Category: Prisoners

Trade Union Activist Reza Shahabi Goes on Hunger Strike in Evin Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Hunger Strike, Iranian Trade Union Activist, Reza Shahabi, Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, Ward 209 of Evin Prison

On Monday, June 13, 2022, Reza Shahabi, trade union activist and a board member of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company started his hunger strike in protest against his prolonged detention. Shahabi who suffers from poor health has been detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison for over 30 days.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Monday, June 13, 2022, trade union activist Reza Shahabi went on hunger strike to protest against his detention.

Last Sunday, Shahabi’s detention was extended for one month.

On Thursday, May 12, 2022, security forces arrested Reza Shahabi at his house in Tehran.

In previous years, Reza Shahabi faced other arrests and convictions for his civil activities.

Teacher Union Activists Shaaban Mohammadi and Masoud Nikkhah Transferred from Sanandaj to Evin Prison in Tehran

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Eskandar Lotfi, Masoud Nikkhah, Shaaban Mohammadi

On Saturday, June 4, 2022, two detained teacher union activists, Shaaban Mohammadi and Masoud Nikkhah were transferred from a detention center in Sanandaj to Evin Prison in Tehran. These inmates had been arrested on May 1, 2022, with another teacher Eskandar Lotfi. Shaaban Mohammadi was released on that day but arrested again later on May 11, 2022.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Saturday evening, June 4, 2022, in a phone call, two detained teacher union activists, Shaaban Mohammadi and Masoud Nikkhah informed their families about their relocation from Sanandaj to Evin Prison in Tehran.

According to an informed source, during the call, security agents interrupted and cut the phone connection so that the Ward in which they are held is not revealed, as it may reveal the institution responsible. 

On Sunday, May 1, 2022, security forces arrested Masoud Nikkhah and Eskandar Lotfi in Sanandaj. They went on hunger strike right after the arrest. On May 11, 2022, Masoud Nikkhah was released on bond but one day after he was arrested again.

Three weeks ago, in a report, a state-controlled TV channel tried to connect the recent detention of two French citizens, Cécile Kohler and her husband, to nationwide teachers’ protests and these teachers’ activists. In response, in a statement, the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association condemned these attempts to make such connections and allegations. 

On Sunday, May 1, in response to a call by the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association, the retired and active teachers in 45 cities assembled in front of the building of the Ministry of Education. In Mariwan and Bushehr, these protests were attacked and several protestors were arrested. 

 

Update on Civil Activist Barzan Mohammadi’s Condition in Mariwan Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Barzan Mohammadi, Imprisoned Iranian Civil Activist, Mariwan Prison

Civil activist Barzam Mohammadi is currently serving his sentence in Mariwan Prison. On May 16, 2022, he went on a hunger strike in protest against his relocation to the quarantine section of the prison, which he ended last week once he was relocated back to the Public Ward.

Mohammadi was sent to the quarantine section as a punishment for his refusal to attend a religious ceremony.

On June 7, 2021, security forces arrested Barzan Mohammadi and transferred him to the Sarvabad IRGC detention center. He was then sent to Mariwan Prison. Subsequently, the Revolutionary Court of Mariwan sentenced him to 22 months imprisonment on the charge of “offensive statement against the Supreme Leader.”

Mohammadi had previously been arrested for his activities in cyberspace during the nationwide protests in July 2018 and was sentenced to 6 years in prison, which later was reduced to three years and six months on appeal. On July 5, 2020, he was freed on early release from Evin Prison.

Inmate Died in Rajai Shahr Prison Due to Inadequate Medical Care

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Iranian Prisons, Javad Amir-Khani Toosi, Karaj city, Rajai Shahr Prison

On Monday, May 30, 2022, an inmate died in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj City due to inadequate medical care and delay in dispatching to the hospital.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, an inmate identified as Javad Amir-Khani Toosi, age about 70, died in Rajai Shahr Prison.

According to an informed source, despite his frequent referral to the Prison health facility in recent weeks, Amir-Khani Toosi did not receive the required medical care. Forensic medicine announced blood infection as the cause of death.

Amir-Khani Toosi was convicted of murder and was in prison for 11 years.

His death has not been reported by official sources and media outlets inside Iran so far.

Teacher Union Activist Mohammad Habibi’s Detention Extended 

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Ali Akbar Baghani, Iranian Teacher Union Activist, Jafar Ebrahimi, mohammad habibi, Rasoul Bodaghi

Mohammad Habibi’s detention was extended for a month on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, despite a previous pledge that he would be released on bail. On April 30, 2022, Habibi, who is the spokesperson of the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association was arrested and detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, imprisoned teacher Mohammad Habibi’s detention was extended for one month.

According to an informed source, Habibi has been charged with “propaganda against the regime” and is currently held in one of the public cells of Ward 209 with 12 other inmates.” He was allowed to have one phone call once a week and family visitations two times. 

On April 30, 2022, one day before the nationwide teacher protests, security forces arrested  Habibi and three other members of the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association, Ali Akbar Baghani, Rasoul Bodaghi and Jafar Ebrahimi and transferred them to Ward 209 of Evin prison, which belongs to the Ministry of Intelligence and demonstrates that the Ministry is concerned about the teachers’ assembly in Iran.

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Prisoners’ Living Conditions at Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary, HRANA

Prisoners who are housed in Ward 1, Type 2 in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary are held in poor conditions, including frequent and prolonged water outages, poor sanitation, overcrowding and lack of proper air conditioning.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the inmates of the Closed Ward of the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary are held in poor living conditions.

