Tag: Dastgerd Prison

Mehdi Moghadari Sentenced to Prison and Other Penalties

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Freedom of Expression, News
Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, Mehdi Moghadari, مهدی مقدری

Mehdi Moghadari, a former member of the Isfahan City Council, has been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan to one year in prison, two years of a travel ban, and other penalties, as reported by Emtedad News Outlet.

According to the report, Mr. Moghadari was sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan on charges of “propaganda against the regime.” As part of the supplementary punishment, he has also been sentenced to a two-year ban on leaving the country, a ban on engaging in online activities, and a two-year prohibition from participating in groups, associations, and political parties.

Mehdi Moghadari was arrested by security forces in Isfahan in late November of 2022 and was released from Dastgerd Prison in February of the same year. He has a prior history of arrests and convictions.

Four Convicts Executed at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan

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Executions, News
Dastgerd Prison, Ghasem Salehi, Isfahan, Jafar Hosseinzadeh, Majid Rezaie, Masoud Estaki, Mostafa Ahgh-Mohammadi

On May 12, 2024, Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan was the site of the execution of four inmates, all convicted of a murder committed a decade ago.

According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the individuals executed were Masoud Estaki, Jafar Hosseinzadeh, Majid Rezaie, and Mostafa Ahgh-Mohammadi.

These men, along with Ghasem Salehi, were involved in a group altercation that resulted in the death of an individual identified only by the initials Sh.K. They were collectively sentenced to death in the ensuing legal proceedings. However, Ghasem Salehi was able to avoid execution by agreeing to pay 5 billion tomans in blood money to the family of the deceased.

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.

Mahmood Mehrabi, a Political Prisoner, Receives Death Sentence

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Executions, News
Babak Eslami Farsani, Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, Mahmood Mehrabi, Mahmoud Mehrabi, revolutionary court, محمود مهرابی

Mahmood (Mahmoud) Mehrabi has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan on charges of “spreading corruption on earth.” He is currently held at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

Babak Eslami Farsani, Mehrabi’s legal representative, relayed that Branch 5 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court issued the death sentence. Farsani highlighted that they were only informed of the decision at court, with no written verdict provided. He expressed hope that the Supreme Court would address the perceived shortcomings in the ruling. The court justified the sentence by accusing Mehrabi of “widespread dissemination of false information on Instagram.”

Mehrabi was first detained by security forces on February 1, 2023, in Isfahan, and was temporarily released on bail on March 16, 2023, only to be rearrested at his home shortly after.

In September 2023, Mehrabi faced a series of additional charges, including propaganda against the regime, incitement of police and military forces to disobedience, incitement to war, crimes against national security, and insulting the founder and Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In January of this year, he was further charged with publishing confidential information and committing acts of blasphemy, including insulting Shia Imams.

Mehrabi has a history of arrests and convictions linked to his activism.

Ten Inmates Executed in Shiraz, Isfahan, Qaen, Kahnuj

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Executions, News
Adelabad Prison, Dastgerd Prison, Din-Mohammad Mirakhani, Hossein Tavana Kodiani, Isfahan, Kahnuj Prison, Mehdi Bamari, Qaen Prison, Reza Masroor, Taleb Akbari

In recent days, ten inmates were executed in various prisons across Iran, including Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, Qaen Prison, and Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, as well as Kahnuj Prison.

The Iran Human Rights Organization reported the execution of three inmates convicted of murder in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz, on April 21. The executed individuals were identified as Hossein Tavana Kodiani, 49; Taleb Akbari, 43; and Reza Masroor, 43, a father of two.

The first inmate had committed murder four years ago. The second individual was involved in a murder during a fight, while the third, a farmer, committed murder in a dispute over farm water.

According to Haal Vsh, on April 28, 2024, three inmates were executed for drug offenses in Qaen Prison, located in South Khorasan province. Two of the inmates were identified as Mohsen Karami (Rakhshani), 27, and Brahui (first name unknown). Karami was arrested for drug offenses four years ago. A source cited in the report mentioned that these inmates did not have a final visit with their families before their execution.

