Category: News

Ilya Bakhshaei Remains Imprisoned in Evin as Five-Year Sentence Stands

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, HRANA, Ilya Bakhshaei, Yazd, ایلیا بخشایی

HRANA – Ilya Bakhshaei, a student at the University of Yazd and one of those arrested during the January 2026 protests, is currently serving his prison sentence in Evin Prison. He was sentenced to five years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court at the trial stage, and the verdict was upheld in full on appeal.

A source close to the family, confirming the matter to HRANA, said: “Mr. Bakhshaei, who is being held in Evin Prison, recently submitted a request for judicial review of his case to the Supreme Court.”

According to information received by HRANA, the University of Yazd student was sentenced at the trial stage by the Revolutionary Court to five years in prison on charges of assembly and collusion to act against national security. The verdict was later upheld in its entirety by Branch 21 of the Tehran Province Court of Appeals.

Ilya Bakhshaei, a sports sciences student at the University of Yazd, was arrested in January 2026 in connection with the nationwide protests.

Following Sentence Consolidation, Vadood Asadi Sentenced to Eight Years and One Month in Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Ayaz Seifkhah, Azerbaijani Turk activist, HRANA, Karam Mardaneh, Mahmoud Ojaghlou, Morteza Parvin, Taher Naghavi, Vadood Asadi

HRANA – Following the acceptance of a request to consolidate sentences, the Gilan Province Court of Appeals revoked the previous convictions of Vadood Asadi, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist imprisoned in Evin Prison, and sentenced him in a new ruling to eight years and one month in prison. He had previously been sentenced to a total of six years and three months of imprisonment in two separate cases.

According to HRANA, after accepting the request for sentence consolidation, Branch 11 of the Gilan Province Court of Appeals, presided over by Mohammad Sadegh Iran-Aghideh and Esmaeil Rostami Taromsari, annulled Mr. Asadi’s previous sentences and issued a new verdict.

Under this ruling, Mr. Asadi was sentenced to:

• Six years and one month in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security”;
• Eight months in prison for “propaganda against the regime in favor of anti-regime and opposition groups”;
• Sixteen months in prison for “insulting the Supreme Leader”.

Additionally, a hearing concerning charges brought against Mr. Asadi in a case opened against him during his imprisonment was held on April 25, 2026. Mr. Asadi, along with Morteza Parvin, Taher Naghavi, Mahmoud Ojaghlou, and three other defendants in the case, refused to attend the court session.

In March 2026, an interrogation session for Taher Naghavi, a lawyer, and imprisoned Azerbaijani-Turk activists Morteza Parvin-Joda, Vadood Asadi, Ayaz Seifkhah, Karam Mardaneh, and Araz Aman was held via videoconference. During the session, investigator Nasser Jalayi formally charged the prisoners with propaganda against the regime. Their hunger strike, publication of protest statements, and support for the nationwide protests of December 2025 were cited as the reasons for opening the case.

In May 2025, Vadood Asadi, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, was sentenced by Branch 11 of the Gilan Province Court of Appeals to a total of five years and six months in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime, membership in anti-regime groups, and insulting the Supreme Leader.

Earlier, in late October 2024, in a separate case, Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, sentenced Mr. Asadi to four years of discretionary imprisonment on charges of assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. This prison sentence was later covered by an amnesty and reduced to one year of imprisonment. After he accepted the verdict, one-fourth of his remaining sentence was further reduced, and he was ultimately sentenced to nine months in prison.

Political Prisoner Fatemeh Sepehri Has Been on Hunger Strike for Seven Days

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News, Prisoners
Ali Sepehri, Fatemeh Sepehri, HRANA, Vakilabad prison, فاطمه سپهری

HRANA – Fatemeh Sepehri, a political prisoner held in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, has been on strike since Wednesday, June 17, in protest against the authorities’ disregard for her demands. Following a visit with the political prisoner today, her family expressed concern over her physical condition.

According to HRANA, political prisoner Fatemeh Sepehri is in the seventh day of her hunger strike.

Ali Sepehri, her brother, stated that Ms. Sepehri began a hunger strike and medication strike on Wednesday, June 17, in protest against what she described as insults, harassment, and mistreatment by Fariba Hatampour, the internal manager of the women’s ward at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. He added that during this period, the prison authorities’ only action has been to transfer her daily to the infirmary and administer glucose IV fluids. During today’s visit, her family described Fatemeh Sepehri’s physical condition as alarming.

According to Mr. Sepehri, despite the family’s repeated efforts to secure a suspension of her sentence or medical leave, none of the authorities have responded to the situation.

In March 2025, Fatemeh Sepehri was sentenced to prison in a joint case with her brother, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, by Branch Five of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad. Each of them received a sentence of three years and nine months in prison. The case relates to a letter the two political prisoners published from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad on December 26, 2024.

