Tag: Evin Prison

Khoda-Karami Brothers Receive Combined 12-Year Prison Sentence

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, HRANA, Khoda-Karami, Mehdi Khoda-Karami, Mohammad Khoda-Karami, Mujahedin-e-Khalq

Mohammad and Mehdi Khoda-Karami have been sentenced by the Khorramabad Revolutionary Court.

According to a reliable source close to HRANA, the Revolutionary Court has handed down sentences of eight years for Mohammad and four years for Mehdi. The charges include “membership in an anti-regime group (The People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran, or the Mujahedin-e-Khalq)” and “assembly and collusion to act against national security.”

Originally arrested in Tehran last year, these Khorramabad residents were initially held in Evin Prison before being transferred to Khorramabad Prison.

Reports obtained by HRANA reveal that the Khoda-Karami brothers were subjected to physical assault during the interrogation. Additionally, throughout their detention, they were denied access to medical care despite suffering from multiple diseases.

Siamak Ebrahimi and Shahrokh Ahmadi Commence Prison Sentences

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Shahrokh Ahmadi, Siamak Ebrahimi

Residents of Tehran, Siamak Ebrahimi and Shahrokh Ahmadi, have begun serving their sentences in Evin Prison.

Both Ebrahimi and Ahmadi were arrested by security forces on February 7, 2023, and subsequently released on a 700 million tomans bail (approximately 14,000 dollars) from Evin Prison.

In August 2023, under the jurisdiction of Iman Afshari, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Ebrahimi to five years for “assembly and collusion against national security” and eight months for “spreading propaganda against the regime.” Ahmadi received a four-year sentence for “assembly and collusion against national security.” These sentences were upheld on appeal.

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. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics, refer to HRANA’s report.

Civil Rights Activist Mohammad Nourizad Sentenced to 61 Months in Prison

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Mohammad Nourizad, Shahid Kechooie judicial complex, Tehran

Renowned civil rights advocate Mohammad Nourizad has been sentenced to 61 months in prison as a result of a legal case initiated while he was already incarcerated.

Presently serving his sentence at Evin Prison, Nourizad revealed the additional imprisonment through a voice message from behind bars. The recent court session addressing the new charges against Nourizad took place at the Shahid Kechooie judicial complex in Tehran. Unfortunately, he was unable to defend himself as he was not present during the proceedings.

Details regarding the charges leveled against Nourizad remain undisclosed at this time.

On August 9, 2023, Nourizad faced punitive measures and was relocated to solitary confinement due to his protest against the restriction of prisoners’ telephone cards, impeding their ability to make phone calls.

In a separate legal development from July 2023, Nourizad received an additional two-year prison sentence from the Tehran Revolutionary Court. This sentence stemmed from yet another legal case initiated while he was already in prison.

Nourizad’s legal ordeal began on August 11, 2019, when he was arrested by security forces for participating in the drafting of an open letter with 13 other civil rights activists, calling for the Supreme Leader of Iran to step down. In the initial case, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, three years of exile in Izeh, and a two-year travel ban. Although the prison sentence was upheld on appeal, the duration of exile and travel ban were reduced to two years.

In late April 2020, Nourizad received an additional one-year imprisonment for expressing support for Baha’i citizens in Eyvanki, Semnan Province.

Concerning the second part of his legal case, the Mashhad Criminal Court sentenced Nourizad to 8 months in prison and 74 lashes, along with exile to Tabas, for “disturbance of public order.” He also received an additional 74 lashes for “spreading falsehood.” This verdict was upheld on appeal as well.

Nourizad was released from Evin Prison on November 17, 2021, based on an early release order. However, on January 23, 2022, he was summoned and re-incarcerated in Evin Prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Nourizad has a history of arrests and convictions linked to his peaceful activism. He is a prominent filmmaker, writer, director, and journalist from Iran. While previously known as an outspoken religious journalist, he has become an active critic of the Islamic Republic in recent years.

