Tag: Amirhossein Safari

Monthly Report – July 2026: Human Rights Situation in Iran

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News, Other
Abolfazl Sepahi, Afshin Heyratian, Amirhossein Safari, Arman Misaghian, HRANA, Mahnam Navab Safavi

HRANA- This report provides a statistical overview of human rights violations documented by HRANA during the month of July, 2026. The continued execution of political prisoners, including two public executions and the execution of two juvenile offenders were among the most significant human rights concerns documented during the month.

Executions

In July, at least 66 prisoners were executed in Iranian prisons. Since the beginning of the current year, HRANA has documented approximately 854 executions.

Among those executed were two women and four Afghan nationals. Two executions were carried out in public. Abolfazl Sepahi and Amirhossein Safari were publicly hanged in Isfahan in connection with the January 2026 protests.

During the same month, two prisoners were executed for offenses committed when they were under the age of 18, in violation of international standards prohibiting the execution of juvenile offenders.

Of the 66 people executed, 31 had been sentenced to death on murder charges, 24 on drug-related charges, and one on a charge of rape. The charge against one of those executed remains unknown. Particularly notable was the execution of nine individuals on political charges or on the charge of moharebeh (“enmity against God”).

During the month, Iranian judicial authorities also issued 25 death sentences, including one against a woman. Seventeen death sentences were issued on political charges. Among them was the death sentence handed down to Mahnam Navab Safavi, who was convicted of moharebeh after being arrested during the January 2026 protests.

Freedom of Thought and Expression

In July, HRANA documented the arrest of 71 individuals in connection with the exercise of their freedom of expression. During the same period, one home search, one summons to a security agency, and five summonses to court were also recorded as violations of freedom of expression. In addition, 20 individuals stood trial.

Iranian courts, particularly the Revolutionary Courts, sentenced 45 individuals on charges related to the exercise of freedom of expression, handing down a combined total of 2,656 months of imprisonment. One of the most notable cases was that of Afshin Heyratian, a children’s rights activist, who was sentenced to 31 years in prison on charges including propaganda activities contrary to the sacred law of Islam and forming an illegal group.

Other penalties imposed during the month included 142 lashes, 48 sentences of internal exile, three travel bans, and five cases of deprivation of social rights. In addition, a sentence of 60 lashes was carried out.

Prisoners’ Rights

During the past month, HRANA documented the following violations of prisoners’ rights: 23 cases of denial of adequate medical care to prisoners or detainees; 57 cases of detainees being held in prolonged legal limbo; 22 cases in which the families of detainees were not informed of their whereabouts or fate; 10 cases of the transfer of prisoners to solitary confinement; 30 cases of denial of access to legal counsel; 63 cases of prisoners being held in inadequate or inhumane conditions; 9 cases involving the extraction of forced confessions; 2 cases of denial of family visits; and 5 cases of denial of telephone contact.

In addition, 20 prisoners went on hunger strike to protest their conditions of detention or prison conditions more broadly.

HRANA also documented one attempted suicide in prison. Homeyra Sharifi, who was arrested during the 2025 nationwide protests and is currently imprisoned in Evin Prison, attempted suicide and was subsequently transferred to a hospital.

Kolbars and Fuel Carriers

In July, the indiscriminate use of firearms by Iranian military forces claimed the lives of seven civilians, including six kolbars and a 13-year-old child.

The child was returning home with family members after finishing work at their family orchard in a rural area of Sarvabad County, Kurdistan Province, when border guards, mistakenly believing their vehicle belonged to smugglers, opened fire.

Workers’ Rights

During the past month, HRANA documented 20 labor protests and 11 labor strikes.

Workplace accidents claimed the lives of at least 18 workers and injured 47 others during the month.

Trade associations and labor unions also organized 43 protest gatherings.

In addition, 48 commercial establishments were sealed, primarily on allegations of failure to observe Islamic standards.

Women’s Rights

In July, HRANA documented the killings of nine women. In addition, two men were killed in so-called “honor” killings.
In Lorestan Province, two girls died by suicide after their private photographs were circulated online.

Children’s Rights

With regard to children’s rights, HRANA documented four child killings, one suicide, one child death, and 25 child injuries resulting from negligence. The organization also recorded three cases of physical violence against children.

In addition, the death sentences of two juvenile offenders were carried out.

Religious Minorities

In July, at least nine members of Iran’s religious minorities were arrested by security forces. HRANA also documented four home searches and two trials involving members of religious minority communities.

