Category: News

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Iranian pensioners, Isfahan, Kerman, medical interns, Ramhormoz, Rasht, skyrocketing living costs

On Monday, July 11, 2022, a number of protests took place in Iran.

The pensioners continued their protests against low pensions and poor living conditions in Kerman, Rasht, Isfahan and Ramhormoz. According to the pensioners, pensions with only a 10 per cent increase lag far behind skyrocketing living costs. They ask the government to increase pension as much as the Supreme Labour Council has determined.

 

A number of medical interns of the Kashan University of Medical Sciences gathered before a hospital in Kashan to protest against irregularities and delays in payments and their poor living conditions.

 

Film Director Jafar Panahi Arrested

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof, Mostafa Aleahmad

On Monday, July 11, 2022, film director and screenwriter Jafar Panahi was arrested in Tehran and taken to Evin Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Saham News, film director and former political prisoner Jafar Panahi was arrested in Tehran.

Yesterday, in an open letter, dozens of Iranians involved in the movie industry condemned Iran’s treatment of the directors and actors and asked for the imminent release of two detained directors Mohammad Rasoulof and Mostafa Aleahmad.

In 2011, Panahi was sentenced to six years in prison and banned from filmmaking and leaving the country for 20 years. This verdict was upheld on appeal.

Four Inmates Executed in Qom, Sari and Shiraz

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Abolfazl Rahmani, Fardin Zekri, Mehdi Karimi, Mehrollah Rigi

In recent days, four inmates were executed in Qom, Sari and Shiraz for murder and drug-related crimes.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, last Wednesday, July 6, 2022, an inmate identified as Mehdi Karimi was executed in Sari prison in Mazandaran Province. He had been convicted of murder and was a barber before the arrest.

Moreover, according to Haal Vsh and Iran Human Rights Organization, on Saturday, July 9, 2022, two inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed in Qom Prison. These individuals were identified as Mehrollah Rigi, age 42, and Abolfazl Rahmani, age 38.

Iran Human Rights Organization also reported the execution of an inmate identified as Fardin Zekri, age 34, in Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz. Zekri was arrested about a year ago and accused of murder.

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

The most recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between January 1 of 2021 and December 20 of 2021, at least 299 citizens, including four juvenile offenders, were executed. In addition, 85 citizens were sentenced to death in this period. 

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 88% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

Dance Coach Jailed for Publishing Pictures of Dancers

Posted on by A MN
Cultural, Freedom of Expression, News
arrested dance coach, Azerbaijani dance teacher, Jila Ebrahimi

In Tabriz, security forces arrested dance coach Jila (Mitra) Ebrahimi for publishing pictures of dancing on social media and transferred her to Tabriz Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Friday, July 8, 2022, dance coach Jila Ebrahimi was arrested in Tabriz.

Ebrahimi is an Azerbaijani dance teacher and a member of a cultural association.

Former Deputy Interior Minister Mostafa Tajzadeh Arrested

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Iranian Green Movement, irgc, Mohammad Khatami, Mostafa Tajzadeh

On Friday, July 8, 2022, the IRGC Intelligence agents arrested former deputy interior minister Mostafa Tajzadeh in Tehran.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Mehr News Agency, former deputy interior minister and former political prisoner, Mostafa Tajzadeh was arrested.

According to Mehr News Agency, Tajzadeh is accused of “assembly and collusion to act against national security” and “publishing falsehood to disturb public opinion.” It was further reported that Tajzadeh’s arrest warrant was issued by the judicial authorities.

In the aftermath of the Iranian Green Movement in 2009, Tajzadeh was arrested and sentenced to six years imprisonment on the charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.”

During his incarceration, Tajzadeh published an open letter criticizing the Supreme Leader. Consequently, IRGC filed a lawsuit and accused him of “propaganda against the regime” for which his sentence was increased to seven years, most of which was spent in solitary confinement and ended in 2016. 

Mostafa Tajzadeh was the deputy interior minister of President Mohammad Khatami.

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HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
ahvaz, Iranian pensioners, minibus drivers strike, Shushtar

On Saturday, July 9, 2022,  two protests and one labour strike took place in Iran.