In June 2024, Fatemeh Sepehri, in another joint case with her brothers Mohammad Hossein and Hossein Sepehri, was sentenced to 18 years and six months in prison.

Previously, in March  2023, the Criminal Court of Mashhad sentenced Fatemeh Sepehri to one year of discretionary imprisonment and a fine of 20 million tomans on charges of spreading falsehoods and disturbing public opinion.

In another case, Fatemeh Sepehri was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of cooperating with hostile states. She was also sentenced to five years for assembly and collusion, two years for insulting the Supreme Leader, and one year for propaganda against the state. These sentences were upheld on appeal. Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, 10 years of these sentences are enforceable.

Ms. Sepehri is one of the signatories of the letter calling for the resignation of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. For this reason, she was initially sentenced by Branch Four of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad to five years of discretionary imprisonment. The sentence was later reduced on appeal to three years and six months. She was subsequently released from prison in 2020 under a five-year suspended sentence arrangement.

Teacher Hadi Jalali Sentenced to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Hadi Jalali, HRANA, Kerman

HRANA – The conviction of Hadi Jalali, a teacher residing in Kerman, has been upheld in full by Branch 7 of the Kerman Province Court of Appeals. He had previously been sentenced to two years and seven months in prison by the Revolutionary Court.

According to a report by HRANA, citing the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Hadi Jalali has been sentenced to imprisonment.

According to a ruling issued by Branch Seven of the Kerman Province Court of Appeals on June 9, 2026, Mr. Jalali was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison on the charge of disrupting the country’s security.

The report states that the appellate court’s decision was issued only eight days after the case was referred to the court, without holding a defense hearing and without giving him an opportunity to present explanations.

The hearing on the charges against Hadi Jalali was held on February 11, 2025, in Branch One of the Revolutionary Court of Kerman. In the initial proceedings, the court sentenced him to the same term of imprisonment.

“Exchanging information with individuals linked to Israel and engaging in media and propaganda activities” were cited as examples of the charges brought against this teacher.

In September 2024, Mr. Jalali was formally charged by Branch Five of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Kerman, and the indictment in his case was issued in November of the same year.

Hadi Jalali, a teacher residing in Kerman, was arrested by security forces in August 2024 and was released after approximately one month upon posting bail of one billion tomans.

He had also been briefly detained on two separate occasions in April and May 2024.

Execution of Four Prisoners in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz and Shirvan Prison

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Executions, News

HRANA – The death sentences of four prisoners, who had previously been sentenced to death in separate cases on charges related to drug offenses and murder, were carried out in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz and Shirvan Prison.

According to a report by the Iran Human Rights Organization, four prisoners were executed in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz and Shirvan Prison. The identities of the prisoners have been reported as Mir-Vais Khalilzadi, 55, Ebrahim Ahmadshahi, approximately 40, Nasrollah Khodadadi, 36, from Shirvan, and Fereydoun Varasteh, approximately 40 years old and the father of one child.

According to the report, Khalilzadi had been arrested two years ago on charges related to drug offenses and was sentenced to death. Ebrahim Ahmadshahi had also been arrested approximately one year and two months ago on similar charges and sentenced to death. The executions of these two Afghan nationals were carried out on Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.

Fereydoun Varasteh had also been arrested approximately two years ago on a murder charge and was sentenced to death by a criminal court. He was executed on June 17, 2026, in Shirvan Prison.

Nasrollah Khodadadi was executed on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Shirvan Prison. Earlier that day, another prisoner, Amin Rajabian, who had previously been sentenced to death on a murder charge, was also executed in the same prison.

As of the time of publication of this report, the executions of these prisoners have not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

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Kokab Badaghi Pegah Sentenced to One Year in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
ahvaz, HRANA, Izeh, Kokab Badaghi Pegah, کوکب بداغی پگاه

HRANA – Kokab Badaghi Pegah, a teacher residing in Izeh, Khuzestan province, has been sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 101 of the Criminal Court Two of Ahvaz.

According to a report by HRANA, citing the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Kokab Badaghi Pegah has been sentenced to imprisonment. Based on the report, Ms. Badaghi Pegah was sentenced by Branch 101 of the Criminal Court Two of Ahvaz to one year of discretionary imprisonment on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

In January 2026, Badaghi Pegah was summoned to the Intelligence Department of Izeh after receiving an official notice. At the same time, security forces searched her home and confiscated some of her personal belongings.

In December 2025, Branch 20 of the Khuzestan Province Court of Appeals acquitted Ms. Badaghi Pegah of the charges in a separate case. She had previously been sentenced to six years in prison by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court in the initial stage of those proceedings.

In September 2025, Ms. Badaghi Pegah was also sentenced to a three-month suspension from public service by the Appeals Board for Administrative Violations of the Khuzestan Province Department of Education.

Kokab Badaghi Pegah, a labor rights activist among teachers in Khuzestan Province, has previously faced judicial actions due to her activities.