Haal Vsh also reported the execution of three inmates in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, on April 29. One of the individuals was identified as Din-Mohammad Mirakhani, a resident of Iranshahr. All three were convicted of drug offenses.

Lastly, the Baloch Activists Campaign reported the execution of Mehdi Bamari, aged 24, in Kahnuj Prison in Kerman Province. He had been convicted of murder two years ago and was executed on the same day as the other inmates.

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.

Political Prisoner Amir-Nasr Azadani Enters Fourth Day of Hunger Strike

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News
Amir Nasr Azadani, Dastgerd Prison, HRANA, Hunger Strike, Isfahan, Khaneh e Isfahan, Majid Kazemi, Saeed Yaghoubi, Saleh Mir Hashemi, امیر نصر آزادانی

Amir-Nasr Azadani, a former soccer player and political prisoner currently incarcerated in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, has embarked on a hunger strike for the fourth consecutive day while held in solitary confinement.

On April 4, 2024, Azadani was placed in solitary confinement as a punitive measure following the publication of a voice message from within the prison.

A source close to Azadani’s family disclosed to HRANA his decision to commence a hunger strike in protest against his solitary confinement.

In January 2023, the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan initially sentenced Azadani to five years for “membership in illegal groups to act against national security,” another five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” and sixteen years for “enmity against God (Moharebeh).” Upon appeal to the Supreme Court, he was acquitted of the first two charges, leaving the prison term for the third charge intact.

During nationwide protests on November 17, 2022, security forces arrested Azadani in connection to the “Khaneh e Isfahan” case. Notably, three co-defendants in the same case, Saleh Mir Hashemi (36), Majid Kazemi (30), and Saeed Yaghoubi (37), were executed on May 19, 2023, on charges of enmity against God (Moharebeh).

 

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Arash Ghanbari Kohyani Faces Prolonged 8-Month Detention Over Alleged Blasphemy Charges

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News
Arash Ghanbari Kohyani, Blasphemy, Dastgerd Prison, Dolatabad Prison, HRANA, Isfahan, آرش قنبری, شهناز قنبری

Arash Ghanbari Kohyani, aged 31, has been detained for over eight months in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, in a legal limbo.

A source close to Ghanbari’s family informed HRANA that he has been held for more than 234 days in Dastgerd prison, Isfahan. The court session to address the charges against him and his sister, Shahnaz, is scheduled for April 2, 2024, to be held by the Isfahan Criminal Court.

According to reports obtained by HRANA, Ghanbari faces restrictions on making phone calls and having family visits.

Ghanbari was arrested on August 1, 2023, following his presence at the Ministry of Intelligence in Shahreza, Isfahan Province. He was subsequently incarcerated in Dastgerd Prison.

On September 2, 2023, his legal case for the charge of blasphemy was reviewed by the Supreme Court, which was then passed on to another branch for further review.

He is accused of blasphemy and insulting the Prophet of Islam, despite having already been acquitted of these charges by another branch of the Isfahan Criminal Court, with the case being closed.

His sister, Shahnaz Ghanbari, aged 35, was also arrested in August 2023 and was released on bail from Dolatabad Prison, Isfahan, on September 27 of last year, after being indicted.

Abdolrasoul Mortazavi Receives Two-Year Sentence in Prison for New Legal Case

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, Ayatollah Khamenei, Dastgerd Prison, Evin Prison, Rajai Shahr Prison

Political prisoner Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, currently serving an eleven-year sentence in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, has been handed an additional two-year sentence for a new legal case initiated while in prison.

Confirming the recent ruling, a source close to Mortazavi’s family informed HRANA that the Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced him to two years. The legal case was triggered by Mortazavi’s voice message titled “Joking with the world leader of the clowns,” recorded in Rajai Shahr Prison in April-May 2022.

