Death Sentences Issued to Defendant in Mashhad

A defendant was sentenced to two death sentences by the Fifth Branch of the Criminal Court of Khorasan Razavi Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Khorasan newspaper, the defendant was sentenced on a charge of double homicide.

According to this report, the convicted is a 45-year-old man named Mahdi who, with the help of his friends, killed two people with a firearm.

The Court of Khorasan Razavi sentenced the other defendants to imprisonment and deportation on charges such as assisting in murder and carrying and keeping weapons.

The verdicts issued by the court can still be appealed in the Supreme Court.

Widespread Protests Continue in Iran, Rallies Held in Tehran and Karaj

On Monday, July 26, citizens in Tehran and Karaj held protest rallies in which protesters chanted slogans against the current situation in the country. According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, today’s protests fall on the first day after a week-long holiday in Tehran,  Iran’s capital, and Alborz Province.

Hamidreza Goodarzi, the deputy security director of Tehran Province, said that the situation has returned to normal and attributed the protests only to the power outage in a cellphone market center in Tehran. Tehran Governor Anoushirvan Mohseni Band-Pey has threatened to identify the protests’ organizers.

During these rallies, protesters chanted slogans such as “From Karaj to Khuzestan, unity, unity”, “Death to the dictator”, “Shame on Khamenei, leave the power”, “Iranians will die but won’t accept humiliation”, “The mullah must go away”, “Do not be afraid, do not be afraid, we are all together,” “Zealous Iranians, support, support” and “Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, I give my life for Iran.”

The gathering of Tehran citizens faced a large presence of police forces and efforts to disperse the people.

A source familiar with the Tehran protest rally told HRANA, “First, a rally started in the streets in Tehran with anti-government slogans; then, shop holders in the cell phone market chanted against the government after the power outage.”

Despite the release of videos of marches and protests by hundreds of Tehranians, Fars News Agency, the media close to the IRGC, released a short video of these rallies and said the number of attendees is only about 50 shop holders and the reason for the protest is only the two hours power outage.

From the night of Thursday, July 15th, public rallies in protest of water shortage and mismanagement of officials began in Khuzestan province and spread to more than 30 cities. On Saturday, July 24, citizens of Tabriz showed their support for the protests in Khuzestan by holding street protests and marches. Many were arrested during the protests in Tabriz.

Two Prisoners Executed in Yazd Central Prison

On Sunday, July 25, Sohrab Heydari and Amir Heydari were executed in Yazd Central Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Iran Human Rights (IHR), the two inmates were executed on drug-related charges.

Sohrab and Amir were cousins, according to informed sources, and had been in prison for four years on charges of carrying 200 kilograms of crystal meth.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

The execution of these two prisoners has not been announced by Iranian media or official sources as of this writing.

Hossein Abdollah Zadeh Executed in Adelabad Prison

At dawn on Tuesday, July 20, a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death for murder was executed in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Iran Human Rights (IHR), the prisoner has been identified as Hossein Abdollah Zadeh from Shiraz.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

The execution of Zadeh has not yet been announced by Iranian media or official sources.

 

 

Prisoner Executed on Drug-Related Charges in Isfahan Prison

At dawn on Sunday, July 25, a prisoner named Ebrahim Shah Bakhsh was executed in Isfahan Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Baloch Activist Campaign, Bakhsh had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges. Mr. Shah Bakhsh was 23 years old and a native of Zahedan.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

Bakhsh’s execution has not yet been announced by Iranian media or official sources.

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Bakhtiar Salemi Executed in Shirvan Prison

At dawn on Sunday, July 25, a prisoner named Bakhtiar Salemi from Hashtrood, who had previously been sentenced to death for murder, was executed in Shirvan Prison in North Khorasan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Iran Human Rights (IHR), Salemi had previously been sentenced to death on a charge of murder. But, according to an informed source, he claimed innocence for the entirety of his imprisonment.

“Bakhtiar had two children and had been in prison for four years,” the report quoted the source as saying. “He had repeatedly insisted on his innocence and that another citizen who took refuge in Turkey was the main perpetrator”

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

Salemi’s execution has not yet been announced by Iranian media or official sources.

