Category: News

Two Workers Killed in Mahshahr and Isfahan Due to Unsafe Workplace Conditions

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Afghanistan, Bandar Mahshahr, Isfahan, Mahshahr, Tondgovian, Tondgovian Petrochemical Factory, workplace conditions, workplace safety

On Tuesday, November 23 and Wednesday, November 24,  two workers were killed in workplace accidents in Mahshahr and Isfahan respectively.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Mehr News Agency, a worker was killed on Tuesday in Tondgovian Petrochemical Factory located in Bandar Mahshahr. The worker was injured severely while he was repairing a ventilation system, and then passed away in hospital.

In another workplace accident, in Isfahan, on Wednesday, November 24, a construction worker who was a native of Afghanistan lost his life in a falling debris accident during the demolition of a building by an excavator.

“This accident took place at 13:25 and was reported to the fire department,” the spokesperson Municipality Fire and Safety Services Organization stated. “The firefighters dispatched from stations 18 and 6 and reached the spot as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the worker who was caught in the debris had been killed right after the accident.”

Iran ranks 102nd in workplace safety among 189 countries.

NAJA Soldier Saman Dashti Fatally Shoots Himself with Guard’s Gun

Posted on by A MN
News, Other
Conscription, Dashti, military discrimination, military suicide, NAJA, Public Conscription, Saman Dashti, soldier

On Tuesday, November 23, a soldier who was serving in NAJA committed suicide with a firearm.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rokna News, the soldier has been identified as Saman Dashti.

“Saman was working in the kitchen and his service in the army had already ended. He was just waiting for the signature of the base commander to leave, ” one of his friends commented. “He seemed very happy that he could see his mother. Unfortunately, on that day, he took the gun of a guard and shot himself.”

According to the regime’s laws, every male citizen above 18 years old is obliged to serve at least two years in the army. The conscripts, however, are allowed to buy off the military obligation, the amount of which is proportionate to the conscript’s education level. These regulations have brought about injustice and discrimination against poor young men who cannot afford to buy off their military service.

According to this report, the reason for Dashti’s suicide are still unknown and the investigation is underway.

Three Inmates Executed in Rajai Shahr and Kerman Prisons

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Abdolsattar She-Baksh, Arman Abdolali, Capital Punishment, Citizen executed, Citizen executions, citizen executions per-capita, Death Penalty, Death row, death sentenc, Death sentence, juvenile offender, Kerman, Kerman prison, Khan-Mohammad Rahman-Zehi, Rajai Shahr Prison, Rajai-Shahr, Secret executions

This week, in addition to juvenile offender Arman Abdolali, three inmates were executed in Rajai Shahr and Kerman Prisons.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting ISNA, an inmate who was previously convicted of murder was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj on Wednesday, November 24. At the same time, three other inmates, after being sent to the foot of the gallows, were able to obtain additional time from the “blood avengers” at the very last minute, and were sent back to their cells.

Reportedly, the executed man was personnel of a contracting company working for Tehran municipality. As part of his duty, he stopped a van driver, who was working as a scrap metal collector, to check his permit for this work. The verbal quarrel ends up in a fight between them. During the fight, the van driver was hit in the head, fainted and subsequently died from the fracture in his head in hospital.

According to the victim’s son, who witnessed the incident, the man hit his father’s head with brass knuckles led to his death. Despite recognizing the homicide as a semi-deliberate killing by the judge in the first trial, the Supreme Court overturned the verdict. In the second trial, he was sentenced to death and the verdict was confirmed by the Supreme Court. He had been sent to the gallows the previous year, but was that time able to obtain some more time from the blood avengers before being executed.

In Kerman Prison, according to Rasank news, on Thursday, November 25, two inmates, who have been identified as Abdolsattar She-Baksh and Khan-Mohammad Rahman-Zehi, were executed. They have been charged with drug-related crimes. Both had been in jail for three years.

The most recent report of the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between October 8 of 2020 and October 9 of 2021, at least 266 citizens, three of whom were juvenile offenders, were executed and 90 citizens were sentenced to death.

