Category: Prisoners

Bakhtiar Salemi Executed in Shirvan Prison

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Executions, Prisoners
Bakhtiar Salemi, Citizen execution, Citizen executions, Iran death sentence, North Khorasan, North Khorasan province, Secret executions, Shirvan, Shirvan Prison

At dawn on Sunday, July 25, a prisoner named Bakhtiar Salemi from Hashtrood, who had previously been sentenced to death for murder, was executed in Shirvan Prison in North Khorasan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Iran Human Rights (IHR), Salemi had previously been sentenced to death on a charge of murder. But, according to an informed source, he claimed innocence for the entirety of his imprisonment.

“Bakhtiar had two children and had been in prison for four years,” the report quoted the source as saying. “He had repeatedly insisted on his innocence and that another citizen who took refuge in Turkey was the main perpetrator”

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

Salemi’s execution has not yet been announced by Iranian media or official sources.

Khuzestan Protests: 102 Detained and 10 are said to be Killed, HRANA can only Confirm 5

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Environment, Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
ahvaz, Elhayi, hamidiyeh, khorramshahr, Khuzestan, Khuzestan province, Khuzestan water crisis, Khuzestan water shortages, Ramshir, Shavur, Susangard, Susangerd

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, several people have been killed, dozens injured, and hundreds more arrested in the last week in relation to protests in Khuzestan. HRANA has been able to identify 102 detained in cities in Khuzestan, 3 detained in Tehran in support of the people of Khuzestan, and 10 are said to have been killed, 5 of whom HRANA has confirmed so far. Names follow.

Widespread protests started in Khuzestan province on the night of Thursday, July 15, in response to the resource mismanagement that has led to the water crisis. Protests have been going for the past seven days and have spread to at least 30 cities.

HRANA has received videos showing the heavy presence of security forces and special forces vehicles in a number of cities in Khuzestan province, including Izeh and Masjed Soleiman.

Citizens in cities such as Meybod in Yazd province and Robat Karim around Tehran have rallied in support of the Khuzestan protesters.

Meanwhile, cities in Khuzestan Province are experiencing a severe decrease in internet speed and connection. The global internet watchdog website “Netblocks” earlier confirmed the internet disruptions since the protests took place in Khuzestan saying that “widespread Internet disruptions in Iran have occurred since Thursday last week following popular protests in Khuzestan province and it continues.”

Today, the Deputy Commander of the Lorestan Police confirmed that a young man was killed and seven others were injured in a shooting during last night’s protests in Aligudarz.

Detention of hundreds of protesting citizens

HRANA has received several reports pointing to the detention of hundreds of people, but verifying the identities of all detainees has been difficult due to the lack of transparency in reports from Iran’s official authorities, and the Islamic republic of Iran does not allow human rights organizations operate inside Iran. However, HRANA was able to identify 102 detained in Khuzestan and 3 in Tehran, and while reportedly 10 have been killed, HRANA has verified the identities of 5, as follows:

Identity of 10 killed citizens:

1- Mostafa Naeemawi – killed on July 16 at Shadegan – Status: Verified by HRANA

2- Ghasem Naseri (Khaziri) – was wounded on July 16 and died on July 17 at Kut Abdollah – Status: Verified by HRANA

3- Meysam Echrash – was wounded on July 18 and died on July 21 Karkhe – Status: Verified by HRANA

4- Hadi Bahmani – was killed on 21-Jul at Izeh – Status: Verified by Hrana

5- Omid Azarkhosh – was killed on 22-Jul at ` Aligudarz – Status: Verified by HRANA

6- Amir Moshari (Ebadi)– from Mahshahr– Status: Status: under review

7- Isaa Baledi – from Taleghani town in Mahshahr – Status: under review

8- Mohammad Chenani –from Shush – Status: under review

9- Hamzeh (Farzad Farisat) – from Ahvaz – Status: under review

10- Hamid Mojaddam (Jokari) – from Mahshahr – Status: under review

 

HRANA has been able to verify the names of 105 arrested citizens in different cities as are listed below.

