Category: News

Baha’i Individual Afif Naimi in Detention 

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Afif Naimi, Baha’i community

Five days after tensions and the arrests of Baha’i activists, Afif Naimi is in detention and his whereabouts are unknown. Naimi suffers from heart disease which raises concerns about his condition.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Baha’i citizen Afif Naimi’s whereabouts are still unknown.

Lawyer Saeed Dehghan wrote on his social media page, “among detained Baha’is, Afif Naimi’s whereabouts are still unknown. During his incarceration, he was hospitalized for his heart issues and the doctors certified that he was unable to bear imprisonment, but the authorities refused to commute his sentence”.

On July 31, 2022, security forces arrested six Baha’i citizens including Naimi. He was a member of a now-disbanded Baha’i group known as the “Yaran e Iran” or “Friends of Iran”, addressing the spiritual and social needs of the Baha’i community.

Nahid Shirpisheh Beaten by a Violent Prisoner 

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Aban protests, Nahid Shirbisheh, Pouya Bakhtiari

Nahid Shirpisheh, Pouya Bakhtiari’s mother, was beaten by a prisoner of violent crimes in Kachooie Prison in Karaj, which she was taken to on July 28, 2022. Shirpisheh became a face of resistance and most of her family were arrested since they sought justice for their son, Pouya Bakhtiari, who was killed in widespread 2019 protests. 

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, political prisoner Nahid Shirpisheh was beaten by a prisoner 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.

An informed source told HRANA that Shirpisheh was beaten by an inmate convicted of violent crimes.

On July 11, 2022, security forces arrested the mothers of the individuals killed during nationwide protests in 2019 known as Aban protests, including Nahid Shirbisheh. In a news article, IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency called these justice-seeking families “agitators and troublemakers”.

In November of 2019, an increase in fuel prices sparked a wave of protests in dozens of cities across the country. The spokesperson of the Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Seyed Hossein Taghavi, announced that 7000 people were arrested during these protests. According to reports from human rights organizations, hundreds were killed by the security apparatus.

Sepideh Rashno Hospitalized Prior to Forced TV Confession

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Women
hejab, Sepideh Rashno, Taleghani hospital

An informed source has revealed to HRANA that detained artist Sepideh Rashno had been hospitalized due to the risk of internal bleeding, which raised the question as to whether she was tortured to make confession aired on July 30. 

On July 16, security forces arrested Rashno after a quarrel on a city bus with a woman who harassed and assaulted her for what she deemed improper hejab. 

The informed source told HRANA, “Overnight, a lot of agents took Rashno to the Taleghani Hospital in Tehran for a possible internal bleeding caused by assault.”

A few days after the hospitalisation, Iran’s State TV broadcast Rashno’s forced confession. A picture on social media showing Rashno’s paled face and circles around her eye raised concern about her health condition. So far, she has been denied access to a lawyer and the charges against her are unknown.

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.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Ilam, Ilam Governor-General, Iranian pensioners, Zanjan Regional Electricity Company

On Wednesday, August 3, at least three protests took place in Iran.

A number of workers of the Zanjan Regional Electricity Company gathered in front of the company building to demand a fair increase in wages. According to these protestors, six months after the beginning of the year, the company has not yet announced how much their salaries will increase.

The Governor-General’s staff gathered in front of The Governor-General’s building in Ilam to protest against not addressing their issues.

In Ardabil, a number of pensioners of the Social Security Organization continued their protests.

 

 

Prison Guards Assault Sunni Prisoner Arkan Palani Jaf 

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Arkan Palani Jaf, Rajai Shahr Prison

On August 2, 2022, prison guards assaulted Sunni prisoner Arkan Palani Jaf when he returned from hospital to prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, prison guards of Rajai Shahr Prison beat Sunni prisoner Arkan Palani Jaf.

An informed source told HRANA, “Palani Jaf suffers from Kidney, intestinal and stomach problems caused by a hunger strike. As a backlash to Palani Jaf’s complaint against the guards’ behavior, 10 prison guards beat him brutally.”

On June 10, 2022, Palani Jaf went on hunger strike by sewing his lips in protest against the rejection of his request for early release, medical furlough and inadequate medical care in prison. He was relocated to solitary confinement and beaten by prison guards. On June 30, Palani Jaf ended his hunger strike after the prison officials agreed to grant medical furlough.

Palani Jaf was arrested in 2016 and sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to 7 years on the charge of “collaboration with ISIS”. According to an informed source, the security agents wanted to arrest his brother and when they failed, arrested him instead despite having no evidence of his association with ISIS.

