Category: News

A Baha’i citizen, Elaheh Samizadeh, sentenced to an extra year in prison

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Religious Minorities
Bahareh Ghaderi, Elaheh Samizadeh, Navid Bazmandegan, Nora Purmoradian, Shahnaz Sabet, Shahriar Atrian, Soheila Haghighat, Soodabeh Haghighat

Elaheh Samizadeh, a Baha’i citizen, has been sentenced to one extra year of imprisonment and two years suspension from holding all governmental and public jobs by Branch 105 of Shiraz Criminal Court.

Ms. Samizadeh had previously been sentenced to six years in prison by Branch One of Shiraz Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Mahmoud Sadati, on charges of “propaganda against the regime and membership in opposition groups”. Based on Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, the charge with the highest penalty will be considered; this means that Ms. Samizadeh should serve five years in prison. Ms. Samizadeh is the mother of a toddler boy, and charges brought up against her of “propaganda against the regime” and “collaborating” with “dissident “groups” are because she worked as an instructor at “mother-child innovation courses” using her valid college degree obtained from official institutions. Charge of “forging a university degree” was brought up against her in July 2019 and caused her bail to be increased by 60 million Toman. According to the verdict that was communicated to Ms. Samizadeh on May 22, 2020, by Branch 105 of Shiraz Criminal Court presided over by Judge Fakharzadeh, “usage of scientific titles” which refers to her studies at BIHI (Baha’i University) is the underlying reason for her sentence of 1-year imprisonment and 2 years suspension from holding all governmental and public jobs.  An informed source told HRANA: “She is accused of forging her diploma, while Ms. Samizadeh studied at the Baha’i Online University (BIHE) due to the Baha’is’ exclusion from studying at country’s accredited universities. She has also received her degree from this university, and after making bail has been repeatedly summoned and interrogated over this fact.”

Earlier, Shahriar Atrian, Navid Bazmandegan, Bahareh Ghaderi, Nora Purmoradian, Soheila Haghighat, Shahnaz Sabet, and Soodabeh Haghighat, were also charged by Branch 1 of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Mahmoud Sadati in the same case. The charges against this group include “propaganda against the regime and membership in an opposition group” which caused a 6-year sentence for every member of this group, an 8-year sentence for Niloufar Hakimi, and a 1-year sentence for Ehsanullah Mahboub Rah Vafa. From this group, Ms. Haghighat is also awaiting another trial in the criminal court, and Niloufar Hakimi has previously been sentenced to five years in prison by a criminal court. Taking Ms. Samizadeh’s new convictions into account, she and nine others implicated in this case have been sentenced to a total of 63 years in prison. These citizens were arrested by security forces in September 2018 and were all released on bail impending trial. HARANA reports the second part of Ms. Samizadeh’s case which went into the sentencing phase on May 22, 2020, has added a 1-year conviction to her previously 6-year sentence, and this addition brings up the collective sentencing of this group to a total of 63 years.

Bahai’s of Iran are deprived of all liberties and religious related activities, a systematic deprivation of liberty which goes against Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, that entitle any person to freedom of religion and belief, freedom expression individually or collectively and in a public or private setting. According to unofficial reports, there are more than 300,000 Baha’is in Iran. However, Iran’s constitution only recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, and does not recognize the Baha’i faith. And this reason has given the Iranian authorities an excuse to systematically violate the rights of Baha’i citizens over the years.

 

November protesters sentences; execution, imprisonment, and lashes

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Abolfazl Nejadfath, Ali Azizi, Ali Bikas, Ali Nanvaei, Amin Kaseb, Amin Zare, Amir Hossein Moradi, Fatemeh Kohanzadeh, Gita Hor, Hamid Khosropoor, Ilyar Hosseinzadeh, Jabar Fioji, Mahyar Mansouri, Maliheh Jafari, Maryam Alishah, Mehdi Bagheri, Mehdi Vahidi, Melika Gharagozlou, Milad Arsanjani, Mohammad Eghbali Golhin, Mohammad Hejazifar, Mohammad Rajabi, Mohammad Reza Heydari, Mojgan Eskandari, November Protests, Reza Akbarnejad, Saeed Tamjidi, Sajad Salarvand, Salar Fioji, Salar Taher Afshar, Samira Hadian, Yasin Hasanpour

The nationwide protests of November are one of the most significant events of 2019. During the November protests that lasted more than 10 days simultaneously in 719 parts of the country. At least 7133 people were arrested, hundreds died on the streets, and many protesters got gunshot wounds. HRANA has earlier published reports about the sentences of some of the arrestees of the late November Protests. The following is an update on the sentences and conditions of several individuals who were arrested during the last November’s protests:

 

1. Amir Hossein Moradi, Saeed Tamjidi, Mohammad Rajabi, and Mojgan Eskandari: Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Salavati on February 19, 2020, sentenced Amir Hossein Moradi to death on the charge of “cooperating in vandalism and arson with an intent to act against the Islamic Republic of Iran”, 15 years in prison and 74 lashes for the charge of “cooperation in aggravated armed robbery at night” and one-year imprisonment for the charge of “crossing the border unlawfully”.

Saeed Tamjidi and Mohammad Rajabi: they were each sentenced to death on the charge of “cooperating in vandalism and arson with an intent to act against the Islamic Republic of Iran”, 10 years in prison and 74 lashes for the charge of “cooperation in aggravated armed robbery at night” and one-year imprisonment for the charge of “crossing the border unlawfully”.

The reason for sentencing Mr. Moradi to execution was mentioned as instructing protesters, the leadership of the protests, and armed fight with the agents. He was accused of instructing protesters on Telegram to seize the camera while the security agents are filming protesters to protect protesters’ identities.

2. Ali Nanvaei was sentenced to six months imprisonment and 74 lashes which was suspended for two years. He is also sentenced to hand copying three books. He was initially charged with “assembly and collusion” but his charge was later changed to “disrupting the public order”. He was arrested when he was leaving Tehran University on November 18, 2019. He is a student at Tehran University.

3. Mohammad Eghbali Golhin was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment, 74 lashes, and one-year exile to Rask by Branch 10 of Shahriar’s Criminal Court on February 16, 2020. He was sentenced to ten years for vandalism and one year for the charge of “disrupting the public order”, and 74 lashes and one-year exile for the charge of “fight with Basij militia”. Based on Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, the charge with the highest penalty will be considered; this means that he should serve 10 years in prison. He was arrested on November 19, 2019, in Karaj.

4. Gita Hor, 30-years old, was sentenced to six years imprisonment by Branch 24 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. She was sentenced to five years imprisonment for “assembly and collusion against the national security” and one-year imprisonment for the charge of “propaganda against the state”. Based on Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, the charge with the highest penalty will be considered; this means that she should spend five years in prison. She was arrested on November 21, 2019. She is currently in Qarchak Prison. Her trial was presided by Judge Mohammad Reza Amouzadeh.