People arrested in the city of Ahvaz:

1 – Mohammad Koroshat – Arrested on date not specified

2 – Abas Zargani – Arrested on July 21

3 – Abbas Savari – Arrested on date not specified

4 – Ahmad Savari – Arrested on July 20

5 – Ali Ka’b Alhaei – Arrested on July 20

6 – Amer Zuhairi – Arrested on July 17

7 – Basem Zargani – Arrested on July 21

8 – Basem Heydari – Arrested on date not specified

9 – Fahd Heydari – Arrested on July 21

10 – Fallah Chaldavi – Arrested on July 21

11 – Hamoud Chenani – Arrested on July 17

12 – Hamoud Shamousi – Arrested on July 17

13 – Hassan Saeedi – Arrested on date not specified

14 – Isa Mazra’eh – Arrested on July 16

15 – Meysam Savari – Arrested on July 21

16 – Milad Savari – Arrested on July 21

17 – Mohammad Sakhrawi – Arrested on date not specified

18 – Mohammad Askari – Arrested on July 21

19 – Naser Zargani – Arrested on July 21

20 – Ra’d Heydari – Arrested on July 21

 

People arrested in the city of Bostan:

21 – Faraj Obaidai – Arrested on July 19

22 – Jasem Chaldavi – Arrested on July 19

23 – Malek Chaldavi – Arrested on July 19

24 – Milad Obaidawi – Arrested on July 19

25 – Milad savari – Arrested on July 21

 

People arrested in the city of Chamran:

26 – Ahmad Mujaddam – Arrested on July 22

27 – Ali Mujaddam – Arrested on July 22

28 – Mohammad Mujaddam – Arrested on July 22

 

People arrested in the city of Elhaei:

29 – Abbas Alhaei – Arrested on July 22

30 – Abbas Khovin – Arrested on July 22

31 – Abdol Razzaq Vahid – Arrested on July 22

32 – Amir Alhaei – Arrested on July 22

33 – Mobarak Alhaei – Arrested on July 22

 

People arrested in the city of Hamidiyeh:

34 – Abas Saedi – Arrested on July 22

35 – Ghasem Saedi – Arrested on July 22

36 – Mahmoud Saedi – Arrested on July 22

37 – Rasool Sava’edi – Arrested on July 22

38 – Razi Dahimawi – Arrested on July 21

39 – Sadegh Abyat – Arrested on July 22

40 – Sadegh Saedi – Arrested on July 22

41 – Tiban Saedi – Arrested on July 22

 

People arrested in the city of Khorramshahr:

42 – Abdolreza Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

43 – Ali Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

44 – Ali Soleimani Tamimi – Arrested on July 18

45 – Ali Abdol Hossein Gatafah – Arrested on July 18

46 – Basem Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

47 – Darem Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

48 – Mansour Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

49 – Yarallah Soleimani – Arrested on July 18

 

People arrested in the city of Lordegan:

50 – Ahura Mohammadi – Arrested on July 22

51 – Behnam Hassani – Arrested on July 22

52 – Hamed Hassani – Arrested on July 22

53 – Majed Hamidi – Arrested on date not specified at city of Mollasani

 

People arrested in the city of Ramshir:

54 – Ahmad Asli – Arrested on July 21

55 – Ali Amoori – Arrested on July 22

56 – Falak Amoori – Arrested on July 22

57 – Farzad Atabi – Arrested on July 21

58 – Hamed Khaledi – Arrested on July 21

59 – Hassan Amoori – Arrested on July 20

60 – Heydar AlBushoke – Arrested on July 21

61 – Jasem Tusi – Arrested on July 20

62 – Javad Jaberi – Arrested on July 21

63 – Khaled Amoori – Arrested on July 22

64 – Khaled Amoori – Arrested on  July 21

65 – Majid Mousavi – Arrested on July 21

66 – Mehdi Hamid – Arrested on July 19

67 – Mehdi Zoghibi – Arrested on July 20

68 – Mohammad Amoori – Arrested on July 21

69 – Moslem Echrash – Arrested on  July 22

70 – Muhammad AlBushoke – Arrested on July 21

71 – Omid Tusi – Arrested on July 20

72 – Sajad Mousavi – Arrested on July 21

73 – Saleh Khaledi – Arrested on July 21

 

