Category: News

Penalty and Imprisonment for Three Residents of Oshnavieh County

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression
Ayoub Musa, Hawre Kharazm, Oshnavieh, Siamand Kharazm

The Criminal Court of Oshnavieh sentenced three citizens of Oshnavieh County, Ayoub Musa, age 26, Hawre (Mehran) Kharazm, age 20, and Siamand Kharazm, age 27, to imprisonment and penalty payments.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurpda News Outlet, Ayoub Musa, Hawre Kharazm and Siamand Kharazm, all residents of Oshnavieh were sentenced to pay fines and imprisonment.

According to the verdict issued by Branch 101 of the Criminal Court of Oshnavieh, Ayoub Musa has been sentenced to 8 years in prison and a fine for the amount of nine million tomans on the charges of “collaboration with an anti-regime party and carrying the illegal gun.” Hawre and Siamand have been sentenced each to 6 months in prison on the charge of “collaboration with an anti-regime party.”

On January 7, 2022, without showing any arrest warrant, security forces arrested Ayoub Musa and Hawre Kharazm and transferred them to a detention centre in Urmia and after a while from there to Oshnavieh prison. Siamand Kharazm was also arrested on January 24, 2022, and sent to Oshnavieh prison. During the next month, they were released on bail until the end of the legal proceedings.

Jamshid Sharmahd Made a Phone Call to His Family after Seven Months Detention

Posted on by A MN
News, Other
detention, Jamshid Sharmahd, Tondar Group

After seven months of deprivation of having a phone call, Iranian-German national Jamshid Sharmahd was allowed to make a phone call to his family. Despite suffering from respiratory problems and blood pressure disorder due to long incarceration, he has been denied any adequate medical treatment. He has been detained for about 600 days and undergone interrogations routinely.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Iranian-German national Jamshid Sharmahd was allowed to make a phone call to his family after seven months.

On her personal page on social media, Ghazaleh Sharmahd informed about his father’s phone call. According to her, Mr  Sharmahd is held in a solitary confinement cell and interrogated on a regular basis. He also suffers from blood pressure disorder. He has missed his teeth and only two teeth have been left. He also has problems walking due to being held for long in a confined space. He does not receive his medicine in a sufficient quantity or on time.

On March 6, 2022, the third court session of the Tehran’s Revolutionary Court headed by Judge Salavati, was held. The first and second court sessions had been held on February 6 and 20 of 2022.

On August 1, 2020, in a written statement, the Ministry of Intelligence announced his apprehension and claimed that he is one of the leaders of the anti-regime group known as Tondar group. In 2006, Sharmahd had claimed to be the leader of one of the Royal Association’s branches after Frood Fooladvand, founder of the Royal Association, abducted and disappeared in Turkey.

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, several protests took place this week in Iran. Read our recap below for details and videos from these protests.

Saturday, March 26

A number of farmers gathered before the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad in Isfahan city. According to these protestors, unlike promises, the enactments of the ministry have not yet been put into practice in order to address farmers’ issues.

In Mazandaran province, a group of environmentalists and ranchmen protested against setting up a petrochemical factory in the protected habitat Miankaleh. Reportedly, although any construction in this protected habitat is legally forbidden, the project was recently inaugurated in the presence of the Minister of Interior.

In reaction to the launch of this project, the head of the Department of Environment stated that no construction project is allowed without the approval of The Department of Environment.

Wednesday, March 30

A group of the residents of some villages in Natanz County located in Isfahan Province protested against mining activities in the region, which have brought about damaging impacts on the environment and species of wildlife. In an open letter to the head of the Department of Environment, they asked to address this issue.

Iranian LGBTQIA Activists Asked for Ending Discrimination against Gender Minorities in Medical Centers

Posted on by A MN
LGBTQ+, News

In an open letter addressing the medical community of Iran, a number of LGBTQIA activists asked for ending discrimination against gender minorities for having access to medical care.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of Iran’s independent LGBTQIA activists protested against discrimination and lack of access to medical care for gender minorities.  

In this letter, they asserted that everyone should be entitled to access to medical records regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Nonetheless, for LGBTIA+ community, the experience is not favorable. In the letter, twelve examples of harassment and discrimination including harassment of male homosexuals in forensic centers were counted. The stigmatization of female homosexuals/ bisexuals by obstetricians and gynecologists, and the harassment of transgender individuals by forensic centers for receiving sex reassignment certificates were also noted.

Seven citizens Summoned and Interrogated for Celebrating Nowruz

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Ashkan Sakkak, Diaco Mohammad-gevari, Hadi Hasanzadeh, Nowruz, Omid Eslamdoost, Reza Elsmadoost, Saman Rasulzadeh, Sanaan Rasulzadeh

On Wednesday, March 30, in Oshnavieh, seven citizens were summoned via phone and interrogated by the Ministry of intelligence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on Wednesday, March 30, seven citizens identified as Reza Elsmadoost, Omid Eslamdoost, Saman Rasulzadeh, Sanaan Rasulzadeh, Diako Mohammad-gevari, Hadi Hasanzadeh, Ashkan Sakkak were summoned and interrogated by the Ministry of Intelligence in Oshnavieh. All these individuals are residents of Nalous city located in Oshnavieh County.

