Category: News

Marivan: Mohammad Hooshmand Sentenced to One Year in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
IRGC Intelligence, Marivan, Mohammad Hooshmand, Sanandaj, محمد هوشمند

HRANA – Mohammad Hooshmand, a resident of Marivan County, has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Revolutionary Court of this city.

According quoting Kurdpa, the ruling was handed down by the Marivan Revolutionary Court and communicated to Mr. Houshmand on September 23, 2025. Based on the verdict, he was convicted on the charge of membership in anti-regime groups and sentenced to one year in prison.

On May 16, 2025, Mr. Hooshmand was arrested by IRGC Intelligence forces in Marivan without a judicial warrant and transferred to Shahramfar Detention Center in Sanandaj. He was eventually released on bail on June 18, 2025.

Mohammad Hooshmand is a resident of Daretfi village in Marivan County.

Execution of a Prisoner in Nahavand Prison

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Executions, News
Bijan Soleimani, HRANA, Nahavand Prison

HRANA – At dawn on Wednesday, September 24, a prisoner previously sentenced to death on a murder charge was executed in Nahavand Prison.

HRANA has confirmed the identity of the prisoner as Bijan Soleimani. Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Soleimani had previously been arrested on a murder charge and later sentenced to death by a criminal court.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been announced by prison authorities or judicial officials.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Atash Shakarami Sentenced to 38 Lashes

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Freedom of Expression, News
Atash Shakarami, HRANA, Nika Shakarami, آتش شاکرمی, نیکا شاکرمی

HRANA – Atash Shakarami has been sentenced by the Lorestan Province Court of Appeals to receive 38 lashes.

Ms. Shakarami announced in a public statement that her conviction was recently confirmed in full by the Court of Appeals. She had previously been sentenced by Branch 106 of the Khorramabad Criminal Court (Second Class) to 38 lashes on the charge of “spreading falsehoods.”

Without mentioning specifics of the charges, Ms. Shakarami stated that the case was opened following a private complaint.

Atash Shakarami, who has a prior record of arrest, is the aunt of Nika Shakarami, one of those killed during the 2022 nationwide protests.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) strictly prohibits inhumane and degrading punishments such as flogging and amputation.

Naseh Lahijani Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Kurdpa, Mahabad, Naseh Lahijani, Piranshahr, Sardasht, ناصح لاهیجانی

HRANA – Naseh Lahijani, a resident of Piranshahr, has been sentenced to 10 years and one day in prison by the Mahabad Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, the sentence was recently issued by Branch 1 of the Mahabad Revolutionary Court and communicated to Mr. Lahijani. Based on the ruling, he was convicted on the charge of membership and collaboration with an opposition party and sentenced to 10 years and one day in prison.

About five months ago, after returning to Iran, Lahijani was arrested in the city of Sardasht by security forces. Following interrogation, he was transferred to Mahabad Prison.

During his detention, this citizen was denied access to a lawyer. He is now serving his sentence in Mahabad Prison.

Naseh Lahijani is from the village of “Hamzeh Abad” in Piranshahr County.

HRANA’s report shows that in 2024, Iranian regime courts—both primary and appeals courts—issued a total of 33,574 months of prison sentences (equivalent to 2,797 years) against Iranian citizens for their political and civil activities. This total represents more than a 1.5-fold increase compared to the previous five-year period.

Karaj Court Sentences Four to Death and Prison on Espionage Charges

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Executions, News
Alborz, Fazeli-Harikandi, moharebeh

HRANA – The head of Alborz Province’s Judiciary has announced the preliminary verdict issued for four defendants in a case related to espionage charges. According to this ruling, two of the defendants were sentenced to execution and imprisonment, while the other two received prison sentences.

According to Mizan, the head of Alborz Province’s Judiciary stated that two men from Karaj and a couple from Isfahan were tried by Branch 3 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court. Based on the preliminary ruling, two of the defendants were sentenced to execution and imprisonment, while the other two received prison terms. The total prison sentences imposed amount to more than 26 years. The ruling was issued on charges including “enmity against God (moharebeh),” “collaboration with hostile groups and the Zionist regime,” “assembly and collusion against national security,” “membership in a criminal group with the aim of disrupting national security,” and “propaganda against the regime.”

