Tag: Ali Babaei

Ali Babaei, Azerbaijani-Turk Activist, Sentenced to 9 Months in Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Ali Babaei, Azerbaijani Turk activist, HRANA, علی بابایی

HRANA – Ali Babaei, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist currently held in Tabriz Prison, has been sentenced by Branch 1 of the Tabriz Revolutionary Court to nine months in prison. This sentence comes in addition to a six-year-and-four-month prison term previously imposed on him in a separate case.

According to HRANA, Ali Babaei, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist currently held in Tabriz Prison, has been sentenced to prison.

Mr. Babaei was sentenced by Branch 1 of the Tabriz Revolutionary Court to nine months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” According to information received by HRANA, this sentence relates to a case opened against him following his arrest in January 2026.

An informed source familiar with the case confirmed the news to HRANA, stating that Mr. Babaei’s arrest in January was intended to prevent him from engaging in activities related to the protests taking place at the time.

The hearing on the charges against this Azerbaijani-Turk activist was held yesterday before the aforementioned branch.

In June 2025, in a separate case, Mr. Babaei was tried alongside 12 other citizens by Branch 2 of the Tabriz Revolutionary Court. In late December 2025, he was subsequently sentenced to two years and nine months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group” and three years and seven months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

In May 2026, the East Azerbaijan Province Court of Appeals upheld the ruling in full.

Ali Babaei was arrested in Tabriz in September 2023 and was released from Tabriz Prison on bail in January 2024.

According to HRA’s annual statistics, 304 people were arrested in 2025 on the basis of their ethnicity or national-minority status. At least 188 of these arrests were carried out without the presentation of a judicial warrant. Although in many cases the specific allegations and reasons for arrest were not disclosed, given the previous practices of security agencies, it is believed that these individuals may have been arrested for activities related to ethnic rights.

13 Azerbaijani-Turk Activists Sentenced to Over 81 Years in Prison by Appeals Court

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Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Babaei, Amirhossein Aghaei, Araz Ebrahim-Nejad, Davoud Shiri, East Azerbaijan, Ebrahim Avaz-Zadeh, Hamed Yeganehpour, Hossein Azadi, HRANA, Javad Soodbar, Mehrdad Ghaderi, Mohammadreza Movahed, Morteza Nourmohammadi, Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou

HRANA – By order of the East Azerbaijan Province Court of Appeals, 13 Azerbaijani-Turk activists were collectively sentenced to 81 years and five months in prison.

According to HRANA, the ruling issued by the East Azerbaijan Province Court of Appeals has been formally communicated to the defendants’ attorney.

The verdict was delivered to the lawyer of these individuals on Saturday, May 16. According to the ruling, the defendants were collectively sentenced to 81 years and five months of imprisonment.

The details of the charges and final sentences issued against each defendant are as follows:

1. Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou was sentenced to 6 years and 2 months in prison on the charge of “forming an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

2. Hamed Yeganehpour was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

3. Ebrahim Avaz-Zadeh was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

4. Araz Ebrahim-Nejad was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

5. Hossein Azadi was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

6. Amirhossein Aghaei was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

7. Naser Razmjou was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

8. Davoud Shiri was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

9. Javad Soudbar was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

10. Mehrdad Ghaderi was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

11. Ali Babaei was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

12. Mohammadreza Movahed was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison on the charge of “membership in an illegal group,” and to 3 years and 7 months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

13. Morteza Nourmohammadi was sentenced to 2 years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

These individuals had previously been sentenced in late-December 2025 by Branch Two of the Tabriz Revolutionary Court to a total of 85 years and 9 months in prison at the preliminary trial stage.

According to HRA’s annual report, a total of 302 individuals were arrested in 2025 on the basis of their ethnic status or national minority identity. In addition, arrests of citizens belonging to ethnic minorities increased by 15.2% compared to the previous one-year period. At least 186 of these arrests were carried out without judicial warrants. Although in many cases the specific charges and reasons for arrest were not disclosed, given the previous conduct of security institutions, it is likely that these individuals were detained due to their activities related to ethnic rights.

13 Azerbaijani-Turk Activists Sentenced to Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Babaei, Amirhossein Aghaei, Araz Ebrahimnejad, Davoud Shiri, Ebrahim Avaz-Zadeh, Hamed Yeganehpour, Hossein Azadi, Javad Soodbar, Mehrdad Ghaderi, Mohammadreza Movahed, Morteza Nourmohammadi, Nasser Razmjou, Tabriz

HRANA – 13 Azerbaijani-Turk activists have been collectively sentenced to 85 years and 9 months in prison by Branch Two of the Revolutionary Court of Tabriz.

Based on the ruling, Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou was sentenced 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. The other twelve defendants, Hamed Yeganehpour, Ebrahim Avaz-zadeh, Araz Ebrahimnejad, Hossein Azadi, Amirhossein Aghaei, Nasser Razmjou, Davoud Shiri, Javad Soodbar, Mehrdad Ghaderi, Ali Babaei, Morteza Nourmohammadi, and Mohammadreza Movahed, were each sentenced to two years and nine months for membership in an illegal group and three years and seven months for assembly and collusion against national security.

The verdict was delivered in person to the case lawyer, Asghar Mohammadi. None of the defendants have received a physical copy of the ruling or an electronic version through Iran’s Sana judicial system.

Court hearings addressing the charges against these Azerbaijani-Turk activists were held in June of this year. Preliminary investigation sessions had previously taken place in January and February 2025 at Branch 15 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Tabriz.

Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou was transferred to Tabriz Prison in February 2024 and released shortly afterward on bail. He had been arrested earlier, in November 2023, in Jolfa County and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Tabriz. He has a prior history of arrest and conviction related to his activities.

Hamed Yeganehpour, a resident of Maragheh, was arrested by security forces in Tabriz in November 2023 and released the following month from The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Tabriz.

Araz Ebrahimnejad was arrested in September 2023, transferred to Tabriz Prison, and released on bail in December 2023.

Ebrahim Avaz-zadeh was arrested in October 2023 in Tehran and released on bail from Tabriz Prison in December 2023.

Nasser Razmjou was also arrested by security forces in October 2023 and released on bail from Tabriz Prison in early December 2023.

According to the annual statistical report by HRA’s Department of Statistics and Publications, 302 individuals were arrested in 2025 on the basis of their ethnic status or national minority identity. Arrests of ethnic minority citizens increased by 15.2% compared to the previous one-year period. At least 186 of these arrests were carried out without a judicial warrant. Although in many cases the specific charges and reasons for arrest were not disclosed, given the past record of security agencies, it is likely that these individuals were detained due to activities related to ethnic rights.

Interrogation Sessions Held for 12 Azerbaijani-Turk Activists at Tabriz Prosecutor’s Office

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Babaei, Amirhossein Aghaei, Araz Ebrahim-Nejad, Azerbaijani Turk activists, Davoud Shiri, Ebrahim Avaz-Zadeh, Hamed Yeganehpour, Hossein Azadi, Javad Soodbar, Mehrdad Ghaderi, Mohammadreza Movahed, Morteza Nourmohammadi, Tabriz, Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou

HRANA News Agency – Interrogation sessions for 12 Azerbaijani-Turk activists, were held at Branch 15 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Tabriz.

According to HRANA, the interrogation sessions, related to a joint case involving the 12 individuals, took place separately from January 11 to January 22, 2025. These activists are: Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou, Araz Ebrahim Nejad, Davoud Shiri, Mehrdad Ghaderi, Hamed Yeganehpour, Mohammadreza Movahed, Amirhossein Aghaei, Ali Babaei, Javad Soodbar, Morteza Nourmohammadi, Hossein Azadi, and Ebrahim Ava-Zadeh

During these sessions, the defendants defended themselves against charges of “membership in an illegal group with the intent to oppose the regime” and “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security.” Additionally, Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou faced the separate charge of “forming a group with the intent to oppose the regime.”

Although Naser Razmjoo, one of the accused in the case, was named and notified of his case registration at Branch 15, he has not yet been summoned. The other activists had been summoned through individual notices prior to the sessions.

Background on the Activists

  • Yoroush Mehrali Beiglou was arrested in November 2023 in Jolfa and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Tabriz. In February 2024, he was transferred to Tabriz Prison and later released on bail. He has a history of prior arrests and convictions related to his activism.
  • Mohammadreza Movahed, Araz Ebrahim Nejad, and Davoud Shiri were arrested in September 2023 and transferred to Tabriz Prison. They were released on bail in December 2023. Both Shiri and Movahed have previously faced judicial actions due to their activism.
  • Mehrdad Ghaderi was arrested in September 2023 by security forces in Tabriz and released on bail in November 2023.
  • Morteza Nourmohammadi Nadarli (Nazarlo) was arrested in September 2023 and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Tabriz. He was later moved to Tabriz Prison but then returned to the same detention facility. In early November 2023, he was charged with “assembly and collusion to act against national security” in Shabestar Prosecutor’s Office and later faced new charges of “membership in a group to act against national security.” He was released on bail in November 2023.
  • Hamed Yeganehpour, a resident of Maragheh, was arrested in November 2023 by security forces in Tabriz and released from detention in November 28, 2023.
  • Amir-Hossein Aghaei was arrested in September 2023 in Baghmisheh, Tabriz, and released on bail in December 2023.
  • Ali Babaei and Javad Soodbar were arrested in September 2023 in Tabriz and released on bail in December 2023.
  • Hossein Azadi was arrested in September 2023 in Baghmisheh, Tabriz, and released on bail in November 2023.
  • Ebrahim Avaz-Zadeh was arrested in October 2023 in Tehran and released on bail in late-November 2023.
  • Naser Razmjoo was arrested in October 2023 in Tabriz and released on bail in late-November 2023.

This case highlights the ongoing judicial and security pressures faced by Azerbaijani-Turk activists in Iran.

18 Civil Rights Activists Sentenced To Imprisonment And Lashes

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Freedom of Expression
Abdulazin Orouji, Ali Babaei, Arshia Rahmati, Azam Najafi, Esmaeil Hossaini, Farideh Toosi, Hashem Zainali, Khadiheh (Laila) Mirghafari, Masoud Hamidi, Mohsen Haseli, Mohsen Shoja, Parvin Solaimani, Reza Makian, Sarah Saei, Shermin Yamani, Simin Eyvazzadeh, Zahra Modarreszadeh

HRANA News Agency – 18 civil rights activists have been sentenced to 91 days in prison and 74 lashes each. These activists were arrested on charge of disrupting the public order on November 21, 2015.
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the lash sentence of 16 activists have been conditioned in accordance with their furthered behavior for two years. Continue reading “18 Civil Rights Activists Sentenced To Imprisonment And Lashes”

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