Category: Prisoners

January 2026 Protests: Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence of Benjamin Naghdi

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Benjamin Naghdi, HRANA

HRANA – The death sentence of Benjamin Naghdi (Naqdi), who was arrested during the 2026 nationwide protests, has been upheld by Branch 41 of Iran’s Supreme Court. He had previously been sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz on the charge of “spreading corruption on earth” (efsad-e fel-arz).

According to HRANA, citing Emtedad, the Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence issued against Benjamin Naghdi, one of those arrested during the 2026 nationwide protests.

Mustafa Nili, Mr. Naghdi’s attorney, announced that “Branch 41 of the Supreme Court rejected the appeal and upheld the death sentence issued by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz on the charge of ‘spreading corruption on earth.'”

According to the attorney, “The ruling was formally served on the defense lawyers yesterday, and we will soon file a request for a retrial.”

Mr. Nili further stated that the trial judges considered all of the charges brought against his client to constitute “spreading corruption on earth,” and on that basis imposed the death penalty.

In June 2026, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz had sentenced Benjamin Naghdi to death on the charge of “spreading corruption on earth.”

According to his defense lawyer, Mr. Naghdi was arrested in Shiraz on January 3, 2026, for allegedly igniting a fire extinguisher and directing it toward law enforcement officers during the protests.

Before his arrest, Benjamin Naghdi was active in kickboxing and Muay Thai, and had won championship titles in both sports.

Background on the January 2026 Protests

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.

Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou Sentenced to More Than Three Years and Seven Months in Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, News, Prisoners
HRANA, Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou, یوروش مهرعلی بیگلو

HRANA – Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist imprisoned in Tabriz Prison, has been sentenced in a new case by Branch 1 of the Tabriz Revolutionary Court to three years, seven months, and 17 days of discretionary imprisonment.

According to HRANA, Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou has been sentenced to prison.

Based on information received by HRANA, Branch 1 of the Tabriz Revolutionary Court recently sentenced Mehrali Beiglou in a new case to three years, seven months, and 17 days of discretionary imprisonment. The verdict was formally served on him in prison two days ago. Under the ruling, he was sentenced to seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime,” and three years and one day on the charge of “inciting or provoking people to war and killing.”

According to an informed source, this case stems from Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou’s arrest on January 4, 2026.

In May 2025, the East Azerbaijan Provincial Court of Appeals, in a separate branch of his case, sentenced Mehrali Beiglou to six years and two months in prison on the charge of forming an illegal group, and three years and seven months for assembly and collusion against national security. That case is currently under review by the Supreme Court.

In January 2026, Branch 2 of the Tabriz Revolutionary Court had convicted him on the aforementioned charges. Hearings in the case against the Azerbaijani-Turk activist had been held in May 2024.

Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou was transferred to Tabriz Prison in February 2024 and was released on bail a short time later. He had previously been arrested in Jolfa County in November 2023 and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Tabriz. He has previously been arrested and convicted on multiple occasions due to his activism.

Ghezel Hesar Prisoners End Strike Following Officials’ Promise to Halt Executions

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj

HRANA – Yesterday, Tuesday, July 28, prisoners in Unit 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj ended their strike after prison officials and judicial authorities pledged to suspend the execution of death sentences for prisoners convicted in drug-related cases while their requests are under review. The strike had begun on July 13 in protest against the transfer of six death row prisoners in such cases to solitary confinement.

According to HRANA, prisoners held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj have ended their strike.

Information received by HRANA indicates that prisoners in Unit 2 ended their strike today after meeting with prison officials and judicial authorities. During the meeting, officials promised that executions in drug-related cases at the prison would be suspended until the prisoners’ requests are reviewed. The protesting prisoners stated that their decision to maintain the suspension of the strike depends on whether the authorities fulfill these commitments and honor their promises.

The strike began on Monday, July 13, after six prisoners sentenced to death in drug-related cases were transferred to solitary confinement. Since then, the protesters had refused prison food rations and staged a sit-in, demanding an end to executions. Several prisoners also sewed their lips shut as an act of protest.

The strike continued as, on July 22, Hossein Zolfaghari met with the head of Iran’s judiciary to discuss amendments to the Anti-Narcotics Law and existing legal shortcomings. According to reports from the meeting, discussions focused on the government’s proposed bill to amend the law and the need to review regulations concerning drug-related offenses. A significant number of the protesting prisoners in Unit 2 are on death row in drug-related cases, and one of their principal demands has been to halt executions until the law is revised.