Hossein Fazeli-Harikandi alleged that the defendants had received training in manufacturing explosive projectiles, launchers, and firing techniques, and were tasked with attacking “one of the country’s important military centers” in late May of this year.

He further claimed that they were instructed to document their actions through photos and videos, though he provided no evidence or indication of transparent judicial procedures to support these assertions.

Reiterating security-related allegations, Fazeli-Harikandi accused the three men and one woman of links to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) and Mossad, asserting that they had been recruited online through intermediaries in neighboring countries. Without offering proof, he also accused them of sending coordinates of sensitive locations and setting fire to public sites.

The head of Alborz Province’s Judiciary did not reveal the defendants’ identities or clarify the conditions under which they were interrogated and made to confess.

Fazeli-Harikandi emphasized that the verdict is preliminary, and if appealed, the case will be referred to the Supreme Court for review.

The trial was held in mid-September at Branch 3 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court. The defendants had been arrested about one month before Israel’s military strike on Iran.

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Qarchak Varamin Prison: Repeated Deaths Caused by Lack of Medical Care and Treatment Facilities

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News, Prisoners
HRANA, Maryam Akbari-Monfared, Marziyeh Farsi, Parvin Mirasan, Qarchak Prison, Raheleh Rahemipour, Somayeh Rashidi, Sudabeh Asadi, Varamin

HRANA – Repeated Deaths in Qarchak Varamin Prison Amid Medical Neglect and Lack of Treatment Facilities

Systematic violations of prisoners’ rights in Qarchak Varamin Prison, particularly the denial of medical care, continue to result in fatalities. Inadequate access to health services and delays in transferring prisoners to hospitals remain among the most critical issues, repeatedly leading to preventable deaths.

In the most recent case, Somayeh Rashidi, a political detainee, died yesterday after prison doctors misdiagnosed her condition and failed to transfer her to a hospital in time. On Tuesday, September 16, she was eventually taken to Mofatteh Hospital in Varamin after her health deteriorated. By then, her level of consciousness was critically low, and doctors described her condition as beyond recovery.

Less than a week earlier, on Friday, September 19, Jamileh Azizi, a prisoner convicted of financial charges, also died following medical neglect. She was taken to the prison infirmary with symptoms of a heart attack. Despite clear warning signs, doctors dismissed her condition and sent her back to her ward, where she soon died in Moshar 2.

Today, HRANA also confirmed the death of Sudabeh Asadi, another prisoner held on financial charges, further underscoring the lethal consequences of medical deprivation in this facility.

A former staff member of Qarchak told HRANA:

“One of the prison’s most serious problems is poor medical care. The infirmary doesn’t even have a blood pressure monitor. Oxygen tanks are often empty, the ECG machine is broken, and no defibrillator is available. Transfers to hospitals face complicated procedures and are frequently blocked.”

He continued:

“Medical diagnoses are often incorrect, and prisoners are regularly accused of faking illness. Medicine is in short supply—sometimes a single bottle of syrup is given to all prisoners with a common cold. Because of overcrowding, each prisoner is allowed only one infirmary visit per month. Even basic equipment such as stretchers and wheelchairs is missing, severely limiting urgent care.”

A prisoner recently told family members about the behavior of medical staff:

“When we go to the infirmary, not only are we not properly examined, but we’re insulted with comments like, ‘You’re not dead yet,’ ‘Why do you keep coming here?’ and ‘I wish you’d die sooner.’”

According to HRANA’s information, several political prisoners—including Raheleh Rahemipour, Parvin Mirasan, Maryam Akbari Monfared, Marziyeh Farsi, and Shiva Esmaeili—suffer from multiple health problems. The number of non-political prisoners facing similar conditions remains unknown, though investigations are ongoing.

Qarchak Varamin Prison holds at least 1,000 inmates. A former employee told HRANA:

“The prison has at least 11 wards. Political prisoners are held in quarantine, financial prisoners and sick detainees in Moshar 2, and foreign nationals are housed among other prisoners depending on their charges.”