Khuzestan Protests: 102 Detained and 10 are said to be Killed, HRANA can only Confirm 5

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, several people have been killed, dozens injured, and hundreds more arrested in the last week in relation to protests in Khuzestan. HRANA has been able to identify 102 detained in cities in Khuzestan, 3 detained in Tehran in support of the people of Khuzestan, and 10 are said to have been killed, 5 of whom HRANA has confirmed so far. Names follow.

Widespread protests started in Khuzestan province on the night of Thursday, July 15, in response to the resource mismanagement that has led to the water crisis. Protests have been going for the past seven days and have spread to at least 30 cities.

HRANA has received videos showing the heavy presence of security forces and special forces vehicles in a number of cities in Khuzestan province, including Izeh and Masjed Soleiman.

Citizens in cities such as Meybod in Yazd province and Robat Karim around Tehran have rallied in support of the Khuzestan protesters.

Meanwhile, cities in Khuzestan Province are experiencing a severe decrease in internet speed and connection. The global internet watchdog website “Netblocks” earlier confirmed the internet disruptions since the protests took place in Khuzestan saying that “widespread Internet disruptions in Iran have occurred since Thursday last week following popular protests in Khuzestan province and it continues.”

Today, the Deputy Commander of the Lorestan Police confirmed that a young man was killed and seven others were injured in a shooting during last night’s protests in Aligudarz.

Detention of hundreds of protesting citizens

HRANA has received several reports pointing to the detention of hundreds of people, but verifying the identities of all detainees has been difficult due to the lack of transparency in reports from Iran’s official authorities, and the Islamic republic of Iran does not allow human rights organizations operate inside Iran. However, HRANA was able to identify 102 detained in Khuzestan and 3 in Tehran, and while reportedly 10 have been killed, HRANA has verified the identities of 5, as follows:

Identity of 10 killed citizens:

1- Mostafa Naeemawi – killed on July 16 at Shadegan – Status: Verified by HRANA

2- Ghasem Naseri (Khaziri) – was wounded on July 16 and died on July 17 at Kut Abdollah – Status: Verified by HRANA

3- Meysam Echrash – was wounded on July 18 and died on July 21 Karkhe – Status: Verified by HRANA

4- Hadi Bahmani – was killed on 21-Jul at Izeh – Status: Verified by Hrana

5- Omid Azarkhosh – was killed on 22-Jul at ` Aligudarz – Status: Verified by HRANA

6- Amir Moshari (Ebadi)– from Mahshahr– Status: Status: under review

7- Isaa Baledi – from Taleghani town in Mahshahr – Status: under review

8- Mohammad Chenani –from Shush – Status: under review

9- Hamzeh (Farzad Farisat) – from Ahvaz – Status: under review

10- Hamid Mojaddam (Jokari) – from Mahshahr – Status: under review

 

HRANA has been able to verify the names of 105 arrested citizens in different cities as are listed below.

People arrested in the city of Ahvaz:

1 – Mohammad Koroshat – Arrested on date not specified

2 – Abas Zargani – Arrested on July 21

3 – Abbas Savari – Arrested on date not specified

4 – Ahmad Savari – Arrested on July 20

5 – Ali Ka’b Alhaei – Arrested on July 20

6 – Amer Zuhairi – Arrested on July 17

7 – Basem Zargani – Arrested on July 21

8 – Basem Heydari – Arrested on date not specified

9 – Fahd Heydari – Arrested on July 21

10 – Fallah Chaldavi – Arrested on July 21

11 – Hamoud Chenani – Arrested on July 17

12 – Hamoud Shamousi – Arrested on July 17

13 – Hassan Saeedi – Arrested on date not specified

14 – Isa Mazra’eh – Arrested on July 16

15 – Meysam Savari – Arrested on July 21

16 – Milad Savari – Arrested on July 21

17 – Mohammad Sakhrawi – Arrested on date not specified

18 – Mohammad Askari – Arrested on July 21

19 – Naser Zargani – Arrested on July 21

20 – Ra’d Heydari – Arrested on July 21

 

People arrested in the city of Bostan:

21 – Faraj Obaidai – Arrested on July 19

22 – Jasem Chaldavi – Arrested on July 19

23 – Malek Chaldavi – Arrested on July 19

24 – Milad Obaidawi – Arrested on July 19

25 – Milad savari – Arrested on July 21

 

People arrested in the city of Chamran:

26 – Ahmad Mujaddam – Arrested on July 22

27 – Ali Mujaddam – Arrested on July 22

28 – Mohammad Mujaddam – Arrested on July 22

 

People arrested in the city of Elhaei:

29 – Abbas Alhaei – Arrested on July 22

30 – Abbas Khovin – Arrested on July 22

31 – Abdol Razzaq Vahid – Arrested on July 22

32 – Amir Alhaei – Arrested on July 22

33 – Mobarak Alhaei – Arrested on July 22

 

People arrested in the city of Hamidiyeh:

34 – Abas Saedi – Arrested on July 22

35 – Ghasem Saedi – Arrested on July 22

36 – Mahmoud Saedi – Arrested on July 22

37 – Rasool Sava’edi – Arrested on July 22

38 – Razi Dahimawi – Arrested on July 21

39 – Sadegh Abyat – Arrested on July 22

40 – Sadegh Saedi – Arrested on July 22

41 – Tiban Saedi – Arrested on July 22

 

People arrested in the city of Khorramshahr:

42 – Abdolreza Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

43 – Ali Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

44 – Ali Soleimani Tamimi – Arrested on July 18

45 – Ali Abdol Hossein Gatafah – Arrested on July 18

46 – Basem Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

47 – Darem Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

48 – Mansour Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

49 – Yarallah Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

 

People arrested in the city of Lordegan:

50 – Ahura Mohammadi – Arrested on July 22

51 – Behnam Hassani – Arrested on July 22

52 – Hamed Hassani – Arrested on July 22

53 – Majed Hamidi – Arrested on date not specified at city of Mollasani

 

People arrested in the city of Ramshir:

54 – Ahmad Asli – Arrested on July 21

55 – Ali Amoori – Arrested on July 22

56 – Falak Amoori – Arrested on July 22

57 – Farzad Atabi – Arrested on July 21

58 – Hamed Khaledi – Arrested on July 21

59 – Hassan Amoori – Arrested on July 20

60 – Heydar AlBushoke – Arrested on July 21

61 – Jasem Tusi – Arrested on July 20

62 – Javad Jaberi – Arrested on July 21

63 – Khaled Amoori – Arrested on July 22

64 – Khaled Amoori – Arrested on  July 21

65 – Majid Mousavi – Arrested on July 21

66 – Mehdi Hamid – Arrested on July 19

67 – Mehdi Zoghibi – Arrested on July 20

68 – Mohammad Amoori – Arrested on July 21

69 – Moslem Echrash – Arrested on  July 22

70 – Muhammad AlBushoke – Arrested on July 21

71 – Omid Tusi – Arrested on July 20

72 – Sajad Mousavi – Arrested on July 21

73 – Saleh Khaledi – Arrested on July 21

 

People arrested in the city of Shavur:

74 – Abdollah Obaidawi – Arrested on July 22

75 – Ali Khosraji – Arrested on July 21

76 – Ali Mohsen Zidan – Arrested on July 21

77 – Ali Ka’bi – Arrested on July 21

78 – Ali Agbi – Arrested on date not specified

79 – Ali Mazrae – Arrested on July 17

80 – Ali Ka’bi – Arrested on July 22

81 – Ayub Abboud al-Namnum – Arrested on July 22

82 – Faysal Mazrae – Arrested on July 17

83 – Ghasem Mazrae – Arrested on July 17

84 – Hassan Mohsen Zidan – Arrested on July 21

85 – Hossein Shomli – Arrested on July 22

86 – Jamil Obaidawi – Arrested on July 21

87 – Khaled Mazrae – Arrested on  July 17

88 – Mehdi Khosraji – Arrested on July 22

89 – Mohammad Ka’bi – Arrested on July 22

90 – Saleh Obaidawi – Arrested on July 21

91 – Seyed Hassoun Iraqi – Arrested on July 22

 