Continuing their protests against low pensions, the pensioners rallied in front of the Governor-General Building in Ahvaz. A similar demonstration took place in Shushtar. The pensioners chanted slogans against the government, such as “the government betrays, the Parliament supports”, “they are lying that our enemy is America, our enemy is right here,” and  “All three Branches of Government are just puppets, why the supreme leader is silent.”

For the second time, a group of minibus drivers in Bandar Abbas went on strike to protest against the recent decrease in fuel portions and crowded gas stations.

 

 

Polish Scientist Maciej Walczak Arrested in Iran

Posted on by A MN
News, Other
Fars News, irgc, Maciej Walczak, Polish scientist, U.K.Ambassador

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland confirmed the arrest of a Polish scientist named Maciej Walczak in Iran. Earlier,  Iran state TV had reported this individual’s arrest in Kerman Province. 

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the IRGC has arrested a Polish scientist named Maciej Walczak in Kerman. 

Polish officials have promised that they will do their best to free Walczak. 

On Wednesday, Iran state TV claimed that Walczak and three colleagues were taking soil samples at a restricted site of a missile test. 

IRGC-affiliated news agency Fars News published video footage from the arrest of several foreign diplomats including the deputy of the U.K.Ambassador in Iran,  accusing him of spying by taking samples of Iranian soil in restricted areas. The reports claimed that the official would be expelled after making an official apology. 

 

Two Inmates Executed in Zahedan and Zabol

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Behzad Narooie, Mohammad Shahi, Zabol Prison, Zahedan Prison

On  July 7, 2022, two inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed in Zabol and Zahedan Prison, Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Haal Vsh, on Thursday, July 7, 2022, an inmate identified as Behzad Narooie, age 33, was executed in Zahedan Prison. Haal Vsh also reported the execution of an inmate identified as Mohammad Shahi, age 48 in Zabol Prison. He was sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of Zahedan in 2018.

Mohammad Shahi was arrested for a drug-related crime in 2019.

Both inmates were allowed to have their last family visitation one day before the execution.

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

The most recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between January 1 of 2021 and December 20 of 2021, at least 299 citizens, including four juvenile offenders, were executed. In addition, 85 citizens were sentenced to death in this period. 

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 88% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

Three Individuals Arrested in Piranshahr

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Akam Khezrzadeh, Hazar Delsooz, Othman Delsooz, Piranshahr

On July 5, 2022, security forces arrested three individuals in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, three individuals were arrested in Piranshahr.

These individuals have been identified as Akam Khezrzadeh, age 26, Othman Delsooz, age 64, and Hazar Delsooz, age 28, and were transferred to a detention facility in Urmia.

The reason for these arrests and the charges are unknown so far.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Cryptoland, gold dealer's scam, Iranian pensioners, Kermanshah, medical employees, oak forests, post-Covid mass layoff, Shush, Veysian, Yasuj

On Thursday, July 7, 2022, at least seven protests and two labour strikes took place in Iran.

About 20 workers of the municipality of Veysian, Lorestan Province walked off the job and went on strike to protest against delays in payments.

The mayor announced that due to this strike the municipality had to shut down. He said that workers’ and employees’ wages have not been fully paid for eight months.

For the third consecutive day, the workers of the Sungun copper mine went on strike and held a protest rally. This protest turned violent when the police attacked and arrested seven protestors.

Dozens of citizens whose digital assets have been frozen in the cryptocurrency exchange Cryptoland for over one year protested in front of the Economic Crimes Courthouse in Tehran.

At the same time, the victims of a gold dealer’s scam gathered before the Tehran Revolutionary Court to ask for expediting the process of this financial case.

In Kermanshah, a number of medical employees held a protest in front of the Lorestan University of Medical Sciences to protest against the post-Covid mass layoff.

The pensioners of the Social Security Organization held a protest in Shush to demand raising up pensions in accordance with Supreme Labor Council’s enactment.

In Yasuj, a number of citizens protested against local authorities’ failure to protect the oak forests in the area against caterpillar pests.