Additional concerns include frequent power and water outages, lack of cooling systems that contribute to widespread skin diseases, broken bathroom facilities that force inmates to queue for long periods, and failed ventilation that worsens already poor hygiene.

Food quality is another major issue. A relative of one inmate explained:

“Meals for prisoners convicted of general crimes are both smaller and of lower quality than those for others. If chicken is on the menu, they only get a few shredded scraps floating in broth—no real pieces of chicken in the stew.”

Following Israeli strikes on Evin Prison, HRANA reported the large-scale transfer of female political prisoners from Evin to Qarchak. Since then, those placed in Ward 11 (formerly the quarantine ward) have faced severe overcrowding, lack of ventilation, shortages of essential items, and discriminatory treatment by officials—conditions that families continue to raise concerns about, but which remain unresolved.

Latest Update on Heydar Niknia and Edris Ebrahimi, Political Prisoners in Urmia

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News, Prisoners
Edris Ebrahimi, Heydar Niknia, IRGC Intelligence, Sardasht, Urmia prison

HRANA – Political prisoners Heydar Niknia and Edris Ebrahimi have been serving their sentences in Urmia Prison for the past year.

Recently, following the issuance of an amnesty directive, the sentences of each were reduced to one year and eight months. Previously, the Urmia Revolutionary Court had sentenced them to two years and eight months in prison each, on charges of “collaboration with opposition groups.”

Niknia and Ebrahimi began serving their sentences in Urmia Prison in September 2023.

Niknia had earlier been arrested on July 3, 2023, after being summoned to the IRGC Intelligence office in the Silvaneh district. He was later released on bail before eventually being summoned to serve his sentence.

Heydar Niknia is from Urmia, and Edris Ebrahimi is from Sardasht.

More than Two Decades Behind Bars, Prisoner Profiles – No. 7: Gholamhossein Kalbi

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News, Prisoners
Dezful, Evin Prison, Gholamhossein Kalbi, moharebeh, غلامحسین کلبی

HRANA – Many political and religious prisoners in Iran have endured over twenty years behind bars. To prevent their cases from fading from public memory in the flow of daily news, HRANA has launched a series of reports highlighting their situations. Each installment outlines the prisoner’s legal case, detention conditions, access to rights, and immediate needs.

In this report, HRANA, the news arm of Human Rights Activists in Iran, examines the latest situation of Gholamhossein Kalbi after more than twenty years of imprisonment.

Information Sheet

• Name: Gholamhossein Kalbi

• Year of arrest: 2000 (1379 in the Iranian calendar)

• Charge: Moharebeh (“enmity against God”) through membership in the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK)

• Initial sentence: Death penalty

• Current sentence: Life imprisonment (commuted with one degree of reduction)

• Places of detention: After arrest, he spent 14 months in solitary confinement at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz, later held in Ward 209 and then Ward 350 of Evin Prison. In October 2007, following conviction, he was transferred to Mahshahr Prison, and later to Karoon Prison in Ahvaz. After the closure of Karoon Prison in February 2016, he was moved to Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, where he remains incarcerated to this day.

• Furlough / Access: No reports of furlough in recent years; limited access to family and lawyer.

• Current status: Still serving a life sentence, despite legal changes that could allow for review or reduction.

Case Narrative and Judicial Process

On January 8, 2001, Gholamhossein Kalbi was arrested in Dezful on charges of membership in the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization. In 2002, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death on the charge of Moharebeh. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. While this commutation avoided the escalation of punishment, it placed him in a category of indefinite imprisonment, which in practice can extend for decades and limit access to review mechanisms.

Key Points in the Case:

• Severe security charge: The label of Moharebeh in political-security cases in Iran is among the heaviest accusations, usually carrying wide-ranging judicial and executive consequences.

• Sentence reduction: The initial death sentence and its conversion to life imprisonment show both the gravity of the charges and the scope for judicial intervention—but do not necessarily correct potential injustices in the trial process.

• Continued imprisonment despite legal changes: Although legal reforms have made retrial, sentence reduction, or conditional release possible in some cases, Kalbi remains in prison.

