Student Soroush Nourbakhsh Arrested by IRGC Intelligence

HRANA News Agency – On Saturday, February 1, Soroush Nourbakhsh, a student at the University of Tehran, was arrested by security forces after being summoned to the IRGC Intelligence Office in Mahabad, according to Kolbar News.

According to the report, Mr. Nourbakhsh was detained after being summoned to the IRGC Intelligence Office in the city. His family’s attempts to obtain information about his condition have so far been unsuccessful.

Nourbakhsh, 25 years old, is a native of Mahabad, and a music student at Tehran University of Arts.

As of the time of this report, the reasons for his arrest and the charges against him remain unknown.

Revolutionary Court Sentences Student Activist Leila Hosseinzadeh to Prison

Leila Hosseinzadeh, a student activist, has been sentenced in absentia to prison by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. The charges stem from her appearing unveiled at the University of Tehran during her thesis defense.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Hosseinzadeh was convicted on charges of appearing in public without a hijab and “propaganda against the regime.” In a personal statement, she revealed that she was sentenced without prior notice and is unaware of the details. She added, “I have no expectations of appeal or any legal process. I’ll wait for the case to be referred to the enforcement office.”
Hosseinzadeh has faced several legal cases over the years. Most recently, a forensic medical commission confirmed her permanent inability to endure incarceration. As a result, her remaining five-year prison sentence from a 2019 case was converted to a fine of 100 million tomans, which she paid to conclude the case.
Leila Hosseinzadeh was first arrested during the 2017–2018 Iranian protests, detained for 16 days, and released on bail. On June 24, 2019, Branch 36 of Tehran’s Court of Appeals sentenced her to 30 months in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” and an additional year for “propaganda against the regime,” along with a two-year travel ban. Charges included attending a birthday gathering for Mohammad Sharifi Moghadam, a Gonabadi Dervish imprisoned near Sharif University, and singing protest songs.

On July 28, 2019, she began serving her sentence but was released early due to a judicial directive.

In a separate case, Hosseinzadeh was sentenced in February 2021 to five years in prison and a two-year ban from online activities for “assembly and collusion with intent to act against national security” by Branch 28 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court. The sentence was upheld by Branch 36 of the Appeals Court in December 2021.

She was arrested again on August 20, 2022, after being beaten by security forces outside her home. She was released on bail from Evin Prison on January 9, 2023.

Khashayar Sefidi Transferred to Evin Prison to Serve Sentence

On Saturday, November 16, 2024, Khashayar Sefidi, an expelled graduate student from Tehran University of Art, was transferred to Evin Prison to serve a one-year prison sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Mr. Sefidi, 32 years old, was detained after reporting to the Sentences Enforcement Branch of the Shahre Qods Prosecutor’s Office.

The Revolutionary Court had sentenced Mr. Sefidi to one year in prison on July 2, 2024, on charges of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic.” This conviction stemmed from a three-day sit-in protest he staged in solidarity with imprisoned artist Toomaj Salehi at the House of Music.

Earlier this year, Mr. Sefidi was expelled from Tehran University of Art, where he had been pursuing a master’s degree in music. Prior to his expulsion, the university’s disciplinary committee had suspended him for one term.

Female Student Detained After Removing Clothes

This afternoon, November 2, a female student at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, removed her clothes in a public. Student sources report that security forces violently detained her, transferring her to an undisclosed location.

According to Amirkabir Newsletter, the confrontation began when university security officers approached the student aggressively, citing her lack of compliance with hijab regulations. In response to this altercation, she removed her clothing and remained in only her undergarments as a form of protest before being detained with force.

In contrast, Fars News Agency disputed the claims of violent treatment, alleging instead that “the student attended class in inappropriate attire. After university security reminded her of the campus dress code, she undressed and walked around the university grounds unclothed.”

However, some sources have attributed the student’s actions to her mental state, denying any link to the issue of compulsory hijab.

The student’s identity remains unknown. HRANA continues to investigate whether mandatory hijab may have been a factor in this incident and to clarify the student’s possible motivations.

The original report was published on November 2 and was updated with new information on November 4.

Update on the Latest Status of Journalist Reza Valizadeh in Evin Prison

Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian journalist, has been arrested and transferred to Evin Prison after returning to Iran. Despite his extensive background with various media outlets, Valizadeh has been denied access to a lawyer since his detention.

Having lived abroad for several years, Valizadeh returned to Iran in February-March last year. Upon his arrival, he was interrogated by agents from the IRGC’s Intelligence and the Ministry of Intelligence. Although released after making a formal pledge to appear for future proceedings, it has been reported that several months later, he was rearrested by a security agency roughly one month ago and sent to Evin Prison. Authorities have still not granted him legal representation.

A source close to Valizadeh’s family revealed that his case is currently being handled by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, overseen by Judge Abolqasem Salavati. To date, the specific charges against him remain undisclosed.

Prior to leaving Iran, Valizadeh was arrested in 2007 and later released on bail. He is suspected to hold dual citizenship and has worked with media organizations such as Radio France, Voice of America, Radio Farda, and the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).

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Motahareh Goonehi Arrested and Transferred to Prison

Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, has announced the arrest and imprisonment of Motahareh Goonehi, a student activist.

