Tag: Evin Prison

Environmental Activists Niloufar Bayani and Hooman Jokar Released After Six-Year Imprisonment

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News, Prisoners
Abdolreza Koohpayeh, Amir-Hossein Khaleghi, Environmental activists, Evin Prison, Gholamhossein Esmaeili, Hooman Jokar, Morad Tahbaz, Niloufar Bayani, Sam Rajabi, Sepideh Kashani, Taher Ghadirian

Environmental activists Niloufar Bayani and Hooman Jokar were granted a pardon and released from Evin Prison on April 8, 2024, marking the end of more than six years of incarceration.

In January 2018, along with several other environmental activists, Bayani and Jokar were detained and held in Evin Prison. Subsequently, Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Salavati, sentenced them to lengthy imprisonments. The sentences were as follows:

  • Niloufar Bayani and Morad Tahbaz received 10 years for “collaboration with the hostile U.S. government.”
  • Taher Ghadirian and Hooman Jokar received eight years for the same charge.
  • Sam Rajabi and Sepideh Kashani received six years for the same charge.
  • Amir-Hossein Khaleghi was sentenced to six years for “espionage.”
  • Abdolreza Koohpayeh received four years for “assembly and collusion against national security.”

On February 18, 2020, Gholamhossein Esmaeili, the then spokesperson of Iran’s Judiciary, reported the finalized verdicts against these eight environmental activists at the Appellate Court.

HRANA had reported that during interrogation, several of these prisoners, including a female, were subjected to mistreatment and sexual assault to extract confessions.

Civil Rights Activist Sepideh Gholian Launches Hunger Strike in Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners
ahvaz, Ameneh-Sadat Zabihpour, Dezful, Evin Prison, Sepideh Gholian, Sepideh Qolian, سپیده قلیان

Sepideh Gholian (Qolian), a prominent civil rights activist detained in Evin Prison, commenced a hunger strike on April 3, 2024, demanding her transfer to Ahvaz Prison near her home.

A source close to her family confirmed Gholian’s hunger strike to HRANA.

Gholian’s troubles began on March 15, 2023, when security forces arrested her upon her return to Dezful shortly after her initial release. She was promptly sent back to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Subsequently, she was transferred to the Women’s Ward of Evin Prison four days later.

In May 2023, the Tehran Revolutionary Court convicted Gholian of “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” resulting in a two-year sentence that included a period of detention. Alongside her imprisonment, she faced various restrictions, including a prohibition on joining political or social groups, limitations on cell phone usage, and a two-year ban from entering Tehran and its neighboring provinces. This verdict was upheld on appeal.

Furthermore, a case was initiated following a complaint filed by Ameneh-Sadat Zabihpour, an Iran-state TV reporter with ties to security agencies as an interrogator. In this case, Gholian received an additional sentence of one year and three months for her alleged involvement in “removing hijab, facilitating indecency, and persisting in committing criminal acts.”

It’s important to note that Gholian has a history of prior arrests and convictions related to her activism.

Sedigheh Vasmaghi Denied Essential Medical Treatment in Detention

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Sedigheh Vasmaghi

On April 2, 2024, Sedigheh Vasmaghi, an analyst specializing in political and social issues, has been denied essential medical attention as prison officials obstructed her transfer to a hospital outside the prison.

Today, April 2, suffering from high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar levels, and experiencing severe chest pain, Vasmaghi was initially treated in the prison infirmary. Despite the physician’s recommendation for further treatment in a hospital setting, the prison authorities refused to facilitate her transfer.

Vasmaghi was apprehended by security forces on March 16, 2024, and subsequently incarcerated in Evin Prison. She was later charged with “propaganda against the regime” and “public appearance without hijab,” and her case was assigned to Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

On March 24, 2024, Vasmaghi was prohibited from receiving family visits due to her refusal to adhere to mandatory hijab regulations.

This incident is not the first time Vasmaghi has faced legal action for her activism.

Political Prisoner Shahriar Bayat Sentenced to Death for Alleged Insult to Prophet of Islam

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, great tehran penitentiary, HRANA, Shahriar, Shahriar Bayat, شهریار بیات

Shahriar Bayat, a 64-year-old political prisoner currently held in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to death by the Tehran Criminal Court for allegedly “insulting the prophet of Islam.”

