On a single day, 22 prisoners were executed in Qazalhisar prison in Karaj for crimes including murder, drug-related crimes, and rape. Among them were six individuals sentenced to death for drug-related offenses: Ismail Sharfi, Mohammad Gholami, Abdullah Shahnawazi, Shahab Maleki, Rasul (last name unknown), and Ghanbari (first name unknown). These prisoners were placed in solitary confinement in their final days, and their families were summoned for final goodbyes. Additionally, one protester from the 2022 nationwide protests, Reza Rasaei, was executed on August 6, 2024, for a non-violent crime, with the conviction reportedly based on forced confessions.
Freedom of expression remains severely curtailed, with 25 individuals arrested in relation to this issue during August. This includes the arrest of journalist Omid Pahuda, who was sentenced to six months in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime. Additionally, two prominent journalists, Niloufer Hamedi and Elaha Mohammadi, had their sentences reduced by the Tehran Court of Appeal to six years each after initially receiving a combined 25-year sentence. Both journalists were initially charged for their reporting related to the death of Mahsa Amini and played significant roles in the subsequent protests.
Prison conditions remain dire, with 47 cases of medical neglect reported and 21 cases where no information about the person has been available after their arrest. Political prisoners like Sara Jahani, a women’s rights activist suffering from multiple sclerosis, continue to face severe mistreatment, including denial of necessary medical care despite serious health conditions. Additionally, a prisoner named Ruhullah Mohammadi died in Urmia prison due to delayed medical attention, highlighting the life-threatening neglect faced by prisoners in Iran.
Women’s rights violations persist under Iran’s “Operation Noor,” with several incidents of violence and arrests for non-compliance with mandatory hijab laws. This month, eight women were killed and six were raped. Notably, Arezou Badri, a 31-year-old woman from Noor city, was shot by police for hijab-related issues, leaving her with severe injuries and possible paralysis. Two teenage girls in Tehran were also violently assaulted and arrested under the same crackdown.
Workers in Iran endure hazardous conditions, with 41 fatalities and 60 injuries recorded from work-related accidents in August. Additionally, over 3,640 workers reported unpaid wages, exacerbating economic hardships in the face of unsafe working environments. Alireza Abdullahzadeh, a worker at a petrochemical plant in Khuzestan, died from heatstroke due to extreme working conditions. In addition, military forces shot and injured at least four Kolbers (border porters) in the “Henge Jhal” border area of Baneh city.
This report underscores ongoing human rights abuses in Iran, including executions without transparency, suppression of dissent, dire prison conditions, systematic violations of women’s rights, and unsafe labor practices, warranting urgent international attention and action.
Executions
This month in Iran, the execution of 92 individuals took place, comprising 68 men and 24 where the gender of the individual is unknown. A total of 14 individuals were sentenced to death. Iran persists in executing individuals for offenses falling short of the standards outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Notably, there remains a consistent trend of individuals being executed for drug-related crimes, a practice in clear contravention of the right to life as stipulated by the ICCPR. This month, 45 people were executed for drug-related offenses.
This month, in one day 22 prisoners were executed, for crimes including murder, drug-related crimes and rape in in Qazalhisar prison in Karaj. The identity of six of these prisoners who were sentenced to death due to charges related to drug crimes, Ismail Sharfi, Mohammad Gholami, Abdullah Shahnawazi, Shahab Maleki, Rasul (unknown last name) and (unknown first name) Ghanbari. On their last days they were sent to solitary confinement and their families were told to come to say their final goodbyes.
Additionally, one of the protestors of the 2022 nationwide protests was executed on August 6th, 2024. Reza Rasaei was charged with a non-violent crime and the judge relied on forced confessions in order to reach a conviction.
