Category: Prisoners

Ghezel Hesar Prisoners’ Protest Against Executions Enters Fourth Day

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News, Prisoners
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA

HRANA – Yesterday, Thursday, July 16, prisoners in Unit 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj entered the fourth consecutive day of their protest against the implementation of death sentences and the transfer of six prisoners to solitary confinement for execution. The prisoners continued their sit-in and refused to receive their food rations.

According to HRANA, the hunger strike by prisoners in Unit 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison, which began on Monday in response to the transfer of six death row prisoners to solitary confinement, entered its fourth consecutive day yesterday.

Based on information received by HRANA, the protesting prisoners gathered in the prison ward and refused to accept prison meals to express their opposition to executions, particularly in cases involving drug-related offenses. Some also held handwritten signs reading “No to Executions,” calling for an end to the implementation of death sentences.

Informed sources also reported that signal-jamming devices (jammers) remain active inside the prison. According to these sources, prison authorities activated the equipment after videos of the prisoners’ hunger strike and sit-in were published, in an effort to prevent images and videos from being sent outside the prison.

In recent days, videos recorded inside Ghezel Hesar Prison have circulated, showing parts of the prisoners’ hunger strike and sit-in.

The prisoners’ protest began on Monday, July 13, following the transfer of six prisoners sentenced to death in drug-related cases to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions. The move prompted a collective response from prisoners in Unit 2, who have continued their hunger strike and sit-in ever since.

Dena Karari, Dual Iranian-American Citizen, Leaves Iran for the United States

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Dena Karari, HRANA

HRANA – The attorney for Dena Karari, a dual Iranian-American citizen, announced that his client has left Iran and is en route to the United States. Ms. Karari, who traveled to Iran in December 2024 to visit her family, was detained for a period and later released on bail. However, she had been barred from leaving the country until today.

According to HRANA, on Thursday, July 16, 2026, Dena Karari departed Iran.

Jared Genser, Ms. Karari’s attorney, stated in a post, that his client is now safe and on her way back to the United States.

Genser also said in an interview that “53-year-old Karari had suffered a massive heart attack last week, and there were significant concerns about her condition moving forward.”

According to Genser, Iranian authorities had pursued charges against Ms. Karari on allegations of “cooperation with a hostile government” and “espionage.” He described the accusations as baseless and said that although she had been accused, she was never formally charged.

Dena Karari, a dual citizen of the United States and Iran, traveled to Iran in December 2024 to visit her family. As she was preparing to leave the country, security agents confiscated her passports. She was detained for a period and later released on bail; however, she was not permitted to leave Iran.

Karari is an employee of a U.S. technology company and the founder of a charitable organization supporting underprivileged children in Iran.

January 2026 Protests: Death Sentences of Behrouz Zamaninejad and His Son, Kourosh Zamaninejad, Overturned

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Behrouz Zamaninejad, Bita Hemmati, January 2026 Protests, Kourosh Zamaninejad, Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl, بهروز زمانی نژاد, کوروش زمانی نژاد

HRANA – The death sentences issued against Behrouz Zamaninejad and his son, Kourosh Zamaninejad, who were arrested during the January 2026 protests and are currently imprisoned in Greater Tehran Penitentiary, have been overturned by the Supreme Court. Their case has been referred to a parallel court branch for retrial. The two had previously been sentenced to death by Judge Iman Afshari.

According to HRANA, the Supreme Court has overturned the death sentences of two individuals arrested during the January 2026 protests.

Based on information received by HRANA, Branch 32 of the Supreme Court accepted the request for a retrial submitted by Behrouz Zamaninejad and his son, Kourosh Zamaninejad, overturned the death sentences issued against them, and referred the case to a parallel branch for renewed proceedings.

In April 2026, the two men, along with their co-defendants Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl and his wife, Bita Hemmati, were sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, on the charge of “conducting operational activities on behalf of the hostile government of the United States and hostile groups.” All four defendants were also sentenced to five years of discretionary imprisonment each on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.” The court additionally ordered the confiscation of all their assets as a supplementary punishment. In late May 2026, the Supreme Court overturned the death sentences of Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl and Bita Hemmati.

It should also be noted that another defendant in the same case, Amir Hemmati, was sentenced to five years of discretionary imprisonment on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security,” as well as eight months in prison for “propaganda against the regime.”

According to the court’s ruling, the defendants were accused of participating in protest gatherings on January 8 and 9, 2026, chanting protest slogans, throwing objects including bottles, concrete blocks, and incendiary materials, and damaging public property. The ruling further alleged that these actions were intended to disrupt national security and were carried out in connection with hostile groups. Judge Afshari also referred to the alleged use of explosives and an unspecified weapon, injuries inflicted on deployed security forces, and the dissemination of content aimed at undermining national security. However, the ruling did not specify the details of these allegations or explain how each accusation was individually attributed to each defendant.

