Category: News

Hossein Razzagh Arrested in Amol

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Amol prosecutor, Hossein Razzagh, saeed dehghan

On August 21, 2022, security forces arrested media activist Hossein Razzagh in Amol and transferred him to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists,  media activist Hossein Razzagh was arrested in Amol, Mazandaran Province.

Razzagh’s lawyer, Saeed Dehghan announced the arrest on his social media page, saying that the Amol prosecutor had called and summoned Razzagh and he was later arrested while riding in a taxi and transferred him to an unidentified location.”

The reason for this arrest and the charges are unknown so far.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Fatemieh Yazd, Fulad Pension Fund, Iran-Iraq war veterans, Khuzestan, Ministry of Education, service workers, Shadegan, Yazd

On Saturday, August 20, and Sunday, August 21, 2022, at least six protests took place in Iran.

Saturday, August 20

A number of educators recruited in the recruiting plan Mehr Afrain gathered in front of the Ministry of Education to protest against their poor living conditions and ask for the implementation of the educators’ classification plan.

A group of service workers of the Ministry of Education gathered before the Ministry in Tehran to demand the job modification and working as educators as the Ministry had previously approved.

 

The residents of Shadegan, Khuzestan Province, demonstrated in front of the Governor’s office in protest against repeated power outages. Reportedly, some of the protestors gathered in the building to protest.

Sunday, August 21,

The pensioners of the Fulad Pension Fund gathered before the building of this fund in Isfahan to protest against not addressing their issues.

A number of citizens who have purchased apartments in a housing project Fatemieh Yazd protested against breaching the contract rules regarding the allocation of housing units.

A number of Iran-Iraq war veterans held a protest in front of Tehran Municipality.

 

Azerbaijani Turk Activist Yashar Piri Arrested in Tabriz

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Azerbaijani Turk activist, yashar piri

On August 17, 2022, the Ministry of Intelligence summoned Azerbaijani Turk activist Yashar Piri in Tabriz and arrested him after interrogation. The agents transferred him to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 17, 2022, Azerbaijani Turk activist Yashar Piri was arrested in Tabriz.

The reason for this arrest is unknown so far.

Piri was arrested on two prior occasions. Amid nationwide protests, on November 17, 2019, security forces arrested and held him for 26 days in an IRGC detention facility. They later sent him to Tabriz Prison for three months until he was released on a bail.  

Political Prisoner Masoumeh Askari Assaulted in Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners, Women
Evin Prison, Masoumeh Askari, Qarchak Prison

Retired teacher and political prisoner Masoumeh Askari was beaten by the prisoners of violent crime in Kachooie Prison. The prison officials purposely hold political prisoners in the same ward as the prisoners of violent crime, which is a violation of prison rules and exposes the political prisoners to life-threatening violence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, political prisoner Masoumeh Askari was beaten by eight prisoners of violent crime.

An informed source told HRANA that about four days ago, eight prisoners of violent crimes assaulted Askari. She suffers from psychiatric diseases, kidney, liver and diabetes. Prison officials refused to send her to a healthcare facility to assess her condition.

On August 2, 2018, security forces arrested Askari in Tehran and transferred her to Qarchak Prison in Varamin. After a few days, she was released on bail.

Askari was arrested in December of 2018 and was detained for one month in Ward 209 of Evin Prison and later transferred to the public ward. The Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced her to five years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion.” This verdict was upheld on appeal. 

Askari is a retired teacher and single mother.

Ali Kajbaf Sentenced to Six Months in Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
ahvaz, Ali Kajbaf, Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz, Sheyban Prison

The Court of Appeals of Ahvaz reduced the initial verdict against Ali Kajbaf to six months in prison. Previously, the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz had sentenced him to one year and six months.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ali Kajbaf, a resident of Ahvaz, was sentenced to six months in prison.

On April 27, 2022, Kajbaf was notified of the verdict that he was sentenced to one year on the charge of “membership in an anti-regime group” and six months on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”.

The Court of Appeals exonerated Kajbaf for the first charge, reducing his sentence to six months.