The Supreme Court of Iran has confirmed the death sentences of six political prisoners—Malik Ali Fadaei Nasab, Farhad Shakri, Isa Eidmohammadi, Abdul Hakim Azim Gergij, Abdul Rahman Gergij, and Taj Mohammad Kharmali—who are currently imprisoned in Vakil Abad Prison in Mashhad. These prisoners were initially sentenced to death in 2018 by the Mashhad Revolutionary Court on charges of “treason” related to their alleged membership in the Salafi group Hezb al-Furqan and the Sunni National Solidarity Front of Iran. Although their sentences were initially overturned by the Supreme Court for re-examination, the Revolutionary Court reissued the death sentences after a retrial in August 2023. The case was then reviewed and confirmed by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court. A source close to the prisoners’ families highlighted severe flaws in the case and reported instances of torture, including the use of pepper spray on one prisoner, which have left lasting effects on their bodies.
Kamran Sheikhe, a Sunni prisoner, was executed in Urmia prison on Thursday, August 4, after spending over fourteen years in imprisonment. He was the last of seven Sunni religious prisoners who were sentenced to death in a joint case and have all now been executed. The group was originally arrested in connection with the murder of a teacher named Abdul Rahim Tina in 2007. Their death sentences were issued by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, led by Judge Mohammad Moqiseh, and later reaffirmed by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court under Judge Abolqasem Salavati, despite a temporary overturning by the Supreme Court. The six other prisoners—Qasim Abasteh, Ayoub Karimi, Dawood Abdulahi, Farhad Salimi, Anwar Khezri, and Khosro Besharat—were executed earlier this year and in late 2022 in Qazalhasar and Urmia prisons, concluding the case with Sheikhe’s execution.
Freedom of Thought and Expression
Iran continues to crack down on anyone who protests or criticizes the regime, persistently violating the right to freedom of expression and thought. This month alone, 25 individuals have been arrested related to freedom of expression, 11 trials, and 2 cases of assault and battery by police.
This month 3 journalists were convicted. Omid Pahuda was sentenced to six months in prison on the charge of propaganda against the regime.
Niloufer Hamedi and Elaha Mohammadi, two Iranian journalists, were initially sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court for charges including “collaborating with a hostile foreign government” (the United States), “gathering and collusion against the security of the country,” and “propaganda activity against the regime.” However, the Tehran Court of Appeal reduced their sentences to six years each. They were acquitted of the charge of collaboration with the U.S., but their sentences of five years for “gathering and collusion” and one year for “propaganda against the regime” were upheld.
Their lawyers expressed hope that the remaining charges would be pardoned under the 2022 amnesty directive, as both journalists meet the conditions for amnesty. Hamedi was originally charged after publishing a photo of Mahsa Amini in a coma, while Mohammadi reported on Amini’s death, both of which played a significant role in the protests that followed. After spending time in Qarchak and Evin prisons, both journalists were released on bail in December 2022. However, a new case was later opened against them, reportedly related to the hijab issue.
On Tuesday, August 9, Ahmad Hassanzadeh and Solmaz Hassanzadeh, the father and sister of Mohammad Hassanzadeh—a victim of the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran—were arrested by security forces in Bukan. According to reports, they were detained at their home, where they were also subjected to beatings. The security forces confiscated their mobile phones and those of other family members. The arrests are believed to be connected to the family’s attempt to hold a ceremony in honor of Mohammad Hassanzadeh’s birthday. As of now, there is no information on their whereabouts or the charges against them. Previously, both Ahmad and Solmaz were summoned and interrogated by the Bukan Intelligence Department, and Solmaz was briefly detained at a checkpoint in October last year. Mohammad Hassanzadeh, aged 28, was shot during the 2022 protests.
Prison Conditions
In August, there were 47 cases of prisoners lacking medical care and there were 21 cases where no information about the person has been available after their arrest, leaving families in the dark about the prisoners’ fates due to a lack of contact. Meanwhile, 49 prisoners have been deprived of any form of contact and 47 have had their visitation rights prevented. Furthermore, 38 prisoners have been transferred to solitary confinement, 5 prisoners have had no access to a lawyer, and 0 have gone on hunger strikes in protest of their conditions.
Sara Jahani, a women’s rights activist imprisoned in Lakan prison in Rasht, is being denied specialized medical treatment despite her deteriorating health. Jahani, who suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), recently experienced a severe muscle spasm that caused her to fall in the prison bathroom, further aggravating her physical condition. Despite her need for hospital care and specialized treatment, prison authorities have refused to transfer her to a medical facility. This is not the first time Jahani has faced such neglect; a previous incident resulted in a tear and bleeding above her eye.
