Citizen Detained in Alborz Province for “Blasphemy in Cyberspace”

A citizen in Alborz Province was arrested by IRGC forces for what is being described as “blasphemy in cyberspace”.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Mehr, the arrested citizen has been accused of “insulting sacred things ” in their online activity.

The report does not mention the identity of the detainee.

Athena Daemi Ends Hunger Strike in Lakan Prison in Rasht

Yesterday, August 17, imprisoned civil activist Atena Daemi  ended her hunger strike in Lakan Prison in Rasht.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ms. Daemi had been on a hunger strike since Thursday, August 12, in protest of repeated telephone cuts and prison mismanagement.

She has ended her strike following the fixation of telephone cuts, and the release of prisoners whose release was delayed for weeks.

Citizen Arrested by Security Forces in Oshnavieh in West Azerbaijan Province

On Monday, August 16th, Sardar Alani was arrested by security forces and taken to an unknown location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, Sardar Alani is a resident of the village of Singan in the City of Oshnavieh and has a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture.

The report quoted an informed source as saying that IRGC intelligence forces detained Mr. Alani at a checkpoint between Singan village and Oshnavieh town without a court order.

As of this writing, no information is available on the reasons behind Alani’s arrest or the charges against him.

Saqqez Citizen Khaled Karimnia Sentenced to 7 Months in Prison

Saqqez citizen Khaled Karimnia was recently sentenced by the Saqqez Revolutionary Court to 7 months in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, Mr. Karimonia was summoned to the IRGC on June 8, 2010 and was released on bail after being interrogated.

Khalid Karimnia, a citizen of Saqqez, was sentenced to imprisonment by the First Branch of the Revolutionary Court of this city, headed by Judge Javad Mostafaei.

According to the report, the First Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Saqqez, headed by Judge Javad Mostafaei, sentenced this citizen to 7 months in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime”.

This citizen has a history of interrogation by security agencies. Mr. Karimonia was summoned to the IRGC on June 8, 1400, and after completing his interrogation, he was released on bail until the end of the trial.

He has appealed against the verdict and his case has been referred to the court of appeals for review.

Citizen Arrested in North Khorasan for Publishing Images in Cyberspace

A citizen was recently arrested in North Khorasan Province for publishing images that were deemed “immoral” by authorities.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rokna News, the citizen was arrested after posting advertising images for a makeup salon online.

Yousef Shakeri, the head of FATA police in North Khorasan province, commented on the arrest.

“Following the news that immoral images were published for makeup advertisements in cyberspace,” Shakeri said, “the issue was placed on the police’s agenda and the person was identified and arrested with the coordination of a judicial official.”

The report does not mention the identity of the detainee.

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Prison Sentence and Ban on Leaving the Country Upheld for Environmental Activist Samko Maroufi

The conviction of Bukan native Samko Maroufi was recently upheld by the Court of Appeals of West Azerbaijan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Center of Democracy and Human Rights in Kurdistan, Samko Maroufi is an environmental activist and member of the Valat Environmental Association. He has previously been arrested and convicted for his activities.

In May of this year, Branch 104 of Bukan County Criminal Court sentenced Mr. Maroufi to one year in prison and a two-year ban from leaving the country on charges of propaganda against the regime.

He was arrested by security forces in Bukan on March 2021 and was released on bail on April 2021.

 

Aras Amiri Larijani Acquitted after Enduring 3 Years in Evin Prison

After serving out 3 years of a 10 year sentence in Evin Prison, Iranian cultural activist Aras Amiri Larijani was acquitted by the Supreme Court of the charges against her.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Emtedad, Amiri is a student at Kingston University and former employee of the British Cultural Council.

Aras Amiri has been acquitted after enduring three years of her ten-year prison sentence. Ms. Amiri had previously been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran and the sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeals.

She was arrested by security forces in September 2018 after being summoned to the Evin Courthouse, and was transferred to the women’s ward of the prison two days later.

In May 2019, Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Abolghasem Salavati, sentenced Ms. Amiri to 10 years in prison and two years of social deprivation, including bans from work and leaving the country after serving ten years in prison.

The accusation was labeled “espionage” by a spokesman for the judiciary in the public media. This sentence was upheld by the Tehran Court of Appeals in August 2019 in absentia and without the presence of a lawyer.

A grad student in Philosophy of Art, Amiri had been in organizing joint art exhibitions and festivals between Iranian and British artists and had collaborated with the British Council.

Amiri’s family member had previously told the media that Aras Amiri’s cultural interactions were coordinated and supervised by various deputies of the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

Court of Appeals Sentences Keyvan Samimi to 2 Years in Prison

Iranian journalist Keyvan Samimi has been sentenced to two years in prison after a court of appeals overturned the Supreme Court’s  decision to resume Samimi’s case.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Ensaf News, Samimi is the editor of Iran-e- Farda newspaper and a member of the Iranian Writers’ Association.

Mr. Samimi had previously endured six years in prison in 2009 for questioning the 2009 presidential election, participating in protests, and writing articles critical of the Islamic Regime. He is currently being held in Evin Prison, where he has been imprisoned since his arrest on International Workers’ Day in 2019.

Samimi was sentenced by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Iman Afshari, to three years in prison on charges of conspiracy to act against the security of the country. This verdict was upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals, presided over by Judge Ahmad Zargar.

Mahmoud Behzadi-Rad, Samimi’s lawyer, said that the Supreme Court accepted the resumption of Mr. Samimi’s trial, but when his case was sent to the Branch 54 of the Court of Appeals, the decision was reversed.

“The judge did not accept the opinion of the Supreme Court,” Behzadi-Rad said, “and they only reduced the three-year imprisonment sentence to two years.”

Five Lawyers and 2 Activists Arrested by Security Forces in Tehran

On Saturday, August 14 Arash Kaykhosravi, Mostafa Nili, Mohammad Reza Faghihi, Mohammad Hadi Erfanian Kasb, and Leila Heidari, Mehdi Mahmoudian, and Maryam Afrafaraz were arrested by security forces in Tehran and taken to an unknown location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, The citizens’ personal belongings were confiscated at the time of arrest by security forces.

Arash Kaykhosravi, Mostafa Nili, Mohammad Reza Faghihi, Mohammad Hadi Erfanian Kasb, and Leila Heidari are lawyers, Mehdi Mahmoudian is a journalist and member of the Central Council of the Etihad Mellat party, and Maryam Afrafaraz is a civil activist and a member of the Imam Ali Charity Association.

Mohammad Hadi Erfanian Kaseb and Leila Heydari were released hours after their arrest. Five others are still in detention.

The reasons behind the citizens’ arrests and their whereabouts are not known as of this writing, and the number of detainees is likely to be higher.

Akram Rahimi Dies of Coronary Heart Disease in Amol Prison after being Unable to Pay Required Cash Bail

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, an inmate in the women’s ward of Amol Prison died on the evening of Saturday, August 14 of coronary heart disease.

The prisoner, who has been identified by HRANA as 40-year-old Akram Rahimi, suffered from severe heart and lung disease, but was being kept in detention due to her inability to pay the required cash bail.

“Ms. Rahimi contracted Corona some time ago along with several other prisoners,” an informed source told HRANA. “After her condition worsened, she was regularly sent to the hospital, but due to lack of space, she was not accepted and received the same basic treatment services, ie serum injection in the hospital garden, and was transferred to prison again until she died two nights ago.