People arrested in the city of Shavur:

74 – Abdollah Obaidawi – Arrested on July 22

75 – Ali Khosraji – Arrested on July 21

76 – Ali Mohsen Zidan – Arrested on July 21

77 – Ali Ka’bi – Arrested on July 21

78 – Ali Agbi – Arrested on date not specified

79 – Ali Mazrae – Arrested on July 17

80 – Ali Ka’bi – Arrested on July 22

81 – Ayub Abboud al-Namnum – Arrested on July 22

82 – Faysal Mazrae – Arrested on July 17

83 – Ghasem Mazrae – Arrested on July 17

84 – Hassan Mohsen Zidan – Arrested on July 21

85 – Hossein Shomli – Arrested on July 22

86 – Jamil Obaidawi – Arrested on July 21

87 – Khaled Mazrae – Arrested on  July 17

88 – Mehdi Khosraji – Arrested on July 22

89 – Mohammad Ka’bi – Arrested on July 22

90 – Saleh Obaidawi – Arrested on July 21

91 – Seyed Hassoun Iraqi – Arrested on July 22

 

People arrested in the city of Susangerd:

92 – Abdol Amir Jalali (Abu Yahya) – Arrested on July 20

93 – Adel Naderi – Arrested on July 20

94 – Ayad Abiyat – Arrested on date not specified

95 – Emad Abiyat – Arrested on date not specified

96 – Hamze Afrawi – Arrested on  July 20

97 – Ismail Jalali – Arrested on July 21

98 – Mansour Jalali – Arrested on July 20

99 – Mohammad Harizawi – Arrested on date not specified

100 – Mujtaba Salehi – Arrested on July 20

101 – Nader Abiyat – Arrested on date not specified

102 – Reza Afrawi – Arrested on July 20

 

People arrested in the city of Tehran:

103 – Mohammad Niyazi – Arrested on July 23

104 – Mostafa Arfai – Arrested on July 23

105 – Omid Saeedi – Arrested on July 23

***

Read our  Day 8 fact sheet for more info on what is going on in Khuzestan. For media interviews, contact Skylar Thompson at [email protected].

 

 

Sepideh Gholiyan and Mahboubeh Rezaei Severely Beaten in Bushehr Prison

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Prisoners, Women
Bushehr, Bushehr prison, Fatemeh Aliverdi, Gholiyan, Mahboubeh Rezaei, Ministry of Intelligence, Sepideh Gholiyan

On Tuesday, July 20, civil activist Sepideh Gholiyan and political prisoner Mahboubeh Rezaei were severely beaten in Bushehr Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Gholiyan and Rezaei were beaten by prisoners accused of violent crimes in front of prison officials. It is said that the incident happened at the instigation of the head of the women’s ward of the prison, Fatemeh Aliverdi.

Sepideh Gholiyan has been denied the right to make telephone calls for about two months.

“Ms. Gholiyan and Ms. Rezaei were both beaten and threatened with death and for this reason,” an informed source told HRANA. “Sepideh Gholiyan spent the night at a temperature of 117 in the small backyard of the ward. After the threats, Mahboubeh Rezaei submitted a request to be transferred to Shiraz Prison, which was immediately rejected”

Ms. Gholiyan was sentenced to 5 years in prison by the Tehran Court of Appeals in December 2019. Mahboubeh Rezaei was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison by Branch 17 of the Fars Province Court of Appeal, after reduction.

The two citizens have stated that they were tortured by the Ministry of Intelligence and other security forces.

Kurdistan Province Court of Appeals Sentences Saman Karimi to Imprisonment

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Prisoners
freedom of expression, Karimi, Kurdistan, Kurdistan Court of Appeals, membership in an opposition group, Saman Karimi, Supreme Court

On Saturday, July 17, Branch 4 of the Court of Appeals of Kurdistan Province sentenced Saman Karimi to 9 years in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Karimi was sentenced on charges of”conspiracy acts against the security of the country”, “membership in opposition groups”, and “propaganda against the regime”.

By applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the most severe sentence enforceable to him is 4 years in prison.

According to article 134 of Iran’s penal code, “If the number of offenses that are committed is more than three, the penalty shall not be more than the maximum prescribed punishment provided that it shall not exceed 1.5 times the longest sentence. In these cases, only the harshest prison sentence shall be served.”

Mr. Karimi was sentenced to death in November 2019, but the sentence was overturned by the Supreme Court in September of last year.

Civil Activists Released Hours After Arrest in Tehran During March Supporting Khuzestan

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
arash kaykhosravi, Arash Sadeghi, Behzad Homayouni, Hamid Asefi, Jafar Azimzadeh, Khuzestan, Khuzestan province, Khuzestan water crisis, Narges Mohammadi, Pouran Nazemi, Rasoul Bodaghi, Ruhollah Mardani, Tehran

On Tuesday, July 20, civil activists Narges Mohammadi, Arash Sadeghi, Arash Kaykhosravi, Ruhollah Mardani, Jafar Azimzadeh, Rasoul Bodaghi, Pouran Nazemi, Hamid Asefi, and Behzad Homayouni, were released from custody a couple of hours after their arrest.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the activists were beaten and arrested while marching in support of the people of Khuzestan.

Before their arrest, they had said in a video that a number of them had been beaten in front of the Interior Ministry by military forces.

During the last six days, people in Khuzestan province have been protesting frequent water cuts, and lack of water resources management in the cities of Ramhormoz, Shavur, Karkheh, Chamran, Kut Seyed Naeem, Shush, Ahvaz, Abadan, Hamidiyeh, Bostan, Susangard, Mahshahr, Khorramshahr, Shadegan, Kut Abdollah, Mollasani, Hoveyzeh, Abu Homeyzeh, and Veys.

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Two Prisoners Executed in Rajai Shahr Prison

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Executions, Prisoners
Afshin Gheydar, citizen executions per-capita, Karaj, Mohammad Abdol Rahim, Rajai Shahr Prison, Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj, Rajai-Shahr

At dawn on Wednesday, July 14, two prisoners were executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Iran Human Rights (IHR), the prisoners have been identified as Afshin Gheydar and Mohammad Abdol Rahim.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

Defendant Sentenced to Death in Criminal Court of Gonbad Kavus

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Executions, Prisoners
Citizen death sentence, Criminal cad Kavusourt of Gonb, Death sentence, Gonbad Kavus, Hadi Hashemian, Hashemian

A defendant was sentenced to death in the criminal court of Gonbad Kavus.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Tasnim News Agency,  the defendant was charged with the murder of Captain Nabiollah Khatiri, commander of the Border Regiment.

The Chief Justice of Golestan Province, Hadi Hashemian stated, “The first defendant was sentenced to death per the request of the victim’s family.”

“The defendant was also sentenced to imprisonment and payment of ransom to the soldiers whom he wounded with a knife,” Hashemian added.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

This verdict can be appealed in the Supreme Court.

Manouchehr Bakhtiari Sentenced to Imprisonment and Exile

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Bakhtiari, Central Penitentiary of Karaj, Gholam-Hossein Ismaili, Karaj, Manouchehr Bakhtiari, November 2019 nationwide protests, November 2019 Protests, Pouya Bakhtiari, Tehran

Manouchehr Bakhtiari, the father of Pouya Bakhtiari, one of the victims of the November 2019 nationwide protests, was sentenced to imprisonment and exile.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, 77 days after his arrest, Bakhtiari called his family and announced that he had been sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison and 2 years and 6 months in exile.

He was transferred from the detention center of a security institution to the Central Penitentiary in Karaj after the sentence was issued.

Bakhtiari was detained by security forces on April 29, after being beaten at his home in Tehran. One week after the arrest, Gholam-Hossein Ismaili, a spokesman for the judiciary, called Bakhtiari and his family “counter-revolutionaries” and charged them with “acting against national security”.