5. Mohammad Hejazifar was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for the charges of “assembly and collusion” and “insulting the President” by Branch 10 of Malard’s Criminal Court and Shahriar’s Revolutionary Court. He was arrested on November 23, 2019, by the security forces of Islamshahr and was transferred to a detention center that belongs to a security organization. After a while, he was again transferred to the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary. Mr. Hejazifar, 35 years old, is studying business at Islamshahr University and working in a publishing store. His 33 years old brother, Omid Hejazifar, is still in Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary and his status is unknown.

6. Mojgan Eskandari, a political prisoner of Qarchak Prison, was sentenced to three years in prison for the charge of “assembly and collusion” by Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Salavati on February 19, 2020. She was arrested on December 10, 2019. She is in the same case as Amir Hossein Moradi, Saeed Tamjidi, Mohammad Rajabi who were sentenced to death, imprisonment, and lashes. Ms. Eskandari is 51 years old and is now in ward 1 (Mothers ward) of Qarchak Prison in Varamin. Ms. Eskandari said that she met Saeed Tamjidi and Mohammad Rajabi during the protests, and they were arrested after that. Eventually, Mojgan Eskandari along with Amir Hossein Moradi, Saeed Tamjidi, Mohammad Rajabi, and Shima (unknown family name) were tried for the same case. Shima (unknown family name) was released on bail. They were tried on 25-26 January 2020 presided by Judge Abolghasem Salavati.

7. Samira Hadian, a political prisoner, was sentenced to eight years in prison by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Iman Afshari. Some of her charges are: “assembly and collusion”, insulting agents”, and “disobeying governmental agents’ orders”. Based on Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, the charge with the highest penalty will be considered; this means that she should serve five years in prison. She was arrested on November 21, 2019, and was transferred from a detention center that belongs to a security organization to Qarchak Prison on December 1, 2019. She is now in ward 1 (mothers’ ward) of Qarchak Prison.

8. Melika Gharagozlou, student of journalism at Allameh Tabatabaei University, was sentenced to a six-month prison term for the charge of “assembly and collusion against the national security” on February 26, 2020, by Branch 29 of the Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Mazloum. She was arrested on November 17, 2019. and was released on a 60 million Tomans bail on December 1, 2019.

9. Maryam Alishahi and her son, Mahyar Mansouri were arrested on November 16, 2019. Branch 36 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Mohammadreza Amozadeh sentenced Ms. Alishahi to nine years in prison and Mr. Mansouri to six years in prison. Based on Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, the charge with the highest penalty will be considered; this means that they should each serve five years in prison. On February 25, 2020, they requested an appeal and their case was transferred to Branch 36 of Tehran’s appeals court presided by Judge Seyed Ahmad Zargar. The details of their sentences are as follows:

Maryam Alishahi was sentenced to five years imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion”, two years of imprisonment for the charge of “insulting the Supreme Leader”, one-year imprisonment for the charge of “propaganda against the state”, and one year in prison for the charge of “disturbing public order”. Mahyar Mansouri was sentenced to five years imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion”, and one-year imprisonment for the charge of “propaganda against the state”.

It should be noted that Mahyar Mansouri was released on 300 million Tomans bail. Maryam Alishahi was transferred from a detention center that belongs to a security organization to Qarchak Prison on December 1, 2019. She is now in ward 1 (mothers’ ward) of Qarchak Prison.

10. The Branch 101 of Urmia’s criminal court headed by Judge Hamid Golinejad sentenced Ali Azizi, Amin Zare, Salar Taher Afshar, Ilyar Hosseinzadeh, and Yasin Hasanpour, to pay one and half million Tomans fine instead of eight months imprisonment and 20 lashes. This sentence is suspended for three years for Keyvan Pashaei, Amin Zare, and Salar Taher Afshar. They were charged with “disturbing public order through attending protests”.

11. Milad Arsanjani, 32 years old, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment for the charge of “insulting the Supreme Leader” and to five years imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion”. One of his accusations is housing a person who was injured during the November 2019 protests and staying with him during his treatment. He was arrested in Shahriar and was transferred to Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary after interrogations.

12. Ali Bikas, 32 years old, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and three months service in Basij militia (as a completing sentence) by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on March 16, 2020. Mr. Bikas was charged with “assembly and collusion”, “disturbing public order”, and “shouting”. He is in Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary and started a hunger strike after receiving his sentence and said, “I was only protesting and did not commit a crime”.

13. On March 1, 2020, Fatemeh Kohanzadeh was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and 50 lashes (both suspended for two years) and two years public service in a hospital (as a completing sentence) by Branch 1 of Karaj’s Revolutionary Court. She was sentenced to one year in prison for the charge of “propaganda against the state for enemy groups” and six months imprisonment and 50 lashes for the charge of “disturbing the public order”. Ms. Kohanzadeh was arrested on December 26, 2019, during the commemoration ceremony held 40 days after the killing of Pouya Bakhtiari, one of the victims of last November’s protests. She was arrested at Behesht Sakineh cemetery and was transferred to Kachoui Prison in Karaj. She is married and has two children.

14. On March 16, 2020, Pardis Criminal Court sentenced Sajad Salarvand to one-year imprisonment and three months of bathing deceased people’s bodies (as a completing sentence). He was charged with “establishing a community with an intention to act against the national security” and “disturbing the public order”. He was arrested on November 16, 2020, in Bumehen and was transferred to Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary after interrogations in Evin Prison. He was reportedly severely beaten during interrogations.

15. Kermanshah Revolutionary Court sentenced Amin Kaseb to two years imprisonment for the charge of “promoting an opposition Kurd party”. He was arrested during November 2019 protests in Javanrud and was released on 200 million Tomans bail on December 22, 2019.

16. On March 3, 2020, Branch 24 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced 28 years old, Mehdi Vahidi, to five years imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion”. This sentence was reduced to four years and four months after he accepted it and did not request an appeal. He was identified by CCTV and was arrested on November 23, 2019, by the IRGC forces at his parents’ house in Andisheh New Town. He was transferred to Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary after 34 days of interrogations.

17. Abolfazl Nejadfath, was sentenced to six years imprisonment. Mr.Nejatfath was sentenced to five years of imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion” and one-year prison term for the charge of “propaganda against the state”. According to Article 134, he should spend five years in prison. He is the anthropology student at Tehran University and was arrested during November 2019 nationwide protests and was released on 200 million Tomans bail on December 18, 2020. Mr. Nejadfath trial was on February 2, 2020, at Branch 29 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court.

18. On March 15, 2020, Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced Hamid Khosropoor to one-year imprisonment and three months public service in deprived areas (as a completing sentence) for the charge of “assembly and collusion”. He was arrested on December 2, 2019, in Tehran and was transferred to Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary after completion of interrogations in Evin Prison. He was reportedly severely beaten and tortured during interrogations by IRGC such as denailing which caused him speech disorder (stuttering) and shaking hand disorders. He was born in 1973, married and has two kids. He has been working at Refah Bank for 20 years.

19. On March 3, 2020, Maliheh Jafari was sentenced to six months imprisonment and hand-copying religious books and public service (as a completing sentence) for the charge of “assembly and collusion with the intent of acting against the national security”. Her completing sentence is a two-months public service under the supervision of women’s social-cultural committee, 90 pages handwritten research about Islamic veil and its effects, and hand copying three religious books. Ms. Jafari was arrested on November 18, 2019, and was released on bail on December 1, 2019.