During the same period, seven individuals were sentenced to a combined total of 744 months’ imprisonment. Among the most notable cases was Arman Misaghian, a Baha’i citizen, who was sentenced to three years in prison.

In addition, two sentences involving the deprivation of social rights were issued against members of religious minorities.

Ethnic Rights

With regard to the rights of ethnic minorities and activists working on their behalf, HRANA documented 12 arrests, one summons to a security agency, and four cases of physical assault during the month.

Inhuman Punishment

With regard to cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment, 15 individuals were sentenced to a total of 174 lashes during the month.

In addition, HRANA documented a violation of the right to privacy in which 117 people were arrested in Ramsar for allegedly “holding a nighttime party.”

Monthly Report – July 2026: Human Rights Situation in Iran

Alireza Sepahi Returned to Prison After Suffering Stroke Ahead of Execution

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News, Prisoners
Abolfazl Sepahi, Alikhani Square of Isfahan, Alireza Sepahi, Amirhossein Safari, Dastgerd Prison, HRANA, علیرضا سپاهی

HRANA – Alireza Sepahi, one of those arrested during the January 2026 nationwide protests and among the defendants in the case known as the “Alikhani Square of Isfahan” case, suffered a stroke before being transferred for the implementation of his death sentence. Sepahi, who was scheduled to be executed alongside Abolfazl Sepahi and Amirhossein Safari, was taken to a hospital and, after receiving medical treatment, was returned to Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

According to HRANA, Alireza Sepahi, a death row prisoner, was returned to Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan after suffering a stroke and being transferred to a hospital.

According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Sepahi’s execution was scheduled to be carried out in the early hours of Tuesday, July 28, alongside those of Abolfazl Sepahi and Amirhossein Safari at Alikhani Square in Isfahan. However, before being transferred to the execution site, he suffered a stroke and was taken to a hospital by prison officials.

A source close to the prisoner’s family told HRANA that after undergoing medical treatment and being resuscitated at the hospital, Alireza Sepahi was returned to Dastgerd Prison, where he is currently being held. His return to prison has intensified his family’s concerns about both his physical condition and his fate.

Alireza Sepahi, aged approximately 25, was arrested on January 10, 2026, in connection with the nationwide protests. He had previously been transferred from the general ward of Dastgerd Prison to solitary confinement at around 5:00 a.m. on July 18, along with his cousin, Abolfazl Sepahi.

Court hearings in Mr. Sepahi’s case were held inside the prison via video conference. The judicial proceedings were marked by a number of due process concerns, including his lawyer’s inability to effectively access the case file, the authorities’ refusal to provide a copy of the court’s verdict, the family’s lack of information about the details of the charges, and the court’s failure to properly examine evidence submitted in his defense.

According to a source close to the family, surveillance camera footage and other evidence indicate that Alireza Sepahi was not present at Alikhani Square at the time of the incident forming the basis of the case and was elsewhere. Nevertheless, Judge Morteza Barati, who presided over the case, sentenced him to death on four counts without effectively examining this evidence.

Several other defendants in the case have also stated that they were subjected to pressure and torture during interrogations to force them to confirm Alireza Sepahi’s presence at the scene of the incident. Despite these allegations, no independent or effective investigation has been conducted into the possibility that these statements were obtained under coercion.

Two other defendants in the case, Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, were executed on July 19. The death sentences of Abolfazl Sepahi and Amirhossein Safari were carried out publicly at Alikhani Square in Isfahan in the early hours of Tuesday, July 28.

In the initial trial, 15 defendants in this case were sentenced to death. According to information provided by their lawyer, the death sentence of one defendant was overturned by the higher judicial authority, while the death sentences of the remaining 14 defendants were upheld.

Isfahan: Abolfazl Sepahi and Amirhossein Safari Publicly Executed

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Executions, News
Abolfazl Sepahi, Alikhani Square case, Amirhossein Safari, HRANA, Isfahan, moharebeh

HRANA – Abolfazl Sepahi and Amirhossein Safari, two individuals arrested during the nationwide protests of January 2026, were publicly executed today, July 28, 2026, in Alikhani Square in Isfahan. They had been sentenced to death in the case known as the “Isfahan Alikhani Square” case. Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, two other defendants in the same case, were executed several days earlier.

According to HRANA, the death sentences of Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi, both arrested during the January 2026 protests in Isfahan, were carried out.

