Category: Religious Minorities

At Least 300 Dervishes Arrested in a Police Operation

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Religious Minorities
Abbas Dehghan, Abbas Valinia, Ahmad Iranikhah, Akbar Biranvand, Akbar Heravi, Akhavi Javadi, Ali Afshar, Ali Akbar Ataei, Ali Ghamari, Ali Jamshidi, Ali Shakerzadeh, Ali Suri, Alireza Azadravesh, Alireza Jannesar, Alireza Lak, Amin Saffari, Amir Ali Mohammadi Labbaf, Amir Estaraki, Amir Mousavian, Amir Nouri, Arsh Saki, Asghar Arnion, Avisha Jalaledin, Babak Moradi, Babak Taghian, Banoo Khalili, Bashir Riahi, Behnam Nazabadi, Behnood Rostami, Borzou Dolatshahi, Ehsan Malekmohammadi, Ehsan Safari, Elham Ahmadi, Elham Nematullahi, Faezeh Abdipour, Fahimeh Moradi, Farhad Rostami, Farideh Moradi, Farnam Khan, Farshad Sepahvand, Farzad Kazemi, Fatemeh Ataee, Fatemeh Ghorbanloo, Fatemeh Parehizkar, Firooz Rostami, Habib Ghamari, Habib Jelodar, Hadi Dehnavi, Hadi Shahrezai, Hamed Khorrami, Hamed Mashhadi, Hamid Mashhadi, Hanif Panahi, Hasan Dehghani, Hasan Shahrezai, Hasan Yusufzadeh, Homayoun Hoveyda, Jafar Ahmadi, Javad Khamisabadi, Kamran Esmaili Jamaat, Karim Rahsepar, Kasra Nouri, Kianoush Abbaszadeh, Kiarash Abbaszadeh, Lili Naezadeh, Mahboobeh Ghamari, Mahmood Ziaie, Mahmoud Taghipour, Mahnaz Rashidi, Majid Rashidi, Manouchehr Kokabi, Mansour Fouladi, Marjan Mohajer, Maryam Afrasiabi, Masoud Fouladi, Mehdi Eskandari, Mehdi Mahdavi, Mehdi Mahdilou, Mehdi Mehdipour, Mehdi Nazari, Mehrdad Goodarzi, Mehrdad Mosavari, Milad Kakavand, Milad Sepahvand, Mirsadegh Hosseini, Mohammad Asad Samani, Mohammad Karimaye, Mohammad Parhizkar, Mohammad Parsa Iranikhah, Mohammad Reza Darvishi, Mohammad Reza Ghanizadeh, Mohammad Reza Rajaie, Mohammad Sharifi Moghadam, Mohammad Taghi Ataee, Mohsen Abolhassani, Mohsen Azizi, Mohsen Naghdi, Mojtaba Beiranvand, Mokhtar Rouhani, Morteza Bahrehdar, Morteza Sohrabpour, Mosleh Moradi, Moslem Nawazi, Mostafa Mir Mohammadi, Mostafa Saffari, Mustafa Abdi, Mustafa Biranvand, Mustafa Daneshjoo, Nafiseh Moradi, Nafiseh Sheklabadi, Naser Fouladi, Nazila Nouri, Nemat Kazemi, Nematullah Riahi, Nourali Moghimi, Omid Ghasemi, Pari Behranvand, Poriya Nouri, Rahim Pourahmadi, Rahmatali Rezai, Ramin Eshkoh, Rasoul Hoveyda, Reza Bavi, Reza Entesari, Reza Hoshyar Ahmadi, Reza Nematullahi, Reza Parhizkar, Reza Yavari, Rita Sohrabpour, Rustam Sagvand, Sadiqeh Moradi, Saeed Durandish, Saeed Karimai, Saeed Mardani Shahrekordi, Saeed Soltanpour, Said Goodarzi, Sajjad Heravi, Sajjad Kazemi, Sajjad Razmi, Sakineh Yazdanian, Saleheddin Moradi, Samad Dadras, Sepideh Moradi, Seyyed Mehdi Fateminasab, Shadi Ezzati, Shah Mohammad Yeganeh, Shahab Bakhshian, Shahdad Valinya, Shahram Shokri, Shima Entesari, Shokofeh Yadollahi, Siamak Sohrabi, Sima Entesari, Sina Entesari, Sina Ostova, Tayebeh Rajee, Tayyebah Ghelichkhani, Vahid Khamoush, Yahya Lorestani, Yasser Akbari, Yasser Nematullahi, Zafar Moghimi, Zahra Ghamari