People arrested in the city of Susangerd:

92 – Abdol Amir Jalali (Abu Yahya) – Arrested on July 20

93 – Adel Naderi – Arrested on July 20

94 – Ayad Abiyat – Arrested on date not specified

95 – Emad Abiyat – Arrested on date not specified

96 – Hamze Afrawi – Arrested on  July 20

97 – Ismail Jalali – Arrested on July 21

98 – Mansour Jalali – Arrested on July 20

99 – Mohammad Harizawi – Arrested on date not specified

100 – Mujtaba Salehi – Arrested on July 20

101 – Nader Abiyat – Arrested on date not specified

102 – Reza Afrawi – Arrested on July 20

 

People arrested in the city of Tehran:

103 – Mohammad Niyazi – Arrested on July 23

104 – Mostafa Arfai – Arrested on July 23

105 – Omid Saeedi – Arrested on July 23

***

Read our  Day 8 fact sheet for more info on what is going on in Khuzestan. For media interviews, contact Skylar Thompson at [email protected].

 

 

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

The Khuzestan Water Crisis dominated this week’s protests in Iran. Citizens in over 28 cities held rallies in protest of the mismanagement from officials that has led to water shortages throughout the province and the drying of the Karun river. A number of labor protests took place as well, and in some areas the ongoing oil protests continued.

Friday July 16 & Saturday July 17

Farmers in Dezful, a group of workers Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Co, fired workers and pest control workers of Haft Tappeh, members of Jam-e- Jam employees’ housing cooperative in Tehran, and a number of workers of Kut Abdollah municipality rallied protests and called on their demands to be met. On Saturday, the people of Khuzestan protested the water cut in the cities of Shavaur, Karkheh, Susangard, Kut Seyed Naeem, Shadegan, Ahvaz, Kut Abdollah, Hamidiyeh, and Shush. In addition, the people of Mashhad in Khorasan Razavi province joined the rallies in support of the people of Khuzestan.

Fired workers of Haft Tappeh:


Pest control workers of Haft Tappeh:

Rally of farmers in Dezful:

 

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry:

 

Employees of Jam-e- Jam housing cooperative in Tehran:

 

Workers of Kut Abdollah municipality:

Sunday, July 18

A group of workers of Shafa Rud dam in Gilan, retirees in Rasht and Mashhad, a number of official forces of Ahvaz Water and Sewerage Company, retirees of Isfahan steel and Khuzestan steel in their provinces, a group of workers of Haft Tappeh company from all sectors for a sixth day in the row, a group of striking workers of the Dehdasht oil projects, and a number of welders of the Hafshejan pipeline project demanded that their requests be addressed. Meanwhile, on the fourth day of the protests in Khuzestan, People in Susangard, and Ahvaz marched rallies, which were met with shooting and tear gas from military forces.

Workers of Dehdasht and Hafshejan projects:

 

 

Workers of Shafa Rud dam in Gilan:

Retirees in Rasht and Mashhad:

Official forces of Ahvaz Water and Sewerage Company:

Retirees of Isfahan steel, and Khuzestan steel:

 

Workers Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry:

 

Monday July 19 and Tuesday July 20

A number of Caspian Institute shareholders in Tehran, a group of retirees of East Azerbaijan Telecommunication Company in Tabriz, a group of suburban bus and minibus drivers in Tehran, a numberof workers Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry workers from all sectors for the seventh and eighth consecutive day, collectors of burnt oil In Tehran, a group of workers from the Sungun copper mine and the staff of the Ajin Iron Company, and  a number of fired workers from the municipality of District 2 in Ahvaz held rallies.

Additionally, a group of workers of the oil projects of Pian village in Khuzestan, a number of workers of the Lordegan oil projects, a group from workers in oil projects in Gahru, some operational staff of POGC company, a number of office employees of the oil industry in Fajr Jam gas refining company, contract workers of phases 9 and 10 of South Pars region, a number of farmers of Isfahan, a number of cattle breeders of Neishabour held protest rallies and called on their demands to be addressed. Also, a widespread protest of the people of Khuzestan against water cuts and mismanagement was ongoing in the fifth and sixth days, in different cities of Ahvaz, Mahshahr, Kut Abdollah, Khorramshahr, Chamran, Hamidiyeh, Ramhormoz, Susangar, Veys, Shadegan, Abadan and Izeh.

