Tag: Arak

Execution of Three Prisoners in Gorgan, Hamedan, and Arak Prisons

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Executions, News
Akbar Sheikhi, Ali Morad Kakayi, Arak, Citizens executed, Gonabad, Hamedan, HRANA, Reza Tabarteh Farahani

HRANA News Agency – Over the past three days, three prisoners were executed in the prisons of Gorgan, Hamedan, and Arak.

According to HRANA, on Monday, April 21, Ali Morad Kakayi, 58, was hanged in Gonabad Prison on drug-related charges. He had been arrested in 2021 and was subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

On Tuesday, April 22, a prisoner named Reza Tabarteh Farahani was executed in Arak Prison. According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Farahani had been arrested approximately seven years ago on charges of non-consensual same-sex acts (Lavat) and was sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

On Wednesday, April 23, Hamedan Prison carried out the execution of a 25-year-old prisoner named Akbar Sheikhi. He had been arrested in 2020 on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

None of these executions have been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

At Least Three Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison

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Executions, News
Arak, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Kuhdasht, moharebeh, Mosayeb Azizi, Sajad Eghbali

HRANA News Agency –Today, February 26, 2025, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the execution of at least three prisoners. Among them, two were sentenced to death in separate murder cases, while the third was executed on charges of moharebeh (enmity against God) through direct involvement in an armed robbery.

HRANA has identified two of the executed individuals as Mosayeb Azizi from Arak and Sajad Eghbali from Kuhdasht, Lorestan province. Both had previously been arrested in separate murder cases and sentenced to death by the judiciary.

The identity of the third executed prisoner has not yet been confirmed. However, he had been sentenced to death on charges of moharebeh through direct involvement in an armed robbery. The Judiciary’s media center has released details of his case.

According to Mizan News, in September 2022, police officers patrolling the area grew suspicious of two motorcyclists. When the suspects attempted to flee, officers opened fire, eventually stopping and arresting them. Weapons were discovered in their possession, and they later confessed to carrying out a series of “violent robberies.” One of the suspects was sentenced to death, and after the Supreme Court upheld the verdict, the execution was carried out this morning.

As of the time of this report, prison and judicial authorities have not publicly announced these executions.

Sajad Eghbali
Sajad Eghbali

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Court of Appeals: Lawyer Behnam Nezadi Sentenced to Prison and Temporary Disbarment

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Freedom of Expression, News
Arak, Behnam Nezadi, HRANA, بهنام نزادی

HRANA News Agency – The Court of Appeals of Markazi Province reduced the sentence of lawyer Behnam Nezadi to four months in prison and a one-year ban on practicing law. Previously, the Revolutionary Court of Arak had sentenced Nezadi to one year in prison and a two-year ban from legal practice. In a separate case, the Criminal Court of Arak sentenced him to over 16 months in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Branch 9 of the Court of Appeals of Markazi Province issued and communicated the revised sentence to Nezadi. He was sentenced to four months in prison and a one-year ban on practicing law for the charge of propaganda against the regime.

Earlier, Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Arak had sentenced Nezadi to one year in prison and a two-year professional ban on the same charge.

In another part of his case, Branch 106 of the Criminal Court of Arak sentenced him to 13 months and 16 days in prison for disclosing confidential information and 113 days in prison for spreading falsehoods.

Nezadi’s interrogation session took place in late July this year at the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran. During this session, he faced charges including propaganda against the regime, spreading falsehoods via social media, and disclosing the contents of confidential investigations. After the session, he was released on bail. The charges also referenced alleged acts such as “undermining the judiciary, eroding the courage of judges, and aiming to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Nezadi is the administrator of an Instagram page titled “Judges’ Disciplinary Violations,” where he recently published documents addressing the Judicial Disciplinary Prosecutor’s Office. In one statement, he wrote:
“Filing complaints against judges is provided for by law, and even encouraging people to seek legal recourse cannot be considered a crime. Additionally, the judiciary, as a branch of governance, cannot be equated with the entire regime.”

Behnam Nezadi, a licensed attorney from Arak currently residing in Tehran, is a member of the Central Bar Association. His case highlights the restrictions imposed on lawyers and legal activists in Iran.

Prisoner Executed in Arak Prison for Murder Charges

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Executions, News
Arak, Arak prison, HRANA, Kamran Hemmati, کامران همتی

At dawn on Thursday, November 28, 2024, a prisoner sentenced to death for murder was executed in Arak Prison.

HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, has confirmed the identity of the executed individual as Kamran Hemmati. He was arrested on murder charges and later sentenced to death by a criminal court.

Despite the execution, neither prison officials nor responsible institutions have made any public announcement regarding the case at the time of this report.

In 2023, 66% of HRANA’s reports on executions lacked official announcements by judicial authorities and went unreported by media inside Iran, highlighting a troubling lack of transparency in due process.

According to latest HRANA’s annual report over between October 10, 2023, and October 8, 2024, at least 811 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, rising to 23.06% compared to the same period last year. Of these executions, four were carried out in public. Many of the defendants were denied a fair trial.

Kamran Hemmati
 

Execution of Two Inmates in Arak and Ghezel Hesar Prisons

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Executions, News
Arak, Arak prison, Ghezel Hesar prison, Javad Asgari, Shahram Sharghi

On April 24, 2024, two inmates were executed in Arak Prison and Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

Javad Asgari, who was convicted of murder, was executed in Arak Prison, Markazi province. In Ghezel Hesar Prison, Shahram Sharghi was executed for drug offenses. He had been sentenced to death 12 years ago by the Revolutionary Court.

