Category: News

Two Prisoners Executed in Birjand Prison

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Executions, News
Abbas Bamari, Birjand Prison, Mohammad Raei, بیرجند

According to Iran Human Rights, at dawn on Saturday, March 1, two prisoners were executed in Birjand Prison, South Khorasan province.

As reported, the executions involved Abbas Bamari, who had been sentenced to death on drug-related charges, and Mohammad Raei, a 33-year-old man from a village in Torbate Heydarieh County.

According to the report, Raei was arrested three years ago on murder charges and later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, prison and judicial authorities have not officially announced these executions.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

74 Lashes Sentence for Singer Mehdi Yarrahi Carried Out in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, flogging, Iman Afshari, Mehdi Yarahi, Mehdi Yarrahi, Tehran, مهدی یراحی

HRANA News Agency – Today, March 5, 2025, the sentence of 74 lashes for singer and composer Mehdi Yarrahi was carried out at Tehran’s Morality Security Prosecutor’s Office.

His lawyer, Zahra Minooie, stated:
“Today, on March 5, 2025, the final part of the rulings issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, consisting of 74 lashes, was fully executed at Branch 4 of the Sentence Enforcement Office of the Morality Security Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran. As a result, Mr. Mehdi Yarrahi’s case has been closed.”

In December 2024, Yarrahi’s one-year prison sentence, which had been converted to electronic ankle monitoring, ended, leading to his release. However, the return of his 15 billion toman bail was contingent on the execution of his flogging sentence.

On September 26, 2023, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Yarrahi to two years and eight months in prison and 74 lashes on charges of:

. Propaganda against the regime
. Encouraging corruption and depravity
. Producing and distributing immoral content
. Inciting and encouraging acts against public morality through online platforms

The Tehran Court of Appeals later upheld the verdict. Eventually, on February 20, 2024, his sentence was carried out under movement restrictions via electronic ankle monitoring.

Mehdi Yarrahi was initially arrested on August 28, 2023, following the release of his song “Roo Sarito” (Your Headscarf) by order of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office. He was later released on bail from Evin Prison in October of that year.

Notably, due to his support for the 2022 nationwide protests, the Tehran Public Prosecutor’s Office had previously declared him “prohibited from financial transactions.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) strictly prohibits inhumane and degrading punishments such as flogging and amputation. However, in 2024, HRANA documented at least three cases where flogging sentences were carried out, totaling 106 lashes. Additionally, at least 131 individuals were sentenced to a combined 9,957 lashes by the Iranian judiciary.

Furthermore, four individuals had their hand amputation sentences executed, while four others were sentenced to amputation.
For detailed statistics and further insights, read HRANA’s 2024 Annual Report

Seven Prisoners Executed in Zahedan Prison

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Executions, News
Zabol, Zahedan, Zahedan Prison

HRANA News Agency – The death sentences of seven prisoners previously convicted on drug-related charges and murder were carried out in Zahedan Prison.

According to the Baloch Activists Campaign, at dawn on Saturday, March 1, 2025, seven prisoners, including two Afghan nationals, were executed in Zahedan Prison.

The identities of the executed prisoners have been reported as:

  • Basir Roudini, 31, from Zahedan
  • Farhad Dahmardeh, 46, father of four, from Zabol
  • Musa Pahang, 43, father of two, from Zahedan
  • Ghasem Ghanbar-Dezaki, 39, father of one, from Mirjaveh
  • Morad Sabero (Badpa), 40,
  • Sa’adullah Zarei, 28, from Afghanistan
  • Asim Charikar, 30, from Afghanistan

According to this report, Sabero (Badpa) and Roudini were arrested in 2021 on murder charges and later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

The other five prisoners—Ghanbar-Dezakiand Dahmardeh (arrested in 2020), Pahang (arrested in 2019), and Zarei and Charikar (arrested in 2022)—had been sentenced to death for drug-related offenses.

As of the time of this report, prison and judicial authorities have not officially announced these executions.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

Iman Khedri Arrested in Masjed Soleyman

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Freedom of Expression, News
irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Khuzestan, Masjed-Soleyman

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, March 4, Iman Khedri, a resident of Masjed Soleyman, Khuzestan province, was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents at his home and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to information received by HRANA, IRGC Intelligence agents arrested Khedri at his residence in Masjed Soleyman. The arrest was carried out with violence, including beatings and the use of an electric shocker.

As of the time of this report, there is no information on his whereabouts or the charges against him.

Khedri has previously been arrested and faced security-related pressures due to his activities.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Amin Taghizadeh Arrested

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Amin Taghizadeh, Amin Taqizadeh, Saman Bidar, امین تقی زاده

HRANA News Agency – On Saturday, March 1, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Amin Taghizadeh was arrested after appearing at Branch 10 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Tabriz.