HRANA News Agency – Following the clashes between police forces and Dervishes in Tehran, Iran’s law enforcement spokesman announced the arrest of at least 300 Dervishes. Five others were killed in the clashes. NAJA has confirmed that three law enforcement officers and two Basijis were killed. The reports indicate that about 70 women have been arrested and were transferred to the Qarchak prison in Varamin. Many detained men have also been transferred to Evin Prison, although there is no information available on the fate of a large number of detainees.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), after arresting one of the Gonabadi dervishes, Nematullah Riahi, a group of Gonabadi dervishes gathered to protest. The protesting dervishes demanded Mr. Riahi’s unconditional release. Continue reading “At Least 300 Dervishes Arrested in a Police Operation”

Heavy Clashes between the Police and Gonabadi Dervishes

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Religious Minorities
Amir Labaf, Avisha Jalaluddin, Behnam Nazamabadi, Mehdi Mahdavi, Mohammad Reza Ghanizadeh, Nematullah Riahi, Rasoul Hoveyda, Saeed Sultanpour, Sajjad Razmi, Shahram Shokri, Sheida Ezzati, Yavar Mohammad Salas

HRANA News Agency – The gathering of a number of Gonabadi dervishes in northern Tehran was dragged into clashes with police and violence. According to official statistics, at least three policemen were killed during the clashes and some others were wounded on both sides. On the other hand at least 60 Gonabadi protesters were arrested.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), after the arrest of one of the Gonabadi dervishes named “Nematullah Riahi”, a group of Gonabadi dervishes gathered in front of the police station. The protesting dervishes demanded Mr. Riahi’s unconditional release. Continue reading “Heavy Clashes between the Police and Gonabadi Dervishes”

Ali Amini, Remains in Detention for Being a Christian

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Religious Minorities
Ali Amini

HRANA News Agency – Ali Amini, a new Christian convert from Tabriz, was arrested several days before the New Year by the Tabriz Intelligence Office. After being interrogated, he was taken to the Tabriz Prison. After a month, he still remains in jail as a temporary detention.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), Ali Amini, a new Christian convert from Tabriz city, who had been arrested before the New Year, is still being held in Tabriz Central Prison. Continue reading “Ali Amini, Remains in Detention for Being a Christian”

Seven Death Row Sunni Prisoners Awaiting New Trial

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Religious Minorities
Anvar Khezri, Ayoub Karimi, Davoud Abdollahi, Farhad Salimi, Kamran Sheikheh, Khosrow Besharat, Qasim Abesteh

HRANA News Agency – Seven Sunni prisoners in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj who had formerly been sentenced to death by the Supreme Court, are still in a state of uncertainty on the eve of the ninth year of their imprisonment.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), seven Sunni prisoners, including Davoud Abdollahi, Kamran Sheikheh, Farhad Salimi, Anvar Khezri, Khosrow Besharat, Qasim Abesteh, and Ayoub Karimi, are detained since December 7, 2009 and were sentenced to death by judge Moghiseh of Branch no. 28 of the Revolutionary Court, in March of 2015. The sentences were not approved by Judge Razini in the Supreme Court; however, after eight years of imprisonment, they remain in a state of uncertainty. Continue reading “Seven Death Row Sunni Prisoners Awaiting New Trial”

Increasing Pressure on Sunni Prisoners in Rajai Shahr Prison

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Religious Minorities
Sunni prisoners

HRANA News Agency – A large group of Sunni prisoners who have been arrested and sentenced to imprisonment for religious beliefs and activities, are held at Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj. Recently, some of non-Iranian prisoners who have been accused of joining the ISIL were transferred to this prison and were added to the Sunni prisoners. The tension between these prisoners has led to increased pressure on both groups due to fundamental differences in their belief. It is speculated that prison authorities use the opposition of two groups to increase pressures on both of them.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), approximately 50 Sunni prisoners who had been convicted for non-violent activities, are being held at hall 21 in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj. Continue reading “Increasing Pressure on Sunni Prisoners in Rajai Shahr Prison”

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Growing Pressure on Sunni Prisoners in Dizel Abad Prison of Kermanshah