Manouchehr Bakhtiari has been protesting the killing of his son by security forces in November 2019. Pouya Bakhtiari was born September 10, 1992, and was shot dead on November 16, 2019 in Phase 4 of Mehrshahr, Karaj.

According to his father, Pouya, along with his sister and mother, joined a protest march on the second day of the nationwide protest against the increase in gasoline prices. He was shot in the head, and he died before reaching the hospital.

As of this writing, the details of the verdict and the charges against Mr. Bakhtiari are not known.

Several Activists Arrested in Tehran Following a Rally in Support of Protesters in Khuzestan

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Environment, Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Arash Sadeghi, Behzad Homayouni, Hamid Asefi, Jafar Azimzadeh, Khuzestan, Khuzestan province, Khuzestan water crisis, Khuzestan water shortages, Narges Mohammadi, Pooran Nazemi, Rasoul Bodaghi, Ruhollah Mardani

Several activists were arrested in Tehran following a rally in support of the citizens of Khuzestan amidst the ongoing protests over water shortages in the province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the arrested activists have been identified as Narges Mohammadi, Arash Sadeghi, Arash Kaykhosravi, Ruhollah Mardani, Jafar Azimzadeh, Rasoul Bodaghi, Pooran Nazemi, Hamid Asefi, and Behzad Homayouni.

The detention of these citizens was violent and accompanied by beatings. Earlier today, in a video, Narges Mohammadi stated, “We wanted to gather in front of the Ministry of Interior to protest the killing of innocent – thirsty people in Khuzestan, but we were treated violently by security forces and some of us were beaten. Now we are marching in a street in Tehran to support the people of Khuzestan.”

During the last six days, people in Khuzestan Province have been protesting the frequent water cuts and mismanagement of water sources in at least 20 cities.

Since the second day of the protests, provincial officials have confirmed that two citizens, 30-year-old Mostafa Naeemawi from Shadegan, and 17-year-old Ghasem Naseri (Khaziri) from the Kut Abdollah area of Ahvaz, were killed during the protests. HRANA has received reports, which have yet to be verified, of a third civilian additionally being shot dead by military forces.

The exact status of the detained activists and their whereabouts are unknown at the time of writing.

Juvenile Offenders Hossein Shahbazi and Arman Abdol Ali at Urgent Risk of Execution as Amnesty International Calls for Suspension of their Sentences

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Children, Executions, Prisoners
Adelabad Prison, Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, Amnesty International, Arman Abdol Ali, Arman Abdolali, Armen Abdol Ali, Death Penalty, death row juvenile offender, Hossein Shahbazi, juvenile death penalty, juvenile death sentence, juvenile offender, juvenile offender iran, Majid Tafreshi

Amnesty International has issued a statement calling on Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the head of the judiciary of Iran, to suspend the death sentences of juvenile offenders Hossein Shahbazi and Arman Abdol Ali.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Tasnim, Hossein Shahbazi was arrested on charges of murder in December 2018 when he was less than 18 years old and was sentenced to death a year later by a criminal court in Fars Province. The verdict was approved by the Supreme Court. Shahbazi is being held in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.

Arman Abdol Ali was previously sentenced to death by the Tehran Criminal Court for murder and the sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court. The lawyer of the victim’s parents announced that the case of Arman Abdol Ali is being sent to the Judgment Execution Unit of the Tehran Criminal Court.

The death sentence of Arman Abdol Ali, which was originally scheduled to be carried out in January 2017, was stopped after the parents of the victim gave Arman a month to respond to the suspicions in this case.

Arman Abdol Ali has been accused of killing his girlfriend Ghazaleh Shakur in 2013 when he was less than 18 years old.

According to the HRANA annual report for the year 2020, at least 4 juvenile offenders were executed in Iran last year, and 2 other juvenile offenders have been sentenced to death.

Recently, in an interview with Agence France-Presse, Secretary of the state-run High Council for Human Rights, Majid Tafreshi, said that the Islamic Republic executes juvenile offenders “three to four times a year”, and claimed this should not be considered a human rights violation.