Tag: Evin Prison

Christian Convert Naser Navard Goltapeh Denied Medical Care Amid Ongoing Detention in Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Evin Prison, Joseph Shahbazian, Naser Navard Goltapeh, Tehran, ناصر نورد گل تپه

HRANA News Agency – Naser Navard Goltapeh, a Christian convert imprisoned in Evin Prison, has been denied access to specialized medical care. He was recently transferred to a hospital due to deteriorating health but was returned to prison without receiving adequate treatment.

According to HRANA, quoting Article 18 News Outlet, on the 35th day of his hunger strike, Goltapeh was transferred to a hospital with symptoms suggesting a possible stroke. Following initial examinations, doctors suspected either a mild stroke or a minor heart attack. He experienced impaired movement in his left arm and leg. Despite the attending physician’s recommendation for physiotherapy and continued medical treatment, he was returned to prison without receiving adequate care.

The report states that no action has been taken so far to address his case or hold a trial. Although bail has been set, his release remains impossible.

On February 6, 2025, Goltapeh was arrested along with another Christian citizen, Joseph Shahbazian, in Tehran and transferred to Evin Prison.

At the time of this report, no information has been made available regarding the charges brought against him.

Goltapeh, a Christian convert residing in Tehran, has previously been arrested and imprisoned for his religious activities.n July 2016, he was detained during a private gathering and was ultimately sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of “establishing a house church.” He served his sentence in Evin Prison from 2017 without any furlough, and multiple requests for a retrial or conditional release were denied. After serving more than half of his sentence, he was released in October 2022.

Notably, while Christianity is officially recognized as a minority religion in Iran, security agencies view the conversion of Muslims to Christianity as a highly sensitive matter and respond with severe crackdowns on those involved in religious activism.

The persecution of Christian converts in Iran persists despite Article 18 of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which affirm every individual’s right to freedom of religion, including the right to change their faith and to practice it openly or privately, alone or in community with others.

Christian Convert Amirali Minaei Beaten by Prison Guard in Evin

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News, Prisoners
Amirali Minaei, Christian convert, Evin Prison, Tehran

HRANA News Agency – Amirali Minaei, a Christian convert currently serving his prison sentence in Evin Prison, was recently assaulted by one of the prison guards. Following the incident, Mr. Minaei experienced chest pain and heart-related issues but has been denied proper medical care.

Based on a report of Article 18, Mr. Minaei was recently beaten by a guard named Mehdi Salim. The guard directly struck Mr. Minaei’s chest and heart area. Despite his deteriorating condition, the authorities prevented his transfer to the prison clinic or examination by a cardiologist.

Mr. Minaei, who suffers from heart problems, was under a doctor’s care before his imprisonment. However, since the start of his sentence, all his requests for medical visits or referral to a specialist have been repeatedly denied.

Amirali Minaei, a 31-year-old Christian convert, was arrested by security forces in Tehran on December 7, 2023. He was later released on bail set at 600 million tomans.

In March 2024, he was sentenced to 3 years and 7 months of discretionary imprisonment and deprivation of social rights on charges of propaganda against the regime through his activities and establishing a house church.

On April 29, 2024, Mr. Minaei was transferred to Ward 8 of Evin Prison to begin serving his sentence.

Civil Rights Activist Raheleh Rahemipour Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison Following Retrial

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News, Prisoners
Evin, Evin Prison, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Raheleh Rahemipour, راحله راحمی

HRANA News Agency – The prison sentence of Raheleh Rahemipour, a 72-year-old civil activist currently imprisoned in Evin Prison, has been reduced to four years and two months following the acceptance of her retrial request. The revised verdict was issued by Branch 21 of the Tehran Court of Appeals, lowering her initial sentence of five years and ten months.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, the updated ruling was recently issued by Branch 21 of the Tehran Court of Appeals and formally communicated to her defense attorney yesterday. Under the new sentence, Rahemipour has been convicted of:

“Assembly and collusion against national security” – three years, six months, and ten days in prison
“Propaganda against the regime” – seven months and twenty days in prison

Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, which mandates the enforcement of the most severe sentence in cases involving multiple charges, Rahemipour will serve three years, six months, and ten days behind bars.

Legal Background and Arrest History

Earlier, attorney Payam Dorfeshan had announced that Branch 9 of the Supreme Court had accepted Rahemipour’s request for a retrial and referred the case to an equivalent court for reconsideration.

Rahemipour was arrested in late November 2023 after appearing at the Evin Prosecutor’s Office and was subsequently transferred to Evin Prison to serve her sentence.

Her original conviction was handed down by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, which sentenced her to five years in prison for “assembly and collusion” and ten months in prison for “propaganda against the regime.” This ruling was issued following a trial held on June 16, 2020.

Rahemipour was previously arrested on November 12, 2019, by security forces in Tehran. She was subsequently transferred to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Detention Center, known as Ward 2A of Evin Prison, before being temporarily released.

Given her advanced age, Rahemipour suffers from multiple health conditions and has been consistently denied access to essential medical care.