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Religious Minorities
Abdullah Soleimani, Ahmad Sadeqi, Dizel Abad Prison of Kermanshah, Mohammad Bazani, Omid Khaki, Teimur Mirzai, Yousef Moradi

HRANA News Agency – Six Sunni prisoners in Dizel Abad prison of Kermanshah, who had been on hunger strike some time ago, to protest against their exile to the infected prisoners ward, were again threatened by prison officials with repeating the former procedure. These prisoners say practicing their religion has caused the authorities to react and increase pressure.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), sixth Sunni prisoner in Dizel Abad Prison in Kermanshah who have been sentenced in separate cases to imprisonment due to their peaceful activities, have faced increasing pressure and harassment in prison. Continue reading “Growing Pressure on Sunni Prisoners in Dizel Abad Prison of Kermanshah”

Afshin Hayratian Arrested and Transferred to Evin Prison

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Religious Minorities
Afshin Hayratian

HRANA News Agency – Afshin Hayratian, children’s rights activist and former prisoner of conscience, was arrested on October 20, 2017 by security forces at his own house in Tehran. The Baha’i citizen has been transferred to Evin Prison after being arrested.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), security forces arrested Afshin Hayratian at his own house on October 20, 2017. Continue reading “Afshin Hayratian Arrested and Transferred to Evin Prison”

The List of Sunni Prisoners in Urmia Prison

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Religious Minorities
Abdollah Cham, Abdolvahed Salamat, Amir Sofi, Ardalan Naghsh Afkan, Aslan Mardane, Aziz Banei, Bahman Ghasempour, Behzad Abbasi Gharagoz, Central Prison in Urmia, Chia Nikvand, Davood Parvizi, Farhang Golshan, Farzin Ghaderi, Fateh Karimi, Ghafour Asvar, Habib Amini, Hedayat Alizade, Ibrahim Gholami, Iraj Sofi Mohammad, Islam Khalili, Javad Usefi, Kazam Darvishi, Khaled Mohammadzadeh, Mansour Chopani, Mansour Mohammadpour, Mohammad Salamat, Molod Shayad, Nader Naseri, Peyman Behrouzfar, Pouya Salehi, Rahmat Mirzaiee, Rasoul Shayad, Reza Rasoul Mokri, Sardar Osman Bekr, Sirvan Mahmoudi Aghdam, Tofigh Abdollahi, Usef Ghasempour, Usef Kamelan, Vahab seyed Ahmadi, Vahed Ibrahimi, Zana Ahmadi

HRANA News Agency – A large number of prisoners accused of communicating with Salafist groups in addition to a large number of political and security prisoners are being kept in Urmia prison.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), the political and security prisoners are being kept in Ward 12 of the Central Prison in Urmia for several consecutive years. However, transferring a large number of Sunni prisoners accused of communicating with Salafist groups including Ansar al-Islam and ISIL has increased the population of this ward of prison since several months ago. Continue reading “The List of Sunni Prisoners in Urmia Prison”

Two Christians Arrested in Tehran

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Religious Minorities
Mehrdad Houshmand, Sarah Nemati

HRANA News Agency – Security forces in Tehran, arrested a Christian couple after summoning them to the intelligence ministry. These Christians have been accused of performing according to rituals and Christianity in a funeral in Beheaht-e-Zahra.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), while a funeral was held at part 300 of Beheaht-e-Zahra on September 10, 2017, Mehrdad Houshmand and his wife Sarah Nemati participated as Christians in the ceremony. Continue reading “Two Christians Arrested in Tehran”

3 Sunni Prisoners on Trial in Urmia

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Religious Minorities
Anvar Khezri, Ayoub Karimi, Davood Abdollahi, Farhad Salimi, Ghasem Abbeste, Kamran Shikhe, Khosro Besharat

HRANA News Agency – Anvar Khezri, Kamran Shikhe and Khosro Besharat three Sunni prisoners who have been jailed since 2009 and their death sentences were rejected by the Supreme Court in 2016, were transferred to Urmia prison from Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj to be tried again.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), Anvar Khezri, Kamran Shikhe and Khosro Besharat three Sunni prisoners who along with Davood Abdollahi, Farhad Salimi, Ghasem Abbeste and Ayoub Karimi have been jailed since December 7, 2009, were transferred to Urmia prison from Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj. Continue reading “3 Sunni Prisoners on Trial in Urmia”