Category: Prisoners

Citizen Sentenced to Death under Qisas (Eye-for-an-Eye) Principle of Shariah Law

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Executions, Prisoners
Citizen sentenced to death, Death Penalty, Death sentence, Iran death sentence, Qisas, Shariah Law, zanjan

A citizen was recently sentenced to death under the Qisas (roughly translated as eye-for-an-eye) principle of Shariah Law.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), the citizen was sentenced after confessing to the murder of two park rangers in Zanjan.

Hossein Absalan, Director-General of the Department of Environmental in Zanjan Province, said, “The accused in the murder of two park rangers has been sentenced to death by a verdict issued by the judge.”

Absalan further stated, “Based on the evidence, according to the Iranian Police Criminal Investigation Department of Zanjan, given the explicit confession of the arrested defendant to the murder of the two rangers, the judge has sentenced the defendant to death under Qisas.”

Eight Azerbaijani Turk Activists End Hunger Strike in Ardabil and Evin Prisons After Officials Promise to Meet Their Demands

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Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Abbas Lesani, Ali Vaseghi, Ardabil, ardabil prison, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Azerbaijani Turk activists in Iran, Behnam Sheikhi, Evin, Evin Prison, Hunger Strike, Kianoosh Aslani, Mehrdad Sheikhi, Reza Vaseghi, separation of prisoners based on crime, Siamak Mirzaei, Yousef Kari

On June 14, eight Azerbaijani Turk activists ended their hunger strike in Ardabil and Evin Prisons after the authorities’ favorable promise that their demands would be met.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Saturday, June 13, Abbas Lesani went on a hunger strike to protest the non-observance of the principle of separation of prisoners based on crime and the punitive transfer of political prisoners to wards with prisoners of violent crimes.
Seven other prisoners had gone on hunger strikes in support of Lesani’s endeavor.
The prisoners involved were Abbas Lesani, Yousef Kari, Mehrdad Sheikhi, Ali Vaseghi, Reza Vaseghi, Siamak Mirzaei, Behnam Sheikhi, and Kianoosh Aslani.

Khaled Pirzadeh Sent on Sick Leave After a 15-day Hunger Strike

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Greater Tehran Prison, Hunger Strike, Khaled Pirzadeh, Pirzadeh, Pirzadeh hunger strike, Tehran

Political prisoner Khaled Pirzadeh was sent on sick leave on the 15th day of his hunger strike.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the political prisoner had been on a hunger strike since May 31 in the Greater Tehran Prison.

Earlier this year, Pirzadeh went on a hunger strike following the failure of authorities to fulfill their promise to agree to parole. Pirzadeh ended his hunger strike in March after authorities promised that his demands would be met, but they did not follow through.

Pirzadeh reportedly told prison officials that this time he would end his hunger strike only when he is with his wife and child.

This demonstration, Pirzadeh’s second hunger strike of the year, was in response to prison officials’ denial of visitations and leave in the 25 months since his imprisonment.

Baha’i Citizens Sina Kamali Sarvestani and Dorsa Dehghani Arrested in Shiraz

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Prisoners, Religious Minorities, Women
Baha'i, Baha'i arrests, Baha'i arrests in Iran, Baha'i citizens, baha'i citizens arrested, baha'i in iran, Dehghani, Dorsa Dehghani, Fars Province, Sarvestani, Shiraz, Sina Kamali Sarvestani

On June 14, Baha’i citizens Sina Kamali Sarvestani and Dorsa Dehghani were separately arrested by security forces and taken to an unknown location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, officers reportedly searched Sarvestani and Dehghani’s homes in Shiraz and confiscated all electronic devices including phones, laptops, and books.

More than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, according to unofficial sources, but the Iranian constitution recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Because their faith is not considered legitimate by authorities, the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

This deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

As of this writing, no information is available on the detention facility or the status of Sarvestani and Dehghani.

5 Activists and Family Members of Afkari Brothers Beaten and Temporarily Detained by Adelabad Officials

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners, Women
Adelabad Prison, Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, Afkari brothers, Fars Province, November 2019 nationwide protests, November 2019 Protests, Pouya Bakhtiari, Protests of 2019, Taghi Rahmani, Vahid and Habib Afkari

Prison authorities reacted violently to a gathering of social activists and relatives of political prisoner brothers Vahid and Habib Afkari in front of Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists (HRA), several participants, including the Afkari brothers’ mother and sister, were beaten and detained by security forces for several hours.

Narges Mohammadi, Jafar Azim Zadeh, Pouran Nazemi, Nahid Shirpisheh (Mother of Pouya Bakhtiari, who was shot killed in 2019 nationwide protests) and Sakineh Ahmadi (mother of Ebrahim Katabdar, a protester who was killed in 2019 nationwide protest) were also identified as among the arrested by Ms. Mohammadi’s husband Taghi Rahmani.

On June 12, Saeed Afkari, the brother of Vahid and Habib Afkari, released a statement on the incident.

“Officers severely beat my mother, my sister, my father, my aunts, and others. The cell phones were confiscated, my sister and one of the women were arrested,” Saeed wrote. “They were released a couple of hours later.”

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Political Prisoner Reza Sarvelaiti Serving out Sentence in Greater Tehran Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Greater Tehran Penitentiary, Greater Tehran Prison, Judge Ahmad Zargar, Judge Amouzad, November 2019 nationwide protests, November 2019 Protests, Protests of 2019, Reza Sarvelaiti, Sarvelaiti, Tehran

Political prisoner Reza Sarvelaiti is currently enduring his sentence in the Greater Tehran Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Sarvelaiti is one of the detainees of the November 2019 nationwide protests.