Reportedly, these citizens have been interrogated for participating in a gathering for the celebration of Nowruz. After a few hours of interrogation, they were released after signing a commitment letter.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Omid Marouf Sentenced to Two Years in Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Omid Marouf, Oshnavieh

Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Oshnavieh sentenced Omid Marouf to two years in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, last Sunday, March 27, 2022, Omid Marouf, a resident of Oshnavieh, was sentenced to two years imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court of Oshnavieh.

Mr. Marouf has been convicted on the charge of “collaboration with anti-regime groups”. The court session was held in July of 2021.

On December 15, 2020, security forces arrested Omid Marouf and after interrogation for one month in a detention centre, transferred him from Oshnavieh to Urmia Prison. On January 20, 2021, he was released on bail pending legal proceedings.

Political Prisoners of Urmia Prison Shaker Behrouz and Nayeb Askari Go on Hunger Strike

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Hunger Strike, Nayeb Askari, Shaker Behrouz

On Thursday, March 31, two political prisoners Shaker Behrouz and Nayeb Askari went on hunger strike in Urmia Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, On Thursday, March 31, political prisoner Shaker Behrouz went on hunger strike to protest his relocation to Ward 2 of Urmia Prison where the violent crime offenders were held. Another political prisoner of Urmia prison Nayeb Askari also went on hunger strike after he was sent to the quarantine section.

Earlier, on August 26, 2021, despite the prison doctor’s recommendation for hospitalization, prison officials refused to send Nayeb Askari 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 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”.

On Tuesday, October 5, 2021, political prisoner Shaker Behrouz was sentenced to death despite a strong alibi pointing to his innocence.

The indictment alleges that Behrouz murdered a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

According to an informed source, security agents threatened the victim’s family, who was an IRGC member, to cut their allowance from the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, if they refused to accuse Behrouz.

Another informed source close to the victim’s family also said that the family does not believe he is guilty and ready to testify to his innocence.

Twelve eye-witnesses signed a statement expressing their readiness to testify that Mr. Behrouz was in his shop when the crime was committed. Despite all the above, the court convicted the defendant without the presence of the family as accusers and hearing of eye-witnesses.

 

Several Alleged Offenders Humiliated by Police through Shame-Parading in the Streets of Kermanshah

Posted on by A MN
News, Other
Kermanshah, Shame-Parading

According to a video circulated on social media, the police paraded several detainees through the streets of Kermanshah city for humiliating and public shaming. In recent years, Iran’s law enforcement officers have occasionally used shame parading as a punishment tool against both suspected and convicted offenders. Shame Parading is a  blatant violation of both domestic laws, human rights treaties and human dignity.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a video circulated on social media showed that the police used shame parading of several alleged criminals in Kermanshah city.

Calling the detainees “thugs and offenders of recent crimes in the city”, the police officials stated that the shame parades had been authorized by the order of judicial authorities. 

  

Four Inmates Executed in Arak Prison

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Ahmad Nouri, Arak prison, Execution, Feizollah Nourollahi, Hamid Goodarzian, Mohammad Najari

On Sunday morning, March 27, 2022, four inmates convicted previously of drug-related crimes were executed in Arak Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Sunday morning, March 27, 2022, four inmates of Arak Prison identified as Feizollah Nourollahi, Ahmad Nouri, Hamid Goodarzian and Mohammad Najari were executed.

All the executed inmates had been convicted of drug-related crimes.

None of the executions has 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.

Political Prisoner Kasra Bani-Amerian Denied Adequate Medical Care in Evin Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Kasra Bani-Amerian

Political Prisoner Kasra Bani–Amerian is currently serving his sentence in Evin Prison. He suffers from an immune-system disease for which he needs medicine uninterruptedly to maintain a normal level of immunity. Despite the vital need, Evin Prison officials do not provide access to the medicine that he needs.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, political prisoner Kasra Bani–Amerian was denied adequate medical care and medicine in Evin Prison.

According to an informed source, earlier, he contracted leukemia (blood cancer) for which he had been under chemotherapy. Currently, he still suffers from the symptoms of cancer. He also needs orthopaedics and physiotherapy for the damage to his ankles. Nonetheless, the prison officials denied him the special medical shoes sent by his family.

In January of 2018, the intelligence agents arrested Mr. Bani-Amerian along with Saeed Samimi and Saeed Asghari and detained them in Ward 209 of Evin prison. After a while, Bani-Amerian was released on bail amount of 500 million tomans until the end of the legal proceedings.

In 2019, Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to 5 years on the charge of “collaboration with anti-regime groups” and 5 years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security.” This verdict was upheld on appeal by Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals. Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code as well as the “Punishment Reduction Law”, two to six years imprisonment is enforceable for him.

On November 11, 2020, Bani–Amerian was arrested in Saqqez County and sent to Evin prison in Tehran for his sentencing.

Kasra Bani–Amerian, age 25, is an economics graduate student and a resident of Saqqez city in Kermanshah Province.