Teacher Mehdi Sheibani Arrested in Mashhad

Teacher Mehdi Sheibani was apprehended in Mashhad and subsequently transported to an undisclosed location, according to the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations.

Sheibani had been the educator of Abolfazl Adinezadeh, a minor student who tragically lost his life during the 2022 nationwide protests.

Reports suggest that Sheibani’s arrest followed his attendance at a commemorative event on Adinezadeh’s birthday. The exact cause of Sheibani’s whereabouts, and the specific allegations against him remain shrouded in uncertainty.

Abolfazl Adinezadeh, who was a minor at the time, was fatally shot, reportedly sustaining “25 bullets to his chest and abdomen,” during the 2022 nationwide protest.

Five Individuals Detained in Dehdasht

Security forces have apprehended Hamid Dastvaneh, Issa Foroughi, Ali-Mahommad Parisaie, Jamal Asgari, and Mohsen Afranjinan in Dehdasht, located in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. This development was reported by Kolbar News.

These arrests occurred over the past three days, with no apparent presentation of arrest warrants by the authorities.

Details regarding the grounds for their detention, their current locations, and the charges brought against them remain undisclosed at this time. It’s worth noting that in recent days, four other Dehdasht residents have also been detained by security forces.

Atefeh Rangriz Arrested in Damghan

Damghan, Semnan Province – On Sunday, September 10, Atefeh Rangriz was apprehended by security forces at her mother’s residence and subsequently confined in Semnan Prison.

A source close to Rangriz’s family informed HRANA that security forces conducted the arrest at her mother’s residence. Shortly after her apprehension, she managed to make a brief phone call to her family, disclosing her transfer to Semnan Prison.

The exact grounds for her detention remain undisclosed at this time. She has encountered prior arrests and convictions due to her activism.

Five Individuals Arrested by Security Forces in Saravan

On Tuesday, September 5, 2023, security forces apprehended five individuals in Saravan, Sistan and Baluchestan province, and transported them to an undisclosed location, as reported by the Baloch Activists Campaign.

These individuals have been identified as Issa Mazarzahi, Jasem Mazarzahi, Ghasem Mazarzahi, Zaker Mazarzahi, and another individual with the last name Mazarzahi (first name unknown).

According to the report, Ministry of Intelligence agents arrested them separately at their residences. They are reportedly facing allegations of “collaboration with anti-regime groups.”

The precise location of their detention remains undisclosed at this time.

Marketing Manager Sepehr Alikhani Arrested Due to Advertisement Featuring Unauthorized Song

On September 3, 2023, Sepehr Alikhani, the marketing manager of the Dafi brand under the cosmetic company Seylaneh Sabz, was apprehended by security forces at his workplace, as reported by Modara.

Alikhani’s arrest occurred at his workplace, with the specific reasons and charges surrounding his detainment remaining undisclosed at this juncture. However, the events leading up to his arrest stem from a recent statement by the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, in which the public was informed about the initiation of a legal case against a cosmetic company for featuring an illicit and vulgar song in their advertisements.

Notably, just one day prior to Alikhani’s arrest, Iranian singer Talk Down, whose song had been utilized in the aforementioned company’s advertisement, was briefly detained for questioning.

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Amir-Hossein Balali Arrested in Tehran

Amir-Hossein Balali, a former student activist, has been apprehended by security forces and moved to an undisclosed facility, according to Emtedad Online.

The arrest of Balali took place at his residence in Tehran, where authorities conducted a search and seized several of his personal items. As of now, details about his location and the nature of the charges remain undisclosed.

Azerbaijan Citizen Farid Safarli Receives Two-Year Prison Sentence

Farid Safarli, a citizen of Azerbaijan (the Country), has been handed a two-year prison sentence on charges of alleged “espionage,” as reported by a security institution-affiliated news outlet.

This news channel had previously reported on Safarli’s arrest. In March 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan disclosed his disappearance on March 4, 2023, subsequent to his journey from Germany, where he was studying at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, to Iran on February 20.
As of now, the location of Safarli’s detention remains undisclosed.

While the legal pursuit of individuals for espionage is not inherently categorized as a human rights violation, apprehensions arise regarding the veracity of these accusations. The Iranian regime frequently deploys such allegations to suppress political dissidents, and the opacity surrounding legal proceedings exacerbates doubts about the authenticity of these cases.

 

Three Individuals Arrested by Security Forces in Tabriz

On August 16, security forces arrested Abdollah Ansari, Karim Esmailzadeh, and Mehdi Nasirzadeh in Tabriz and transferred them to an undisclosed location.

According to a source, the arrests transpired near a sports stadium where the trio was en route to witness a soccer match.

“Each of them has been granted a 900-million-Toman (approximately 18000 dollars) bail,” the source added.

As of now, the rationale behind their apprehensions, the specific detention site, and the precise allegations leveled against them remain veiled in uncertainty.

Iranian-American Woman Held in Detention on Alleged Espionage Charges

An Iranian-American woman has been taken into custody under allegations of “espionage,” as reported by Khorasan Newspaper.

Withholding details about her identity and the specific facility of her detainment, Khorasan stated: “In recent weeks, this individual has been arrested, with a history of involvement in NGOs within Afghanistan.”

Several other Iranian-American dual citizens, including Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharqi, Morad Tahbaz, and Shahab Dalili, are presently incarcerated in Iran. According to Khorasan, diplomatic negotiations between the two countries are underway for their potential release.

While the legal pursuit of individuals for espionage isn’t inherently considered a human rights violation, concerns arise regarding the credibility of these allegations. The Iranian regime frequently employs such charges to quell political dissidents, and the lack of transparency in legal proceedings raises further doubts about the legitimacy of these cases.

Legal Uncertainty Persists for Detained Amer Dadafarin and Mohammad Molazahi in Zahedan

Amer Dadafarin, aged 18, and Mohammad Molazahi, aged 25, continue to be held in detention for over 39 days, in legal ambiguity.

Presently, they are incarcerated at the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Zahedan.
Sources close to their families, speaking to HRANA, disclosed that Dadafarin and Molazahi were apprehended by security forces in Iranshahr on June 18, 2023. Following two days of interrogation, they were transferred and confined in Zahedan’s detention facility.

Notably, on July 22, Molazahi was briefly allowed to visit his mother.

However, the reasons behind their arrest and the charges imposed on these residents of Iranshahr remain undisclosed.