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 82% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

Pedram Abhar’s House Searched While He Remains Detained in Unknown Detention Center

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Article 18, Baha'i, Baha'i citizen arrested, Baha'i citizens, Bushehr, Pedram Abhar, Religious persecution, Shiraz, Skylar Thompson, Tehran, United Nations

On Tuesday, November 23, security forces raided and searched Baha’i citizen Pedram Abhar’s house in Tehran. On November 21, security forces arrested Pedram Abhar at his father’s home in Shiraz.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, at the time of arrest, they also searched the house and confiscated several family belongings such as identity cards, passports, cell phones, pictures and books related to the Baha’i faith. While Baha’i citizen, Pedram Abahar is still in detention in an unidentified detention center, his house in Tehran was searched by security forces again on Tuesday.

“On Sunday morning, November 21, at 10 am., Mr. Abhar departed from Shiraz to Bushehr,” an informed source told HRANA. “While he was at a rest stop on the road, he was surrounded by three cars. They arrested and transferred him back to his parents’ home in Shiraz. About 13 security agents searched the house. Yesterday, his parents went to the courthouse to find out about their son. However, they did not get an answer. Finally, this morning, Mr. Abhar was allowed to make a short call to his parent.”

Regarding this report, HRA Senior Advocacy Coordinator Skylar Thompson stated that HRA strongly condemned these discriminatory acts against religious minorities in Iran. She asked that the regime take action to ensure Iranian people, and Bahai’s citizens in particular, are entitled to the freedom of religion and can perform their religious acts freely.

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

This 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.

The reason for Abhar’s arrest, the charges against him, the security institution responsible for the arrest, and the detainee’s whereabouts are all unknown as of this writing.

Juvenile Offender Arman Abdolali Executed in Rajai Shahr Prison

Posted on by A MN
Children, Executions, News
Amnesty International, Arman Abdolali, Citizen executions, Death row, executions per capita, Ghazaleh Shakur, Karaj, Rajai Shahr Prison, Rajai-Shahr, Secret executions

Earlier this Wednesday, November 24, juvenile offender Arman Abdolali was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Abdolali was relocated to a solitary confinement cell yesterday as a regular procedure before carrying out the execution, and then executed in the morning.

Judiciary Media Center announced that on Wednesday morning, Arman Abdolali, who was previously convicted of murdering his girlfriend at the age of 17, was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison.

Last night, in response to his relocation to a solitary confinement cell, Amnesty International asked Iranian authorities to halt the imminent execution. Amnesty International had also previously urged that the sentence be stopped and pointed out, “The use of the death penalty against people who were under 18 at the time the crime was committed is prohibited under international law and constitutes an abhorrent assault on child rights.”

In 2013, while he was underage, Abdolali was indicted on the charge of murdering his girlfriend, Ghazaleh Shakur. During interrogation, he confessed to killing her but later on, he denied the charges, claimed that the confession has been extracted under torture and pleaded his innocence. The victim’s body was never found.

After the first confirmation of the sentence, Abdolali’s lawyer claimed him as innocent and asked for a retrial, which was granted by the Supreme Court of Iran. In the second retrial, the death sentence was upheld after six months by the Supreme Court of Iran and thereafter by an appellate court.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Couple Executed in Yasuj Central Prison

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Citizen executions, Death Penalty, Death row, Death sentence, Seyed Ali Malek-Hosseini, Siavash Ardeshiri, Tehran, Yasuj, Yasuj Central Prison, Yasuj Prison, Yasuj Tehran Prison

On Tuesday, November 23, a couple was executed in Yasuj Central Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rokna, the man and woman had previously been sentenced to death after being charged with the murder of two people. HRANA has identified the executed man as Siavash Ardeshiri. The identity of the executed woman is still unknown as of this writing.

Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Yasuj Seyed Ali Malek-Hosseini commented on the verdict.

“On December 18, 2018, a man and his wife are arrested on the charge of murdering two people and subsequently were sentenced to death,” Malek-Hosseini stated. “This verdict was confirmed by the Supreme Court. The convicted man claimed that his motivation for these homicides was to save his marriage relationship.”

The most recent report of the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between October 8 of 2020 and October 9 of 2021, at least 266 citizens, three of whom were juvenile offenders, were executed and 90 citizens were sentenced to death.

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 82% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

 

 

Narges Mohammadi Still in Solitary Confinement One Week After Arrest

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners, Women
Ebrahim Ketabdar, Evin, Evin Prison, Ghods, Karaj, Moghaddas, Mohammadi, Narges Mohammadi, Taghi Rahmani, Tehran, travel ban, ward 209, zanjan, Zanjan Prison

Civil activist and spokesperson of the Defenders of Human Rights Center Narges Mohammadi is still in detention in Ward 209 of Evin Prison a week after her arrest.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Mohammadi was arrested on November 16, during a ceremony honoring Ebrahim Ketabdar who was killed by security forces in Karaj during the November 2019 protests.