The report indicates that her arrest and imprisonment were prompted by content she posted on social media.

On the previous day, Ms. Goonehi had received an electronic summons ordering her to appear before Branch 9 of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office for Media and Culture.

The Deputy Minister for Culture and Student Affairs at the Ministry of Health also announced that Goonehi’s right to continue her studies has been revoked, and a disciplinary file has been opened against her at the university.

Recently, the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office pressed charges against Goonehi, a suspended student from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, citing her “online posts” regarding Iran’s recent military actions.

Earlier, Ms. Goonehi had announced her transfer to Ardabil University. She and her husband, Mahdi Hadizadeh, also a student at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, had previously been temporarily suspended and transferred to Ardabil University of Medical Sciences by the Central Committee of the Ministry of Health.

On May 1, 2024, Goonehi was detained by IRGC Intelligence agents in Tehran after being summoned. She was taken to Evin Prison but was released on bail after several days of detention.

In July, Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to one year in prison.

Goonehi, a dentistry student and former political secretary of the Islamic Association of Students at the University of Tehran and Tehran University of Medical Sciences, had also been detained by security forces during the nationwide protests of 2022.

Hamid Haji Abdolpour Sentenced to Prison after Retrial

The six years, seven months, and sixteen days prison sentence of Hamid Haji Abdolpour, a graduate of Amirkabir University of Technology, has been fully upheld by Branch 20 of the Appeals Court of Razavi Khorasan Province.

After the acceptance of Mr. Haji Abdolpour’s request for a retrial by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court, his case was sent to a parallel branch. Recently, Branch 20 of the Appeals Court of Razavi Khorasan Province upheld his sentence of six years, seven months, and sixteen days in prison.

Haji Abdolpour was initially sentenced by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad to six years in prison for the charge of “forming a Telegram group with the intent of disrupting national security,” and eight months for the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

In June-July 2023, Branch 4 of the Appeals Court of Razavi Khorasan Province reduced his sentence for propaganda against the regime by 14 days, resulting in a final sentence of six years, seven months, and sixteen days in prison. Finally, in late November of last year, after spending 46 days in solitary confinement at the IRGC’s detention facility in Razavi Khorasan Province, he was transferred to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad to serve his sentence.

In separate letters to the Office of the Supreme Leader’s Representative in Universities, the Judiciary’s Intelligence Protection Unit, and the General Inspection Organization of the IRGC, Haji Abdolpour revealed the mistreatment he suffered during interrogations, aimed at extracting forced confessions.

He recently submitted a request for a retrial to the highest judicial authority in the country. After the Supreme Court accepted his request for a retrial and he was temporarily released on bail, the president of Amirkabir University expressed support for him in a letter to the head of the Judiciary in Razavi Khorasan Province. However, these efforts were unsuccessful, and after the case was reviewed again, Mr. Haji Abdolpour was sentenced to prison by the Appeals Court of Razavi Khorasan Province.

Ali Gholami’s Six-Month Prison Sentence Upheld on Appeal

The prison sentence of Ali Gholami, a student activist, was upheld in its entirety by Branch 2 of the Court of Appeals of North Khorasan Province. He had previously been sentenced to six months of imprisonment by the Bojnurd Revolutionary Court.

Amirkabir Newsletter reported that the recent sentence of Ali Gholami, a student activist at the University of Science and Technology, who had previously been sentenced to six months of imprisonment by the Bojnord Revolutionary Court for propaganda against the regime, was upheld by Branch 2 of the Court of Appeals of North Khorasan Province.

Ali Gholami, a student activist, has a history of judicial encounters due to his activities.

Widespread Arrests at Islamic Azad University Central Tehran for Alleged Hijab Non-Compliance

On May 26, multiple reports surfaced of the arrest of female students at Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch due to alleged non-compliance with hijab regulations.

According to Amir Kabir news channel, at least 100 students were forcibly detained by police armed with guns and batons at the university gates. The students were taken to two vans and were only released after signing a commitment letter to adhere to hijab rules, with some being allowed to leave only after changing their veil.

This incident is part of the broader enforcement under the “Noor” plan, initiated on April 13 to intensify the enforcement of mandatory hijab laws. This has led to several reports of violent incidents and arrests concerning hijab regulations across the country.

In September, HRANA issued a detailed review of Iran’s “Bill to Support the Family by Promoting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab.” This bill has raised international alarms over escalating restrictions on women’s rights and freedoms.

Student Motahareh Goonehei Arrested by IRGC Intelligence

On May 1, 2024, Motahareh Goonehei, a student at Tehran University of Medical Science, was summoned and arrested by IRGC Intelligence in Tehran.

A source close to Goonehei’s family confirmed to HRANA that she was summoned by IRGC Intelligence over the phone, leading to her arrest. She is currently being held in the women’s ward of Evin Prison.

The charges against Goonehei have not been disclosed at this time.

Both Goonehei and her husband, Mehdi Hadizadeh, who is also a student at Tehran University of Medical Science, had previously been suspended from the university and required to continue their studies at Ardabil University of Medical Sciences.

Goonehei was previously arrested by security forces in Tehran during the nationwide protests in 2022.