Category: Prisoners

Abdolrasoul Mortazavi Receives Two-Year Sentence in Prison for New Legal Case

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, Ayatollah Khamenei, Dastgerd Prison, Evin Prison, Rajai Shahr Prison

Political prisoner Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, currently serving an eleven-year sentence in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, has been handed an additional two-year sentence for a new legal case initiated while in prison.

Confirming the recent ruling, a source close to Mortazavi’s family informed HRANA that the Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced him to two years. The legal case was triggered by Mortazavi’s voice message titled “Joking with the world leader of the clowns,” recorded in Rajai Shahr Prison in April-May 2022.

In mid-August 2019, Mortazavi and 13 civil society activists penned an open letter urging Ayatollah Khamenei to step down, resulting in a 26-year prison sentence, with 11 years currently in effect. He is currently serving this sentence in Dastgerd Prison.

Additionally, Mortazavi was sentenced to an extra two years in absentia by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for alleged “propaganda against the regime and disturbing public order.”

An Iran-Iraq war-injured veteran, Mortazavi was initially incarcerated in Evin Prison. In March 2021, he was transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison and later, in the following year, exiled to Dastgerd Prison.

Shahab Nadali Receives Death Sentence

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Executions, Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Baghi, Iman Afshari, Mojahedin-e-Khalq, Shahab Nadali

Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court has handed down a death sentence to Shahab Nadali Joozani for charges related to “Baghi” (Armed rebellion) through membership in Munafiqin (a term used by the regime referring to People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran or Mojahedin-e-Khalq). In addition, Nadali has been sentenced to five years in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security.” He is currently incarcerated in Evin Prison.

Presiding over the court, Judge Iman Afshari personally delivered the verdict to Nadali. Meanwhile, the second-row defendant, Hesamedin Alvani, has been acquitted of the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

As reported by HRANA, Nadali’s lawyer, Mohammad-Saleh Noghrehkar, has filed an appeal against the verdict.

Nadali, a 41-year-old resident of Hamedan and father of a 12-year-old daughter, was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence on June 7, 2023.

Reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA in 2023 indicate a total of 193 cases in which Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, has been involved in issuing verdicts that infringe upon the human rights of defendants.

Update on Six Death-Row Prisoners in Vakilabad Prison

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Abdolbaset Avarsan, Abdolhakim Azim Gorgij, Abdolrahman Gorgij, Ahmadian Salami, Baghi, Farhad Shakeri, Hamid Rast Bala, HRANA, Isa Eyd-Mohammadi, Kabir Saadat Jahani, Malek Ali Fadaie-Nasab, Mohammad Reza Sheikh Ahmadi, Mohammad-Ali Arayesh, Morteza Fakoori, Taj-Mohammad Khormali, Vakilabad prison

Malek Ali Fadaie-Nasab, Farhad Shakeri, Isa Eyd-Mohammadi, Abdolhakim Azim Gorgij, Abdolrahman Gorgij, and Taj-Mohammad Khormali, currently incarcerated in Ward 1/6 of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, face imminent execution. In late July 2023, the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced these defendants, part of the same legal case, to death in a retrial.

These six individuals, along with six others—Abdolbaset Avarsan, Mohammad-Reza Sheikh Ahmadi, Morteza Fakoori, Hamid Rast Bala, Kabir Saadat Jahani, and Mohammad-Ali Arayesh—were detained by the Ministry of Intelligence in 2015 and imprisoned in Vakilabad Prison after one year. Except for Fadaie-Nasab, all these prisoners are members of the Sunni minority in Iran.

In 2019, the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced Ahmadi, Avarsan, and Fakoori to 15 years in prison for “armed rebellion (Baghi) through membership in a Salafi-ISIS group.” The remaining 9 defendants were sentenced to death for “armed rebellion through membership in the Salafi group known as Al-Furqan and the Iranian Sunni front known as Hambastegi Melli.”

Rast-Bala, Saadat Jahani, and Arayesh were executed in this prison on December 31, 2020. The case of the six other defendants was overturned by the Supreme Court, and it was forwarded to another court branch for a retrial. In July 2023, Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Ahmadian Salami, sentenced these six prisoners to death again. The verdict is currently under review by branch 39 of the Supreme Court.

A source close to one of their families informed HRANA that after the issuance of the death sentence, Shakeri and Abdolrahman Gorgij initiated a hunger strike that lasted for a while.

“The case has many flaws, and there is no substantial evidence to support the charges,” the source clarified. The source also confirmed that the prisoners have been subjected to torture during their detention.

Siamak Ebrahimi and Shahrokh Ahmadi Commence Prison Sentences

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Shahrokh Ahmadi, Siamak Ebrahimi

Residents of Tehran, Siamak Ebrahimi and Shahrokh Ahmadi, have begun serving their sentences in Evin Prison.