A source close to the families of the prisoners previously told HRANA: “Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl and Bita Hemmati are a married couple living in Tehran, and Amir Hemmati is a relative of theirs. Kourosh Zamaninejad and Behrouz Zamaninejad were also living in the same residential building, and they were arrested simultaneously.”

According to information obtained by HRANA, the defendants were subjected to pressure during interrogations, raising concerns that forced confessions may have been extracted during that period.

The death sentences issued by the trial court were based on a combination of legal provisions, including Articles 131 and 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, as well as Articles 500 and 610, which relate to “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion against national security.” The application of the death penalty in conjunction with these charges, particularly in cases stemming from public protests, has drawn increasing criticism from human rights organizations in recent years.

The defendants were arrested by security forces in Tehran on January 9, 2026. Behrouz Zamaninejad and his son, Kourosh Zamaninejad, are currently being held in Greater Tehran Penitentiary, while Bita Hemmati is detained in the women’s ward of Evin Prison. HRANA is still investigating the whereabouts of Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl.

Fresh Charges While in Prison: British Citizen Craig Foreman Sentenced to Two Years

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News, Prisoners
Abolghasem Salavati, Craig Foreman, HRANA, Joe Bennett, Lindsay Foreman

HRANA – Craig Foreman, a British citizen imprisoned in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to two years in prison in connection with a new case opened against him during his incarceration.

According to HRANA, Craig Foreman received the two-year prison sentence in relation to a case that was initiated against him while he was already in custody. Speaking with foreign media outlets was among the allegations brought against him and was cited as one of the reasons for issuing the sentence.

Joe Bennett, the prisoner’s son, announced the news, stating: “My father was told he was being taken to meet his lawyer, but instead he was taken before the judge, where he was informed of this sentence.”

Previously, an informed source told HRANA that pressure on Craig Foreman and Lindsay Foreman, the British couple detained in Evin Prison, had intensified after they gave an interview to BBC World and referred to the number of executions in Iran. During his imprisonment in Evin and Greater Tehran prisons, Craig Foreman has lived alongside prisoners sentenced to death, witnessed the transfer of death row prisoners for execution, and is currently housed with several inmates awaiting execution. In her interview from inside prison, Lindsay Foreman also addressed the issue of executions in Iran. The couple stated: “In Iran, speaking about executions can result in people being deprived of their most basic rights. The Iranian government has no problem executing people, but if those executions are spoken about or reported, it responds harshly against those who tell the story.”

In February of last year, Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, sentenced the couple to ten years in prison on charges of “espionage.” Their prison sentences were upheld in full by the Court of Appeals in May.

Craig Foreman and Lindsay Foreman had entered Iran by motorcycle as part of a round-the-world journey. They were arrested in December 2024 by Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces in Kerman. Judicial authorities had previously accused them of “espionage,” alleging that they gathered information in several provinces while posing as tourists and conducting research activities.

The then British ambassador to Iran also met with the two defendants at the Kerman Prosecutor’s Office in February of that year.

In recent years, Iranian authorities have arrested several foreign nationals on charges such as espionage or cooperation with hostile governments. Some of those detained have later been released following political negotiations. Human rights organizations and several Western governments have accused Iran of using such arrests as a means of political leverage, while Iranian authorities have consistently denied these allegations.

In February 2026, Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, sentenced the couple to 10 years in prison on charges of “espionage.”

According to the couple, “Although we appeared before the court, no evidence was presented, and we were given no opportunity to defend ourselves.”

Craig and Lindsay Foreman, who had entered Iran by motorcycle as part of a round-the-world journey, were arrested in January 2025 in Kerman by IRGC intelligence forces. Iranian judicial authorities accused them of “espionage,” alleging that they had gathered information in several provinces under the guise of tourism and research activities.

The then British ambassador to Iran met with the couple at the Kerman Prosecutor’s Office in February 2025.

In recent years, Iranian authorities have arrested several foreign nationals on charges such as espionage or cooperation with hostile governments. Some have later been released following political negotiations. Human rights organizations and several Western governments have accused Iran of using such arrests as a means of political leverage, allegations that Iranian authorities have consistently denied.

January 2026 Protests: Shadi Shadman Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Khadijeh Shadman, Shadi Shadman

HRANA – Shadi (Khadijeh) Shadman, arrested during the nationwide protests of 2026, who is currently imprisoned in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to five years in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

Based on information received by HRANA, Shadi Shadman was sentenced to five years in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. The verdict was formally communicated to her last week while she was being held in Evin Prison.