Jahani was arrested on August 8, 2023, and transferred to Lakan prison to serve her sentence, despite her medical condition. She was initially detained by security forces in August 2022 in Gilan province and was later sentenced to six years, one month, and seventeen days in prison for charges related to “membership in a group and society” and “collusion with the aim of disrupting national security.” Her case, along with those of ten other women’s rights activists in Gilan, was confirmed by the Court of Appeal in June 2023. Although her prison sentence was temporarily postponed in late July due to her medical condition, Jahani remains in prison without proper medical care, exacerbating her already serious health issues.
A prisoner named Ruhullah Mohammadi, aged 48, died in Urmia prison on Tuesday, August 16, due to a delay in receiving necessary medical attention. Mohammadi, who was serving time for non-political crimes, fell ill and was taken to the prison hospital. Despite the prison doctor’s recommendation that he be transferred to an external hospital for further treatment, the transfer did not occur in time. The prison authorities reported that Mohammadi suffered a fatal heart attack before he could be sent to the hospital, highlighting the severe consequences of inadequate medical care in Iranian prisons.
More than a week after the death of Seyyed Mohammad Mirmusavi in a police station in Lahijan, Iran’s police command issued a notice attributing his death to the “lack of control of anger and emotions” by police officers, who allegedly beat him during his arrest. The police claimed Mirmusavi was confrontational and disobedient, leading to the altercation. The announcement followed reports that Mirmusavi’s body showed signs of severe beating, and possibly a gunshot wound. In response, five police officers were arrested, and involved agents were suspended. Despite the ongoing investigation, details remain scarce, adding to concerns over the increasing number of suspicious deaths in police custody in Iran.
Women
This month, 8 women were killed, and 6 were raped. Women continue to face harassment and arrests for not wearing hijab properly.
Several more incidents have occurred as part of a broader crackdown under Iran’s “Noor” plan, launched on April 25 to
enforce the mandatory hijab more strictly. Since its implementation, there have been numerous reports of violent actions and arrests targeting women who do not comply with these requirements.
On June 21, two teenage girls in Tehran were violently assaulted and arrested by agents enforcing the “Noor Plan,” a crackdown on women who do not comply with mandatory hijab regulations. The girls were taken to the Morality Police in a white van, where one of them, 14-year-old Nafas Haji-Sharif, sustained serious injuries, including a bruised face, swollen lips, and a bruised neck. According to Nafas’s mother, Maryam Abbasi, her daughter was beaten by the agents, who dragged her by the hair and slammed her head into an electric post. Despite providing evidence, including CCTV footage, Abbasi’s complaints have been dismissed by authorities. The Morality Police have claimed that a female officer was injured during the altercation and have warned Abbasi against pursuing legal action.
Arezou Badri, a 31-year-old woman from Noor city in Mazandaran province, was shot by police about ten days ago while driving, due to issues related to the mandatory hijab. The incident left her severely injured, with significant damage to her lungs and spinal cord. Arezou currently has no sensation from the waist down, and it is uncertain whether she will be completely paralyzed.
The shooting occurred after her car was impounded for not complying with the mandatory hijab regulations. Although doctors managed to remove the bullet from her back, her injuries are severe, and her long-term prognosis remains unclear.
Workers
Workers in Iran face ongoing challenges and hazardous workplaces. In a tragic turn of events, this month saw 41 fatalities resulting from work-related accidents, with an additional 60 workers left injured. Moreover, 3640 workers reported unpaid wages. This month there were also 23 strikes and 1055 people dismissed from their work.
Alireza Abdullahzadeh, a worker at a petrochemical plant in Khuzestan died from heatstroke due to extreme working conditions, including temperatures over 50 degrees Celsius and humidity above 90 percent. Abdullahzadeh suffered a seizure and lost vital signs before reaching the hospital. The harsh environment in oil-rich regions, exacerbated by polluted air from petrochemical complexes, poses significant risks to workers. This occurrence, along with others, emphasizes the need for protective measures, such as shorter working hours, increased rest periods, and access to water and shade, to ensure worker safety.