In September 2020, Branch 24 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Amouzad, sentenced Mr. Sarvelaiti to 10 years imprisonment on charges of burning public property, insulting the supreme leader, and disrupting the public order. Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals, presided over by Judge Ahmad Zargar, later reduced the sentence to eight years.

Reza Sarvelaiti was sent to Tehran prison to endure his 8-year sentence, in November 2020.

Ali Arjangi, a Juvenile Offender on Death Row, Attempted Suicide in Ardabil Prison

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Children, Executions, Prisoners
Ali Arjangifard, Ali Arjangifard ghujeh Beiglou, ardabil prison, Death row, death row juvenile offender, Death sentence for minor, Fatemi hospital, ghujeh Beiglou, juvenile death penalty, juvenile offender iran, juvenile offenders on death row, prison

On Saturday, June 12, Ali Arjangifard ghujeh Beiglou, a juvenile offender on death row, attempted suicide in Ardabil Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Iran Human Rights (IHR), prison officials transferred him to the nearest hospital in Ardabil after the attempt. Beiglou is currently in critical condition in Fatemi hospital.

An informed source said, “Ali Arjangi attempted suicide by cutting part of his neck veins with the motive of ending his life before the execution.”

Ali Arjangi was arrested at the age of 17 on murder charges and has been held in the youth prison of Ardabil Central Prison since.

He was previously sentenced to death by Branch 3 of the Special Juvenile Court for murder, and the sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court. The verdict is said to have been issued following a forensic examination confirming his mental development.

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.

Five Azerbaijani Turk Activists on Hunger Strike in Ardabil Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Abbas Lesani, Adrabil, Ali Vaseghi, ardabil prison, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Hunger Strike, Mehrdad Sheikhi, Reza Vaseghi, Yousef Kari

Azerbaijani Turk activists Yousef Kari, Abbas Lesani, Mehrdad Sheikhi, Ali Vaseghi, and Reza Vaseghi have gone on hunger strike to protest prison authorities failing to comply with their demands.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the prisoners were transferred to the quarantine center of Ardabil Prison for isolation on Sunday, June 13, and have been barred from phone calls.
Mehrdad Sheikhi, Ali Vaseghi and Reza Vaseghi have been on a hunger strike since June 13 to protest the non-observance of the principle of separation of crimes and the transfer of political prisoners to wards with prisoners of violent crimes. Abbas Lesani and Yousef Kari have been on strike since Saturday, June 12th.
Despite the long term physical and mental harm that hunger strikes can cause, many prisoners in Iran are resorting to this mode of protest, as it is one of the only tools of expression available to them. Many of these strikes take place in protest of the lack of attention to problems in prisoners’ cases, non-observance of inmates’ rights, and prolonged uncertainty about the status of their detention.
 

Prisoner Dies After Urmia Officials Refuse to Transfer him to Hospital in the Aftermath of a Heart Attack

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Executions, Prisoners
iran death penalty, Shamsuddin Tatari, Tatari, Urmia, Urmia prison, West Azerbaijan

On Saturday, June 12, an inmate who was on death row in Urmia Prison died after prison officials refused to send him to the hospital in the aftermath of a heart attack.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, 55-year-old Shamsuddin Tatari suffered a heart attack at noon and died within the day after being denied the transfer.

Tatari was from the city of Salmas in the West Azerbaijan province. He was previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges and had been held in Urmia Prison for two years.

Afkari Brothers Denied Medical Care Amidst Ongoing Torture in Adelabad Prison

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Executions, Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Adelabad, Adelabad Prison, Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, Habib Afkari, medical neglect, medical negligence, prison guard violence, Shiraz, Unlawful detainment, Unlawful detention, unlawful summons, Vahid Afkari, Vahid and Habib Afkari

Political prisoners Vahid and Habib Afkari have been denied medical care during their 9 month detention in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz. During this time, they have been repeatedly beaten and tortured by prison officials attempting to force confessions related to their role in the 2018 nationwide protests.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the brothers are being held in the Ebrat ward, also known as the “closed ward” of the prison.

The inmates and their family repeatedly requested to be transferred to a political prison, but despite the prosecutor’s promise, authorities have thwarted all efforts to make the move happen. Saeed Afkari has commented on the condition of his imprisoned brothers.

“According to medical jurisprudence, my brother Habib suffered a broken toe, a non-welded wrist fracture, and a torn shoulder during his detention,” Saeed said. “My other brother Vahid suffered neck and arm injuries as a result of a suicide attempt in protest of physical and mental torture. They have been in solitary confinement for 279 days and have not been allowed treatment.”

In mid-September 2020, the two political prisoners were transferred to the Ebrat ward (closed ward), a detention center for prisoners deprived of phone contact. After nearly nine months, they are still being held in this ward of Adelabad prison in Shiraz.

Based on prison regulations and laws, definitive convicts should only be held in public wards under the supervision of the Prisoners’ Organization. According to the same by-laws, keeping the accused in detention should be permitted only with a written order from the judicial authorities. Thus, keeping Habib and Vahid Afkari outside the public ward of the prison without a written order is against the law.

Navid Afkari, Vahid Afkari, and Habib Afkari were arrested in connection with the nationwide protests in 2018.

Navid Afkari, an Iranian wrestler, was executed at Adelabad Prison in Shiraz in September 2020 despite serious ambiguities in the case and a worldwide wave of support for him. Vahid Afkari was sentenced to 54 years and 6 months in prison and 74 lashes, Habib Afkari to 27 years and 3 months in prison and 74 lashes.