Category: News

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Bojnurd, Ilam province, Kish Airlines, Kish Free Zone Organization, Ministry of Agriculture Jihad, poultry sellers, SMA patients, Zarneh

On Saturday, September 3, and Sunday, September 4, 2022, at least six protests took place in Iran.

A group of employees of Zarneh Municipality, Ilam Province, gathered before the Governor’s office to protest against six months’ unpaid wages and 70 months’ unpaid premium.


In Bojnurd, a number of poultry sellers protested before the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad against the low retail profit margin, which has lowered to 2.5 per cent.

The workers of Kian Tire Manufacturing Company held a protest against unpaid wages and other issues. As a protest, they set fire to the tires.

A group of Fulad’s pensioners gathered before the pension funds of this company to protest against 18-month unpaid pensions and other issues.

A group of shopkeepers and tradesmen demonstrated before the Kish Free Zone Organization in protest against the privatization of Kish Airlines, shortage of flights and poor living conditions.

A group of spinal muscular atrophy patients (SMA) gathered before the office of the President to protest against the supply shortage of their medicines. Nine months after President’s promise to address their issues, these patients have not yet been provided with their required medicines.

Film Director Ali Ahmadzadeh Arrested

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Ahmadzadeh, Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof

On August 30, 2022, film director Ali Ahmadzadeh was summoned and arrested.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Radio Farda, film director Ali Ahmadzadeh was summoned and arrested.

The reasons and the government agency responsible for this arrest are unknown so far. However, it seems that this arrest may be related to the film Ahmadzadeh recently directed without obtaining a permit from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

In recent months, reportedly, Ahmadzadeh has been summoned frequently by security institutions.

In recent months, the security forces have intensified the pressure upon cinematographers as two other film directors, Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof have been arrested.

Imprisoned Civil Rights Activist Behnam Moosivand Goes on Hunger Strike

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Behnam Moosivand, Evin Prison, Rajai Shahr Prison

On August 31, 2022, Behnam Moosivand who is imprisoned in Rajai-Shahr Prison went on hunger strike since he is kept in solitary confinement.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 31, 2022, Behnam Moosivand went on a hunger strike to protest against being held in solitary confinement.

An informed source close to Moosivand’s family told HRANA that he suffers from several diseases, but prison officials refuse to send him out of the prison to receive care. 

Moosivand had gone on hunger strike in April 2022 to protest assault by prison guards.

Moosivand is currently serving a five-year sentence. On June 14, 2020, he was taken to Evin Prison, but later was sent to Rajai-Shahr Prison in Karaj.

Four Inmates Executed in Qom and Arak Prisons

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Central Qom Prison, Hamid Qareh Lor, Mohammad-Hassan Kahrari, Morteza Teymoori

On September 1, 2022, two inmates were executed in Qom Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on September 1, 2022, Qom Prison officials executed two inmates identified as Hamid Qareh Lor and Mohammad Khosravi, age 30.

They were convicted of murder and drug-related crimes.

Last month, in a video that went viral on social media, prisoners of Qom prison asked the public for help to stop the new wave of executions in this prison. Qareh Lor said in the video, “Here is a ward in Central Qom Prison. They take inmates and execute them on a daily basis. We are helpless. This month, ten inmates have been executed”.

Qareh Lor’s brother was also executed this month.

On August 31, Iran Human Rights Organization also reported the execution of two inmates identified as Morteza Teymoori, 28, and Mohammad-Hassan Kahrari, 27, in Arak Prison.

Neither of the executions has been reported by official sources and media outlets inside Iran so far.

Milad Eftekhari’s Three-Year Sentence Upheld

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
irgc, Milad Eftekhari

The Court of Appeals of Fars Province upheld Milad Eftekhari’s sentencing verdict. Earlier in July,  Eftekhari was sentenced to three years in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the Court of Appeals of Fars Province sentenced Milad Eftekhari to three years in prison.

According to the verdict, Eftekhari was sentenced to one year on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”, and two years on the charge of “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran”. He was also banned from leaving Iran and having a social media presence for two years. Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, two years imprisonment will be enforceable for the first charge.