20. On January 22, 2020, Mehdi Bagheri, 20 years old, was sentenced to five years imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion” by Branch 24 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court. He requested appeal but his appeals court is not scheduled yet. His trial was on January 2, 2020. According to an informed source, during his trial, Judge Mohammadreza Amoozadeh asked about his personal information and then send him out of the court and when Mr.Bagheri wanted to defend himself he was told that “all of you should be executed”. He was identified by CCTV and was arrested by the IRGC forces at his parents’ house in Tehran. He was transferred to Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary after interrogations.

21. Branch 101 of Shiraz Revolutionary Court sentences six detained minors protesters to 468 lashes, combined, and public services (as a completing sentence). Their names and sentences are as followings:

Mohammad Reza Heydari was sentenced to 400 hours of public service in Shiraz municipality. One-fourth of this sentence will be reduced because he accepted his sentence and did not request an appeal.

Jabar Fioji and Ali Akbarnejad were sentenced to three months imprisonment and 74 lashes each for “disturbing public order” and 80 lashes for drinking alcoholic drinks. Their sentences are suspended for two years.

Reza Akbarnejad and Salar Fioji were sentenced to pay 500 thousand Tomans fine for “disturbing public order” and 80 lashes for drinking alcoholic beverages each.

Their trial was without the presence of their lawyers.

 

Complementary sentence

In the past few months, the political prisoners (especially protesters of November 2019 and January 2020’s protests) are receiving unusual complementary penalties on top of their imprisonment sentences. Sentences such as bathing a dead person’s body, hand-copying Quran, serving in Basij militia group, reading books about killed soldiers in Syria, reading about hijab, and researching about United States of America’s crimes are some of the complementary sentences that have been issued to the political prisoners.

Complementary penalties are additions to the main sentence. Based on the law, they are not necessary and are added based on the judge’s decision.

Only under these conditions, a judge can issue complementary penalties: convict was sentenced to fine more than two million Tomans, the convict was sentenced to more than 31 lashes, and the convict was sentenced to execution.

Complementary and Consequential Punishments

Article 23– Considering the requirements provided in this law and proportionate to the committed crime and character of the offender, the court can sentence a person who has been sentenced to hadd, qisas, or ta’zir punishments from sixth to first degree, to one or more punishment(s) from the following complementary punishments:

Compulsory residence in a specified place

Ban from residing in (a) specified place(s)

Ban from holding a specified profession, career or job

Dismissal from governmental and public offices

Ban from driving or operating motor vehicles

Ban from having a checkbook or drawing commercial bills

Ban from carrying a gun

(h)   Ban from leaving the country for Iranian citizens

(i)     Deportation of foreign nationals

(j)     Providing public services

(k)   Ban from membership of political or social parties and groups

(l)     Seizure of the means for commission of the offense or the media or organization involved in commission of the offense

(m)     Compulsory learning of a specified profession, career, or job

(n)       Compulsory education

(o)       Publication of the final judgment

Note 1- The complementary punishment shall not exceed more than two years unless otherwise provided by law.

Note 2- If the complementary punishment and main punishment are of the same type, only the main punishment shall be given.

Note 3- The regulations of the conditions of execution of complementary punishments shall be prepared by the Minister of Justice and approved by the Head of Judiciary within six months after this law is enforceable.

Earlier complementary penalties were used to sentence political prisoners to travel ban, exile, ban from membership in political groups.

Samaneh Norouz Moradi returned to prison

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Prisoners

Samaneh Norouz Moradi, a political prisoner, returned to Evin Prison on April 5, 2020. Ms. Norouzi is suffering from Lupus and breast infection. Even a doctor prescribed her mastectomy which has not been performed yet. She was granted furlough on March 18, 2020. Her request to extend her furlough was not accepted by Amin Vaziri, the special assistant of the prosecutor regarding political prisoners.

Ms. Moradi was arrested in August 2018 for supporting an opposition group through the internet and was released on bail after two weeks. Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced her to 8 years imprisonment which was reduced to three years and nine months after she accepted the court’s verdict and did not request an appeal. On April 24, 2019, she was rearrested and transferred to Evin Prison to serve her sentence.

A report on Sunni prisoners of Rajai Shahr Prison

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Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Abdolaziz Pirabi, Abdoljabbar Hasani, Abdollah Shariati, Abdolrahman Sangani, Adnan Hosseini, Ahmad Anjezari, Barzan Nasrollahzadeh, Borhan Asgharian, Farshid Naseri, Farzad Shahnazari, Firouz Hamidi, Foad Babaei, Hamzeh Darvish, Khosro Besharat, Mokhtar Kakaei, Omid Sotoudeh, Saeed Karimi, Teymour Naderizadeh, Tohid Ghoreishi

31 Sunni prisoners are detained in ward 7 of hall 21 of Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj in an unfavorable condition. This report that is gathered by Human Rights Activists (HRANA) examines the conditions in Rajai Shahr Prison and as well, the condition of 31 Sunni political prisoners who were kept in this prison. The information of this report was gathered from the sources inside the prison. Several prisoners contacted HRANA while incarcerated in Rajai Shahr Prison or after they were released.

Prison conditions

Lack of hygiene products and sanitary necessities in the prison during the Coronavirus outbreak has raised concerns among these prisoners. Some of these prisoners, who are serving their rather long imprisonment sentences in exile, suffer from various illnesses such as shortness of breath, neck and knee arthritis, and herniated disc. As a result of the location of this hall and high humidity in the ward, the majority of the prisoners suffer from respiratory diseases. Also, unsafe and unpurified drinking-water caused kidney problems such as kidney stones for many of these prisoners. Moreover, malnutrition has weakened them physically. In addition, many of these prisoners suffer from psychiatric disorders as a result of the tortures they endured during their interrogation or detentions.

 

Other issues

In addition, most of these prisoners were transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj from different towns across Iran, thus, long distances and the costs of transportation to and from their towns has led to fewer family visits for these prisoners.

In recent years, these prisoners have been subject to attacks and violent searches that led to the destruction of their belongings. In the latest attack on February 6, 2019, the security forces including the agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and more than 200 of the prison guards attacked ward 7 of hall 21 of this prison, confiscated and distracted belongings of these prisoners, and beat several of these prisoners.

 

31 Sunni prisoners of Rajai Shahr Prison

There are 31 Sunni prisoners with political or security charges in this prison. The latest list of the names of these prisoners and their health condition is complied by HRANA as follows:

 

1.Teymour Naderizadeh – arrest: June 2010 – charges: membership and collaboration with Salafi groups – sentence: 12 years of imprisonment – notes: he was first sentenced to death but after three years, his sentence was reduced to 12 years imprisonment.

2.Saeed Karimi – charges: membership in ISIS, act against the national security, waging war against God (Moharebeh) – sentence: death – health condition: he suffers from Diabetes and shortness of breath – notes: he left the country for a while and was allegedly joined the ISIS but returned and was arrested after two months.