The prisoners had resumed their strike despite similar assurances made in October 2025. At that time, following a seven-day collective hunger strike by prisoners in Unit 2, representatives of the head of the judiciary, the head of the Prisons Organization, and the director of Ghezel Hesar Prison met with the prisoners and promised that executions would be suspended for at least six months, that their cases would be reviewed, and that efforts would be made to amend the Anti-Narcotics Law. Based on those assurances, the prisoners ended their strike but emphasized that the agreement depended on the authorities implementing their commitments. The protesting prisoners now say that the resumption of executions and the current situation amount to a breach of those earlier promises.

Identities of 16 Defendants in the “Shohada Square of Isfahan” Case Confirmed; Legal Uncertainty Continues in Isfahan Prisons

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News, Prisoners
Abolfazl Dadgostar, Ahmadreza Saeedi, Ali Boveyri, Armin Gholami, Hamed Mehralian, Mehdi Asadi, Mehdi Jafari, Mehdi Mansouri, Mehrdad Boveyri, Milad Boveyri, Mohammadreza Tavakkoli, moharebeh, Morteza Barati, Navid Elyasi, Parsa Jafari, Romina Rahimi, Sajjad Abedi Shapourabadi, Setayesh Saedi, Shohada Square of Isfahan, Taraneh Rahimi, three brothers

HRANA has confirmed the identities of 16 defendants in the case known as the “Shohada Square of Isfahan” case. The individuals, who were arrested in connection with the January 2026 protests, face charges including “enmity against God (moharebeh)” and other national security-related offenses. They remain in legal limbo in Dastgerd and Dolatabad prisons in Isfahan.

According to HRANA, 16 individuals arrested during the 2026 protests in Isfahan remain in detention.

HRANA has identified the defendants as Armin Gholami, Sajjad Abedi Shapourabadi, Parsa Jafari, Mehdi Jafari, Ahmadreza Saeedi, Navid Elyasi, Abolfazl Dadgostar, Mehdi Mansouri, Hamed Mehralian, Mehdi Asadi, Setayesh Saedi, three brothers, Milad Boveyri (35), Mehrdad Boveyri (32), and Ali Boveyri (28), and 20-year-old twin sisters Taraneh Rahimi and Romina Rahimi. The female defendants are currently being held in Dolatabad Prison, while the male defendants are detained in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

A source familiar with the detainees’ situation confirmed to HRANA:

“Most of these individuals spent time in solitary confinement after their arrests. Many of them had experienced significant weight loss by the time they were transferred out of solitary confinement. They are now permitted to make phone calls and receive family visits.”

According to information received by HRANA, the defendants were tried in July 2026 before Judges Morteza Barati and Mohammadreza Tavakkoli on charges including “enmity against God (moharebeh) through carrying bladed weapons,” “destruction of public property constituting moharebeh,” “assembly and collusion against national security,” and “propaganda against the regime.” No verdict has yet been issued.

Based on HRANA’s documentation, two of the defendants are additionally charged with “complicity in moharebeh” and “complicity in the destruction of public property,” while Setayesh Saedi is charged solely with “assembly and collusion.”

The three Boveyri brothers, Milad, Mehrdad, and Ali, were arrested at 4:00 a.m. on January 24, 2026, when security forces raided their home in Isfahan. Following their arrests, the family’s two shoe stores were sealed by the authorities. Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, the twin sisters charged in the same case, were also arrested in February 2026.

HRANA had previously reported on the case involving these 16 detainees, which has become known as the “Shohada Square of Isfahan” case. Several of the defendants are charged with moharebeh. Their trial was held inside Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan. Defense lawyers reportedly did not receive full access to the case files before the hearing, and one defendant told the judges in court that he had been subjected to torture during interrogation.

According to information obtained by HRANA, the case is also marked by uncertainties regarding the basis for several of the charges. During the events at Shohada Square in Isfahan, two people were killed, one identified as a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the other as a homeless civilian. However, the indictment against the defendants contains no specific murder charges related to either death. Instead, the proceedings have focused on charges including moharebeh, complicity in moharebeh, destruction of public property, assembly and collusion, and propaganda against the regime.

A source familiar with the proceedings told HRANA that no evidence was presented during the trial specifically demonstrating the defendants’ involvement in the deaths of the two individuals.

 

Background on the January 2026 Protests

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.

Ghezel Hesar Prisoners’ Strike Enters Its Fifteenth Day in Protest Against Death Sentences

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News, Prisoners
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Hunger Strike, Karaj, Qezel Hesar Prison

HRANA – Yesterday, July 27, 2026, prisoners held in Ward 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj continued their hunger strike and sit-in protest for the fifteenth consecutive day in opposition to the implementation of death sentences.

According to HRANA, prisoners in Ward 2 have continued refusing their prison food rations while maintaining their sit-in protest.

