Category: News

Meysam Kazemi Jailed in Behbahan Prison 

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Farzad Ansarifar, Mahmood Dashtinia, Mehrdad Dashinia, Meysam Kazemi, Mohammad Hashamdar, Mohammad Hossein Ghanavati

On July 23, 2022, Meysam Kazemi was taken to Behbahan to serve a 15 months sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 23, 2022, Kazemi started his sentencing at the Behbahan Prison.

On  December 4, 2021, Kazemi was arrested and transferred to Behbahan Prison after appearing at Branch 4 of the Public and Revolutionary Court, where he was accused of “circulating social media posts about the individuals arrested after Behbahan’s protest on July 16, 2020”.

Subsequently, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Bandar Mahshahr sentenced Kazemi to 22 months in prison, of which 7 months and 2 weeks were suspended. Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, one year and three months of imprisonment is enforceable.

During the November 2019 protest, security forces in Behbahan City used live ammunition against the protestors, leading to the death of several protestors including Mehrdad Dashinia, Mahmood Dashtinia, Farzad Ansarifar, Mohammad-Hossein Ghanavati, and Mohammad Hashamdar.

Three Detained Baha’is Released in Shiraz, Five Others Still Detained 

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i International Community, Bahais, Bahyeh Manavipour, Bani Dugal, Elhan Hashemi, Hanan Hashemi, Misagh Manavipour, Negar Ighani and Zhila Sharafi Nasrabadi, Niloofar Hosseini, Shaghayegh Khaneh-Zarin

On July 26, 2022, three detained Baha’i residents of Shiraz, Shaghayegh Khaneh-Zarin, Negar Ighani and Zhila Sharafi Nasrabadi were released from prison on bail. 

Five other Baha’is, Niloofar Hosseini, Misagh Manavipour, Bahyeh Manavipour, Elhan Hashemi and Hanan Hashemi are still held at a detention facility known as Number 100 in Shiraz. These individuals had been arrested on July 19, 2022.

An informed source told HRANA that the detained individuals are still under interrogation and the charges against them are unknown so far. 

According to the Baha’i International Community (BIC), during the last month, 44 Baha’is were arrested, arraigned or imprisoned.

Bani Dugal, BIC’s Principal Representative to the United Nations said “Baha’is in Iran have experienced ongoing persecution for their beliefs over the last 44 years, But the present acceleration is beyond troubling”

The deprivation of the freedom to practice their 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 freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Job Classification Plan, Khuzestan, Ministry of Roads & Urban Development, Pakdasht, Qazvin

On Monday, July 25, at least four protests took place in Iran.

A number of workers of the Qazvin-based chemical and consumer goods Company Tolypers held a protest in front of the Governor-general’s office to demand their delayed payments and ask for job security.

A number of shareholders of the Pakdasht housing cooperation blocked the road in protest against not receiving their pre-purchased houses. Due to a property dispute between the Ministry of Roads & Urban Development and the Union of Pakdasht Labor Housing Cooperatives, about four thousand shareholders are still waiting to receive their houses after 18 years.

A group of employees of the Regional power companies of Khuzestan and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province protests in front of companies’ offices to demand an increase in wages to keep up with inflation.

A group of workers of Iran National Steel Industrial Group gathered in front of the Governor General building in Ahvaz to demand an increase in wages and the implementation of the Job Classification Plan.

 

IRGC Detained Artist Sepideh Rashno 

Posted on by A MN
News, Women
hejab, IRGC detention facility, Khorramabad, Sepideh Rashno

Artist and student Sepideh Rashno is still held at an IRGC detention facility known as Ward A-1. 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 as improper hejab. Such incidents are on the rise in public places as the government has tightened the hejab enforcement. 

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Artist and student activist Sepideh Rashno is held at an IRGC detention facility awaiting further legal proceedings.

So far, she has been denied access to a lawyer and phone calls in prison.

The charges against Rashno are unknown so far.

Last week, a video circulated on social media showing a woman harassing another and blaming her for an improper hejab. After publishing the video, security forces arrested  Rashno, who is an artist and a resident of Khorramabad.

The Iranian regime encourages citizens to get involved in the enforcement of the Islamic code in public as a religious duty, which demonstrates how significant compliance with these rules is for the government.

Five Inmates Executed in Qom and Shiraz 

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Adel-Abad Prison, Ali Hosseini, Ali Mohamad Moradi, Ali Sabahi, Bahador Nowruzi, Mohammad Hossein Hasanipour

On  July 23, 2022, two inmates who were convicted of drug-related crimes in separate legal cases were executed in Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz. On the same day, three inmates were executed for drug-related crimes in Qom Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Iran Human Rights Organization, on July 23, 2022, two convicts on death row identified as Ali Sabahi and Mohammad Hossein Hasanipour were executed in Adel-Abad Prison.