An informed source told HRANA: “Shadi Shadman was sentenced to this prison term due to her participation in the January 2026 protests.”

A hearing on the charges against Ms. Shadman was held before the same branch of the Revolutionary Court some time ago.

Ms. Shadman was arrested by security forces during the nationwide protests in January 2026. After spending one month in detention at a security detention facility in eastern Tehran, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison on January 29, 2026.

A source close to Ms. Shadman’s family told HRANA’s reporter that she is the mother of a nine-year-old daughter and the sole provider for her household. Before her arrest, she worked as a seamstress and baker. She had participated in the January 2026 protests to demonstrate against rising prices, inflation, and poor economic conditions. The source emphasized that she had no particular political affiliation.

The source further stated that Ms. Shadman was arrested in front of her daughter. Since then, responsibility for caring for the child has fallen to her extended family. Her family lives in Khorasan Province, and during the seven months she has remained in detention, the long distance and other existing difficulties have prevented her from seeing her daughter.

HRANA’s investigation into the charges brought against Ms. Shadman remains ongoing.

It should be noted that protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.

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January 2026 Protests: Saman Doreh-Gard Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison

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News, Prisoners
Greater Tehran Penitentiary, HRANA, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Rasoul Doreh-Gard, Saman Doreh-Gard, رسول دوره گرد, سامان دوره گرد

HRANA – Saman Doreh-Gard, arrested during the 2026 nationwide protests and currently imprisoned in Greater Tehran Penitentiary, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

Based on information received by HRANA, Saman Doreh-Gard was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Amouzad, on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security,” pursuant to Article 4 of the Law on Intensifying Punishment for Crimes Against National Security.

In early April 2026, he was transferred from Evin Prison to Greater Tehran Penitentiary.

Saman Doreh-Gard, aged approximately 22, was arrested alongside his brother, Rasoul Doreh-Gard, on January 10, 2026, by the IRGC intelligence agents in Tehran.

Rasoul Doreh-Gard, who had been temporarily released from Greater Tehran Penitentiary on March 14, 2026, after posting bail of 3 billion tomans, was later sentenced by Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Taghizadeh, to a total of 24 months in prison. His sentence consists of 20 months of suspended imprisonment and 4 months of discretionary imprisonment. Having already served the custodial portion during his pretrial detention, he is currently free.

It should be noted that protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.

Homayra Sharifi Transferred to Hospital After Suicide Attempt in Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Homayra Sharifi, HRANA, Qarchak Prison, Varamin, حمیرا شریفی

HRANA – Homayra Sharifi, one of the individuals arrested during the 2026 nationwide protests and currently imprisoned in Evin Prison, was transferred to a hospital on the evening of Friday, July 10, 2026, after attempting suicide. She remains under medical treatment. The Afghan national has previously attempted suicide multiple times in prison, yet no effective action has been taken to address her condition.

Based on information received by HRANA, Homayra Sharifi attempted suicide on the evening of Friday, July 10, 2026, by drinking a corrosive cleaning liquid. After her condition rapidly deteriorated, she was first transferred to Loghman Hospital and later to Taleghani Hospital, where she continues to receive treatment.

An informed source told HRANA: “Other prisoners found her in the ward corridor while she was vomiting blood and a black-colored liquid. She was extremely frightened. Since her arrest, she has attempted suicide more than five times in prison.”

The source added: “Before her arrest, Homayra Sharifi worked at a restaurant. She has no political affiliation and does not have a clear understanding of the current circumstances. She has effectively become a victim of having no support or anyone to advocate for her.”

In June of this year, Ms. Sharifi, an Afghan national, was formally notified of her five-year prison sentence while in Evin Prison. She suffers from a skin condition and severe psychological distress. Nevertheless, she has not received adequate medical or mental health care.

Homayra Sharifi, 19, was arrested during the 2026 nationwide protests and transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin. On February 16, 2026, she was transferred from Qarchak Prison to Evin Prison, where she has remained ever since.

HRANA’s investigation into the charges brought against this prisoner and the judicial authority that issued her sentence is ongoing.

Overcrowding Sparks Protests in Evin Prison’s Women’s Ward

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, prison overcrowding, Qarchak Prison, Varamin

HRANA – The transfer of approximately 60 female prisoners from Qarchak Prison in Varamin to Evin Prison has sparked protests among inmates over the management of Evin Prison. The transfer took place despite the women’s ward already suffering from overcrowding and a lack of adequate space. The protests escalated into a tense situation after prison guards intervened and threatened the prisoners.

According to HRANA, Evin Prison’s women’s ward experienced unrest and protests following the arrival of new prisoners and the resulting overcrowding.