3.Barzan Nasrollahzadeh – arrest: June 2010 – charges: waging war against God (Moharebeh) – sentence: death – health condition: he suffers from kidney stones, gastrointestinal discomfort, and herniated disc. He is physically very weak because of missing spleen – notes: when he was 17 years old, he was arrested by the security forces on the back from school. He was shot 5 times at the time of arrest in which he lost his spleen.

4.Abdolrahman Sangani – arrest: 2010 – charges: waging war against God (Moharebeh) through supporting Salafi groups – sentence: he was initially sentenced to death but his sentence was reduced to life in prison – health condition: he suffers from respiratory disease and due to a severe infection of his eye, he has lost vision in one of his eyes. Also, due to an accident before being arrested, half of his body is numb.

5.Hamzeh Darvish – arrest: 2016 – charges: waging war against God (Moharebeh) through membership in ISIS and leaving the country illegally – sentence: 15 years imprisonment – health condition: he takes psychiatric medication due to psychiatric conditions.

6.Abdollah Shariati – arrest: July 2011 – charges: waging war against God (Moharebeh) through membership in an opposition group – sentence: 10 years imprisonment – health condition: has undergone two operation on his neck discs and suffers from asthma and herniated disc.

7.Farshid Naseri – arrest: 2010 – charges: membership and collaboration with a Salafi group – sentence: 12 years imprisonment – health condition: he suffers from herniated disc and arthritis in the knee and the neck.

8.Firouz Hamidi – arrest: 2010 – charges: charges: waging war against God (Moharebeh) through membership in a Salafi group – sentence: 20 years imprisonment – health condition: he lost a kidney. He suffers from shortness of breath and stomach disease, so he is physically weak, and he only weighs 45 Kg.

9.Khosro Besharat – arrest: January 2010 – charges: involvement in assasination of Mamusta Abdolrahim Tina, membership in a Salafi group, corruption on earth, act against the national security and propaganda against the state – sentence: death – health condition: he suffers from psychiatric diseases but the prison authorities refuse to provide him with his medications.

10.Farzad Shahnazari – arrest: 2010 – charges: membership and collaboration with a Salafi group – sentence: 12 years imprisonment – health condition: he suffers from a heart condition, shortness of breath and gastrointestinal discomfort.

11.Borhan Asgharian – arrest: 2012 – charges: act against the national security and waging war against God (Moharebeh) through membership in a Salafi group – sentence: 10 years imprisonment – health condition: he suffers from herniated disc and in need of a surgery.

12.Tohid Ghoreishi – arrest: April 2014 – charges: assembly and collusion with an intent to act against the national security, supporting opposition groups, and propaganda against the state – sentence: 16 years imprisonment – notes: he was previously sentenced to 5 years imprisonment which was completed in March 2019 but when he was expecting to be released, a new case was opened for him and was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

13.Abdoljabbar Hasani – arrest: 2012 – charges: acting against the national security and waging war against God (Moharebeh) through membership in a Salafi group – sentence: 10 years imprisonment – health condition: he suffers from neck arthritis and kidney stone.

14.Foad Babaei – arrest: 2012 – his charges and details of his case are not known – sentence: 10 years imprisonment – health condition: he suffers from herniated discs and vision of one of his eyes is severely distorted.

15.Mokhtar Kakaei – arrest: 2014 – his charges and details of his case are not known – sentence: 15 years imprisonment – health condition: because of he was severely hit in his head during interrogation, he is having difficulty in his hearings in both ears. He also suffers from foot ache.

16.Abdolaziz Pirabi – arrest: 2016 – his charges and details of his case are not known – sentence: 15 years imprisonment – health condition: he suffers from severe headaches and has fainted several times.

17.Omid Sotoudeh – arrest: 2016 – charges: cooperation with ISIS – sentence: 15 years imprisonment.

18.Ahmad Anjezari – arrest: 2014 – his charges and details of his case are not known – sentence: 15 years imprisonment

19.Adnan Hosseini – arrest: 2016 – his charges and details of his case are not known – sentence: 15 years imprisonment – notes: he was a store owner at Paveh Border Market before being arrested.

20.Yasin Abbas Joubi – arrest: 2014 – his charges and details of his case are not known – sentence: 15 years imprisonment.

21.Kamran Sheikheh – arrest: January 2011 – charges: involvement in assassination of Mamusta Abdolrahim Tina, membership in Salafi groups, corruption on earth, act against the national security, and propaganda against the state – sentence: death.

22.Farhad Salimi – arrest: January 2011 – charges: involvement in assassination of Mamusta Abdolrahim Tina, membership in Salafi groups, corruption on earth, act against the national security, and propaganda against the state – sentence: death.

23.Anvar Khezri – arrest: January 2011 – charges: involvement in assassination of Mamusta Abdolrahim Tina, membership in Salafi groups, corruption on earth, act against the national security, and propaganda against the state – sentence: death – health condition: he suffers from respiratory diseased due to tortures during his detention. The physicians believe that his condition is because he was hit hard on his chest.

24.Ayoub Karimi – arrest: January 2011 – charges: involvement in assassination of Mamusta Abdolrahim Tina, membership in Salafi groups, corruption on earth, act against the national security, and propaganda against the state – sentence: death.

25.Ali Mafakheri – arrest: 2014 – charges: leaving the country illegally and act against the national security – sentence: 1o years imprisonment – notes: his sentence was initially rejected by the Supreme Court but was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by judge Salavati.

26.Ismaeil Rashidi – arrest: August 2016 – charge: act against the national security (unknown details) – sentence: 5 years imprisonment.

27.Hossein Palani – arrest: 2016 – charge: cooperation with ISIS – notes: he has been in a limo state from the time of his arrest. The first and only session to investigate his charges was held five months ago. He and Ahmad Abdolrahman used to sell foreign currencies (Dollars) before being arrested.

28.Yasin Mahmoudian – arrest: 2017 – charges: membership and cooperation with ISIS and waging war against God (Moharebeh) – sentence: death – notes: he was arrested at his residence after the armed attack to the Parliament. He was charged with providing a vehicle for the attackers to the Parliament.

29.Fereidoun Zakeri Nasab – arrest: 2017 – charges: membership and cooperation with ISIS and waging war against God (Moharebeh) – sentence: death – notes: he was arrested at his residence after the armed attack to the Parliament. He was charged with providing a vehicle for the attackers to the Parliament.

30.Mohammad Abdolrahman – arrest: 2014 – charges: leaving the country illegally and act against the national security – sentence: 10 years imprisonment – notes: he is a citizen of Iraq. He claimed that he traveled to Iran to meet his friend, Ali Mafakheri. He was a construction worker before being arrested. Three years ago, the authorities promised to release him earlier, but he has not yet been released.

31.Ahmad Abdolrahman – arrest: 2016 – charge: cooperation with ISIS – notes: he is a citizen of Iraq. He has been in a limo state since he was arrested. The first and only session to investigate his charges was held five months ago. He and Hossein Palani used to sell foreign currencies (Dollars) before being arrested.