In mid-August 2019, Mortazavi and 13 civil society activists penned an open letter urging Ayatollah Khamenei to step down, resulting in a 26-year prison sentence, with 11 years currently in effect. He is currently serving this sentence in Dastgerd Prison.

Additionally, Mortazavi was sentenced to an extra two years in absentia by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for alleged “propaganda against the regime and disturbing public order.”

An Iran-Iraq war-injured veteran, Mortazavi was initially incarcerated in Evin Prison. In March 2021, he was transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison and later, in the following year, exiled to Dastgerd Prison.

Amir-Nasr Azadani’s Legal Case: 16-Year Imprisonment Upheld on Appeal

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News, Prisoners
Amir Nasr Azadani, Dastgerd Prison, HRANA, Isfahan Revolutionary Court, Khaneh e Isfahan, امیر نصر آزادانی

Amir-Nasr Azadani, a former soccer player embroiled in the “Khaneh e Isfahan (Isfahan House)” legal case, is currently serving his sentence in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan. The Supreme Court recently confirmed his sixteen-year sentence, and the verdict has been forwarded to the executive unit of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court.

According to a source close to Azadani’s family, the Supreme Court, on January 24, 2024, upheld the 16-year prison term following an appeal for “assisting in enmity against God (Moharebeh).” Subsequently, the executive unit of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court executed the verdict.

In January 2023, the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan initially sentenced Azadani to five years for “membership in illegal groups to act against national security,” another five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” and sixteen years for “enmity against God (Moharebeh).” Upon appeal to the Supreme Court, he was acquitted of the first two charges, leaving the prison term for the third charge intact.

During nationwide protests on November 17, 2022, security forces arrested Azadani in connection to the “Khaneh e Isfahan” case. Notably, three co-defendants in the same case, Saleh Mir Hashemi (36), Majid Kazemi (30), and Saeed Yaghoubi (37), were executed on May 19, 2023, on charges of enmity against God (Moharebeh).

Kamal Babaie’s Arrest in Isfahan Raises Concerns

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Freedom of Expression, News
Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, Kamal Babaie

On January 27, 2024, security forces apprehended Kamal Babaie in Isfahan, placing him in Dastgerd Prison.

According to a source close to Babaie’s family, he was arrested and confined to prison at a time when his physical well-being was reportedly not suitable for incarceration.

The motives behind Babaie’s arrest and the charges against him remain undisclosed. The circumstances surrounding his detention raise concerns about the transparency and justification of the arrest.

Protest Singer Toomaj Salehi Faces Re-Arrest

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Freedom of Expression, News
Amir Raisian, Babol, Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, Toomaj Salehi

On November 30, 2023, protest rapper Toomaj Salehi experienced a renewed arrest in Babol by security forces, taken to an undisclosed location despite his recent release on bail from Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, on November 18.

The apprehension unfolded on a Babol street using violence by the agents, leaving the grounds for his arrest and his current location shrouded in uncertainty.

This influential protest rapper was granted bail on November 18 from Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, after the Supreme Court overturned his verdict. According to Amir Raisian, Salehi’s lawyer, Branch 39 of the Supreme Court reviewed Salehi’s case, identified defects in the indictment, and subsequently annulled the previous verdict. Consequently, the case was returned to the Isfahan Revolutionary Court. “Salehi, benefiting from a general pardon, should have been released without the need for bail,” his lawyer asserted.

In July of this year, Salehi received a six-year and three-month sentence, along with a travel ban, a prohibition on music production, and mandatory participation in behavior management and knowledge skills courses for two years.

In late October 2022, Salehi was detained by security forces during nationwide protests. Despite official media claims of his attempt to leave the country illegally, individuals close to Salehi contested this narrative.

It is noteworthy that the protest singer has a prior conviction in a separate legal case. On January 12, 2022, he was sentenced to a six-month prison term and fined, with the imprisonment suspended for one year.