Poet Ali Jahanian Arrested by Security Forces in Nahavand

On September 9, Ali Jahanian, a poet and political activist, was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents in Nahavand and transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Hamedan.

A source close to his family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Mr. Jahanian and his wife, Mrs. Fereshteh Souri, were arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents at their residence in Nahavand. His wife was released after several hours of interrogation on bail. Security agents also searched their home during the arrest and confiscated some of the couple’s personal belongings, including their mobile phones.”

The source added, “Ali Jahanian has been transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Hamedan following his arrest.”

So far, the reasons for his arrest and the charges against him have not been disclosed.

Ali Jahanian, a poet and political activist residing in Nahavand, has previously been arrested due to his activities.

Sunni Cleric Saber Khodamoradi Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison

Saber Khodamoradi, a Sunni cleric and Imam of Friday prayers in a town in Saqqez County, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison by the Special Clerical Court in Hamedan.

Mr. Khodamoradi announced that he was sentenced to 15 months in prison following a phone call from the Special Clerical Court in Hamedan. He had previously been summoned to this court in July 2023.

This Sunni cleric had earlier been sentenced to seven months in prison and 74 lashes by the Special Clerical Court in Hamedan.

Additionally, on April 26, 2023, Saber Khodamoradi was summoned to the Special Clerical Court in Hamedan for the third consecutive time due to his support of the nationwide protests in 2022.

Execution Carried Out in Hamedan Prison for Drug Offenses

On February 21, 2024, Ahmad Esmaeili, convicted of drug-related crimes, was executed in Hamedan Prison.

A reliable source informed HRANA that Esmaeili was apprehended by security forces in 2018 under suspicion of smuggling 11 kilograms of methamphetamine, leading to his subsequent death sentence.

As of now, there has been no official confirmation of this execution from domestic media outlets or official sources within the country.

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. This report also reveals a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

 

Shahab Bayat Receives Six-Month Prison Sentence on Political Charges

The Court of Appeal in Hamedan has upheld a six-month sentence for Shahab Bayat, a student at the Islamic Azad University of Hamadan.

Presiding over the court, Seyed Reza Hassani Helm found Bayat guilty of “spreading propaganda against the regime.” Bayat was indicted on May 24, 2023, and was subsequently granted bail of 300 million toman, equivalent to approximately 6000 dollars in this legal case.

As HRA’s annual report reveals, in 2023, 64 workers’ rights advocates were arrested by security forces in Iran. Additionally, 29 labor activists or defenders of workers’ rights were sentenced to 654 months of imprisonment, which includes 568 months of actual imprisonment and 86 months of suspended imprisonment. These alarming statistics underscore the challenging environment faced by those advocating for labor rights in the country.

Execution of Inmate Convicted of Drug Crimes in Hamedan

On January 17, 2024, Jalil Soleimani, convicted of drug-related offenses, was executed in Hamedan Prison, according to Kurdpa.

Soleimani was sentenced to death for drug offenses three years ago.

At the time of writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have reported on this execution.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered the execution of  746 individuals. Out of these, 6 were carried out in public. Among the executed individuals whose genders were identified, 597 were male and 20 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.

 

 

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Bi-Monthly Statistical Report: Increased Pressure on the Baha’i Community with Dozens of Arrests and Convictions

HRANA News Agency – Over the last 60 days, at least 40 Baha’i citizens have been arrested by security forces, and the homes of at least 66 individuals have been searched by security forces. Additionally, during the mentioned period, 38 Baha’i citizens have been collectively sentenced to more than 133 years in prison by judicial authorities.

According to HRANA, the news agency of human rights activists in Iran, there has been a significant increase in actions against Baha’i citizens in Iran over the past 60 days.

During this period, at least 40 Baha’i citizens in six cities have been arrested by security forces. The homes of at least 66 Baha’i citizens in various cities of the country have been searched by security agents. Also, during the mentioned period, 38 Baha’i citizens have been collectively sentenced to 133 years and 9 months in prison by judicial authorities.