Domestic violence increased during coronavirus quarantines and stay-at-home orders

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Children, Women
Coronavirus, Domestic Violence, Wellfare State Organization

Mahmoud Aligoo, the head of the department of social harms of the State Welfare Organization reported an increase in the number of domestic violence and child abuse by assessing the number of calls made to the national director of Iran’s social emergency hotline. On April 1, 2020, Behzad Vahidnia, the head of counseling and psychology of the State Welfare Organization of Iran reported that the number of calls related to family conflicts during the quarantine times after coronavirus outbreak has been tripled.

Increasing awareness of families regarding how to treat women and girls especially in small cities and rural areas, teaching life skills from childhood, before marriage, after marriage, and before a child is born, researching on the methods to prevent domestic violence, and finally, revising the laws according to the current situations are some of the solutions to overcome violence against women.

Mr. Aligoo also pointed out that the increase in the number of child abuse and domestic violence during this time is because the Iranian middle-class families have been quarantining more seriously which resulted in heightened risk for domestic violence. Vahidinia added that approximately 60% of calls were related to family conflicts. Moreover, unemployment and financial hardship caused by coronavirus outbreak are important factors to the increased domestic violence. “if there are conflicts and mental conflicts, it is because of the poor economic situation in the society. People have to stay home because of the quarantine and thus, they are affected by the financial hardships, they are more in face-to-face contact with each other, there is a higher chance of quarrels, negligence, and emotional destructions and therefore, these factors will contribute in increasing domestic violence. Specifically, domestic violence against the elderly is a very important category of domestic violence” says Vahidinia.

Increase in violence against children

According to Shahrvand News Agency’s report quoting some of the children’s rights activists, there has been an increase in physical and verbal conflicts with children staying at home. Yasaman Dadvar who is responsible for the Sedaye Yar, the first hotline that offers counsel to children and teenagers, says that “quarantine has caused trouble for the families who were not ready for it. Small income and not having enough savings or the opportunity to work remotely has caused tensions in the families. To overcome such tensions, parents and children would need a set of skills but most of the families lack such skills. And this can lead to increased violence against children.”

In February 2019, Habibollah Masoudi Farbod, deputy of social affairs of the State’s Welfare Organization announced that during the year before, there were a million calls made to the national director of Iran’s social emergency hotline from which about 11 thousand calls were related to child abuse and about 10 thousand were related to violence against women.

According to the report compiled by HRANA in 2019, there were 1290 cases of child abuse, 31 cases of rape and sexual assault of children, 10 cases of children being murdered and 31 cases of child suicides.

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10 prisoners on death row in Tabriz Prion

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Executions
Ahmad Ahmadi, Akbar Norouzi, Ali Tahouneh, Bahram Almasi, Execution, Gholamreza Tahouneh, Hadi Khoshfetrat, Hamid Asgarpour, Javid Mohammadpour, Majid Khalilvand, Mohammad Khosravi, Safar Chalak, Tabriz Prison

At least 50 prisoners in ward 11 of Tabriz Prison are on death row. HRANA identified 10 of them as following:

Mohammad Khosravi was sentenced to death on the charge of murder. He is in prison for six years.

Akbar Norouzi was sentenced to death on the charge of murder. He is in prison for eight years.

Gholamreza Tahouneh was sentenced to death on the charge of murder. He is in prison for five years.

Ali Tahouneh (younger brother of Ghoamreza Tahouneh) was sentenced to death on the charge of murder. He is in prison for five years.

Safar Chalak was sentenced to death on the charge of rape. He is in prison for two years.

Ahmad Ahmadi was sentenced to death on the charge of murder. He is in prison for two years.

Bahram Almasi was sentenced to death on the charge of murder. He is in prison for four years.

Majid Khalilvand was sentenced to death on the charge of murder. He is in prison for two years.

Hadi Khoshfetrat was sentenced to death on the charge of murder. He is in prison for three years.

Javid Mohammadpour was sentenced to death on the charge of murder. He is in prison for two years.

Hamid Asgarpour was executed in Tabriz Prison on January 28, 2020, two years after a case was filed against him. He was told that he will be transferred to court, but instead, he was executed. According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), his execution has not been announced by the authorities or published in the media, and its report has just recently been given to HRANA.

In 2019, the Iranian authorities issued death penalty sentences to 108 individuals and have already carried out 248 executions including 13 executions in public. In addition, 4 juvenile offenders have also been executed in 2019 who were under the age of 18 at the time of committing the crime. Secret executions of prisoners, reported by the independent sources and the human rights associations, indicate that 75% of executions are carried out in secret or without any publicity.

Babak Dadbakhsh sentence was increased to 25 years imprisonment

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Prisoners
Babak Dadbakhsh, Mental Hospital

Branch 28 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Moghiseh sentenced Babak Dadbakhsh to 17 years in prison for the charges of “corruption on earth” and “waging war against God (Moharebeh)”. He did not request an appeal because his public defender convinced him to accept his sentence. On March 29, 2020, he was summoned and informed that there was a mistake in his verdict and his new sentence is 25 years in prison.

Babak Dadbaksh was arrested by the security police on October 28, 2018, in Tehran and was transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence detention center. Babak Dadbakhsh was charged with “corruption on earth” and “waging war against God (Moharebeh)” by Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Salavati. During his detention, he was held in various prisons such as Ward 209 of Evin Prison and Fashafoyeh Prison. On October 28, 2018, he was transferred to Razi Psychiatric Hospital (Amin Abad) where he was handcuffed and chained to the bed. He was eventually transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison on February 16, 2019. He was kept in the mental ward of the prison for a while and then was transferred to the political prisoners’ ward. Although suffering from mental illness, he was deprived of medical treatments. Moreover, the prison authorities did not permit family visits for him. Babak is 37 years old, originally from Ardabil and residing in Tehran. He is married and has a child. He spent time in Evin Prison during 2007-2009. Babak Dadbakhsh and his sister have separately written open letters to the head of the judiciary system explaining his severe mental illness and emphasizing his innocence.