Confirming this conviction, a source close to Bayat’s family informed HRANA that Bayat received this sentence on March 24, 2024, the final day of his furlough from Evin Prison. This verdict was issued by Branch 13 of the Tehran Criminal Court. According to the source, Bayat’s wife, Nahid, is not in good health to inquire about her husband’s legal case.

Bayat faces legal proceedings in both the Criminal and Revolutionary Courts. Reports obtained by HRANA indicate that the majority of the board of judges in the Criminal Court convicted Bayat of “insulting the prophet of Islam, Shia Imams, and other Islamic sanctities through the publication of pictures and posts on social media.”

This verdict contradicts the earlier decision by a minority panel, which commuted Bayat’s sentence to six months in prison after he expressed remorse. The verdict can be appealed within 20 days of its issuance.

Notably, the Shahriar Public and Revolutionary Court initially had jurisdiction over this legal case and closed this case. However, due to the insistence of the Shahriar prosecutor, the court transferred the case to the Tehran Criminal Court.

Shahriar Bayat’s legal troubles began on September 25, 2022, when he was arrested by security forces during nationwide protests at his residence in the city of Shahriar and subsequently detained in the Great Tehran Penitentiary. He was later transferred to Evin Prison.

On March 1, 2023, the Shahriar Revolutionary Court sentenced Bayat to a total of 18 years in prison for various charges including “forming illegal groups to act against national security,” “assembly and collusion to act against national security,” “insulting the former and current Supreme Leader of Iran,” and “propaganda against the regime.” Pursuant to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, which mandates the enforcement of the harshest punishment in cases of multiple charges, Bayat’s sentence was initially ten years, later reduced to eight years and six months following his request for a reduction in punishment.

In July-August 2023, in a letter addressed to the judiciary, Bayat wrote about his imprisonment at the age of 63, emphasizing his lack of prior political activism and attributing his incarceration solely to content found on his cell phone, much of which he claimed was commonplace on the internet. He also highlighted his denial of medical care for digestive diseases during his detention in the Great Tehran Penitentiary.

Civil Rights Activist Raheleh Rahemipour Denied Vital Medical Care in Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Jila Karamzadeh Makvandi, Raheleh Rahemipour, Tehran, راحله راحمی پور

Raheleh Rahemipour, a civil rights advocate currently incarcerated in Evin Prison, has been unjustly denied access to crucial medical treatment due to non-compliance with compulsory hijab regulations.

According to a source close to Rahemipour’s family, she is battling multiple serious illnesses, including a brain tumor requiring specialized medical attention. Despite her urgent medical needs, authorities have refused to transfer her to an external hospital solely on the grounds of her refusal to adhere to hijab requirements.

Additionally, reports obtained by HRANA reveal that Rahemipour has been deprived of family visits, exacerbating her isolation and distress.

Rahemipour was briefly hospitalized in late January 2024 due to her deteriorating health, undergoing cardiac angiography before being abruptly returned to prison two days later.

The civil rights activist was initially arrested alongside Jila Karamzadeh Makvandi in Tehran on November 12, 2019, and detained in Ward 2-A of Evin Prison which is under the control of IRGC. After a period on bail, she was indicted by the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime,” leading to a six-year prison sentence beginning in November 2023.

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Political Prisoner Shakila Monfared Receives Additional 12-Month Prison Term and Further Penalties on Appeal

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News, Prisoners
Abbasali Hozan, Evin Prison, Narge Mohammadi, Political Prisoner, Shakila Monfared, Tehran, شکیلا منفرد

The Appellate Court of Tehran has imposed an additional twelve-month prison sentence and other penalties on Shakila Monfared, a political prisoner currently held in Evin Prison. This decision stems from a legal case initiated while she was incarcerated.

Presided over by Judge Abbasali Hozan, Branch 36 of the Tehran Appellate Court found Monfared guilty of allegedly “spreading propaganda against the regime,” leading to a 12-month imprisonment. Additionally, she faces restrictions, including a ban on residing in Tehran and its surrounding provinces, prohibition from joining political or civil groups, and limitations on smartphone usage.

Initially sentenced to 15 months in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Monfared’s appeal, along with her co-defendant Narge Mohammadi, was adjudicated in absentia in December. She was informed of the conviction on February 20, subsequent to the dismissal of her appeal request by the court.