 

Iranian-Swedish Dual National Ahmad Reza Jalali Facing Execution

Posted on by . .
Executions, News, Prisoners
Ahmad Reza Jalali, Evin Prison, Hamid Nouri, moharebeh, Zabihollah Khodaian

Ahmad Reza Jalali, currently held in Evin Prison, is confronting the threat of execution.

Arrested by security forces in May 2016, he was subsequently sentenced to death on charges of “spying.” The Supreme Court affirmed the verdict in the following year, and last year, the then-judiciary’s spokesperson, Zabihollah Khodaian, announced the finalization of this sentence.

While addressing the potential prison swap between Jalali and Hamid Nouri during a press conference, Khodaian asserted that “these two issues are not related, and there is no ongoing discussion about such a swap.” However, Amnesty International stated in a release that Iran’s authorities are using the threat of Jalali’s execution as leverage for the proposed prison swap.

Professor Jalali, invited to Iran by the University of Tehran in May 2016, was arrested on charges of “enmity against God (Moharebeh) through espionage for Israel.” Moharebeh, interpreted as “waging war against God,” is a component of Sharia Law typically applied to those suspected of involvement in acts against the state. The Tehran Prosecutor accused him of “transferring information about confidential projects in research, military, defense, and nuclear fields in exchange for citizenship for him and his family from Sweden.”

University Student Hamoon Soleimani Taken into Custody

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Students
Evin Prison, Hamoon Soleimani, Homayoun Soleimani, University of Science and Technology

On January 30, 2024, Hamoon Soleimani, a Master’s student at the University of Science and Technology, was apprehended during his appearance at Evin Courthouse.

Homayoun Soleimani, confirming his brother’s detention, revealed, “Hamoon was summoned to Evin Courthouse and subsequently held in custody. Approximately one hour after his apprehension, he managed to make a phone call, notifying our family of his relocation to Ward 1 of Evin Prison.”

As of now, the specific grounds for Soleimani’s arrest and the charges against him remain undisclosed.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Political Prisoner Majid Tavakoli Faces Upheld Six-Year Sentence Following Retrial

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Majid Tavakoli, Tehran, Tehran Revolutionary Court

Branch 54 of the Court of Appeal in Tehran has affirmed a six-year sentence for political prisoner Majid Tavakoli.

A source close to his family confirmed to HRANA that Tavakoli was sentenced to six years in prison, along with internet and social media usage restrictions for two years, a two-year ban from residing in Tehran, and a travel ban for two years.

Tavakoli received notification of this verdict on January 29.

Previously, the Supreme Court accepted Tavakoli’s request for a retrial, transferring the case to another court branch. Notably, Tavakoli, a student activist and former political detainee, was arrested by security forces in Tehran on September 23, 2022, during the Mahsa Amini Protests. He was released on bail on December 19, 2022.

Subsequently, Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court imposed a six-year sentence, which was upheld on appeal. On October 7, 2023, Tavakoli commenced serving his sentence in Evin Prison.

Tavakoli’s history of arrests and convictions is rooted in his activism.

Four Political Prisoners on Death Row Executed

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Evin Prison, Faraja, Ghezel Hesar prison, Hazhir Faramarzi, Masoud Shams Nejad, Mohsen Mazloum, Pezhman Fatehi, Vafa Azarbar

On January 29, 2024, a somber day unfolded at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj as four political prisoners on death row—Mohsen Mazloum, Pezhman Fatehi, Vafa Azarbar, and Hazhir Faramarzi—were executed. The previous day, they were transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar in anticipation of their impending execution.

Despite international efforts urging Iran’s regime to halt the execution, these prisoners met their fate. Masoud Shams-Nejad, their legal representative, expressed his dismay, stating, “My clients were executed this morning, notwithstanding the fact that both preliminary and final indictments had established that the defendants were arrested before the alleged operation. It’s retribution before the crime, an irony which has now a reality.”

On July 23, 2022, Iran Police Intelligence (FARAJA) arrested them in the Sumay-ye Beradust District of Urmia County. Tasnim, a security-institution-affiliated news agency, reported their arrest as part of “a network of Israeli spies.” The agency claimed they possessed operational and communication equipment, along with explosive materials, and had entered the country from the Kurdistan region with plans to carry out unprecedented terrorist operations in sensitive, secure locations.