Both Ebrahimi and Ahmadi were arrested by security forces on February 7, 2023, and subsequently released on a 700 million tomans bail (approximately 14,000 dollars) from Evin Prison.

In August 2023, under the jurisdiction of Iman Afshari, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Ebrahimi to five years for “assembly and collusion against national security” and eight months for “spreading propaganda against the regime.” Ahmadi received a four-year sentence for “assembly and collusion against national security.” These sentences were upheld on appeal.

Reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA in 2023 indicate a total of 193 cases in which Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, has been involved in issuing verdicts that infringe upon the human rights of defendants. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics, refer to HRANA’s report.

Amir-Nasr Azadani’s Legal Case: 16-Year Imprisonment Upheld on Appeal

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News, Prisoners
Amir Nasr Azadani, Dastgerd Prison, HRANA, Isfahan Revolutionary Court, Khaneh e Isfahan, امیر نصر آزادانی

Amir-Nasr Azadani, a former soccer player embroiled in the “Khaneh e Isfahan (Isfahan House)” legal case, is currently serving his sentence in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan. The Supreme Court recently confirmed his sixteen-year sentence, and the verdict has been forwarded to the executive unit of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court.

According to a source close to Azadani’s family, the Supreme Court, on January 24, 2024, upheld the 16-year prison term following an appeal for “assisting in enmity against God (Moharebeh).” Subsequently, the executive unit of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court executed the verdict.

In January 2023, the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan initially sentenced Azadani to five years for “membership in illegal groups to act against national security,” another five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” and sixteen years for “enmity against God (Moharebeh).” Upon appeal to the Supreme Court, he was acquitted of the first two charges, leaving the prison term for the third charge intact.

During nationwide protests on November 17, 2022, security forces arrested Azadani in connection to the “Khaneh e Isfahan” case. Notably, three co-defendants in the same case, Saleh Mir Hashemi (36), Majid Kazemi (30), and Saeed Yaghoubi (37), were executed on May 19, 2023, on charges of enmity against God (Moharebeh).

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Civil Rights Activist Mohammad Nourizad Sentenced to 61 Months in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Mohammad Nourizad, Shahid Kechooie judicial complex, Tehran

Renowned civil rights advocate Mohammad Nourizad has been sentenced to 61 months in prison as a result of a legal case initiated while he was already incarcerated.

Presently serving his sentence at Evin Prison, Nourizad revealed the additional imprisonment through a voice message from behind bars. The recent court session addressing the new charges against Nourizad took place at the Shahid Kechooie judicial complex in Tehran. Unfortunately, he was unable to defend himself as he was not present during the proceedings.

Details regarding the charges leveled against Nourizad remain undisclosed at this time.

On August 9, 2023, Nourizad faced punitive measures and was relocated to solitary confinement due to his protest against the restriction of prisoners’ telephone cards, impeding their ability to make phone calls.

In a separate legal development from July 2023, Nourizad received an additional two-year prison sentence from the Tehran Revolutionary Court. This sentence stemmed from yet another legal case initiated while he was already in prison.

Nourizad’s legal ordeal began on August 11, 2019, when he was arrested by security forces for participating in the drafting of an open letter with 13 other civil rights activists, calling for the Supreme Leader of Iran to step down. In the initial case, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, three years of exile in Izeh, and a two-year travel ban. Although the prison sentence was upheld on appeal, the duration of exile and travel ban were reduced to two years.

In late April 2020, Nourizad received an additional one-year imprisonment for expressing support for Baha’i citizens in Eyvanki, Semnan Province.

Concerning the second part of his legal case, the Mashhad Criminal Court sentenced Nourizad to 8 months in prison and 74 lashes, along with exile to Tabas, for “disturbance of public order.” He also received an additional 74 lashes for “spreading falsehood.” This verdict was upheld on appeal as well.

Nourizad was released from Evin Prison on November 17, 2021, based on an early release order. However, on January 23, 2022, he was summoned and re-incarcerated in Evin Prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Nourizad has a history of arrests and convictions linked to his peaceful activism. He is a prominent filmmaker, writer, director, and journalist from Iran. While previously known as an outspoken religious journalist, he has become an active critic of the Islamic Republic in recent years.

 

Political Prisoner Nayeb Askari Faces Execution in Urmia Prison on Baghi Charges

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Baghi, moharebeh, Mostafa Soltani, Nayeb Askari, Urmia prison

Nayeb (Naeb) Askari, held in Urmia Prison, is at risk of execution after the Urmia Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death for Baghi (armed rebellion) in a recent retrial.

Initially sentenced to death for “enmity against God (Moharebeh)” on April 15, 2023, his plea for a retrial was accepted, leading to a charge change to Baghi. In October 2023, the court reaffirmed the death sentence, with the hearings reportedly conducted without his lawyer’s presence. The charge is supported by his alleged membership in a Kurdish political opposition party.