Security forces searched the home of labor activist Ismail Garami, seizing personal and digital devices, including his laptop, mobile phone, and national ID card. This search occurred on Wednesday, August 17. Alongside the search, Garami was summoned to appear at the Shahid Moghads courthouse (Evin) within five working days. Previously, in July, he was fined by Branch 1027 of Tehran Criminal Court. Garami has a history of arrests and legal issues related to his activism, including a brief arrest during a retirees’ protest in Tehran.
At least six protest rallies were held recently across Iran. These included protests by:
- Pars Wagon factory workers in Arak: Workers protested the lack of attention to their demands, particularly the equalization of wages. They noted that the factory was closed after their earlier protest, and their demands remain unmet. The factory’s CEO mentioned financial difficulties, only offering limited support to workers with medical issues.
- Farmers in Kermanshah: Farmers gathered in front of the provincial governor’s building to protest the non-payment for their wheat and frequent power cuts affecting their agricultural wells.
- Nurses at Valiasr Noorabad Mamsani Hospital and Tabriz Health Hospital: Nurses protested at their workplaces, demanding tariff reforms, the elimination of mandatory overtime, and increased pay for overtime work.
- Workers and drivers of Ilam municipality’s urban services: They protested the non-payment of their salaries and several months of arrears.
- Victims of the Mehr Pardis residential units project in Tehran: These individuals protested in front of the army headquarters, expressing frustration over the unresolved issues related to their investments in a housing project supervised by the army, which has been ongoing for three years.
Each group expressed dissatisfaction with unaddressed grievances, ranging from unpaid wages to unmet housing promises.
On Thursday, August 18, military forces shot and injured at least four Kolbers (border porters) in the “Henge Jhal” border area of Baneh city . The identity of one injured Kolber, named Kamal (surname unknown), has been reported.
International News Update:
The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran reported that ethnic and religious minorities, especially Kurds and Baluch, have been disproportionately impacted by the government’s crackdown since the 2022 protests. The report details severe human rights violations, including unlawful killings, torture, rape, and gender persecution—many of which may constitute crimes against humanity. Children from these communities suffered particularly harsh abuses.
The protests, triggered by the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, saw significant participation from minorities already facing poverty and discrimination. The state’s militarized response in minority regions resulted in the highest death tolls. Security forces carried out mass arrests, subjecting detainees to torture and sexual violence, with unfair trials leading to a surge in executions.
The Mission highlighted that these actions intersected with ethnic, religious, and gender-based persecution. Despite the gravity of these violations, there has been no accountability for high-ranking officials. The Mission called for comprehensive reparations and accountability at national and international levels to protect the rights of victims, particularly women and children from minority groups.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, voiced alarm over Iran’s execution of at least 29 people in just two days, contributing to a total of 345 executions this year, including 15 women. Many were convicted of drug-related offenses, which do not meet international standards for the death penalty. Concerns were also raised about the lack of fair trials and the disproportionate impact on ethnic minorities like Kurds, Ahwazi Arabs, and Baluch. The UN urged Iran to impose a moratorium on executions and move towards abolishing the death penalty.
UN human rights experts have raised urgent concerns over the denial of necessary medical care to Iranian human rights defender Narges Mohammadi and other detainees. Mohammadi, who suffers from severe back and knee pain, was reportedly subjected to physical violence in Evin Prison, leading to further injuries. Despite her requests for legal and medical assistance, these were denied by prison authorities.
The experts emphasized that denying medical care to prisoners could amount to torture and inhuman treatment, which are absolute violations of international human rights law. They also highlighted a troubling pattern of ill-treatment in Iranian prisons, calling for the immediate release of Mohammadi and other arbitrarily detained individuals, including Fatemeh Sepehri and Reza Shahabi Zakaria, who also need urgent medical attention. The experts urged Iran to uphold its obligations under international human rights agreements.
