Category: News

Eight People Arrested for Publishing Immodest Pictures

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Malek Hossein Chegini, Shazand

Malek Hossein Chegini, deputy police chief of Shazand County, Markazi Province, announced the arrest of eight people for publishing what he called “immodest pictures” on the internet.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rokna, the police have arrested eight people in Shazand, Markazi Province.

According to Chegini, judicial authorities have summoned and arrested eight websites and social media administrators who were publishing unconventional and immodest pictures.

Baha’is Banned from Higher Education in Iran

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Bahais, National Organization of Educational Testing, nationwide university entrance exam, NOET

HRANA has identified 60 Baha’is this year who sat for the nationwide university entrance exam and were banned from entering the university under the pretext of “document deficiencies.”

The individuals who complained to the National Organization of Educational Testing (NOET), have been threatened by the security apparatus.

Each year, numerous Baha’is participate in the nationwide university entrance examination and get rejected for various reasons by the official website of the NOET, an organization designated for holding the exams and announcing the results.

The enactment of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution of Iran, which ensures that education and culture remain in line with the Islamic teachings, barred Baha’is from taking an occupational position as well as tertiary education. This is at odds with Iran’s laws recognizing the right to education indiscriminately for all citizens.

 Such systematic discriminations stand in violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which both affirm that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Homa Airline, Iranian farmers, Mobin Trust Consortium, Shahrekord, telecommunication staff, Water and Waste Water Organization, water outages

On Tuesday, August 16, 2022, at least five protests took place in Iran.

In Shahrekord, about 500 people rallied in front of the Governor-General’s Office in protest against several-day long water outages. Video published by official media shows the heavy presence of the police and security forces among the crowd.

The retirees of the Homa Airline gathered in front of the company premises to protest against the merger of the company fund and the Civil Servants Pension Organization. Reportedly, the police and security forces blocked the streets led to the location of the protest and arrested several retirees who were going to join the protest.

A number of applicants for the nationwide university entrance exam gathered before the National Organization of Educational Testing to protest against the recently announced modifications in application and exams.

A number of farmers in Isfahan Province gathered before the Water and Waste Water Organization to demand their water portions.

The telecommunication staff from different cities came to Tehran and gathered before the Mobin Trust Consortium building. They asked for the official contracts for all employees who have been recruited by contractors.

 

Five Individuals Arrested in Mahabad

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, Other
Amir Bayazidi Azar, Cia Pirzad, Geok Tepe, Jalal Mahmoudi, Kambiz Bayazidi Azar, Kurdpa, Mahabad, Shahram Bayazidi Azar

On August 16, 2022, security forces arrested five individuals in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, and transferred them to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on August 16, 2022, security forces arrested Amir Bayazidi Azar, Shahram Bayazidi Azar, Kambiz Bayazidi Azar, Chia Pirzad and Jalal Mahmoudi.

All these individuals are residents of the village Geok Tepe located in Mahabad County.

At the time of arrest, the agents searched their house and arrested them without showing any arrest and search warrant.

Last year, Amir Bayazidi Azar was arrested and sentenced to three months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” He was released from jail on January 1, 2022, after serving out his sentence.  

Three Inmates Executed in Shiraz and Khorramabad

Posted on by A MN
News
Execution in Iran, Misagh Yavari, Mostafa Rasoulzadeh, Vahid Rahmani

On August 14, two inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed in Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz. One day later, on August 15, another inmate convicted of murder was executed in Khorramabad Central Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Iran Human Rights Organization, Adel-Abad Prison authorities executed two inmates identified as Vahid Rahmani, 29, and Mostafa Rasoulzadeh, 37.

According to an informed source, Rahmani had been sentenced to death for drug smuggling three years ago. Rasoulzadeh was arrested for carrying drugs.

Also, in Khorramabad Central Prison, an inmate identified as Misagh Yavari who was convicted of murder, was executed.

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

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Health Defenders’ Sentences Upheld on Appeal

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Arash Keykhosravi, Health Defenders, Mehdi Mahmoodian, Mohammad Reza Faghihi, Mostafa Nili, v

The Court of appeals of Tehran upheld the verdict against Mehdi Mahmoodian, Arash Keykhosravi, Mostafa Nili, Mohammad-Reza Faghihi, and Maryam Afrafaraz. Previously, these individuals, whose case is known as “Health Defenders”, had been sentenced to over ten years combined and additional punishments.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the Court of Appeals of Tehran upheld the verdict for the five defendants in the case known as “Health Defenders”.