30 Baha’is were summoned to the court in Shiraz

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Religious Minorities
Ahdyeh Enayati, Baha'i, Bahareh Norouzi, Behnam Azimpour, Esmail Rousta, Farhad Sabet, Farid Shademan, Farzad Shademan, Farzan Masoumi, Lala Salehi, Mahyar Sefidi, Marjan Gholampour, Maryam Eslami, Mojgan Gholampour, Nabil Tahzib, Nasim Kashani, Niloufar Hakimi, Noushin Zanhari, Parisa Rouhizadegan, Ramin Shirvani, Rezvan Yazdani, Saeed Hasani, Sahba Farahbakhsh, Sahba Moslehi, Samar Ashnaei, Shadi Sadegh Aghdam, Shahnaz Sabet, Shamim Akhlaghi, Shiraz, Soroush Ighani, Vargha Kaviani, Yekta Fahandaj Saadi

On March 14, 2019, 30 Baha’i citizens were summoned to Branch 10 of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz. Their summon was related to a case that was opened back in 2016 against them by the Intelligence Ministry. They were charged with “membership in an opposition group” and “propaganda against the state”. They were identified as follows:

Noushin Zanhari, Esmail Rousta, Behnam Azimpour, Saeed Hasani, Ramin Shirvani, Marjan Gholampour, Mojgan Gholampour, Farid Shademan, Farzad Shademan, Parisa Rouhizadegan, Shamim Akhlaghi, Sahba Farahbakhsh, Sahba Moslehi, Ahdyeh Enayati, Mahyar Sefidi, Shadi Sadegh Aghdam, Vargha Kaviani, Soroush Ighani, Maryam Eslami, Yekta Fahandaj Saadi, Nabil Tahzib, Samar Ashnaei, Rezvan Yazdani, Lala Salehi, Nasim Kashani, Bahareh Norouzi, Niloufar Hakimi, Farzan Masoumi, Shahnaz Sabet, and Farhad Sabet

 

Background

Marjan Gholampour, Mojgan Gholampour, Farid Shademan, Farzad Shademan, Parisa Rouhizadegan, Shamim Akhlaghi, Sahba Farahbakhsh, Sahba Moslehi, Ahdyeh Enayati, Mahyar Sefidi, Shadi Sadegh Aghdam, Vargha Kaviani, Soroush Ighani, and Maryam Eslami were arrested in 2016 and were transferred to Ministry of Intelligence Detention Center in Shiraz known as the No. 100 Detention Center.

On October 3, 2016, Bahareh Norouzi and her husband, Siamak Honarvar were arrested and their house was searched and their belongings were confiscated. They were also transferred to the No.100 Detention Center.

On October 10, 2016, Vargha Kaviani, Shamim Akhlaghi, Farid Shademan, Soroush Ighaei, Farzad Shademan, and Mojgan Gholampour were released from Adel Abad Prison on 200 million Tomans bail along with 92 other prisoners.

On October 11, 2016, Marjan Gholampour, Maryam Eslami, and Parisa Rouhizadegan were released from prison on 200 million Tomans bail.

Moreover, Noushin Zanhari, Esmail Rousta, Behnam Azimpour, Saeed Hasani, and Ramin Shirvani were arrested along with several other Baha’i citizens in June 2016. They were released on 200 million Toman bail after a month.

Baha’i citizens of Iran are systematically deprived of religious freedoms, while according to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, all people are entitled to freedom of religion, belief, and changes thereof, as well as the right to express and practice those beliefs as individuals or collectives, in public or in private. Though unofficial sources estimate the Baha’i population of Iran at more than 300,000, Iran’s Constitution officially recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, and does not acknowledge the Baha’i faith as an official religion. As a result, the rights of Baha’is in Iran are systematically violated.

November Protests; the details of the case of three prisoners who were sentenced to death

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Amir Hossein Moradi, Mohammad Rajabi, Mojgan Eskandari, November Protests, Saeed Tamjidi, Shima R.

Amir Hossein Moradi, Saeed Tamjidi, Mohammad Rajabi, and Mojgan Eskandari, and Shima R. who were arrested for their attendance in the last November protests were tried on the same case.

Mr. Moradi, Mr. Tamjidi, and Mr. Rajabi were sentenced to execution, imprisonment, and lashes.

They asked for an appeal request. But their lawyers have not yet filed an appeal request, so the court date and place are not scheduled. In addition, Mr. Tamjidi and Mr. Rajabi are going to find another lawyer.

 

Attending protest

On November 16, 2019, Amir Hossein Moradi, Saeed Tamjidi, and Mohammad Rajabi were attending protests on Sattar Khan street in Tehran where they accidentally met Mojgan Eskandari for the first time during the protests. According to a source close to Ms. Eskandari’s family, she met Saeed Tamjidi and Mohammad Rajabi during the last November protests in one of the streets in Tehran for the first time. She did not know them prior to that date. They were arrested together after they have been together briefly.

There is a fifth convict in this case named Shima R. (the family name is not revealed by HRANA for security reasons) who was not present at the protests but with a good deed and through helping and acting as an interpreter, happened to meet and know the convicts of this case.

 

Arrest

On November 19, Amir Hossein Moradi was identified and arrested by the security services (through observing the CCTV footage). Mr. Moradi was kept in a solidarity confinement cell in ward 240 and 209 of Evin Prison for a month. He was beaten by the security agents during his arrest and interrogation. He was then transferred to Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

Mojgan Eskandari was also identified by the help of CCTV footage and was arrested on December 10, 2019, by the security forces. She was eventually transferred to Qarchak Prison from the detention center of an intelligence organization upon completion of her interrogation.

Mohammad Rajabi and Saeed Tamjidi, and Shima R. entered Turkey illegally on November 20, 2019. They first went to Van and then went to Ankara. On their way from Ankara to Antalya, they were arrested and were transferred to the security police station in Antalya where they explained their situations and provided documents about their friend Amir Hossein Moradi’s arrest and requested to file for asylum. Turkish Police introduced them to a woman who was claimed to be a representative of the United Nation. They gave her all their documents such as proof of their attendance in protests and explained their cases to her with the help of an interpreter.

Although they were told by the police that if they want their asylum case processed, they should stay in asylum camp for a year, they were arrested by the Turkish police before being extradited to the officials of the Islamic Republic. on December 26, 2019, the police transferred them to the city of Agri close to the Iranian border by a bus without any food or water for two days.

On December 28, 2019, the police officers deported them along with 30 other people including Adel Bahrami. At the border, they were told that their names have been listed as “escaped from Evin Prison”. Then, they were transferred to the security police in Maku and since their warrant was issued on behalf of Tehran security police, officers from Tehran came and transferred them to the Gisha security police detention center and then Evin Prison. On January 4, 2020, Mr, Rajabi was released from Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary on 500 million Toman bail. On January 19, 2020, he was summoned to Tehran’s Revolutionary Court and was arrested. On the same day, judge Abolghasem Salavati canceled his set bail and issued an arrest warrant for him. Then, he was arrested and transferred to Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

 

Interrogation

Mr. Moradi was kept in a solidarity confinement cell in ward 240 of Evin Prison for a month. He was beaten by the security agents during his arrest and interrogation. A source close to his family told HRANA that Mr. Moradi told his family that he was attacked by stun gun, threatened to spend more time in solidarity confinement, and was promised to have medical treatment (he suffers from a kind of nervous system disease) to put pressure on him to do a forced confession. He added that during one of his 13 interrogation sessions, a security agent stood on Mr. Moradi’s chest which caused injury to his ribs. Moreover, Amir Hossein Moradi was threatened and beaten by the officers at Gisha security detention center and Evin Prison and eventually, he was forced to have videotaped forced confessions. Because he was assuming Mr. Rajabi and Mr. Tamjidi had left Iran and are safe, in his forced confessions, he said that he did the alleged crimes with them.