Sabahi and Hasanipour were arrested for drug smuggling a few years ago.

Haal Vsh reported the execution of three additional inmates convicted of drug-related crimes in one legal case in Qom Prison. Haal Vsh has identified them as Hamed Safa, Ali Mohamad Moradi and Ali Hosseini. Another individual, identified as Bahador Nowruzi was also executed on July 9, 2022.

None of these executions have been reported by the official sources and media outlets inside Iran so far.

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Documentary Maker Hossein Dehbashi Sentenced 

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
hassan rouhani, Hossein Dehbashi, National Library of Iran, Oral History of Iran

Researcher and documentary maker Hossein Dehbashi was sentenced to six months in prison despite the fact that the Culture and Media Prosecutor’s Office had disagreed with the prosecution and closed the case.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, history researcher and documentary maker Hossein Dehbashi was sentenced to six months in prison.

Dehbashi announced on his social media account that after declining the prosecution by the Culture and Media Prosecutor’s Office and the Computer Crimes Prosecutor’s Office and the final confirmation that the case is closed,  another court sentenced him to six months in prison.

In 2020, Dehbashi was charged with “spreading falsehood”, “propaganda against the regime” and ” insulting the clergy” as a result of a complaint brought by the Ministry of Intelligence.

In 2019, the Ministry of Health filed a complaint against Dehbashi for “disturbing public opinion”, for which he was sentenced to four months in prison, and the verdict was upheld on appeal.

Hossein Dehbashi is known for producing President Hassan Rouhani’s presidential campaign advertisements and documentaries such as “According to the Royal Court”. He has also produced “Oral History of Iran” for the National Library of Iran.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Iranian farmers, Kermanshah, Shahrekord, Sharif University of Technology, Social Security Organization

On Sunday, July 24, at least five protests took place in Iran.

A group of farmers who are cultivating rapeseed gathered in front of the Governor’s Office in Behbahan to demand the rest of the payment for their sold rapeseed crops to the government.

A group of the Yazd Telecommunication Company’s staff gathered in front of the company’s central building. According to these protestors, four months after the new year, their salary and benefits have not yet been increased.

A group of students of the Sharif University of Technology protested against the food subsidy cuts for summer terms.

In Kermanshah, the pensioners of the Social Security Organization protested against an insufficient increase in pensions.

A number of residents of a district in Shahrekord, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, gathered in front of the Governor-general’s office to protest against the farmland allocation.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Ahvaz Jondishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz National Steel Industrial Group, Bank Maskan, Iran-Iraq war veterans, Iranian Interns, Kish Island, Tehran, zanjan

On Saturday, July 23, at least six protests took place in Iran.

A group of workers of Ahvaz National Steel Industrial Group gathered before a member of the parliament’s office as well as the governor-general’s office to demand levelling up wages and the implementation of the Job Classification Plan.

The residents of a village in Zanjan Province held a protest before the governor-general’s office to protest against a drinking water shortage and the local authorities’ inattention to the water supply.

Ahvaz Jondishapur University of Medical Sciences interns held a protest against the lack of proper amenities before the central building of the university.

A number of Iran-Iraq war veterans gathered before the parliament in Tehran to protest against their poor living conditions.

A group of shopkeepers and merchants in Kish Island held a protest against local authorities’ incompetence in attracting tourists to Kish. One of the protestors said, “Our houses proved to be resistant against earthquake in the recent earthquake, but due to the lack of accurate information in the media, tourists are afraid to come here.”

A number of citizens gathered before Bank Maskan branches in Tehran to protest not receiving their pre-purchased apartments.

Man Arrested for Holding a Placard against Supreme Leader

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Khamenei, Vladimir Putin

A video circulated on social media shows a man standing over a telephone kiosk holding a placard with a slogan against Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He was arrested immediately after.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, security forces arrested a man for holding a placard.

The man was holding a placard with slogans against Iran’s Supreme Leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin written on it. Putin recently visited Iran for diplomatic talks with Iran and Turkey’s leaders in Tehran.

 

 

Azerbaijani Turk Activist Akbar Abolzadeh on Hunger Strike

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, News
Ahar, Akbar Abolzadeh, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Hunger Strike, Tabriz, Tabriz Prison

Azerbaijani Turk Activist Akbar Abolzadeh who is in Tabriz Prison, went on hunger strike in protest against the rejection of his request for furlough.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Azerbaijani Turk Activist Akbar Abolzadeh is on hunger strike since July 17.

In October 2017, the Revolutionary Court of Ahar, East Azerbaijan Province, sentenced Abolzadeh to 10 months in prison for participating in demonstrations against a TV program which insulted Azeri-speaking Iranians. The verdict was upheld on appeal.

On June 7, 2022, the security forces arrested Abolzadeh in Ahar and took him to Ahar Prison.