Christian Convert Narges Nasri Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison and Additional Penalties

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Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
Christian convert, Evin Prison, HRANA, Iman Afshari, Narges Nasri

HRANA News Agency – Narges Nasri, a Christian convert, has been sentenced by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to 16 years in prison, 15 years of social rights deprivation, and a fine. She was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents on November 1nd, while in the first month of pregnancy, and was later released on bail from Evin Prison on December 1st.

According to the verdict issued by Judge Iman Afshari, Nasri has been sentenced to:

10 years in prison for “propaganda activity contrary to Islamic law” due to her alleged “influential connections abroad” and the broad impact of her activities, with an increased degree of severity.
5 years in prison for “membership in anti-regime groups.”
1 year in prison for “propaganda against the regime.”
15 years of social rights deprivation and a fine of 3.3 billion rials.

In addition to her prison sentence, Nasri, now in her fourth month of pregnancy, has been subjected to further restrictions, including a two-year ban on leaving the country, residing in Tehran and neighboring provinces, and joining any social or political groups.

A source familiar with the case told HRANA that her one-year sentence for “propaganda against the regime” was issued due to her online activities, including posts critical of the country’s situation.

Nasri’s trial was held on February 13th at Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, while her initial interrogation sessions took place in January at Branch 3 of the Tehran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office.

Nasri, a 37-year-old Christian convert and resident of Tehran, was arrested on November 1nd alongside two other Christian converts by Ministry of Intelligence agents for forming a house church in Tehran. She was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, a detention facility under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence, where she was subjected to daily interrogations. She was eventually released on December 1st after posting bail set at 2.5 billion tomans.

Iran Reduces Prison Sentences for Political Prisoners Ali Younesi and Amirhossein Moradi

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Younesi, Amirhossein Moradi, Evin Prison, Mostafa Nili, امیرحسین مرادی, علی یونسی

HRANA News Agency – Attorney Mostafa Nili has announced a reduction in the prison sentences of Ali Younesi and Amirhossein Moradi, two political prisoners. Following the Supreme Court’s approval of their retrial, a parallel judicial branch lowered their maximum sentences from 10 years to 6 years and 8 months. Previously, they had been sentenced to a combined total of 32 years in prison.

According to Nili, this reduction was first applied to Amirhossein Moradi and has now been extended to Ali Younesi as well.

On June 25, 2022, more than two years after their arrest, Younesi and Moradi were transferred from The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility (Ward 209 of Evin Prison) to the prison’s general ward.

In May 2022, Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals upheld their original convictions. The two Sharif University of Technology students had been sentenced to 10 years in prison for destruction and arson of public property as their most serious charge. They also received 5 years for conspiracy against national security and 1 year for propaganda against the regime.

Arrest and Allegations

Ali Younesi, a computer engineering student, and Amirhossein Moradi, a physics student, were arrested on April 10, 2020, by Ministry of Intelligence agents. The arrest, conducted by plainclothes officers without a judicial warrant and involving physical violence, sparked widespread condemnation.

On May 5, 2020, Gholamhossein Esmaeili, spokesperson for Iran’s Judiciary, accused them of collaborating with an opposition group (MEK). Shortly after, Aida Younesi, Ali Younesi’s sister, publicly rejected these allegations, attributing them to their parents’ history as former political prisoners in the 1980s.

Academic Achievements

Amirhossein Moradi won the silver medal in Iran’s 2017 National Astronomy Olympiad, while Ali Younesi won the silver medal in 2016 and the gold medal in 2017. Younesi also won gold in the 12th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, held in China, securing first place in the competition.

Their arrests and heavy sentences have drawn international criticism, with human rights organizations calling for their immediate release.

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74 Lashes Sentence for Singer Mehdi Yarrahi Carried Out in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, flogging, Iman Afshari, Mehdi Yarahi, Mehdi Yarrahi, Tehran, مهدی یراحی

HRANA News Agency – Today, March 5, 2025, the sentence of 74 lashes for singer and composer Mehdi Yarrahi was carried out at Tehran’s Morality Security Prosecutor’s Office.

His lawyer, Zahra Minooie, stated:
“Today, on March 5, 2025, the final part of the rulings issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, consisting of 74 lashes, was fully executed at Branch 4 of the Sentence Enforcement Office of the Morality Security Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran. As a result, Mr. Mehdi Yarrahi’s case has been closed.”

In December 2024, Yarrahi’s one-year prison sentence, which had been converted to electronic ankle monitoring, ended, leading to his release. However, the return of his 15 billion toman bail was contingent on the execution of his flogging sentence.

On September 26, 2023, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Yarrahi to two years and eight months in prison and 74 lashes on charges of:

. Propaganda against the regime
. Encouraging corruption and depravity
. Producing and distributing immoral content
. Inciting and encouraging acts against public morality through online platforms

The Tehran Court of Appeals later upheld the verdict. Eventually, on February 20, 2024, his sentence was carried out under movement restrictions via electronic ankle monitoring.

Mehdi Yarrahi was initially arrested on August 28, 2023, following the release of his song “Roo Sarito” (Your Headscarf) by order of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office. He was later released on bail from Evin Prison in October of that year.