Arrested by IRGC intelligence agents on March 27, 2021, in Urmia, Askari was later moved to a detention facility and, on June 17, 2021, to Urmia Prison.

HRANA’s source reveals another ongoing case accusing Askari of the murder of IRGC member Mostafa Soltani. In 2013-2014, Soltani was injured during a clash with a political opposition party member, passing away six years later from COVID-19. Soltani’s family claims alleged Askari’s involvement in the altercation caused the sustained injury leading to his eventual death.

A new case, opened on July 12, 2021, based on a complaint from the Urmia Prison head, resulted in a three-month imprisonment extension and 50 lashes for “disrupting prison order.”

According to HRA’s annual report, in 2023, Urmia Prison officials executed 29 inmates, positioning this facility as the sixth highest in terms of executions among the ranked prisons.

Iranian-Swedish Dual National Ahmad Reza Jalali Facing Execution

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Ahmad Reza Jalali, Evin Prison, Hamid Nouri, moharebeh, Zabihollah Khodaian

Ahmad Reza Jalali, currently held in Evin Prison, is confronting the threat of execution.

Arrested by security forces in May 2016, he was subsequently sentenced to death on charges of “spying.” The Supreme Court affirmed the verdict in the following year, and last year, the then-judiciary’s spokesperson, Zabihollah Khodaian, announced the finalization of this sentence.

While addressing the potential prison swap between Jalali and Hamid Nouri during a press conference, Khodaian asserted that “these two issues are not related, and there is no ongoing discussion about such a swap.” However, Amnesty International stated in a release that Iran’s authorities are using the threat of Jalali’s execution as leverage for the proposed prison swap.

Professor Jalali, invited to Iran by the University of Tehran in May 2016, was arrested on charges of “enmity against God (Moharebeh) through espionage for Israel.” Moharebeh, interpreted as “waging war against God,” is a component of Sharia Law typically applied to those suspected of involvement in acts against the state. The Tehran Prosecutor accused him of “transferring information about confidential projects in research, military, defense, and nuclear fields in exchange for citizenship for him and his family from Sweden.”

18-Year-Old Sepehr Shirani’s Suspicious Death in Custody

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Baloch Activists Campaign, IRGC Intelligence, Sepehr Shirani, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Zahedan

On January 30, 2024, Sepehr Shirani, 18 years old, died under suspicious circumstances after three days in the custody of a security institution in Zahedan, as reported by Haal Vsh.

IRGC Intelligence is said to be responsible for his arrest, notifying Shirani’s family of his demise via a phone call. As of now, his body has not been handed over to his family.

The agents cited the publication of critical social media posts as the reason for Shirani’s arrest.

The Baloch Activists Campaign, a human rights monitor in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, has reported that Shirani died under torture while in custody.

Notably, recent years have seen numerous cases of suspicious deaths or murders of citizens within police detention centers, security, and judicial institutions. In most instances, investigations have failed to definitively identify perpetrators or hold authorities accountable.

The agents had reportedly mentioned publishing criticizing posts on social media as the reason for Shirani’s arrest.

According to HRA’s annual report for 2023, a total of 1,386 violations of prisoners’ rights were documented. These include 27 cases of physical assault on prisoners, 1,390 instances of denial or neglect of medical care, 342 illegal transfers to solitary confinement, 114 attempted hunger strikes, 415 cases of forced transfer or exile of prisoners, 4,140 instances of threats and pressure on prisoners, 66 cases of denying prisoner visitation rights, 34 cases of psychological and physical torture, 7 deaths due to illness, 12 suicides, 1 case of self-immolation, 4 murders of prisoners, 208 instances of lack of access to legal counsel, 4,197 reports of prisoners being kept in unsuitable conditions, 80 cases of forced confession, 290 instances of non-segregation of crimes, 78 denials of medical leave, and 101 denials of the right to contact.

Political Prisoner Majid Tavakoli Faces Upheld Six-Year Sentence Following Retrial

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Majid Tavakoli, Tehran, Tehran Revolutionary Court

Branch 54 of the Court of Appeal in Tehran has affirmed a six-year sentence for political prisoner Majid Tavakoli.

A source close to his family confirmed to HRANA that Tavakoli was sentenced to six years in prison, along with internet and social media usage restrictions for two years, a two-year ban from residing in Tehran, and a travel ban for two years.

Tavakoli received notification of this verdict on January 29.

Previously, the Supreme Court accepted Tavakoli’s request for a retrial, transferring the case to another court branch. Notably, Tavakoli, a student activist and former political detainee, was arrested by security forces in Tehran on September 23, 2022, during the Mahsa Amini Protests. He was released on bail on December 19, 2022.

Subsequently, Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court imposed a six-year sentence, which was upheld on appeal. On October 7, 2023, Tavakoli commenced serving his sentence in Evin Prison.

Tavakoli’s history of arrests and convictions is rooted in his activism.