The verdict was issued without a court hearing.

The sentences are issued as: :

  •       Mehdi Mahmoodian: four years in prison, banned from presence in media for two years,
  •       Mostafa Nili: four years in prison, banned from presence in media for two years, prohibited from practising law for two years,
  •       Arash Keykhosravi: two years in prison, banned from presence in media for one year, and prohibited from practising law for one year,
  •       Mohammad-Reza Faghihi: six months in prison,
  •       Maryam Afrafaraz: 95 days in prison.

Attorney Babak Paknia said that at a public court session, he was not allowed to attend the court even as a spectator.

The first three defendants were convicted on the charge of “creating anti-regime groups to disrupt national security and propaganda against the regime”. The two last were convicted of “membership in anti-regime groups.”

On August 14, 2021, during a meeting to make a decision on filing a lawsuit against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the government for banning foreign vaccines, nine Iranian lawyers and civil rights activists were arrested.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Behbahan, Hendijan, Sepideh Rashno, Sirik county

On Monday, August 15, 2022, at least five protests took place in Iran.

The farmers who are cultivating rapeseed gathered in front of the governor’s office in Behbahan, Khuzestan Province to demand the rest of the payment for their sold rapeseed crops from the government.

The farmers from Isfahan Province gathered in front of Isfahan Water and Waste Water Company to protest against the authorities mismanagement and inattention toward drying up the river Zayandeh-Rud.

For the third consecutive day, a group of truck drivers demonstrated before the Governor’s Office in Sirik county, Hormozgan Province in protest against cutting their fuels portion following readjustments according to a new fuel portion scheme.

A number of residents of Hendijan, Khuzestan Province, rallied against frequent power outages.

A number of civil rights and women’s rights activists demonstrated against Sepideh Rashno’s detention. They asked the authorities to inform the public about Rashno’s conditions and whereabouts, and asked for her release.

Artist Rashno is in custody for her resistance and confrontation against an individual who was enforcing the Hejab code in public transportation, a practice which is praised by the Iranian authorities.

Two Student Activists Kaveh and Yashar Daroshafa Imprisoned

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Students
Black Thursday, Evin Prison, Kaveh Daroshafa, Yashar Daroshafa

Two student activists Kaveh and Yashar Daroshafa were taken to Evin Prison to sever their sentences. Previously, judicial authorities had sentenced Kaveh and Yashar Daroshafa to 10 and 15 years respectively.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, two student activists Kaveh and Yashar Daroshafa were taken to Evin Prison for sentencing.

Security forces arrested these brothers during the nationwide Aban protests in 2019. After a few days, there were released on bail. During the arrest, Yashar Daroshafa’s broken foot was infected.

On a prior occasion in 2014, Daroshafa brothers were arrested for the protest against the assault of political prisoners in Ward 350 of Evin Prison, known as “Black Thursday”.

Four Inmates Executed in Arak Prison

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Arak prison, Execution in Iran

In the second round of executions in Arak Prison, on August 14, 2022, four inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 14, 2022, Arak Prison authorities executed four inmates. They had also taken two death-row convicts to solitary confinement for imminent execution, which was not carried out.

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

Ali Ensandoost Arrested in Rasht

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Ensandoost, Political Prisoner, Rasht

On August 13, 2022, security forces arrested Ali Ensandoost at his house and transferred him to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 13, 2022, former political prisoner Ali Ensandoost was arrested.

The reason for Ensandoost’s arrest, his whereabouts and the charges against him are unknown so far.

Ensandoost had faced arrest and conviction before. On April 28, 2020, security forces arrested him in Rasht for his activities on social media and an interview with opposition media outside the country. He was interrogated in a detention facility until September 2020 when he was transferred to Langerud Prison and held in a ward with prisoners of violent crimes.

The Revolutionary Court of Qom sentenced Ensandoost to eight years in prison on the charges of “collaboration with hostile countries, insulting the Supreme Leader, and propaganda against the regime”.After plea bargaining, the sentence was reduced to four years and six months. On December 26, 2021, Ensandoost was released to serve the rest of his sentence in home detention with an electronic monitoring device.