Based on information received by HRANA, the prisoners continued their strike for the fifteenth straight day on Monday, July 27, 2026. By gathering in the ward’s main hall, staging a sit-in, and refusing to accept prison food rations, the protesting prisoners reiterated their opposition to the implementation of death sentences, particularly in cases related to drug offenses.

Yesterday, on the fourteenth day of the strike, approximately 140 prisoners serving sentences other than death were transferred from Ward 2 to Hall 3 of Ward 1 in Ghezel Hesar Prison. Prison authorities have reportedly decided that only death-row prisoners will remain in Ward 2. Over the past week, hundreds of prisoners have been transferred from Ward 2 to other sections of the prison. However, prison officials have yet to provide any explanation regarding the reason for or manner in which these transfers have been carried out.

In recent days, several reports and images from inside Ghezel Hesar Prison have also been published, documenting parts of the prisoners’ hunger strike and sit-in protest.

The strike began on Monday, July 13, 2026, after six prisoners sentenced to death in drug-related cases were transferred to solitary confinement. Since then, the protesting prisoners have refused to accept prison food rations and have continued their sit-in, demanding an end to executions. As part of the protest, some prisoners have also sewn their lips shut.

The renewed protests come despite commitments made last October, when, following a seven-day collective hunger strike by Ward 2 prisoners, representatives of the Head of the Judiciary, the Head of the Prisons Organization, and the director of Ghezel Hesar Prison met with the prisoners. During that meeting, they reportedly promised that executions would be suspended for at least six months and that there would be an opportunity to review the cases of those sentenced to death, while also pursuing amendments to the Anti-Narcotics Law. Following those assurances, the prisoners ended their strike but stressed that continuation of the agreement depended on the authorities fulfilling their commitments. The protesting prisoners now say that the resumption of executions and the current conditions amount to a disregard for those earlier promises and commitments.

The protests also continue as, on July 22, 2026, Hossein Zolfaghari, the President’s representative and Secretary-General of the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, met with the Head of the Judiciary to discuss amendments to the Anti-Narcotics Law and existing legal shortcomings in this area. According to the published report of the meeting, the government’s proposed bill to amend the Anti-Narcotics Law and the need to review certain regulations concerning drug-related offenses were among the topics discussed. This is particularly significant given that a substantial number of the protesting prisoners in Ward 2 of Ghezel Hesar are on death row for drug-related offenses, and one of their principal demands is the suspension of executions until the law is revised.

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After Death Sentence Overturned by Supreme Court, Karim Khojasteh Sentenced to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Baghi, Gilan, HRANA, Karim Khojasteh, Lakan prison, کریم خجسته

HRANA – Following the overturning of Karim Khojasteh’s death sentence by the Supreme Court and the referral of his case to a parallel court, the political prisoner held in Lakan Prison in Rasht has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison.

According to HRANA, Karim Khojasteh has been sentenced to imprisonment.

After the Supreme Court overturned his death sentence and referred the case to a parallel branch for retrial, Khojasteh was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison. The ruling was issued recently by Branch 1 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court.

In December 2025, the same court had sentenced him to death on the charge of baghi (armed rebellion against the regime) through alleged membership in an opposition group.

Karim Khojasteh was arrested by security forces at his workplace on March 13, 2025, and transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht.

He had previously been arrested on July 20, 2024, due to his critical activities and was released on bail of 500 million tomans on November 29, 2024.

Karim Khojasteh is a resident of Khomam County, located in the northern province of Gilan.

January 2026 Protests: Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence of Ahad Shokouhian

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News, Prisoners
Ahad Shokouhian, HRANA, Pakdasht, احد شکوهیان

HRANA – Branch 9 of Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Ahad Shokouhian, who was arrested during the nationwide January 2026 protests. He had previously been sentenced to death three times by the Tehran Revolutionary Court in connection with the protests in Pakdasht.

According to HRANA, the death sentence of Ahad Shokouhian has been upheld.

The ruling was confirmed by Branch 9 of the Supreme Court. Earlier, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Shokouhian to three death sentences on charges including acting against national security, assembly and collusion to act against national security, destruction of public property, and participation in the killing of two security force personnel. According to information received by HRANA, the allegations against him include participating in the January 8 protests in Pakdasht and setting fire to a mosque.

A source familiar with the case and close to Shokouhian’s family told HRANA that he was not present at the mosque when the fire occurred and was arrested solely because he bore a resemblance to another individual identified as the alleged perpetrator. Nevertheless, his sentence was issued and upheld without a thorough review of the available surveillance camera footage, and both the investigating judge and the trial judge refused requests to re-examine the recordings.

