Tag: Ghezel Hesar prison

Execution of Three Inmates in Karaj

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Executions, News
Citizen executed, Ghezel Hesar prison, Karaj

On April 25, 2024, three inmates, including a woman, were executed in Karaj for murder, according to Rokna.

The first inmate, a middle-aged man, allegedly killed his wife four years ago during a family dispute. The second inmate was executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison for fatally stabbing a young man during a street fight three years ago. Their identities were not disclosed in the report.

The third inmate, a woman identified only as Sahar, was convicted of killing her 70-year-old husband and stealing his gold in Tehran.

The Supreme Court confirmed the verdicts initially issued by the Tehran Criminal Court, leading to the executions.

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.

Execution of Two Inmates in Arak and Ghezel Hesar Prisons

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Executions, News
Arak, Arak prison, Ghezel Hesar prison, Javad Asgari, Shahram Sharghi

On April 24, 2024, two inmates were executed in Arak Prison and Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

Javad Asgari, who was convicted of murder, was executed in Arak Prison, Markazi province. In Ghezel Hesar Prison, Shahram Sharghi was executed for drug offenses. He had been sentenced to death 12 years ago by the Revolutionary Court.

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.

 

Two Inmates Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison for Drug Offenses

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Executions, News
Abdolbari Pashto, Alireza Pourshahbaz, Ghezel Hesar prison, Karaj

On April 21, 2024, officials at Ghezel Hesar Prison executed two inmates who had been convicted of drug offenses.

The two individuals were identified as Abdolbari Pashto, an Afghan national, and Alireza Pourshahbaz. They had previously received death sentences for drug-related crimes and were moved to solitary confinement a day prior to their executions.

At the time of writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have covered these executions.

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2023, with Zahedan Prison following closely behind. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

 

Rapper Saman Seydi Sentenced to Five Years in Exile

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar prison, Hossein Sartipi, moharebeh, Rajai Shahr Prison, Saman Seydi, Saman Yasin, سامان یاسین

Saman Seydi, known as Yasin, was arrested during nationwide protests in 2022 and has been sentenced to five years of exile in a city in Kerman Province.

Seydi’s lawyer, Hossein Sartipi, announced that according to a verdict issued by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, his client will serve five years in exile. Sartipi plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that Seydi has already been detained for over 18 months, suggesting he has effectively served his time.

In mid-April 2024, Seydi was taken from Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj to a hospital for one day for nasal surgery, following an injury sustained during his incarceration.

Seydi was arrested on October 2, 2023, in Tehran during the protests and subsequently transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison.

On November 8, 2023, Seydi was convicted on charges including “enmity against God” (Moharebeh) and “assembly and collusion against national security,” and was initially sentenced to death. However, the Supreme Court overturned the death sentence, leading to the transfer of his case to another court branch for retrial.

On August 2, 2023, Seydi, along with six other political prisoners, was moved from Rajai Shahr Prison to Evin Prison. On September 3, 2023, he was transferred again with 12 inmates to Ghezel Hesar without prior notice and was held in a ward with prisoners convicted of drug offenses, violating regulations that require political prisoners to be housed separately.

Two Inmate Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison

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Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Sadegh Tajik, Varamin

Two individuals convicted of murder met their fate through execution at Ghezel Hesar Prison on April 17, 2024.

HRANA has identified one of the executed inmates as Sadegh Tajik, an Afghan national hailing from Varamin. Tajik had been convicted of murder.

Additionally, while official media within Iran announced the execution of another inmate without specifying the location, HRANA’s investigations suggest that the execution took place at Ghezel Hesar Prison. These individuals had also been sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

Furthermore, HRANA reported last Sunday that five inmates had been transferred to solitary confinement within the prison, signaling impending executions. Of these, two were executed, two received temporary reprieves, and one was spared from death after obtaining consent from the victim’s family.

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2023, with Zahedan Prison following closely behind. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

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Execution of Two Afghan Nationals for Murder in Ghezel Hesar Prison

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Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj, Nour-Mohammad Tajik

On March 11, 2024, Ghezel Hesar Prison, located in Karaj, carried out the execution of two death-row inmates convicted of murder. HRANA identified the individuals as Nour-Mohammad Tajik and Abdolbaset (last name unknown).

The hanged Afghan nationals had been transferred to solitary confinement on March 9 in preparation for the execution.

As of now, there is no official information or coverage from domestic media outlets in the country regarding these executions. The absence of official sources raises apprehensions about transparency and accountability in the execution process.

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2023, with Zahedan Prison following closely behind. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

 

Political Prisoner Mostafa Ramezani Initiates Hunger Strike in Solitary Confinement

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar prison, Karaj, Mostafa Ramezani

Mostafa Ramezani, a political prisoner, commenced a hunger strike at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj on March 4, protesting his confinement in solitary quarters.

A reliable source close to Ramezani’s family disclosed this information to HRANA. According to the source, “Ramezani was transferred to solitary confinement as a punitive measure after a confrontation with prison guards on January 22, 2024. It has been more than 40 days since he has been held in solitary confinement.”

This political prisoner had been transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison on January 18, 2024.

Currently, in the third year of his sentence, Ramezani received an eight-year sentence for political charges, including “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion against national security.”

Political Prisoner Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb Continues Hunger Strike Amidst Deteriorating Health in Ghezel Hesar Prison

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb

Political prisoner Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb persists in his hunger strike at Ghezel Hesar Prison, facing a decline in health.

A reliable source close to Ahmadi Ragheb confirmed his unwavering commitment to the hunger strike, revealing alarming symptoms such as low blood pressure, lethargy, and diminishing consciousness. The severity of his condition is evident, with his palm turning blue. Despite his deteriorating health, prison officials remain unresponsive to his demands, while judicial authorities have initiated two new legal cases, accusing him of propaganda against the regime.

The source stated that Ahmadi Ragheb initiated the hunger strike in protest against these legal charges and the increasing number of executions. His concerns have been met with indifference from the prison administration.

Ahmadi Ragheb’s arrest took place in March 2023, leading to his incarceration in Evin Prison. In May 2023, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran imposed a five-year and eight-month prison sentence along with additional penalties. Notably, five years of this term are currently enforceable.

In September of the same year, he, along with several other political prisoners, was transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison. Ahmadi Ragheb has a history of previous convictions and imprisonments due to his commitment to peaceful activism. The current hunger strike underscores his continued resistance against perceived injustices and an appeal for attention to his grievances.

Tragic Suicide at Ghezel Hesar Prison Claims Inmate’s Life

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News, Prisoners
Ghezel Hesar prison, Hossein Jalali, HRANA

On February 26, 2024, a devastating incident unfolded at Ghezel Hesar Prison as an inmate, identified as Hossein Jalali from Shiraz, took his own life by ingesting pills.

According to a source close to Jalali’s family, who confirmed this tragic occurrence to HRANA, the inmate had been incarcerated for drug-related offenses. Approximately seven months ago, he commenced serving a 25-year prison term at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj and succumbed to a fatal pill overdose.

Regrettably, HRANA has learned that Jalali passed away before reaching the hospital.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented seven deaths attributed to illness, twelve suicides, one case of self-immolation, and four instances of prisoners being murdered within prisons nationwide.

Four Political Prisoners on Death Row Executed

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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.