Mr. Rjabai, Mr, Tamjidi, and Shima R, were severely beaten at Gisha security detention center and were forced to confess against each other. Mohammad Rajabi and Saeed Tamjidi also said that they were beaten by the security police to pressure them to do a forced confession. A source close to them who wanted to stay anonymous told HRANA that they told their families that “We confessed under torture and most of the accusations are false such as cooperating with People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (Mojahedin-e Khalq) which is an excuse to execute us. we attended the protests, but we did not set any bank or any properties ablaze. They added that “we were tired of the injustice in the country and we went to the street to protest that”.

 

Trial

Amir Hossein Moradi, Saeed Tamjidi, Mohammad Rajabi, Mojgan Eskandari, Shima R. were tried and have two hearings on January 25-26, 2020 at Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Abolghasem Salavati.

During the trial, Amir Hossein Moradi repeatedly mentioned that he confessed and was forced to have videotaped confession under pressure, torture, and threats and he denied all the charges. He added that he was assuming Mr. Rajabi and Mr. Tamjidi had left Iran and are safe, in his forced confessions, he said that he did the alleged crimes with them, but they did not do anything.

Also, Mohammad Rajabi told the judge that during interrogations he accepted things that he had never done, and he denied all the accusations.

According to a source close to the matter, Saeed Tamjidi and Mr. Rajabi were not allowed to choose a lawyer and their public defenders (Mr. Daryabeygi for Mr. Tamjidi) did not defend them properly and even told the judge that we are sad about his client’s actions.

The prosecutor’s representative, Amin Vaziri, accused them of planning the assembly and collusion since they attended protests on the other side of the city although they resided in the south side of Tehran. They responded that “we did not plan to be there, we were returning home from work, and on our way home we saw people chanting to protest the rise in fuel prices. We are humans and we got emotional because we were under financial pressure. We did not set any place on fire, you said that we set a gas station on fire but there is no gas station in a five kilometers radius of the place that we were at”.

Amin Vaziri (prosecutor’s representative)

Verdict

Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Salavati on February 19, 2020, sentenced Amir Hossein Moradi to death on the charge of “cooperating in vandalism and arson with an intent to act against the Islamic Republic of Iran”, 15 years in prison and 74 lashes for the charge of “cooperation in aggravated armed robbery at night” and one-year imprisonment for the charge of “crossing the border unlawfully”.

Saeed Tamjidi, and Mohammad Rajabi: They were each sentenced to death on the charge of “cooperating in vandalism and arson with an intent to act against the Islamic Republic of Iran”, 10 years in prison and 74 lashes for the charge of “cooperation in aggravated armed robbery at night” and one-year imprisonment for the charge of “crossing the border unlawfully”.

The reason for sentencing him to execution was mentioned as instructing protesters, the leadership of the protests, and armed fight with the agents. He was accused of instructing protesters on Telegram to seize the camera while the security agents are filming protesters to protect protesters’ identities.

Mojgan Eskandari was sentenced to three years in prison for the charge of “assembly and collusion”. She was arrested on December 10, 2019.

 

Bio

Amir Hossein Moradi was born on August 6, 1994, in Tehran. He finished high school in computer science and was working as a cell phone, computer, and software seller in Tehran. He has two sisters.

Saeed Tamjidi was born on May 22, 1992, and he is an undergraduate student in electrical engineering. He is suffering from a nervous system disease. He immigrated to Germany, but he returned to Iran because of a family issue. He has a brother.

Mohammad Rajabi was born on August 12, 1994, and holds a high school diploma. He was working as a real estate agent. He has four brothers.

Mr, Moradi, Mr.Tamjidi, and Mr. Rajabi are residing in Khazaneh on the south side of Tehran. Their workplaces are in Ponak. They were providing for their families. They are now in section five of the Great Tehran Penitentiary.

Mojgan Eskandari was born in 1969. Ms. Eskandari is now in ward 1 (Mother’s ward) of Qarchak Prison in Varamin.

Shima R was born in 1969 and she was arrested because she helped Mr.Tamjid and Mr, Rajabi in Turkey.

Coronavirus outbreak in Iranian prisons

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Prisoners
Abdolreza Kouhpaieh, Alireza Golipour, Amir Hossein Moradi, Amir Salar Davoudi, Amirhossein Khaleghi, aras amiri, Arash Sadeghi, Atena Daemi, Coronavirus, Esmaeil Abdi, Evin Prison, Farhad Meisami, Ghezel Hesar prison, great tehran penitentiary, Houman Jokar, Jafar Azimzadeh, Jafar Fazel, Jamil Ghahremani, Khorramabad Prison, Mahmoud Beheshti Langeroudi, Majid Asadi, Majid Azarpey, Mehrdad Mohammadnejad, Milad Arsanjani, Mohammad Abolhasani, Mohammad Banazadeh Amirkhizi, mohammad habibi, Mohammad Karimi, Mohammad Rajabi, Morad Tahbaz, Narges Mohammadi, Neda Naji, Niloufar Bayani, November Protests, Payam Shakiba, Peyman Koushkbaghi, Rajai Shahr Prison, Reza Gholamhosseini, Roeen Otoufat, Saeed Tamjidi, Sam Rajabi, Shahnaz Akmali, Taher Ghadirian, Urmia prison

On February 29, 2020, Ebrahim Raisi, the Chief Justice of Iran, issued a circular laying out policies to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in prisons.  This order mandates giving 15 -30 days furlough to prisoners with sentences less than five years. Another part of this order is about reducing entries into prisons, temporary releases, and public activities in prisons. In addition, this order mandates to increase alternative sentences and suspended prison terms instead of imprisonments.

Although the Chief Justice of Iran announced that the prisoners with less than five years prison term will be granted furlough, the prison authorities are not cooperative with political prisoners and prisoners of conscience to implement this regulation. As an example, Esmaeil Abdi and Negin Ghadamian were sentenced to five years imprisonment and after spending four and three years in prison respectively, they were not granted any furlough. Nazanin Zaghari’s husband reported that she is suspected to have Coronavirus. She is serving the 4th year of her five-year imprisonment sentence. Reportedly, three women were diagnosed with Coronavirus in Evin Prison.

The number of prisoners suspected of having coronavirus is increasing. Several prisoners suspected of having coronavirus were identified in Urmia, Khorramabad, Gorgan, Sanandaj, Qom, and other prisons.

 

A letter from political prisoner’s families

With the current spread of Coronavirus in prisons in Iran, some of the families of the political and security prisoners have written a letter to the judicial authorities on February 26, 2020, requesting furlough for prisoners until this crisis (Coronavirus) is over in the prisons. Considering the closed environment of the prison, malnutrition of the prisoners, shortage of medical care and facilities, high density of prisoners, and the occurrence of some cases suspected to be related to coronavirus has raised concerns of the families of prisoners.

The families of the following prisoners have signed this letter:

Mahmoud Beheshti Langeroudi, Esmaeil Abdi, Mohammad Habibi, Narges Mohammadi, Amir Salar Davoudi, Farhad Meisami, Roeen Otoufat, Jafar Azimzadeh, Shahnaz Akmali, Majid Azarpey, Atena Daemi, Sam Rajabi, Morad Tahbaz, Niloufar Bayani, Abdolreza Kouhpaieh, Amirhossein Khaleghi, Houman Jokar, Taher Ghadirian, Neda Naji, Mehrdad Mohammadnejad, Mohammad Abolhasani, Peyman Koushkbaghi, Aras Amiri, Jafar Fazel, and Alireza Golipour.