On August 18, 2021, the Ministry of Intelligence agents arrested Kajbaf while he was leaving the country. He spent 11 days of his detention in solitary confinement in Urmia. Reportedly, during detention, the agents beat him severely which led to a bone fracture in his chest.

After completing the interrogation process, Kajbaf was transferred to Sheyban Prison in Ahvaz. On November 1, 2021, he was released on bail.

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Sa’ada Khadirzadeh Commited Suicide in Urmia Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Piranshahr, Sa'ada Khadirzadeh, Urmia

On August 18, 2022, Sa’ada Khadirzadeh attempted suicide in Urmia Prison. According to unverified sources, she has also tried to kill her infant child with pills before committing suicide. Two days earlier, she was interrogated by intelligence agents. 

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 18, 2022, Sa’ada Khadirzadeh committed suicide in Urmia Prison.

Currently, she and her infant child are under treatment in the prison infirmary.

Khadirzadeh tried to hang herself with her scarf. She also tried to kill her infant child with pills, which HRANA cannot verify independently.

On October 14, 2021, security forces arrested Khadirzadeh in Piranshahr.

On June 20, 2022, she conceived a child at a hospital in Urmia.

The reason for her arrest and the charges are still unknown.

Five Inmates Executed in Yazd Central Prison

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Abbas Mousavi, Amir Shahiki, Hamid Narooie, Khodarahm Narooie, Saeed Kashani, Yazd central prison

On August 18, 2022, Yazd Central Prison authorities executed five inmates.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Haal Vsh, on August 18, 2022, five prisoners identified as Amir Shahiki, 23, Abbas Mousavi, Hamid Narooie, 45, Khodarahm Narooie, 43 and Saeed Kashani, 46, were executed in Yazd CentralPrison.

Hamid and Khodarahm Narooie were sentenced to death for drug smuggling in 2014. Shahiki and Mousavi were convicted of murder. 

These executions have not been reported by official sources and media outlets inside Iran so far.

  

Reza Nowroozi Sentenced to 74 Lashes

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Kachooie Revolutionary Court, Reza Nowroozi, Sarab

The Kachooie Revolutionary Court sentenced political prisoner Reza Nowroozi to 74 lashes and a fine. While Nowroozi was serving his sentence in Evin Prison, he was charged with “disrupting prison order” as well delivered to Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, political prisoner Reza Nowroozi was sentenced to 74 lashes and an 18 million tomans fine.

An informed source told HRANA that Nowroozi was charged with “disrupting prison order” due to his quarrel with a prison official. He has also been charged with “insulting the Supreme Leader” by the Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

Nowroozi is currently serving his five-year sentence in Evin Prison.

In May of 2021, security forces arrested Nowroozi in Tehran. The Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Nowroozi to ten years in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime”. This verdict was upheld on appeal. Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, five years in prison for one charge is enforceable.

Nowroozi, 32, is a resident of Sarab, East Azerbaijan Province, and a father of two.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
ahvaz, Bandar-Anzali, Golgohar Sirjan Mining and Industrial Company, Iranian farmers, unpaid wages

On Wednesday, August 17, 2022, at least three protests and one labour strike took place in Iran.

The pensioners of the Social Security Organization gathered in Ahvaz and Bandar-Anzali to protest against the insufficient increase in pensions.

In Isfahan, a number of farmers demonstrated to demand for their water portions.

A group of workers of Golgohar Sirjan Mining and Industrial Company went on strike in protest against unpaid wages and not addressing their other issues.

Journalist Vida Rabbani Sentenced to Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Blasphemy, Evin Prison, HRANA, the Union of Islamic Iran People Party, Vida Rabbani

The Court of Appeal of Tehran sentenced Vida Rabbani to ten years and four months imprisonment and additional punishments. 

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Vida Rabbani, journalist and a member of the Union of Islamic Iran People Party, was sentenced to ten years and four months in prison.

According to this verdict, she has been sentenced to five years in prison on the charge of “blasphemy”, four years for “assembly and collusion to act against national security”, eight months for “propaganda against the regime”, and eight months for “disrupting public order”. Based on article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, five years for the first charge will be enforceable.

Rabbani has also been banned from practising journalism and engaging in political activities.

On November 22, 2020, Rabbani was arrested and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. She was released on bail later on December 20, 2020.