Detention Conditions and Transfers

Over his decades in prison, Kalbi has been moved between several facilities. After his arrest, he spent 14 months in solitary confinement at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz, then was transferred to Ward 209 and later Ward 350 of Evin Prison. In October 2007, he was moved to Mahshahr Prison, where he was held for several years. Despite his family residing in Mahshahr, he was later transferred to Karoon Prison in Ahvaz. After that prison was closed, in February 2016, he was transferred to Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, where he has been held in various wards ever since.

In July 2021, after protesting prison conditions, officials at Sheiban Prison punished him by binding his hands and feet and leaving him for hours under the scorching sun. He was then transferred to a ward worse than the previous one, prompting him to go on hunger strike.

In April 2024, he was placed in Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison without regard for the principle of separation of crimes. Later, in November 2024, he was transferred to the prison’s security ward, under overcrowded conditions without adequate space for walking. He remains there today.

Observations on Standards of Detention

• Repeated transfers: Frequent movements between wards and prisons disrupt access to family, lawyer, and medical care.

• Solitary confinement as punishment: Kalbi spent 14 months in solitary confinement at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz. International standards require solitary confinement to be exceptional, time-limited, and supervised.

• Exposure to violence: Reports document both physical and verbal abuse during his imprisonment in Sheiban Prison. Notably, in July 2021, he was tied up and left under extreme heat as punishment for protesting prison conditions. Such incidents highlight the need for independent documentation and legal accountability.

• Medical neglect: Despite suffering from heart disease, hernia, dental infections, jaw and gum problems, spinal and neck arthritis, fungal infection leading to severe toenail disease, high cholesterol, chronic ear infection with hearing loss, Kalbi has consistently been denied transfer to hospitals or specialized treatment. “Access to medical care” is a fundamental right recognized in Iranian law, international treaties, and human rights standards. Systematic denial of medical care constitutes inhuman treatment and violates both the right to health and, in some cases, the right to life, often being used as an instrument of coercion and repression.

Access to Family, Lawyer, and Furlough

In recent years, Kalbi has not been granted furlough. His access to his family and lawyer has been reported as limited. These restrictions not only have psychological and social consequences but also undermine his ability to mount an effective legal defense or pursue retrial mechanisms.

Potential Legal Remedies (General Recommendations)

1. Retrial: Based on new evidence or substantive/procedural flaws in the original ruling.

2. Sentence reduction or conversion: If legal grounds exist.

3. Conditional release / suspension of sentence: Subject to conditions such as time served, good behavior, or health status.

4. Redress for rights violations during detention: Including access to healthcare, protection from violence, and regular visits.

5. International advocacy and documentation: If domestic remedies are blocked, use of international reporting and human rights mechanisms.

Summary Timeline

• 2001: Arrest; charge of Moharebeh through MEK membership.

• Initial sentence: Death; commuted to life imprisonment.

• Post-arrest: 14 months in solitary at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz, then Ward 209 and 350 of Evin.

• 2007 (1386): Transferred to Mahshahr Prison.

• 2016 (1394): Transferred to Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz.

• July 2021 (Tir 1400): Punitive torture reported—hands and feet tied, left for hours under scorching sun.

• April 2024 (Farvardin 1403): Moved to Ward 5 of Sheiban Prison without separation of crimes.

• November 2024 (Aban 1403): Transferred to security ward of Sheiban Prison.

• Recent years: No furlough, denial of medical care, restricted access to family and lawyer.

• Current status: Serving life sentence despite potential legal changes allowing review.

Conclusion and Importance of Case Review

Despite legal changes that allow retrials, sentence reductions, or conditional release for those convicted of Moharebeh, Kalbi remains imprisoned. His case illustrates the plight of long-term political-security prisoners in Iran, whose files deserve review as a crucial step toward freedom and justice.

His situation highlights both the denial of fundamental rights during detention (furlough, visits, legal representation) and the urgent need to use all domestic and international legal mechanisms for review and reduction of such lengthy sentences.

Urgent Needs

• Regular, non-discriminatory access to lawyer and family.

• Independent medical evaluation, especially regarding torture allegations and chronic illnesses.