Based on information received by HRANA, the executions were carried out at dawn today, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Alikhani Square in Isfahan. A knowledgeable source confirmed the news to HRANA, stating:

“The bodies of those executed have not yet been returned to their families. Meanwhile, the families of the other defendants in this case are gathered outside Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, expressing concern that the death sentences against their children and relatives may also be carried out.”

The Judiciary’s Media Center has claimed that during the protests on January 8, 2026, in Alikhani Square, Isfahan, four law enforcement officers were killed. It further alleged that a number of protesters attacked security forces using firearms, bladed weapons, and incendiary materials, while also damaging public property. The judiciary additionally claimed that, following the attack on law enforcement personnel, the defendants committed violent acts, including setting fire to the bodies of those who had been killed.

According to the Judiciary’s Media Center, Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi were sentenced to death on charges including “membership in rebel groups acting against national security, moharebeh (enmity against God), spreading corruption on earth, destruction and arson of public property,” along with other related charges. The judiciary further claimed that after the verdicts were issued, the case was reviewed by the Supreme Court, which upheld the sentences, and that the executions were carried out following the completion of legal procedures.

However, HRANA has not been able to independently verify the claims made by the Judiciary’s Media Center.

According to information received by HRANA, the judicial proceedings in this case were marked by significant restrictions, including the defense lawyer’s lack of effective access to the case file, court hearings conducted via videoconference, families being denied information about the contents of the verdicts, and the court’s failure to consider defense evidence. Given the well-documented record of the Islamic Republic’s security and judicial institutions in relying on forced confessions, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment in security-related cases, serious concerns remain regarding compliance with fair trial standards and the defendants’ rights.

HRANA had previously reported that the proceedings against Alireza Sepahi and Abolfazl Sepahi were also marred by procedural shortcomings, including ineffective access to the case file by defense counsel, the inability to obtain a copy of the court’s ruling, hearings conducted via videoconference, and the court’s disregard for defense evidence. According to a source close to the family, they also remain uninformed about the details of the charges, the evidence relied upon by the court, and the full contents of the verdicts.

Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, two other individuals sentenced to death in the so-called “Isfahan Alikhani Square” case, were executed in Isfahan on July 19, 2026.

In the initial trial, 15 defendants were sentenced to death. According to information provided by the defense lawyer, the death sentence of one defendant was overturned by the higher judicial authority, while the death sentences of the remaining 14 defendants were upheld.

The identities of 12 of those sentenced to death have been identified as:
Alireza Sepahi, Abolfazl Sepahi, Erfan Esfandiari, Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, Amirhossein Safari, Ghaem Hosseini, Shervin Bagherian, Amirhossein Maleki, Ali Dashti, Abolfazl Ebrahimi, Alireza Raisi, and Amirhossein Ebrahimi Analoucheh.

Concerns Mount Over Possible Executions as Alireza and Abolfazl Sepahi Remain in Solitary Confinement

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Abolfazl Ebrahimi, Abolfazl Sepahi, Ali Dashti, Alireza Raeisi, Alireza Sepahi, Amirhossein Ebrahimi Analoucheh, Amirhossein Maleki, Amirhossein Safari, Erfan Esfandiari, Ghaem Hosseini, Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, HRANA, Shervin Bagherian, ابوالفضل سپاهی, علی رضا سپاهی

HRANA – Alireza Sepahi and Abolfazl Sepahi, two death row prisoners in the case known as the “Alikhani Square case” in Isfahan, have been held in solitary confinement at Dastgerd Prison since the early hours of Saturday. Their transfer to solitary confinement, a family visit that relatives believe was a “final visit,” and the execution of two other defendants in the same case at dawn today have intensified concerns that their death sentences may be carried out imminently. Information received by HRANA also indicates that the defendants and their lawyer were denied effective access to the case file, that the court failed to consider exculpatory evidence, and that allegations of coercion and torture during the investigation were never examined.

According to HRANA, Alireza Sepahi, aged approximately 25, and Abolfazl Sepahi, aged approximately 23, were taken from the general ward of Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, 2026, and transferred to solitary confinement.

The two prisoners are first cousins. One is married to the other’s sister, making them both cousins and brothers-in-law. They were arrested on January 10, 2026, in connection with the nationwide January protests.

According to information received by HRANA, the death sentences against Alireza and Abolfazl Sepahi were recently upheld by Iran’s highest judicial authority. However, their families remain unaware of the full details of the charges, the evidence in the case, and the judicial proceedings, while their lawyer has also been denied full access to the case file.

A source close to the families told HRANA:

“The lawyer said that after the death sentence was issued, an appeal was filed, and the verdict was later upheld by the Supreme Court. But even the lawyer was never given full access to the case file or a meaningful opportunity to pursue the case. Everywhere we go, no one provides any answers.”