An informed source told HRANA, “the inmates jailed in this ward face frequent and prolonged water outages. Sometimes, the water flow is completely cut off for a couple of days. Inmates are living in poor conditions and prison officials do nothing to resolve these issues.”

During the summer season, water flow for sanitation needs and cooling systems is critical.  

An informed source close to an inmate’s family told HRANA, “Ward 1, Type 2 of this prison is overcrowded. In this hot season, there is no air conditioning system.”

According to this source, the lack of air conditioning and healthy drinking water increases the risk of disease outbreaks.

Earlier, prison officials beat several political prisoners and relocated them to Ward 1. One day later, Mohammad Mehdi Haj Mohammadi, Iran’s head of Prisons Organization, confirmed this battery and the relocation on his social media page.

Political Prisoner Vahid Bagheri on Nineteenth Day of Hunger Strike

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Hunger Strike, the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary, Vahid Bagheri

Political prisoner Vahid Bagheri who is currently jailed in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary is on the 19th day of hunger strike. Despite his poor health condition,  the prison officials deny his basic demands.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Saturday, May 28, 2022, Political prisoner Vahid Bagheri is on the 19th day of his hunger strike in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

On May 10, 2022, Mr Bagheri went on hunger strike in protest against the prison official’s rejection of his request for an early release on probation despite the head of the Judiciary’s agreement.

Earlier, in an open letter, Vahid Bagheri had protested that he is the breadwinner of two families and was imprisoned only for attending a protest.

During the nationwide 2019–2020 Iranian protests known as the Aban Protests, the security forces arrested Bagheri and after a while transferred him from a detention facility to the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

Subsequently, branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Bagheri to six years in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion against national security”. Applying article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, of the two counts, five years in prison for the charge of “assembly and collusion” is enforceable.

Teacher Union Activist Esmail Abdi Hospitalized on Sixth Day of Hunger Strike

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Esmail Abdi, Evin Prison, Hunger Strike, Teacher union activist

Teacher union activist Esmail Abdi was hospitalized after the sixth day of the hunger strike. Since last Sunday, May 1, Esmail Abdi, who is currently imprisoned in Kachooie Prison, has been on hunger strike in protest against “convictions against teacher union activists and suppression of imprisoned teachers and workers’ families.”

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association’s Telegram channel, Esmail Abdi was hospitalized due to deteriorating health conditions after six days of hunger strike.

On June 27, 2015, when Abdi went to Evin Courthouse to enquire about the reason for being banned from leaving the country, he was arrested and interrogated for many hours. After six months in detention, in March of that year, he was sentenced to six years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on the charges of “propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion against national security”, of which, five years was enforceable.

Earlier, Abdi was sentenced to ten years of suspended imprisonment which was supposed to last for five years. However,  while serving the last months of his five years sentence, this suspended sentence was reactivated by the court order.  

Eight Citizens Accused of Espionage in Detention in Urmia Prison 

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Amir Moshtagh, Aran Omari, Ashkan Othmannejad, Espionage, Fakhredin Doodkanloo, Hasan Omarpour, Kamran Henareh, Rahman Parhazoo, Urmia prison, Vafa Henareh

Eight citizens, who were arrested and accused of espionage, have been detained since November 2021. On March 11, 2022, all these detainees but one were relocated to Urmia Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, eight citizens identified as Kamran Henareh, Vafa Henareh, Ashkan Othmannejad, Fakhredin Doodkanloo, Aran Omari, Rahman Parhazoo, Hasan Omarpour, Amir Moshtagh have been detained on the charge of espionage. Vafa Henareh is still held at a detention center and the rest are jailed in Urmia Prison. All these individuals have been indicted for espionage.

Although the prosecution of individuals for espionage is not considered a violation of human rights, there are concerns about the validity of these allegations due to the frequent use of such accusations by Iran’s regime in order to suppress its political dissidents and due to the ambiguities in legal proceedings and the lack of transparency about such legal cases.

Imprisoned Civil Activist Behnam Moosivand Still on Hunger Strike Despite Deteriorating Conditions 

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Behnam Moosivand, Evin Prison, Hunger Strike

Imprisoned civil activist Behnam Moosivand is currently in critical health condition after 16 days of hunger strike. On the eighth day of his hunger strike, he was dispatched to a hospital from the Evin Prison’s quarantine ward.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, jailed civil activist Behnam Moosivand is in critical condition as a result of a prolonged hunger strike.

An informed source close to Moosivand’s family told HRANA: “Behnam has lost a lot of weight and can hardly speak. He suffers from pain and nausea and has to be injected with morphine to relieve the pain. However, he is denied family visitation even though his family has been present at the hospital.”

On April 19, 2022, Moosivand went on a hunger strike in protest against aggressive behavior and assault by prison officers following his objection to being handcuffed during the dispatching to the hospital.

On February 1, 2018, the intelligence officials raided Moosivand’s home and transferred him to the detention facility of the Ministry of Intelligence in Evin Prison, known as Ward 209. He was released on bail on March 19, 2018.

Subsequently, in September 2019, branch 28 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced Moosivand to five years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security”, and one year on a charge of “propaganda against the regime”. The verdict was upheld on appeal. On June 14, 2020, Moosivand went to Evin for sentencing. In September of 2020, he was sent into exile, to Rajai-Shahr prison in Karaj City.