• Consideration for retrial or other legal remedies for sentence reduction/termination under current laws.

• Enforcement of prison regulations regarding calls, visits, and furlough.

• Adequate medical services and treatment.

About this Series

This report is part of the “Two Decades Behind Bars” series, which aims to document the cases of long-term prisoners and to highlight the collective responsibility to ensure their visibility and pursue their rights.

Uncertainty Surrounds the Situation of Detained Citizen Arman Oskouei in Mashhad

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News, Prisoners
Arman Oskooie, Arman Oskouei, HRANA, Mashhad, آرمان اسکویی

HRANA  – Seyed Arman Oskouei, a resident of Mashhad, has been in custody for six days after being arrested by security forces in the city. His whereabouts and current condition remain unknown.

A source close to his family told HRANA:
“On Saturday, September 20, Arman Oskouei was arrested by security forces in Mashhad. Since his arrest, he has had no contact with his family. Efforts by his family to obtain information from judicial and security authorities about his fate have yielded no results. The lack of information has deepened the family’s concern for his safety.”

Further details, including the reasons for his arrest and the charges against him, are still under investigation by HRANA.

Seyed Arman Oskouei, 30, and a resident of Mashhad, was previously arrested by security forces during the nationwide protests of 2022 and later released.

Following Delay in Hospital Transfer; Somayeh Rashidi Dies

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Qarchak, Somayeh Rashidi, Varamin, سمیه رشیدی

HRANA- Somayeh Rashidi, a detained citizen, died in hospital on the morning of Thursday, September 25, after prison officials delayed her transfer to medical facilities and failed to provide adequate medical care.

On September 16, her health sharply deteriorated, and she suffered a severe seizure. In a state of severely reduced consciousness, she was transferred from Qarchak Prison in Varamin to Mofatteh Hospital, where she later passed away.

A source close to her family told HRANA:
“Ms. Rashidi had long complained of health problems, but prison officials, despite her repeated visits to the infirmary, refused to take her condition seriously. On some occasions, they even accused her of faking illness. She was only given psychiatric and sedative medications, which further worsened her health. On September 15, she suffered a severe seizure and was taken to Mofatteh Hospital with a consciousness level of five. According to hospital doctors, the delay in her transfer was the primary cause of her irreversible deterioration.”

The Judiciary’s media center, while confirming her death, claimed that upon entering prison, Ms. Rashidi disclosed an addiction to synthetic drugs as well as a history of psychiatric disorders and seizures. Mizan News Agency further alleged that she had been prescribed and received all necessary medications by prison doctors.

The Judiciary also stated that during her detention, Ms. Rashidi was examined eight times by a general practitioner, six times by psychiatric and internal medicine specialists, and was twice referred to forensic authorities for psychological evaluation.

However, information obtained by HRANA indicates that her condition steadily declined throughout detention, and that the medical care provided was inadequate and, at times, substandard. Her family had previously expressed concern over her health, but their warnings went unheeded.

Instead of addressing the circumstances of her death, Judiciary-affiliated outlets focused their reporting on her alleged background, claiming links to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) and past arrests on similar accusations. They further alleged involvement in sabotage activities, while failing to acknowledge the delays in her transfer to hospital, the medical neglect she endured, or the state’s legal responsibility for her health and safety in custody. Publishing such claims posthumously, without verifiable evidence, raises concerns that officials are attempting to deflect accountability for her death.

Ms. Rashidi was arrested on April 25 of this year for writing slogans in the Javadieh neighborhood of Tehran. After two days in custody at the 15 Khordad Police Investigation Center, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison. Following the Israeli attack on Evin Prison, she and dozens of other women were relocated to Qarchak Women’s Prison in Varamin.

Throughout her detention, Ms. Rashidi struggled with ongoing medical issues and lack of adequate care. A source close to her family told HRANA:
“Somayeh Rashidi had a history of psychiatric disorders that appeared periodically. These episodes caused loss of concentration and impaired movement, at times leaving her unable to walk or manage daily tasks without the help of fellow prisoners.”

Somayeh Rashidi was born in 1983 and lived in Tehran.