty in due process.

On January 28, the prison officials took Seydi to an unknown location from Rajai Shahr Prison, leaving his family unaware of his whereabouts. After a few days, he was allowed to inform his family about his relocation to Evin Prison.

On January 7, HRANA reported the prison official’s refusal to provide Seydi with adequate medical care.

On October 2, 2022, Seydi was arrested at protests in Tehran. Twenty-seven days later, he received a death sentence for allegedly “enmity against God (moharebeh), assembly and collusion to commit a crime and act against national security.” After a while, the Supreme Court revoked this verdict and delivered his case to another court branch for a retrial.

Four Individuals Arrested in Dehloran, One in Sanandaj

On February 14, security forces arrested four individuals in Dehloran and took them to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on February 14, 2023, four citizens were arrested by security forces in Dehloran, Ilam Province.

These individuals have been identified as Farshad Aeini, age 29, his brother, Sa’adollah Aeini, age 24, Azim Yadegari, age 43, and his wife, Safoora Maleki.  

The agents did not show any arrest warrant during the arrest of Azimi and his wife.
Kolbar News also reported that security forces arrested photographer Mehdi Tavakoli in Sanandaj on February 14.

Their whereabouts and the allegations are still unknown at the time of writing.

Iran Protests: Ghasem Fazelikia Sentenced to Imprisonment and Flogging

The Revolutionary and Criminal Courts of Khorramabad sentenced Ghasem Fazelikia, age 31, arrested at recent nationwide protests, to two years and 74 lashes.

The Khorramabad Revolutionary Court sentenced Fazelikia to one year for “propaganda against the regime.” Moreover, the Criminal Court of this city sentenced him to one year and 74 lashes for “disturbing public order.”

In September 2022, IRGC intelligence agents arrested Fazelikia. He was released on bail on October 22.

Also, earlier in November 2019, he was arrested by security forces, but on trial, he was acquitted of the charges.

 

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Report on Mass Release of Prisoners in the Past 24 Hours

In the past 24 hours, several prisoners of conscience were released from the prisons of Tehran, Behbahan, Mashhad and Ilam.

Of these freed prisoners, the most known prisoners are:

  1. Political prisoner Ali-Asghar Hassani Rad from Evin Prison, Tehran
  2. Ahmad Raisi, arrested during recent nationwide protests, from Evin Prison
  3. Political prisoner Yasin Jamali from Evin Prison
  4. Political prisoner Alireza Hatami from Evin Prison
  5. Political prisoner Sakineh Parvaneh from Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
  6. Abdollah Eitook, arrested at recent nationwide protests, from Behbahan Prison
  7. Ayat Arefinia from Ilam Prison
  8. Mosa’ab Sediji, age 16 and a resident of Jask, arrested at recent nationwide protests

Details of these prison releases are still unknown. They are, however, likely released under recent approval to “pardon and commute” the sentence of some prisoners.

Earlier, the head of the Judiciary proposed to pardon or commute the sentences of some prisoners as an enactment of Article 110, paragraph 11 of the constitution, which was approved by Ali Khamenei under some conditions which the legal case should meet.

Without providing any statistics about the number of pardoned prisoners, judicial authorities announced that these mass releases would continue until February 19.

 

Five Individuals Arrested in Zahedan and Khash

Security forces arrested Hamid Basham Narooie, Abdolsalam Shohlibor, Esmail Kharkoohi, Behnam Nowruzi and Behnam Safarzaie in Zahedan and Khash and took them to undisclosed locations.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Haal Vsh, on February 14 and 15, five individuals were arrested by security forces in Zahedan and Khash, Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

Of these individuals, Shohlibor was released a few hours after his arrest.

The reason for these arrests and their whereabouts are still unknown.

Two Sunni Clerics Arrested in Zahedan

On February 15, 2023, security forces arrested two Sunni clerics, Reza Rakhshani and Abduraouf Rakhshani, in Zahedan and took them to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Baloch Activists Campaign, on February 15, 2023, two Sunni clerics, serving in Makki Mosque of Zahedan, were arrested.

The reason for these arrests and their whereabouts are still unknown.

 

Report on Mass Release of Prisoners in the Past 24 Hours

The mass releases of prisoners continued in the past 24 hours, as several prisoners of conscience were released from different prisons across the country.

Of these freed prisoners, the most known prisoners are:

  1. Documentary filmmaker Mojgan Ilanlu from Evin Prison
  2. Nazanin Mohammadnejad, a student at Allameh Tabataba’i University, from Evin Prison
  3. Political prisoner Bahareh Soleimani from Evin Prison
  4. Journalist Mehrnoosh Zarei Hanzaki from Evin Prison
  5. Civil rights activist Monireh Arabshahi from Kachooie Prison
  6. Civil rights activist Yasaman Aryani from Kachooie Prison
  7. Soheil Yadollahi from Bojnurd Prison
  8. Saeed Allahverdi, arrested at recent protests, from Adel-Abad Prison, Shiraz
  9. Political prisoner Reza Mohammad Hosseini from Rajai Shahr Prison
  10. Political prisoner Reza Khandan Mahabadi from Rajai Shahr Prison
  11. Political prisoner Peyman Pourdad from Rajai Shahr Prison
  12. Political prisoner Mohammad Turkmani from Rajai Shahr Prison
  13. Akbar Azadifar, arrested at recent protests, from Kuhdasht Prison
  14. Beniamin Moghaddasi, a student at the University of Tehran

Moreover, following the approval to “pardon and commute” the sentence of some prisoners, the legal cases against Hadi Sepehri, arrested at recent protests, Mojtaba Esmaili (Nima), a member of the Society of Students Against Poverty, and Anis Mohammadi were closed.

Also, Baha’i citizens Soroush Agahi, Peyman Ma’anavi, Parvan Ma’anavi, Jamileh Pakroo, Elham Salmanzadeh, Kianoosh Salmanzadeh, Neda Shabani and Payam Shabani, who were serving their sentences outside the prison with electronic tags, were set free and the restrictions were removed.

Details of these prison releases are still unknown. They are, however, likely released under recent approval to “pardon and commute” the sentence of some prisoners.

Earlier, the head of the Judiciary proposed to pardon or commute the sentences of some prisoners as an enactment of Article 110, paragraph 11 of the constitution, which was approved by Ali Khamenei under some conditions which the legal case should meet. Judicial authorities have not yet provided statistics about the number of pardoned prisoners.

Hadi Atashbar Arrested in Mashhad

On February 14, 2023, security forces arrested Hadi Atashbar, a former political prisoner, at his home in Mashhad and took him to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 14, 2023, Hadi Atashbar was arrested in Mashhad.

An informed source told HRANA that the plainclothes agents did not show any arrest warrant. The reason for his arrest is still unknown.
Atashbar, age 45, faced other arrests and convictions on a prior occasion.