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Baha’is Houses Demolished, One Arrested

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Bahais, Farid Alavi, Mazandaran province, Roshan-Kouh village

In Roshan-Kouh village, Mazandaran Province, state-owned agencies demolished Baha’i-owned houses and grabbed their lands. During this operation, the security forces arrested a Baha’i citizen and beat another one.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a Baha’i citizen identified as Farid Alavi was arrested during a state-run operation to demolish Baha’i houses to grab their lands.

On August 2, 2022, about 200 police special forces, security police and the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad officials blocked the Roshan-Kouh village and begin to demolish six houses owned by the Baha’i residents with an excavator and other heavy machinery. They also grabbed about 20 hectares of farmland and installed barbed wire fences around them.

An informed source told HRANA that the agents used pepper spray against those who resisted. 

Earlier, on August 2, 2021, security forces raided and demolished three Baha’i houses in this village without prior notice. This incident has created reactions on global media and Farsi-speaking social media.

Teacher Union Activist Ahmad Taghavi Sentenced to Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Ahmad Naghavi, Ahmad Taghavi

Branch 103 of the Criminal Court of Abhar has sentenced teacher union activist Ahmad Taghavi (Naghavi) to one year in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Independent Iranian Workers Union, teacher Union Activist Ahmad Taghavi was sentenced to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. Taghavi was arrested on April 25, 2022. 

Civil Activist Farangis Mazloum Imprisoned

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Farangis Mazloum, Soheil Arabi

On August 2, 2022, civil activist Farangis Mazloum was taken to Evin Prison to serve her 18-months sentence. Mazloum is the mother of former prisoner of conscience Soheil Arabi.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 2, 2022, civil activist Farangis Mazloum started her sentencing in Evin Prison.

On October 19, 2021, Mazloum appeared at Evin Judgement Enforcement Unit to start sentencing. However, the deputy prosecutor refused to imprison her due to her old age and asked the forensics for an imprisonment intolerance certificate.

On July 22, 2019, Farangis Mazloum was arrested at her sister’s home and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. On October 8, 2019, she was released on bail of 250 million tomans until the end of legal proceedings.

Initially, the Branch 29 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran held the trial in absentia and sentenced Mazloum to six years imprisonment. Six other individuals related to this case were also sentenced to imprisonment. After Mazloum’s objection, in a retrial, Branch 29 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on August 25 and 28 2020 changed the sentence to 18 months in prison. This verdict was confirmed on appeal.

One Year Home Detention Given to Nine Baha’i Citizens

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Elham Salmanzadeh, Evin Prison, Hooman Khoshnam, Jamileh Pakro, Kianoosh Slamanzadeh Soroosh Agahi, Neda Shabani, Parvan Manavi, Payam Shabani, peyman manavi, Shahriar

On August 2, 2022, the one-year sentences of nine Baha’is were carried out in the form of home detention using an electronic monitoring device. Previously, the Revolutionary Court of Shahriar had sentenced each of the individuals to one year in prison. These verdicts were upheld on appeal.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 2, 2022, nine Baha’i citizens, Hooman Khoshnam, Elham Salmanzadeh, Payam Shabani, Kianoosh Slamanzadeh Soroosh Agahi, Parvan Manavi, Jamileh Pakro, Peyman Manavi and Neda Shabani started serving their one-year sentence as home detention using the electronic monitoring device.

According to this verdict, these individuals can go up to 500 meters in the periphery of their residence, and they have to pay for the monitoring devices.

These individuals have been detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison from September to December 2018, In August 2020, Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Shahriar convicted them for “propaganda against the regime through promoting the Baha’i faith.”

Police Shot Dead Two Children near Khorramabad 

Posted on by A MN
News, Other
Firoozabad, Khorramabad, kolbars, Mariwan, sukhtbars

On July 31, 2022, two minors were killed by the police’s unruly shooting toward a vehicle on a road leading to Khorramabad. The police arrested the children’s injured parents and transferred them to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, at a checkpoint in Firoozabad, the police shot at a vehicle, killing two children. 

The victims have been identified as two brothers, Mehdi and Matin Rashedi Manesh, ages 9 and 13, from a village in Mariwan County.

According to an informed source, no warning was given to stop the vehicle when the police fired at the vehicle. The two adults are severely injured and in critical condition.

According to HRANA’s annual report, in 2021, 242 citizens were targeted by unruly shootings by regime military forces, of which 94 were killed. This includes 23 kolbars (cross-border carriers) and 31 sukhtbars (cross-border fuel porters). 148 people have been injured, including 81 kolbars and 51 sukhtbars.