In some of the prisons, such as Khorramabad or Sanandaj Prisons, the prisoners asked the authorities to provide them with medical and hygiene necessities and to quarantine the prisoners who are suspected to be infected and have threatened that if this negligence is continuous, they will go on hunger strike. Other prisons such as Karaj, Tabriz, Evin and many other prisons across the country are also demanding similar precautions.

 

A death in Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary

It should be noted that on the same day, a prisoner of Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary who had symptoms similar to that of Coronavirus passed away after the prison authorities delayed in transferring him to the hospital to receive proper medical care. His name was Hamid Reza and he was 44 years old. He was convicted of a financial felony who was serving his sentence in Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary. He was initially diagnosed with symptoms of flu but after a few days, he started to cough and eventually passed away in the prion.

In addition, 60 prisoners of Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary who were working in the kitchen or service sector, were transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison. Moreover, 7 other prisoners in section 5 ward 2 have Coronavirus symptoms; they were kept in the medical ward without receiving medical care and were not transferred to the hospital.

 

Evin Prison and the violation of the Prisoners Classification Regulation

Amir Hossein Moradi, Saeed Tamjidi, Mohammad Rajabi, Milad Arsanjani, Jamil Ghahremani, and 15 other arrestees of the last November’s protests who were kept in Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary, were moved from their cell after an inmate was diagnosed with Coronavirus in their cell. Amir Hossein Moradi returned to prison on February 29, 2020, after spending a week in the hospital for another disease. He returned to his cell but after an hour he was transferred to the medical ward for his positive test results of Coronavirus. Although they were told that they will be transferred to Yaft Abad Hospital, they were transferred to ward 1 of this prison, which belongs to the prisoners who committed violent crimes. In June 2019, Alireza Shir Mohammadi, a political prisoner, was fatally stabbed in this ward by two other inmates of this ward who were charged with a drug felony. After this incident, the prison authorities moved other political prisoners from this ward to avoid future incidents. This is against prisoners’ segregation rule. According to a close source “section, 1 of the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary has 10 wards and one suite which had been used as an exile to punish the prisoners who get in the fight or carry drugs. Since 2018, the political prisoners have been transferred to this suite. This suite has limited facilities and does not even have access to prison commissaries. Their door should be locked all the time however, in the case of Mr. Shir Mohammadi, the warden intentionally did not lock the door which was illegal.

Alireza Shir Mohammadi, a 21-year-old political prisoner at the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary was murdered in prison on June 10, 2019. He was attacked by two other prisoners, who were later convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The prisoner in question was stabbed in the neck and stomach and died before arriving at the hospital. Shir Mohammad Ali was arrested on July 14, 2018, and was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of “blasphemy”, “insulting the former and current Supreme Leaders”, and “propaganda against the state”.  He was detained in a solitary confinement cell for 36 days after being arrested. His bail was set at 80 million Tomans but the Revolutionary Court illegally rejected his release on bail. Throughout his prosecution process, he did not have access to an attorney because of his financial conditions. He was waiting for the decision of the appeal’s court when he was murdered. He protested his detention along with non-political prisoners and went on a hunger strike on March 14, 2019, which ended on April 16 after prison authorities accepted his demands. He also wrote open letters criticizing the “unsafe” and “inhumane” conditions of Greater Tehran’s Penitentiary Prison. He wrote an open letter five days into his hunger strike on March 18, 2019. In this letter, he explained the awful condition he was experiencing in prison. In addition, he claimed that he was denied regular social rights that any prisoner is entitled to have. However, his main request, reflected in this letter, was to be transferred to another prison (Evin prison). No judicial authorities or prison officials reacted to his open letter. 

A prisoner of ward 4 of Evin Prison was transferred to an unknown place for his positive test results of Coronavirus. He kept with several other prisoners and political prisoners of this ward who are on hunger strike and are more vulnerable to this disease.

 

Khorramabad and Ghezel Hesar Prisons

On March 1, 2020, the prisoners of Khorramabad Prison have started a sit-in to protest not being sent to furlough although Coronavirus has spread in this prison. There is a shortage of access to medical care and hygiene products for the diagnosis and treatment of Coronavirus. Several prisoners who have symptoms of this disease did not receive any treatment and were kept with other prisoners. Several prisoners who went on furlough were returned to prison. A close source to a family of a prisoner in this prison told HRANA that a sick inmate with severe coughs received neither medical care nor disinfecting substances and hygiene products such as alcohol, mask, and gloves.

Two prisoners of Qezelhesar Prison, Basat Ali Khazaei, and Gholamhossein Abolfavaei were moved to the quarantine section in the health ward due to having positive test results of Coronavirus. They were charged with drug felony and kept in a ward with 500 other inmates.

 

Rajai Shahr and Urmia Prisons

The prisoners are deprived of medical care, disinfecting substances, and hygiene products such as alcohol, mask, and gloves.  Payam Shakiba, Mohammad Banazadeh Amirkhizi, and Majid Asadi are serving their third year in prison. Arash Sadeghi, who is diagnosed with Chondrosarcoma (bone cancer), has had an infection in his right hand, digestion issues, and because of his weak immune system should be prioritized to be granted a furlough. Saeed Shirzad is spending the last months of his prison sentence.

On March 2, 2020, Mohammad Ghanbardoost, a political prisoner, was transferred to the hospital due to having symptoms of coronavirus disease. He kept with other political prisoners and may infected others. He was arrested on August 16, 2017, and was sentenced to five years in prison on the charge of “cooperating with Takfiri groups”.

Several Coronavirus suspected patients in Urmia Prison were transferred to hospitals outside the prison. One Urmia prisoner died in hospital, but prison authorities claimed that he was infected outside the prison.

 

Update on political prisoners temporary releases

On March 3, 2020, Mohammad Karimi granted a furlough and temporarily released until April 3, 2020. Mr. Karimi was sentenced to one-year imprisonment on the charge of “propaganda against the state” which was upheld by the appeals court. on July 3, 2020, he was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison to serve his sentence.

On March 2, 2020, Shahnaz Akmali, political prisoner, was granted a furlough and temporarily released until April 3, 2020. She was arrested on January 15, 2020. She was sentenced to one-year imprisonment and was banned from having any social media account, membership in any group, and leaving the country on the charge of “propaganda against the state”. An appeals court upheld her sentence without hearing either Ms. Akmali or her attorney. She is the mother of Mostafa Karim Beygi one of the people who was killed by security forces during green movement uprising in 2009.

On February 29, 2020, Reza Gholamhosseini, a political prisoner of Bandar Abbas Prison, was granted a furlough and temporarily released until April 3, 2020. He was arrested on September 25, 2019, and was sentenced to three years imprisonment on the charges of “propaganda against the state” and “insulting supreme leader”. His sentence was reduced to 18 months later because he did not request an appeal.