On Sunday, July 12, between 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., approximately 60 women convicted of financial offenses were transferred from Qarchak Prison in Varamin to Evin Prison. According to information received by HRANA, 49 of them had been admitted to the women’s ward by the time this report was prepared, while the remaining prisoners were being held in quarantine. The transfer occurred despite the women’s ward already facing severe shortages of space and overcrowding. In response to the worsening conditions, prisoners in the ward protested the increased congestion and deteriorating living conditions. Following the protest, prison guards entered the ward and threatened the women prisoners, including by warning that “prisoners sentenced to death would be separated from the other inmates.”

A knowledgeable source told HRANA that Mahsa (Masoumeh) Nouri, an inmate in the ward, was transferred to solitary confinement as a disciplinary measure after protesting the situation.

So far, promises made by prison officials to address the issue have yielded no results.

It should be noted that Evin Prison’s women’s ward currently holds approximately 60 political and security prisoners, along with two children, and had already been struggling with insufficient space before the recent transfers. The arrival of dozens of additional prisoners has heightened concerns over worsening overcrowding, reduced living space per inmate, and the further deterioration of prisoners’ living conditions.

Prison overcrowding has long been a chronic problem in Iran’s prisons. Holding inmates beyond a facility’s capacity not only reduces the standard living space available to prisoners but also restricts access to healthcare, sanitary services, welfare facilities, and adequate living conditions, while increasing the physical and psychological pressures associated with imprisonment. Ensuring prisons operate within their standard capacity and providing conditions consistent with human dignity are among the requirements emphasized by international human rights standards governing the treatment of individuals during detention and imprisonment.

Political Prisoner Mehran Raouf Released from Evin Prison Under Electronic Ankle Monitoring

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, irgc, Mehran Raouf, مهران رئوف

HRANA – Mehran Raouf, a political prisoner, has been released from Evin Prison under electronic ankle monitor supervision.

According to HRANA News Agency, Mehran Raouf has been released. Based on information received by HRANA, Mehran Raouf was released yesterday from Evin Prison under electronic ankle monitor supervision.

Raouf was arrested in October 2020 by the intelligence unit of the IRGC Intelligence and transferred to the IRGC’s security detention ward, known as Ward 2-A of Evin Prison.

In April 2023, he wrote a letter from prison protesting the rights that had been denied to him due to his status as a dual national and a political prisoner.

In August 2021, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced him to 10 years and 8 months of discretionary imprisonment on charges of participating in the administration of an illegal group and propaganda against the regime. The sentence was ultimately reduced to 7 years and 6 months of imprisonment.

Fatemeh Sepehri Denied Adequate Medical Care in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad

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News, Prisoners
Asghar Sepehri, Fatemeh Sepehri, HRANA, Mashhad, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, Vakilabad prison, فاطمه سپهری

HRANA – Fatemeh Sepehri, a political prisoner held in Vakilabad Prison, has been denied adequate medical care and transfer to medical facilities outside the prison despite suffering from a heart condition and deteriorating health.

According to HRANA, Fatemeh Sepehri continues to be deprived of proper medical treatment.

According to his brother, Asghar Sepehri, despite a prison doctor’s recommendation in March 2026 that Fatemeh Sepehri be examined by a cardiologist, prison authorities failed to arrange the transfer. She was only taken to a heart specialist after her condition significantly worsened on April 22, 2026. He added that the specialist had scheduled a follow-up appointment for May 23, 2026, but that visit has yet to take place. In addition, most of her essential medications have run out, and continuing her treatment depends on another specialist examination and the renewal of her prescriptions.

In March 2025, in a joint case with her brother, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, Branch 5 of the Revolutionary Court in Mashhad sentenced each of them to three years and nine months in prison. The case stemmed from a letter the two political prisoners published from Vakilabad Prison on December 26, 2024.

Previously, in June 2024, Fatemeh Sepehri was sentenced to 18 years and six months in prison in another joint case alongside her brothers, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri and Hossein Sepehri.

Earlier, in January 2023, the Criminal Court of Mashhad sentenced Fatemeh Sepehri to one year of discretionary imprisonment and a fine of 200 million rials on charges of spreading false information and disturbing public opinion.

In a separate case, Fatemeh Sepehri was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of cooperation with hostile states. She also received five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” two years for “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and one year for propaganda against the state. These sentences were upheld on appeal. Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, 10 years of the combined sentence are enforceable.

Fatemeh Sepehri is also one of the signatories of the letter calling for the resignation of Ali Khamenei. In connection with that letter, Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court in Mashhad initially sentenced her to five years of discretionary imprisonment. The sentence was later reduced on appeal to three years and six months. She was subsequently released in early 2020 under a five-year suspended sentence.