Category: News

Baha’i Citizen Shahram Najaf-Tomaraei Jailed in Evin Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i arrests in Iran, Baha'i citizen, Shahram Najaf-Tomaraei

Last Sunday, March 13, 2022, Baha’i citizen Shahram Najaf-Tomaraei was sent to Evin Prison to serve his two-year sentence. Earlier, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to two years imprisonment.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Baha’i citizen Shahram Najaf-Tomaraei was jailed in Evin prison for sentencing.

On November 25, 2015, the security forces arrested him and after a while released him on bail for the duration of legal proceedings. During the arrest, the agents searched his house and confiscated some of his personal belongings.

Ultimately, in December of 2019, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to two years imprisonment.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian constitution recognizes only Islam as the official religion, in addition to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Bahai faith is not considered legitimate by the authorities, and the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

Freedom of 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 practice religion freely, freedom of converting to a religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Inmate Executed in Urmia Prison for Drug-Related Crimes

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Drug-related crimes, Ebrahim Nasirkhah, Execution

On Monday, March 14, 2022, an inmate who had been previously convicted for drug-related crimes was executed in Urmia prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, On Monday, March 14, 2022, an inmate identified as Ebrahim Nasirkhah, who is approximately 45 years old, was executed in Urmia Prison. One day before the execution, he was sent to solitary confinement.

According to an informed source, this inmate had been jailed for three years. He was taken to be executed twice, but each time the execution was halted for unknown reasons.

This execution has not been reported by official sources and media outlets inside Iran at the time of writing.

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.

Student Activist Hasti Amiri Sentenced to One Year in Prison and Additional Punishments

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Students
Hasti Amiri, International Women's Day, Student activist

Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Hasti Amiri, the law student at Allameh Tabataba’i University, to one year in prison and additional punishments.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Emtedad News, Hasti Amiri was sentenced to one year in prison for the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” 

In addition, her cell phone was confiscated, and she was told that she was prohibited from membership in political and civil rights groups, including such activities on the internet, and she was banned from attending student gatherings for two years. 

The court exonerated her from the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security.”

According to Ms. Amiri’s lawyer, a published photo showing her in a student gathering for the celebration of Women’s Day on March 8 of last year, as well as her statements on social media against capital punishment have been used as evidence for the above-mentioned charges.

The legal case was opened against her last year, but the security and judicial officials did not take action until January 3 of 2022, when the NAJA Public Security Police raided her house to arrest her. Since she was not at home, they told her family that she has to appear at Branch 2 of Evin Courthouse.

Ms. Amiri was arrested on the day of the court appearance and spent one day in detention. One day after, she was released on bail of 500 million tomans.

Baha’i Citizen Shahnaz Sabet Arrested and Sent to Adel-Abad Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Adel-Abad Prison, Bahais, Religious_Minorities, Shahnaz Sabet

On Saturday, March 12, 2022, Baha’i citizen Shahnaz Sabet was arrested by security forces and transferred to Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz city.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Saturday, March 12, 2022, Iranian Bahai citizen Shahnaz Sabet was arrested and sent to Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz for her sentencing.

According to an informed source close to Ms Sabet, while she was still awaiting the final verdict of the Supreme Court of Iran, they arrested her and took her to prison. Ms Sabet suffers from severe back pain and kidney stone, which raises concerns about her health conditions in prison.

On September 1, 2019, the security forces arrested Shahnaz Sabet at her house in Shiraz. After a while, she was released on bail until the end of legal proceedings. At the time of the arrest, the agents searched her house and confiscated some of her personal belongings.

On May 10, 2020, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz sentenced her to six years imprisonment on the charges of “propaganda against the regime and membership in anti-regime groups.”

In July of 2020, in a trial in absentia, the Court of Appeals of Shiraz reduced the sentence to two years in prison.

On October 12, 2020, she was arrested to serve her sentencing. On May 2, 2021, she was released temporary from prison after the approval of her request for a retrial by the Supreme Court of Iran.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian constitution recognizes only Islam as the official religion, in addition to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Bahai faith is not considered legitimate by the authorities, and the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

Freedom of 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 practice religion freely, freedom of converting to a religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Former Political Prisoner Mehrdad Mohammadnejad Arrested in Shahriar City

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
#detained_Iranian_student, #freedom_of_expression, Mehrdad Mohammadnejad

On Saturday, March 12, 2022, the security forces arrested former political prisoner Mehrdad Mohammadnejad at his house in Shahriar city and transferred him to an unidentified location. The agents also searched the house and confiscated some of his personal belongings.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, On Saturday, March 12, 2022, former political prisoner Mehrdad Mohammadnejad was arrested by security forces in Shahriar city.