According to her husband, Taghi Rahmani, yesterday she was sent to Moghaddas Court to be notified of the charges against her, and then sent back to  solitary confinement.

This year, Branch 1177 of the Criminal Court in the Ghods Judicial Complex in Tehran sentenced Narges Mohammadi to 30 months in prison and 80 lashes, as well as fines. She had been charged with “propaganda against the regime through the issuance of a statement against the death penalty”, “sit-down strike at prison office”, “property destruction by breaking glass” and “libel and assault”.

According to a report published by HRANA, in an open statement, Narges Mohammadi stated of these charges that she will not, “under any circumstances”, attend any court hearing, and will refuse to accept any verdict from the judiciary courts.

From May 5, 2015, until October of last year, Narges Mohammadi was imprisoned.

In December 2019, Mohammadi and seven other political prisoners in the women’s ward of Evin Prison announced in a letter that they would go on a sit-down strike in support of bereaved families who lost loved ones in November 2019 national protests. Evin Prison officials threatened to deport her and others who participated in the strike to prisons known for their harsher conditions. Subsequently, she was punitively transferred from Evin Prison to Zanjan Prison in December 2019.

Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code and the charges against her, the severest punishment of 10 years was enforceable, but after five years and six months in prison, Narges Mohammadi was finally released from Zanjan Prison. Mohammadi has since been denied a passport and barred from leaving the country to visit her husband and children even though her previous conviction did not mention a supplementary ban on international travel.

 

Yosuf Pirjani and Reza Moghaddasi Sentenced to Three Months Each in Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Judge Erfani, Khoy, Khoy County, Khuzestan, Khuzestan protests, Revolutionary Court of Khoy, Reza Moghaddasi, Tabriz, Yosuf Pirjani

Recently, the Revolutionary Court of Khoy sentenced Yosuf Pirjani and Reza Moghaddasi, both residents of Khoy County, to three months imprisonment each.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Pirjani and Moghaddasi were arrested by security forces on July 24 of this year, and then released on bail on August 6.

On July 24, 2021, in Tabriz hundreds of people demonstrated in support of the Khuzestan Protests against water shortages and mismanagement. During these protests, dozens were arrested.

On November 23, 2021, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Khoy, headed by Judge Erfani, issued the verdict of three months’ imprisonment for Pirjani and Moghaddasi on charges of “propaganda against the regime”.

Rahim Afravi Denied Leave after 22 Years Imprisonment

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
ahvaz, Branch 12, Coronavirus, COVID, covid-19, Jiroft, Karun, moharebeh, Rahim Afravi, Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz, Sheyban, Sheyban Prison

Political prisoner Rahim Afravi has not been allowed a single day of leave in his 22 years of imprisonment in Sheyban Prison in Ahvaz.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, he has faced serious medical neglect in this time, and suffers from heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and pulmonary problems. Afravi recently contracted COVID-19, but was not dispatched to any medical center outside prison upon receiving a positive test.

53-year-old Rahim Afravi is married and the father of two children. In June 1999, security forces arrested Afravi when he was returning home from his workplace in the outskirts of Ahvaz City. Initially, the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death on a charge of “enmity against God” (Moharebeh) and “acting against national security”. On appeal, the verdict was reduced to 25 years imprisonment and exile to Jiroft Prison.

According to an informed source, while he was in exile jail in Jiroft, his mother passed away. Family visitations were few and far between because of the great distance between the jail and the residence place of his family. After 13 years imprisonment in exile, he was relocated to Karun and then to Sheyban prison in Ahvaz City.

In August of this year, his request for release on parole and leave on furlough was dismissed by Branch 12 of the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz.

Retired Educator and Union activist Latif Roozikhah Sentenced to Seven Months Imprisonment

Posted on by A MN
Cultural, Labor and Guilds, News
"Propoganda against the regime", activist, Activist arrested, Activist imprisoned, Jolfa City, Latif Roozikhah, Roozikhah

The Revolutionary Court of Jolfa City recently sentenced retired educator and union activist Latif Roozikhah to seven months imprisonment.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Roozikhah was asked to appear at the court on November 10.

He was sentenced to seven months in prison on a charge of “propaganda against the regime.”