This marks the third legal case resulting in a conviction that Monfared has encountered during her incarceration.

Monfared’s ordeal began on August 31, 2020, when security forces arrested her as she was leaving her home. She was transferred to one of the detention centers under the control of the IRGC in Tehran. After 14 days of detention, she was subsequently released on bail from Evin Prison.

Following that, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Monfared to six years in prison and four months of probation work in the Agricultural Jihad on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “blasphemy.” This verdict was later reduced to four years and two months on appeal.

In January 2022, in a new legal case while imprisoned, Monfared received two years and eight months, this time for the charge of “membership in anti-regime groups” and paying a fine for “disseminating false information.”

It is worth noting that on June 6, 2023, once again, Monfared faced the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security,” and this time the case was closed after a while.

 

Political Prisoner Saeed Ahmadi Deljoo’s Legal Status Updated

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Saeed Ahmadi Deljoo, سعید احمدی دلجو

Saeed Ahmadi Deljoo, a political prisoner, is currently serving a four-year sentence in Tehran’s Evin Prison, which began in mid-March 2024.

A source close to Ahmadi Deljoo’s family has informed HRANA that Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced him to four years on charges including “insulting the Supreme Leader, spreading propaganda against the regime, and disturbing public order.” He began serving his sentence on March 18, 2024. Ahmadi Deljoo was arrested by IRGC intelligence on March 15, 2023, in Tehran and was subsequently released on bail pending legal proceedings.

According to reports obtained by HRANA, during his detention, Ahmadi was held in solitary confinement for one month, during which he was subjected to torture, resulting in bruises and damage to his liver. Ahmadi Deljoo, 33 years old, is a graduate in accounting and computer science.

Reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA in 2023 indicate a total of 193 cases in which Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, has been involved in issuing verdicts that infringe upon the human rights of defendants.

Christian Convert Laleh Sa’ati Receives Prison Sentence and Travel Restriction

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News, Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Christian Citizen, Christian convert, Evin Prison, Lale Sa'ati, Laleh Sa’ati, Malaysia, لاله ساعتی

Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court has sentenced Christian convert Laleh Sa’ati to two years in prison, coupled with a travel ban preventing her from leaving the country.

Presiding Judge Iman Afshari delivered the verdict to Sa’ati on March 24, citing her conviction for “actions against national security.”

According to a source close to Sa’ati’s family, she is reportedly in poor mental health, grappling with severe depression while incarcerated.

Sa’ati was arrested by security forces on February 13, 2024, and initially detained in the Women’s Ward of Evin Prison. However, she was later transferred multiple times to Ward 209 for interrogation by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence.

HRANA has received reports indicating that Sa’ati had been residing in Malaysia before her return to Iran.

Sedigheh Vasmaghi Indicted for Alleged Propaganda against Iran’s Regime and Public Appearance without Hijab

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Freedom of Expression, News
compulsory hijab, Evin Prison, Sedigheh Vasmaghi

Sedigheh Vasmaghi, an analyst specializing in political and social issues, faces indictment from Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

An Instagram page linked to Vasmaghi confirmed her indictment on March 18, citing charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “public appearance without hijab.” The indictment highlights Vasmaghi’s social media criticism as evidence.

Concerns over Vasmaghi’s health have been raised due to reported increases in heart rate and blood pressure during her detention. Despite her urgent need for medical attention, prison officials allegedly withhold treatment due to her refusal to comply with mandatory hijab rules.

Vasmaghi was apprehended by security forces on March 16, 2024, and subsequently transferred to Evin Prison.

This is not the first instance of legal action against Vasmaghi for her activism.

Iranian-Swedish Saeed Azizi’s Five-Year Prison Term Upheld on Political Charges

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Iranian-Swedish citizen, Saeed Azizi

The Appellate Court of Tehran has affirmed a five-year prison sentence for Iranian-Swedish citizen Saeed Azizi.

Currently incarcerated in Evin Prison, Azizi was initially handed the five-year term for charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, under the jurisdiction of Judge Iman Afshari.

Azizi’s legal representative has revealed that he is battling cancer, adding an extra layer of difficulty to his detention. His health has further deteriorated following a recent fall down a flight of stairs.

Previously, Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs had expressed concern over the arrest of a Swedish national man in Iran, citing a lack of clarity regarding the reasons behind it.