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing. In 2023, 66% of HRANA’s reports on executions lacked official announcements by judicial authorities and went unreported by media inside Iran, highlighting a troubling lack of transparency in due process.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered the execution of 767 individuals. Out of these, 7 were carried out in public. Among the executed individuals whose genders were identified, 21 were female. Additionally, 2 juvenile offenders, defined as individuals under the age of 18 at the time of their alleged crimes, were also executed. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s annual report.

 

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Hossein Hosseinkhani Receives Two-Year Sentence in Absentia

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Freedom of Expression, News
Arak, Hossein Hosseinkhani, Mehrshad Shahidi-Nejad

The Revolutionary Court of Arak has issued a two-year prison sentence in absentia for Hossein Hosseinkhani.

Presiding over Branch 2 of the Arak Revolutionary Court, Judge Hosseini ruled that Hosseinkhani should serve a two-year prison term for “assembly and collusion against national security.”

In a separate aspect of the legal case, Hosseinkhani was initially handed a three-month prison sentence for “defying government officers” by the Criminal Court of Arak. However, this verdict was later commuted to a fine.

Hosseinkhani was arrested on October 27, 2023, by security forces while attending the burial of Mehrshad Shahidi-Nejad Monfared Tehrani, one of the protestors killed by regime forces during the 2022 nationwide protests. Four days later, he was released on bail from Arak Prison.

This was not Hosseinkhani’s first encounter with law enforcement. He faced a previous arrest during the nationwide protests on September 20, 2022, but was later released on bond.

The backdrop of these events includes the tragic death of 19-year-old Mehrshad Shahidi-Nejad on October 26, 2022, during protests in Arak, where he was struck by batons, leading to his untimely demise.

Hamidreza Najafi Receives Eight Months in Prison on Appeal

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Freedom of Expression, News
Arak, Hamidreza Najafi, Markazi Province, Mobtakeran Machinery Company, حمیدرضا نجفی

The Court of Appeal of Markazi Province has sentenced Hamidreza (Hamid-Reza) Najafi, a resident of Arak, to eight months in prison.

Najafi was convicted of “spreading propaganda against the regime” but was acquitted of the charge of “inciting people to commit acts of violence.”
Initially, the Arak Revolutionary Court had sentenced him to three years and six months for “propaganda against the regime and incitement to commit acts of violence.” In addition, the Criminal Court imposed a 15-month prison term for “disseminating false information.”
Najafi, a 41-year-old innovative entrepreneur and CEO of Mobtakeran Machinery Company, was detained in September of this year. He was granted release on bail after a period of confinement.

Hamidreza Najafi Receives Four-Year, Nine-Month Prison Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News
Arak, Hamidreza Najafi, Mobtakeran Machinery Company

Arak resident, Hamidreza Najafi, has been sentenced to four years and nine months in prison by both the Revolutionary and Criminal Courts of Arak.

The Revolutionary Court has levied a three-year, six-month sentence against Najafi for “propaganda against the regime and incitement to commit acts of violence.” Additionally, the Criminal Court has imposed a 15-month prison term for “disseminating false information.”

Najafi, who was detained in September of this year, was granted release on bail after a period of confinement.

Previously, Najafi had faced fines for “spreading false information” as part of a separate legal case.

Aged 41, Najafi is an inventive entrepreneur and serves as the CEO of Mobtakeran Machinery Company.

Eight Individuals Sentenced to Prison and Public Flogging for Blasphemy and Public Order Disruption

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Freedom of Expression, News
Abolfazl Khoran, Arak, Majid Nik-Ahd, Maryam Bostani, Mehdi Nik-Ahd, Mehrshad Shahidi, Mohammad Soltani, Mohammad-Reza Asadi, Mostafa Kamani, Public Flogging, Ramtin Edrisi, Vahid-Reza Arabi

The Criminal Court of Arak in Markazi Province has issued a collective sentence of 48 years in prison and 925 public lashes for eight individuals: Mohammad Soltani, Majid Nik-Ahd, Mehdi Nik-Ahd, Abolfazl Khoran, Vahid-Reza Arabi, Ramtin Edrisi, Mostafa Kamani, and Mohammad-Reza Asadi.

As per these judgments, each person has been condemned to five years of imprisonment on charges of blasphemy, in addition to one year and 74 lashes for “disrupting public order.” The flogging sentences will be carried out publicly in a mosque in Arak following Friday prayers.

The prison sentences for Majid Nik-Ahd, Mehdi Nik-Ahd, and Vahid-Reza Arabi have been suspended for five years.

Maryam Bostani, another defendant in the case, has been acquitted of all charges.

Previously, as part of their legal proceedings, these individuals had each received eight-month sentences from the Arak Revolutionary Court for “spreading propaganda against the regime.”

In August of this year, these individuals were arrested following attending a memorial ceremony for Mehrshad Shahidi, who was tragically killed by government forces during the nationwide protests of 2022 in Arak.

Mohammad Sultani Arrested by Security Forces in Arak

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Freedom of Expression, News
Arak, Mohammad Soltani, Mohammad Sultani

On August 5, 2023, Mohammad Sultani (Soltani) was apprehended by security forces at his residence in Arak and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to a source, speaking to HRANA, the agents conducted a search of his residence and confiscated some of his belongings during the arrest.

As of now, the specific reasons behind his arrest, his current whereabouts, and the charges brought against him remain undisclosed. The situation is being monitored, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.