Confirming the arrest, his parent told HRANA, “ten agents took him without stating any reasons or charges against him. At the time of arrest, they searched the house and confiscated some of his belongings, including his cell phone and tablet.”

“After an inquiry from the judicial authorities in Shahriar city, we were told that we have to go to the Evin courthouse. During his imprisonment, Mehrdad got cervical disc issues and since then he has had sleeping problems. Spending time in detention makes it worse for him”, according to Mohammadnejad’s parents.

The reason for the arrest, the charges and his whereabouts are still unknown.

Earlier on October 21, 2018, Mohammadnejad was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) agents at his house in Shahriar and transferred to Evin prison. Then, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to two years on the charge of “offensive statements against the regime officials and authorities,” and one year for the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” This verdict was upheld by Branch 36 of Tehran’s Court of Appeals. On January 22, 2020, he was sent from Evin prison to the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary to start this sentencing. On May 2, 2020, he was granted early release while he was on furlough.

Mehrdad Mohammadnejad is 26 years old and an economics student at the Islamic Azad University of Central Tehran.

 

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Political Prisoner Firooz Musaloo Sentenced to Death

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Citizen death sentence, Death Penalty, Firooz Musaloo, Urmia prison

Recently, Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia sentenced the political Prisoner Firooz Musaloo to death.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the political prisoner, Firooz Musaloo, the resident of Khoy city has been sentenced to death.

According to the verdict issued recently, he has been found guilty of “enmity against God (Moharebeh) and membership in one of the anti-regime political parties.”

On July 11, 2019, Firooz Musaloo was arrested by IRGC’s Intelligence agents and transferred to a detention center in Urmia. On January 1, 2020, he was sent to Urmia Prison.

On June 20, 2020, he was again sent to the detention center for interrogation and on June 27 of that year was sent back to Urmia Prison.

Inmate Executed in Khash Prison

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Citizen executed, Execution, Khash Prison

On Saturday morning, March 12, 2022, an inmate who had been previously convicted for murder was executed in Khash prison located in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rasank News, on Saturday, March 12, 2022, the execution of an inmate identified as Alam Yarahmadzehi, age 48, was carried out in Khash prison.

Yarahmadzehi was accused and convicted of murder during 2010. He was relocated to the quarantine section of the prison the day before as a routine procedure while awaiting execution.

This execution has not been reported by 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.

 

Forty One Citizens Summoned By the Ministry of Intelligence of Marivan City

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Other

In recent days, 41 residents of the village Ney in Marivan County, Kurdistan Province were summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence. They have been threatened and told not to hold gatherings to celebrate Nowruz, the day of the Iranian New Year.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, intelligence agents summoned them via phone and interrogated them for hours.

Political Prisoner Nayeb Askari Denied Medical Treatment in Urmia Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Nayeb Askari, prisoner health

Despite his poor health and urgent need for treatment, political prisoner Nayeb Askari has been denied adequate medical treatment in Urmia Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, an informed source told HRANA that “Askari collapsed following a seizure. The inmates called the healthcare and the prison officer but none of them has done anything. The health conditions of political prisoners have been exacerbated after their relocation to highly secured new ward on January 10. Inmates in this ward do not have direct access to prison healthcare”.

Askari suffers from kidney disease. On August 26, 2021, despite the prison doctor’s recommendation for hospitalization, prison officials refused to dispatch him to a hospital outside the prison. In protest, he went on hunger strike, which ended after a few days.

Askari was arrested by IRGC intelligence agents in Urmia in April and transferred to an IRGC detention centres. He was eventually transferred from the IRGC Intelligence Detention Center to the city prison in June, after completing the interrogation process. Askari has been charged with “collaborating with an opposition party”.

On July 12, 2021, a new case was opened against him following the complaint of the head of Urmia Prison. For this case, he was sentenced to three months more imprisonment and 50 lashes for the charge of “Disrupting prison order”.

Several Citizens Arrested During the Memorial for Samad Shabani

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Alireza Saghafi, Elham Salehi, Haleh Safarzadeh, Saha Mortezaie, Samad Shabani, Samaneh Moradi

On March 11, during the memorial for Samad Shabani, the writer and poet in Karaj, at least 20 attendees were arrested by Karaj’s Security Police of NAJA. Saha Mortezaie, Alireza Saghafi, Haleh Safarzadeh, Elham Salehi and Samaneh Moradi were transferred to an unidentified location and the rest was released a few hours later after signing a commitment letter.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, during the memorial ceremony which was attended a number of citizens, civil and worker’s rights activists, police raided and arrested 20 attendees. The police released some arrestees after taking photos for them and forcing them to sign a commitment letter. They transferred the rest to an unidentified location.

Samad Shabani is a playwright and poet who passed away from disease on March 1.