According to the source, the lawyer was not permitted to photograph or obtain a copy of the verdict and was only allowed to take handwritten notes from portions of the ruling. As a result, the families remain unaware of the precise charges, the evidence relied upon by the court, and the details of the judgments issued against all defendants in the case.

The trial hearings for Alireza and Abolfazl Sepahi were held inside the prison via videoconference. According to the family source, the court failed to consider exculpatory evidence submitted by the defendants and their families during the proceedings.

The source said that CCTV footage and other evidence show that Alireza and Abolfazl Sepahi were not present at Alikhani Square at the time of the incident cited in the case and were elsewhere. Nevertheless, the presiding judge, Morteza Barati, issued death sentences against them, ordering Alireza to be executed four times and Abolfazl three times,without conducting an effective examination of this evidence.

The source added:

“There is video footage showing that they were somewhere else at that date and time, but Judge Morteza Barati ignored it. During family visits, Alireza repeatedly said, ‘We didn’t do anything. We weren’t there.'”

According to information received by HRANA, several other defendants in the same case have stated that they were subjected to pressure and torture during interrogations to force them to confirm that Alireza and Abolfazl Sepahi had been present at Alikhani Square.

The family source said that several defendants currently held in Dowlatabad Prison claimed investigators presented them with a pre-written statement and instructed them to confirm Alireza Sepahi’s presence at the scene. According to the source, they stated that they had been pressured to falsely identify both Alireza and Abolfazl Sepahi as being at the location of the incident.

Although these allegations were raised during the judicial proceedings, information received by HRANA indicates that no independent or effective investigation was conducted into the allegations of torture, ill-treatment, or coerced statements. The court also failed to conduct any transparent review of the reliability of the disputed statements or the circumstances under which they were obtained.

Under fair trial standards, any allegation of torture or ill-treatment must be investigated promptly, independently, and impartially, and any statement obtained through torture or coercion must not be admitted as evidence against a defendant. The lack of effective access to legal counsel and the case file, the court’s failure to consider exculpatory evidence, and the absence of any investigation into torture allegations have raised serious concerns regarding the defendants’ fundamental rights, particularly given that the sentences imposed carry the death penalty.

Meanwhile, according to information received by HRANA, Somayeh, the mother of one of the prisoners, who is herself serving a five-year prison sentence in the women’s ward of Isfahan Prison, was transferred to the men’s prison to visit her son and son-in-law. The circumstances of the visit, combined with the prisoners’ transfer to solitary confinement, have led their families to fear that it was arranged as a final visit before the executions.

The families’ last regular visit with Alireza and Abolfazl Sepahi took place approximately one month ago.

Unconfirmed reports received by HRANA also indicate that Alireza and Abolfazl Sepahi are among the first prisoners whose death sentences may be carried out. HRANA has not been able to independently verify these reports. However, their transfer to solitary confinement, together with the execution of two other defendants in the same case, has significantly heightened the families’ concerns.

At dawn today, Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, two other defendants sentenced to death in the Alikhani Square case, were executed in Isfahan. Their executions, carried out shortly after Alireza and Abolfazl Sepahi were transferred to solitary confinement, have intensified fears that the remaining death sentences in the case may soon be carried out.

At the trial court stage, 15 defendants in this case were sentenced to death. According to information provided by the defense lawyer, the death sentence of one defendant was overturned by the higher judicial authority, while the death sentences of the remaining 14 defendants were upheld.

In addition to Alireza Sepahi, Abolfazl Sepahi, Erfan Esfandiari, and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, HRANA has confirmed the identities of eight other individuals sentenced to death in this case: Ghaem Hosseini, Shervin Bagherian, Amirhossein Safari, Amirhossein Maleki, Ali Dashti, Abolfazl Ebrahimi, Alireza Raeisi, and Amirhossein Ebrahimi Analoucheh.

HRANA is continuing to investigate the case, including the identities of the remaining three defendants sentenced to death.

The family source also described the circumstances of Alireza Sepahi’s arrest, stating that security forces fired numerous rounds as they entered the family home, causing extensive damage to the building and its contents.

According to the source, bullet marks remain visible on the house, in the alley, and on the rooftop. Several months later, only the shattered windows have been replaced. Due to financial hardship, Alireza’s family has been unable to fully repair the home or replace the damaged belongings. Alireza’s father is a municipal employee.

It should be noted that protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.