Notably, due to his support for the 2022 nationwide protests, the Tehran Public Prosecutor’s Office had previously declared him “prohibited from financial transactions.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) strictly prohibits inhumane and degrading punishments such as flogging and amputation. However, in 2024, HRANA documented at least three cases where flogging sentences were carried out, totaling 106 lashes. Additionally, at least 131 individuals were sentenced to a combined 9,957 lashes by the Iranian judiciary.

Furthermore, four individuals had their hand amputation sentences executed, while four others were sentenced to amputation.
For detailed statistics and further insights, read HRANA’s 2024 Annual Report

Esmail Fekri and Mohsen Langarneshin Transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison; One Sentenced to Death

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Esmail Fekri, Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar prison, Mohsen Langarneshin

HRANA News Agency – Esmail Fekri, a prisoner sentenced to death on espionage charges, and Mohsen Langarneshin, another prisoner facing similar accusations, were transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj on February 15.

Both prisoners are currently being held in the quarantine section of Unit Three at Ghezel Hesar. Fekri has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court, while Langarneshin has been ordered to pay financial restitution and a monetary fine for the same charge.

A source close to the prisoners told HRANA:
“It is possible that Mohsen Langarneshin has additional sentences that have not yet been publicly disclosed.”

Before their transfer, the two detainees were held in Ward 4 of Evin Prison.

Details regarding their cases and backgrounds remain unclear. HRANA will provide updates as more information becomes available.

While espionage-related offenses are not inherently considered human rights violations, Iran has a longstanding pattern of using such allegations to target political opponents. The lack of transparency in these cases, particularly regarding evidence, legal proceedings, and access to defense rights, raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of the charges.

Prisoners accused of espionage in Iran often face severe restrictions and are deprived of fundamental rights. Past cases have revealed denial of legal representation, closed-door trials, and disproportionately harsh sentences imposed without due process.

Nayereh Behnoud Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Nayereh Behnoud, ward 209

HRANA News Agency – Nayereh Behnoud, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Behnoud was sentenced to imprisonment on charges including “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion through membership in opposition groups.”

A source familiar with her case confirmed the news to HRANA, stating, “Ms. Behnoud has submitted a request for compliance with the verdict and is currently awaiting the court’s response.”

Nayereh Behnoud was arrested by security forces in Tehran in September of 2024.

Following approximately one month of interrogation at the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison, she was transferred to the women’s ward of the prison on October 21, 2024.

Masoumeh Asgari Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Iman Afshari, Masoumeh Asgari, Masoumeh Askari

HRANA News Agency – Masoumeh Asgari, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to three years in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the verdict was issued by Judge Iman Afshari and formally communicated to Asgari. She was convicted on charges of “propaganda through collaboration with anti-state groups” and “membership in opposition groups.”

A source close to Asgari’s family previously confirmed the news to HRANA, stating:
“She is experiencing poor mental health conditions in prison, and her family has submitted her medical records to the court.”

Asgari was arrested by security forces in Tehran in August 2024.

Following two months of interrogation in a solitary confinement cell at Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is operated by the Ministry of Intelligence, she was transferred to the women’s ward on September 25, 2024.

A source familiar with her case told HRANA:
“Her medical records, which have been provided to judicial authorities and the prison’s medical center, confirm that she suffers from bipolar disorder and severe mental instability.”

Masoumeh (Askari) Asgari, 55 years old, is a retired teacher and the sole guardian of her 20-year-old son. She has previously been arrested and sentenced for her activism.

Supreme Court Rejects Retrial for Political Prisoners Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou and Mehdi Hasani

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou, Behrouz Ehsani, Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar prison, Mehdi Hasani, Mehdi Hassani, moharebeh

HRANA News Agency – The Supreme Court’s Branch 39 has rejected the retrial request for political prisoners Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou and Mehdi Hasani, who are currently held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. The two were sentenced to death by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court in September 2024. Their executions had recently been halted following the Supreme Court’s acceptance of their lawyer’s retrial request.

According to information received by HRANA, Branch 39 of the Supreme Court has now denied their retrial. This decision was verbally communicated to Mehdi Hasani’s lawyer today.

On January 26, 2025, the two political prisoners were transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison under the pretext of medical treatment. Their executions had been temporarily suspended after their retrial request was officially submitted and accepted by the Supreme Court.

The two were sentenced to death in late September 2024 by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, on charges of “armed rebellion (baghi),” “enmity against God (moharebeh),” “spreading corruption on earth,” collecting classified information, and collusion against national security. Their alleged membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) was cited as evidence against them.

On Monday, November 28, 2022, Mr. Ehsani was arrested at his home in Tehran and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Mr. Hasani was also arrested on September 9, 2022, while attempting to leave the country in Zanjan and was transferred to Evin Prison. Both individuals spent months in a state of uncertainty and incommunicado detention.

Behrooz Ehsani is 64 years old. Mehdi Hasani, aged around 48, is married and the father of two children. Before his arrest, he was active in the real estate sector.