Approximately 80 days after their arrest, Iran’s state TV aired their coerced confessions, accusing them of spying for foreign intelligence and stating they had been apprehended in sensitive sites in Isfahan.

Their lawyer had earlier decried the due process and conviction as unjust and unfair, asserting that he and his clients were denied their rights throughout the proceedings.

Human rights organizations had questioned the details of these individuals’ legal cases, including the credibility of the charges, evidence, legal proceedings, and the performance of security institutions. In recent weeks, prominent groups and figures emphasized that the Iranian regime had scapegoated them through a setup case, mirroring a precedent set by the regime.

Concerns Rise as Khaled Pirzadeh Hospitalized in Evin Prison

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
ahvaz, Evin Prison, Khaled Pirzadeh, Tehran, Ward 209 of Evin Prison

Political prisoner Khaled Pirzadeh has been hospitalized since January 19, 2024, due to a deteriorating health condition.

A reliable source close to Pirzadeh’s family confirmed the news, stating, “Last week, Pirzadeh was admitted to Loghman Hospital in Tehran due to heart arrhythmia. He is currently in the ICU with a bound chain on his ankle.”

Earlier this year, Pirzadeh was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court for “assembly and collusion against national security” and an additional eight months for “propaganda against the regime.”

In September 2023, security forces arrested Pirzadeh in Ahvaz, and he was subsequently transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison in Tehran. On October 15, he was moved to Ward 6 within the same prison.

It is noteworthy that Pirzadeh has a history of previous arrests and convictions related to his activism.

Narges Mohammadi Faces Additional Penalties While Incarcerated

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Ebrahim Ketabdar, Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Narges Mohammadi

Renowned human rights activist Narges Mohammadi has recently been handed down a sentence of imprisonment, exile, travel restrictions, and additional penalties by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

Presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court imposed a 15-month prison term on Mohammadi for “propaganda against the regime.” Additionally, she received a two-year ban on residing in Tehran and neighboring provinces, a two-year travel restriction, a two-year prohibition from joining political/civil groups, and limitations on smartphone usage for the same duration.

The verdict was issued on December 19, 2023, during an in-absentia court session prompted by a complaint from the Ministry of Intelligence, according to Mrs. Mohammadi’s social media page.

Currently incarcerated in Evin Prison, Mohammadi continues to face additional penalties for her activism.

In October 2020, she was released from Zanjan Prison after enduring approximately five and a half years of imprisonment. However, her ordeal persisted as she faced another legal case, culminating in a sentence of 30 months of imprisonment, 80 lashes, and two fines.

On November 16, 2021, Mohammadi was arrested once again during a commemorative event honoring Ebrahim Ketabdar, who had lost his life during the November 2019 protests in Karaj. Subsequently, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court handed down a staggering eight-year prison sentence, accompanied by seventy-four lashes, two years of exile, and various social restrictions.

Adding to her ordeal, Mohammadi received an additional one-year prison sentence in early August, stemming from a new case initiated during her incarceration.

Mir-Yousef Younesi Receives Five-Year Prison Term

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Younesi, Evin Prison, Mir-Yousef Younesi, MirYousef Younesi

The Tehran Revolutionary Court has sentenced Mir-Yousef Younesi to five years in prison. Notably, his son, Ali Younesi, is currently incarcerated in Evin Prison.

The verdict was issued by Iman Afshari, presiding over Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Reza Younesi, the other son of Mir-Yousef Younesi, revealed his father’s conviction to the public, expressing concern over the handling of the case. “My father was denied the opportunity to attend the court proceedings due to his refusal to wear the prison uniform. Additionally, the judge prohibited his attorney from presenting defense arguments,” he stated.

Mir-Yousef Younesi was arrested on December 28, 2022, at his residence in Shahrud by security forces.

Ali Younesi, a student at Sharif University of Technology, is serving his sentence in Evin Prison. He has earned notable achievements, including the silver medal in the National Astronomy Olympiad (2016), the gold medal in the 2017 Astronomy Olympiad, and a gold medal in the 12th World Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad held in China.

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.