The reasons for his summons and arrest remain unknown, and there is no information about his current whereabouts or any charges against him.

Notably, on the same day, another Azerbaijani-Turk activist, Saman Bidar, was arrested in Ardabil by IRGC Intelligence agents.

Taghizadeh has previously faced judicial actions due to his activism.

In 2024, HRA documented the arrests of 262 individuals from ethnic minority groups or those advocating for ethnic minority rights, including Azerbaijani-Turk activists.

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Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Saman Bidar Arrested by Security Forces in Ardabil

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Ardabil, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Saman Bidar, سامان بیدار

HRANA News Agency – Saman Bidar, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents in Ardabil on Saturday, March 1, and transferred to an undisclosed location.

Despite four days having passed since his arrest, his family’s efforts to obtain information from judicial and security authorities about his whereabouts and condition have been unsuccessful.

The reasons for his arrest and any charges against him remain unknown.

Saman Bidar has previously been arrested and sentenced due to his activism.

Juvenile Offender Faces Execution in Yasuj; Family Appeals for Public Support

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Children, Executions, News
HRANA, Sasan Shadman, Yasuj

HRANA News Agency – Sasan Shadman, an 18-year-old resident of Yasuj, has been sentenced to death by a criminal court for a murder he committed at the age of 16. His family is urgently seeking to raise the required diya (blood money) in an effort to prevent the execution.

A source close to the family told HRANA, “Sasan was only 16 when, due to an unfortunate mistake, he became involved in a fatal incident. He was later sentenced to death by the criminal court.”

In a public plea, his family has called for assistance in collecting the necessary diya, hoping to secure a reprieve from execution.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

Esmail Fekri and Mohsen Langarneshin Transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison; One Sentenced to Death

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Esmail Fekri, Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar prison, Mohsen Langarneshin

HRANA News Agency – Esmail Fekri, a prisoner sentenced to death on espionage charges, and Mohsen Langarneshin, another prisoner facing similar accusations, were transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj on February 15.

Both prisoners are currently being held in the quarantine section of Unit Three at Ghezel Hesar. Fekri has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court, while Langarneshin has been ordered to pay financial restitution and a monetary fine for the same charge.

A source close to the prisoners told HRANA:
“It is possible that Mohsen Langarneshin has additional sentences that have not yet been publicly disclosed.”

Before their transfer, the two detainees were held in Ward 4 of Evin Prison.

Details regarding their cases and backgrounds remain unclear. HRANA will provide updates as more information becomes available.

While espionage-related offenses are not inherently considered human rights violations, Iran has a longstanding pattern of using such allegations to target political opponents. The lack of transparency in these cases, particularly regarding evidence, legal proceedings, and access to defense rights, raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of the charges.

Prisoners accused of espionage in Iran often face severe restrictions and are deprived of fundamental rights. Past cases have revealed denial of legal representation, closed-door trials, and disproportionately harsh sentences imposed without due process.

Appeals Court Upholds Mehdi Hemmati’s 5-Year Prison Sentence

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News, Prisoners
Abolghasem Salavati, irgc, Jina Amini, Mahsa Amini, Mehdi Hemmati, Tehran

HRANA News Agency – Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals has upheld the five-year prison sentence of Mehdi Hemmati, a political prisoner currently held in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

As per the verdict recently issued by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals and communicated to Hemmati, he has been sentenced to five years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion to commit a crime against national security.” This sentence was initially handed down by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati.

Additionally, in another part of his case, Branch 1147 of the Tehran Criminal Court sentenced Hemmati to 10 months in prison for “disrupting public order,” five months in prison, and 30 lashes for “possession of explosive materials.” This ruling was later upheld by Branch 34 of the Court of Appeals.

Mehdi Hemmati was arrested during the 40-day memorial ceremony for Mahsa (Jina) Amini in Tehran. He spent time in detention at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) detention facility in Tehran, where he was subjected to torture and denied access to legal representation. He was later transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

Hassan Bagherinia Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Prison and Additional Punishments

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Freedom of Expression, News
Gholamreza Akbari Moghadam, Hakim Sabzevari University, Hassan Bagherinia, حسن باقری نیا

HRANA News Agency – Hassan Bagherinia, a former faculty member at Hakim Sabzevari University, has been sentenced by Branch 1 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court to 10 years and 9 months in prison, along with a two-year ban on teaching in universities and other educational institutions, and a two-year travel ban.

Five years of his sentence have been suspended for a period of five years. Another part of his case is currently under review in Branch 1 of the Mashhad Criminal Court.