The source further stated that a significant portion of the prosecution’s case was based on confessions attributed to Ahad Shokouhian, although the circumstances under which those confessions were obtained remain unclear.

According to the same source, Shokouhian suffers from severe asthma, a condition that has been confirmed by the Legal Medicine Organization. Due to his physical condition, he would have been incapable of engaging in strenuous activities, including the alleged act of breaking down the mosque’s door.

Ahad Shokouhian was arrested on January 15, 2026, during the nationwide protests in Pakdasht and transferred to Khorin Prison in Varamin. In June 2026, he was transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

Ahad Shokouhian, 38, is a flower market worker in Tehran, the sole breadwinner of his family, and a resident of Pakdasht.

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.

Ghezel Hesar Prisoners’ Hunger Strike Enters Tenth Day

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Ghezel Hesar Prisoners, HRANA, Hunger Strike, زندان قزل حصار

HRANA  – Yesterday, July 22, 2026, prisoners held in Ward 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj entered the tenth consecutive day of their protest against executions. The prisoners have continued both their sit-in and their refusal to accept prison food in response to the transfer of six inmates to solitary confinement for the implementation of their death sentences.

According to HRANA, the hunger strike by prisoners in Ward 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison, which began on Monday, July 13, 2026, after six prisoners sentenced to death were transferred to solitary confinement, continued today.

Based on information received by HRANA, the prisoners gathered in the ward hall on Wednesday and once again refused to receive prison meals, marking the tenth day of their hunger strike. The protesting prisoners stated their opposition to the implementation of death sentences, particularly in cases involving drug-related offenses.

In recent days, videos recorded inside Ghezel Hesar Prison have also emerged, showing scenes from the prisoners’ hunger strike and sit-in.

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

It is worth noting that HRANA also reported last year on similar hunger strikes by a number of prisoners at Ghezel Hesar Prison protesting the implementation of death sentences.

A video showing yesterday’s sit-in and hunger strike by the prisoners of Ghezel Hesar Prison is provided below.

Political Prisoner Amirhassan Akbari Monfared Sentenced to Death

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Abolghasem Salavati, Amirhassan Akbari Monfared, Amirhossein Akbari Monfared, Evin Prison, HRANA, Mohammad Akbari Monfared, Zeinab Akbari Monfared, امیرحسن اکبری منفرد

HRANA – Amirhassan Akbari Monfared, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to death by Judge Abolghasem Salavati on the charge of baghi (armed rebellion).

According to HRANA, 27-year-old Amirhassan Akbari Monfared has been sentenced to death.

According to a verdict issued by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, and served on Mr. Akbari Monfared two days ago, he was sentenced to death on the charge of baghi (armed rebellion) through alleged membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK). He is currently imprisoned in Evin Prison and had previously stood trial before the same court.

Amirhossein Akbari Monfared was arrested alongside his father, Mohammad Akbari Monfared, and his brother and sister, Amir hossein and Zeinab Akbari Monfared, by Ministry of Intelligence agents in Karaj during the winter of 2025. The three other family members were later released on bail.

So far, no information has been made available regarding the details of the charges brought against the other members of the family. However, a source previously informed HRANA that they are facing security-related charges.

Mohammad Akbari Monfared, aged approximately 58, Amirhassan Akbari Monfared, 33, Zeinab Akbari Monfared, 30, and Amirhossein Akbari Monfared, 27, are residents of Karaj.

January 2026 Protests: Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence of Ali Fattah

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Ali Fattah, Ali Kamali, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Iman Afshari, January 2026 Protests, علی فتاح, علی کمالی

HRANA – The death sentence issued against Ali Fattah (Kamali), arrested during the January 2026 protests, has been overturned by the Supreme Court. He had previously been sentenced to death by Judge Iman Afshari.

According to HRANA, the Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence imposed on Ali Fattah (Kamali), one of the detainees arrested during the January 2026 protests.

Based on information received by HRANA, the Supreme Court overturned the political prisoner’s death sentence some time ago.

A source familiar with the case told HRANA: “Following the onset of serious mental health issues, Ali Fattah (Kamali) is currently hospitalized at Razi Psychiatric Teaching and Treatment Hospital (Aminabad). He had previously been transferred to the same facility once before to receive medical treatment.”

Ali Fattah (Kamali) was arrested in Tehran on January 12, 2026, during the nationwide protests. Holding a Malaysian student residence permit, he had returned to Iran only a few days before his arrest.

Following his arrest, he was held at Greater Tehran Penitentiary before being transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj in late June.

In May of this year, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced him to death on the charge of “enmity against God” (moharebeh).

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.