Prisoner Executed in Kashan Prison on Drug-Related Charges

The death sentence of a prisoner, previously convicted on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court, was carried out at dawn on Sunday, December 8, 2024, in Kashan Prison.

The prisoner, identified as Farhad Atashzadeh from a village in Bonab, East Azerbaijan province, was hanged at dawn on Sunday, December 8, 2024.

Mr. Atashzadeh was arrested approximately six years ago on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. He was buried on December 9.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or related institutions.

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activists Saeed Minaei and Aydin Mohammadi Sentenced to Prison

Azerbaijani-Turk activists Saeed Minaei and Aydin Mohammadi have been sentenced to a total of eight years in prison by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, Judge Salavati of Branch 15 recently issued the verdict, which was communicated to the activists through their attorney. Minaei received a five-year prison sentence on the charge of “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security.” Mohammadi was sentenced to three years on similar charges, including “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” The final court hearing in their case took place on September 8, 2023.

Saeed Minaei (Minaie) was detained on February 5, 2024, after visiting the Ministry of Intelligence office in Bonab. He was initially held in a Tabriz detention center before being transferred to solitary confinement in Evin Prison’s Ward 240, managed by the Ministry of Intelligence. Sixteen days later, he was moved to Ward 209, another intelligence-run facility within Evin Prison, and was released on bail on March 13, 2024.

Aydin Mohammadi was also arrested on February 5, 2024, when security forces detained him at his workplace in Ardabil. He was subsequently transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Evin Prison and released on bail in March 2024.

Minaei, a law student at University of Qom, has a history of previous legal encounters related to his activism.

Azerbaijani (Turk) Activist Saeed Minaie Arrested in Bonab

In a recent development, on August 7, 2023, Azerbaijani (Turk) activist Saeed Minaie was taken into custody by security forces in Bonab County, East Azerbaijan province.

Minaie was apprehended at his father’s rural abode within Bonab County. The precise grounds for his apprehension and current location remain undisclosed.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 225 instances of arrests pertaining to individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds, highlighting ongoing concerns about the protection of ethnic minorities rights in the country.

 

29 People Arrested in Malekan and Bonab

During the last three days, at least 29 people were arrested in Malekan and Bonab, East Azerbaijan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, security forces arrested 29 people, including a student, in the cities of Malekan and Bonab.

The reason for these arrests and their whereabouts are still unknown.

Since the outbreak of nationwide protests, over 18000 people, including journalists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, have been arrested. For more details and statistics on the nationwide protest across Iran, read HRANA’s comprehensive report here.

Four School Students Arrested in Bonab and Bushehr

Recently, security forces arrested four school students during nationwide protests in Bonab and Bushehr.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, three school students identified as Azar Badiee, Ashkan Javidfar and Ali Vali-Mohammadi in Bonab, East Azerbaijan Province.

According to an informed source, they were arrested for chanting slogans at school. They and beaten by security forces and taken to Tabriz Correctional Center.

The intelligence agents also arrested Javidfar’s father when he quarreled with them over his son.

The Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations also reported the arrest of a school student identified as Sadegh Zendeh Boodi. Security forces arrested him before his parents’ house and took him to an unidentified location.

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