Sari Prosecutor: 700 Cases Opened in Connection with January 2026 protests

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Freedom of Expression, News
January 2026 Protests, Sari

HRANA – The Prosecutor of Sari announced that 700 judicial cases have been opened in connection with January 2026 protests. Of these, around 450 cases have been referred to the Revolutionary Court following the issuance of indictments. He also reported the identification of 139 cases of what he described as “activities against the regime.”

According to HRANA, citing Mehr News Agency, 700 cases have been opened in Sari in relation to January 2026 protests.

Announcing the figures, the Prosecutor of Sari stated that nearly 450 of these cases had been referred to the Revolutionary Court after indictments were issued.

He further added: “So far, 139 cases of affiliation with and activities against the Islamic Republic of Iran have been identified and documented. Some of these individuals reside outside the country and engage in anti-state activities through propaganda, media activities, and organizing actions against the regime.”

According to him, these 139 cases were identified by “security institutions, including the IRGC, the Ministry of Intelligence, and the Law Enforcement Command.”

The report does not provide the identities of the individuals concerned or any details regarding their cases.

It should be noted that protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.

Zahedan: Sentences Issued for 111 Detainees from January 2026 Protests

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Prosecutor of Zahedan, Zahedan

HRANA – The Prosecutor of Zahedan announced that judicial verdicts have been issued for 111 individuals detained during the January 2026 protests following the issuance of indictments and the completion of legal proceedings. Some of these sentences have already been carried out. He also reported that rulings have been issued in a number of cases related to the recent war.

According to HRANA, citing IRIB, the Prosecutor of Zahedan announced the convictions of 111 detainees arrested during the 2026 nationwide protests.

Mehdi Shamsabadi stated that indictments had been issued for 111 individuals detained during the 2026 nationwide protests and that judicial rulings were subsequently issued after legal proceedings were completed. According to him, some of these sentences have already been enforced, while the remainder will be implemented once the verdicts become final.

Regarding those arrested in connection with the recent war, he said: “Indictments have also been issued for the defendants in these cases, and judicial proceedings are currently underway. Some of the cases have resulted in verdicts, while in certain instances the implementation of sentences depends on the arrest of defendants who remain at large.”

The report does not specify the number of defendants in the cases related to the war, nor does it provide details regarding the other convicted individuals or the nature of their cases.

Two Prisoners Executed in Zabol Prison for Drug-related Charges

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Executions, News
Hossein Yousofzehi, HRANA, Zabol Prison

HRANA – Yesterday, June 21, 2026, the death sentences of two prisoners, including an Afghan national, who had previously been convicted on drug-related charges, were carried out in Zabol Prison.

According to Haal Vsh, two prisoners were hanged in Zabol Prison on June 21, 2026.

The identities of the prisoners have been reported as Homayoun Nourzahi, approximately 70 years old and a citizen of Afghanistan, and Hossein Yousofzahi, a resident of Tabasin Olya village in Nahbandan County.

According to the report, Mr. Yousofzahi was arrested in 1998, while Mr. Nourzahi was arrested two years ago, both on charges related to drug offenses. They were subsequently sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

As of the time of this report, the executions of these two prisoners have not been officially announced by prison authorities or the relevant institutions.

According to HRA’s Annual Report, in 2025 at least 2,063 citizens, including 61 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the sentences of 11 individuals were carried out in public. During the same period, 172 other individuals were sentenced to death.

January 2026 Protests: Mehdi Karimi Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, January 2026 Protests, Mehdi Karimi

HRANA – Mehdi Karimi, a resident of Malekshahi who had been under judicial prosecution after a photo of him during the 2026 nationwide protests was published, was arrested on Thursday, June 18, 2026, by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence in the city of Mehran. Several days after his arrest, no information is available regarding his whereabouts or condition. A video of his forced confession has also been released by state media, although the circumstances under which it was recorded remain unclear.

According to HRANA, Mehdi Karimi was arrested in Mehran, Ilam province.

A source close to Mr. Karimi’s family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “During the protests in Malekshahi, an image of Mr. Karimi sitting on a chair in front of the governor’s office building was published. Some time later, he came under judicial prosecution in connection with this issue and his participation in the protests. On Thursday, June 18, 2026, he was arrested in the city of Mehran by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and was beaten during the arrest. The efforts of his family and relatives to obtain information about his whereabouts and condition have so far been unsuccessful.”

According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Karimi’s physical condition has reportedly deteriorated following his arrest. This has heightened concerns among his family and relatives regarding his well-being. He has also been denied access to legal counsel.

At the same time, a video of this citizen’s forced confession has been released, although it remains unclear under what conditions it was recorded.

Yesterday, Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence announced in a statement the arrest of 17 citizens in connection with the January nationwide protests in Ilam Province. In the statement, Mr. Karimi was identified only as “Mehdi-K.”

It should be noted that protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.