Caspian Institute shareholders:

East Azerbaijan Telecommunication Company in Tabriz:

Suburban bus and minibus drivers in Tehran:

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry:

 

Workers of the Lordegan oil projects:

 

Workers from the municipality of District 2 in Ahvaz:

Workers of the oil projects of Pian village in Izeh, Khuzestan:

 

Cattle breeders of Neishabour:

 

Farmers in Isfahan:

 

Contract workers of phases 9 and 10 of South Pars region:

Official employees of Fajr Jam gas refinery:

Workers in oil projects in Gahru:

 

Operational staff of POGC company:

Wednesday, July 21

A number of film and television artists in Tehran rallied supporting protesters in Khuzestan. A group of workers from workers Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry from all sectors of the company held protest rallies for the ninth day in a row, calling their demands to be addressed. Also, widespread protests by the people of Khuzestan against water shortage and lack of water management continued in the cities of the province, including Ramshir,Susangard, Sheiban, Elahi, Ahvaz, Masjed Soleiman, Behbahan, and Bandar Mahshahr. In at least two other cities, including Yazdan in Isfahan and Bandar Genaveh in Bushehr province, people rallied in support of the people of Khuzestan.

Film and television artists in Tehran:

Workers from workers Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry:

Thursday, July 22

A number of workers and employees of Khorasan Railway, a group of farmers of Shabiluy village from Poldasht, West Azerbaijan province, a number of workers Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry from all sectors, for the tenth day in a row held protest rallies and called on their demands to be addressed. Also,a number of employed and retired teachers in Kermanshah province supported the protests of the people of Khuzestan by holding a rally in Kermanshah.

Teachers in Kermanshah supported the protests of the people of Khuzestan:

Workers and employees of Khorasan Railway:

Farmers of Shabiluy village in Poldasht, West Azerbaijan:

Workers Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry:

 

 

Citizen from Tehran Executed on Saturday

On Saturday, July 17th, a prisoner from Tehran was executed. Few details are available about the execution.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists,  quoting Rokna news, the prisoner was executed on a charge of murder.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

The report does not mention the identity of the accused or the place of execution.

Update on Khuzestan: Military Atmosphere and Internet Outages

On the evening of Thursday, July 22, reports and images were published showing that protests took place in Genaveh in Bushehr Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, as of today internet access has been cut off in most parts of Khuzestan.

Protests started in Khuzestan province on the night of Thursday, July 15, in response to the resource mismanagement that has led to the water crisis.  The protests began on Thursday, July 15, and have now spread to at least 28 cities.

During the last eight days, several citizens have been injured and the killing of three protesting citizens and a police officer has been confirmed by provincial officials. 17-year-old Hadi Bahmani, who was killed during the protest in Izeh yesterday, was buried today. Local sources say the death toll is at least double that number, but HRANA has thus far been unable to confirm its accuracy.

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, has published an article on his social media in which he states, “The security forces have been ordered to immediately release the detainees who did not commit any criminal acts in the recent incidents in Khuzestan.”

At the same time, various judicial and security officials have said they will counter “anti-revolutionaries”. Dezful Governor Ali Farahmandpour called the protests “riots”.

“The rioters will be dealt with severely,” Farahmandpour said. “These riots have nothing to do with agricultural water. The rioters are opportunists who call for a counter-revolution.”

These remarks have raised concerns about the violent treatment of protesters.

The Iran Music House, and the Theater Forum issued statements in support of the protests of the people in Khuzestan and condemned any violent treatment of the legitimate demands of the people.

The global internet watchdog website “Netblocks” has confirmed the internet disruptions since the protests took place in Khuzestan saying that “widespread Internet disruptions in Iran have occurred since Thursday last week following popular protests in Khuzestan province and it continues.”

Read our fact sheet for more info on what is going on in Khuzestan.