On May 23, 2022, security forces arrested Eftekhari at his home and transferred him to Larestan Prison. He was released later on a 100 million tomans bail.

On June 22, 2021, IRGC Intelligence summoned and interrogated Eftekhari for his criticisms of the IRGC and Supreme Leader on social media. He was later released.

Eftekhari, age 26, is a resident of Larestan, Fars Province, and a graduate student at Tehran University.

 

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Baha’i Individuals Arrested in Qaemshahr and Sari

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Afnaneh Naeimian, Anis Senai, Basir Samimi, Bita Haghighi, Golin Falah, Hengameh Alipour, Mahsa Fathi, Mani Gholinejad, Mojir Samimi, Nazanin Goli, Negar Darabi, Qaemshahr, Sam Samimi, Samieh Gholinejad, Sananz Hekmat Shoar, Sari

On August 31, 2022, intelligence agents arrested 14 Baha’is in Sari and Qaemshahr, Mazandaran Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 31, 2022, 14 Baha’is identified as Mahsa Fathi, Samieh Gholinejad, Negar Darabi, Basir Samimi, and Hengameh Alipour were arrested in Sari. Also, Afnaneh Naeimian, Mojir Samimi, Mani Gholinejad, Nazanin Goli, Sam Samimi, Sananz Hekmat Shoar, Bita Haghighi, Anis Senai, and Golin Falah were arrested in Qaemshahr.

All these individuals were transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence office in Sari.

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

Several Baha’i Individuals Sentenced to a Total of 83 Years 

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i Individuals, HRANA

Twenty-five Baha’i individuals have received sentencing of 83 years in prison and were banned from leaving the country.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, 25 Baha’i individuals were sentenced to a total of 83 years in prison and additional punishments on the charge of “holding promotional and educational classes to propagate the Baha’is faith.”

According to the verdicts, 11 Baha’is were sentenced to five years in prison, of which five have to serve in exile. The Court sentenced the rest to two years imprisonment, of which six will serve in exile. All individuals were banned from leaving the country for two years.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Ahvaz County, Behbahan County, National Iranian Oil Company, Pars Oxine Steel Company

On Wednesday, August 31, 2022, at least three protests and one labour strike took place in Iran.

In Behbahan County, the farmers who are cultivating rapeseed demonstrated to demand the rest of the payment for their sold rapeseed crops from the government.

A number of young residents of several villages in Ahvaz County protested before the National Iranian Oil Company facility. They asked the company to recruit from local labour forces.

A number of residents of a town in Eastern Tehran protested against several years of delay in the legal assignment of these lands.

The workers of the Pars Oxine Steel Company went on strike for the fourth day in protest against delays in payments.

Ahmadreza Haeri Sentenced to Four Years

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Ahmadreza Haeri, Ramin Safarnia

The Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced former political prisoner Ahmadreza Haeri to four years and four months in prison.

Ramin Safarnia, Haeri’s lawyer, wrote on social media that Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court notified him of Haeri’s verdict. Haeri has been sentenced to three years and eight months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security”, and eight months on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, three years and eight months for the first charge will be enforceable.

On June 27, 2022, security forces arrested Haeri in Tehran. In early August, he was released on a bail amount of one billion tomans. During the whole period of detention, he had been denied access to a lawyer.

Police Refuse to Record Transgender Individual’s Complaint

Posted on by A MN
LGBTQ+, News
discrimination, ex reassignment surgery, Iranian Transgender

Tehran police refused to record the complaint of a transgender who was assaulted and beaten by two individuals.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting BBC Persian, a transgender Individual who was assaulted by two was denied justice by the police.

A video published by BBC Persian showed a transgender being assaulted and scolded by a woman at a shopping mall in Tehran. Then, a man assaulted her and crashed her phone.

Despite abundant pieces of evidence, the police refused to file her complaint.

In Iran, transgender individuals are subject to daily discrimination, harassment and violations. Transgender identity is only recognized through state-supported sex reassignment surgery. In some cases, homosexual individuals are pressured to go through sex reassignment surgery to avoid legal and social pressure.