The identities of the forty arrested Baha’i citizens have been confirmed by HRANA as follows:

. Sahar Mohebpour, Roxana Vojdani, Setareh Ta’ami, and Bahareh Ghaderi in Shiraz;
. Vida Ahrari, Mozhgan Basiri, Shokoufeh Basiri, Jamal Ghadirzadeh, Iman Rashidi, and Ahmad Naeimi in Yazd;
. Neda Badkhsh, Arzoo Sobhanian, Yeganeh Roohbakhsh, Mozhgan Shahrezaei, Parasto Hakim, Yeganeh Aghahi, Bahareh Lotfi, Shana  Shouqi Far, Negin Khademi, and Neda Emadi in Esfahan;
. Ali Bagher Kashi, Sohba Taef, Shervin Shabrakh, Nika Esmaeilpour, Babak Zeinali (Zeynali), Iman Ehsani, Eiren Rahmani, Foad Taefi, Reza Yazdi and Fahimeh Yazdi in Karaj;
. Naeim Aghdasi, Neda Mahboobi, Zhaleh Rezaei, Zhenous Shadabi, Atofeh Zahedi, Masoud Azarnoush, Zarin Ahadzadeh, Farideh Ayoubi, Noura Ayoubi in Hamedan; and
. Masoud Mahmoudi in Shirvan.

HRANA has also identified the names of sixty-six Baha’i citizens whose homes have been searched by security forces from September 23 to November 21 (covering the period from the beginning of Mehr to the end of Aban month in the Hijri Calendar). The individuals affected include:

. Roya Sheikhi, Sahar Mohebpour, Roxana Vojdani, Setareh Ta’ami, and Bahareh Ghaderi in Shiraz;
. Vida Ahrari, Mozhgan Basiri, Shokoufeh Basiri, Jamal Ghadirzadeh, Iman Rashidi in Yazd;
. Soheil Haqdoust, Hossein Fanaian, Sohrab Loghaei, Ebrahim Loghaei, Favaed Loghaei in Ghaem Shahr;
. Neda Badkhsh, Arzoo Sobhanian, Yeganeh Roohbakhsh, Mozhgan Shahrezaei, Parasto Hakim, Yeganeh Aghahi, Bahareh Lotfi, Shana Shouqi Far, Negin Khademi, and Neda Emadi in Esfahan;
. Sohba Taef, Shervin Shabrakh, Nika Esmaeilpour, and Babak Zeinali in Karaj;
. Mehran Khandel, Pouran Habibi (Khandel), Zhenous Shadabi, Akhtar Kowsari (Naeimi), Aghdas Abrar Ahadi, Fatanah Moshtag, Behnam Ayoubi, Noghreh Ayoubi, Rozita Azarnoush, Masoud Azarnoush, Zhaleh Rezaei, Farideh Ayoubi, Parviz Ma’boodi, Afshin Rashedi, Hamid Rashedi, Kiumars Rashedi, Rouhiyeh Abdi, Hamid Azizi, Ramin Moghimi, Ata Rajabi, Mozaffar Ayoubi, Enayat Takapouyi, Farhang Ma’boodi, Shoogh Angir Soroushian, Pegah Mobin, Akbar Norani, Khoshgel Rezaei, Manouchehr Ayoubi, Hassan Rezaei, Amin Moghimi, Shouja Jahangiri, Saman Khodayari, Parviz Seifi, Ziba Jahangiri, Arzoo Jahangiri, and Kaveh Bayati in Hamedan; and
. Masoud Mahmoudi in Shirvan.

A Baha’i citizen residing in Hamedan, in an interview with HRANA, described the conduct of security forces during the search of homes as “violent,” stating, “Security forces lifted the ceramic tiles and floorings of houses, inspected the feathers of household birds, and even tore apart sofas. Confiscation of cash, gold, and valuable items including property and vehicle documents was another form of harassment by the security forces during these raids.”

The Baha’i International Community, headquartered in Geneva, has reacted to the recent developments and increased pressure on this community with a statement. In a section of this community’s news statement addressing the home searches, it is stated, “Houses of five elderly women aged between 70 to 90 years in Hamedan were raided.

One of these individuals suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, and another was quickly transferred to the hospital’s intensive care unit due to distress and anxiety following the attack on her home. In another case, the door of an 82-year-old woman’s house was broken, and her home was searched and ransacked in her absence. Husbands of two of these women were among the more than 200 Baha’is who were executed by the Iranian government after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.”

During this period, 38 Baha’i citizens named Sirus Zabihi Moghaddam, Shahdokht Khanjani, Noushin Misbah, Golnoosh Nasiri, Farideh Moradi, Saeedeh Khozouei, Saba Safidi, Iraj Shokouh, Samira Ebrahimi, Pedram Abhar, Arsalan Yazdani, Nasim Sabeti, Azita Foroughi, Roya Ghaane Azabadi, Soheila Ahmadi, Hassan Salehi, Vahid Dana, Saeed Abedi, Sanaz Tafazoli, Shadi Shahidzadeh, Mansour Amini, Ataollah Zafar, Velayat Ghadamian, Bita Haghighi, Sanaz Hekmat Shoar, Mani Gholinejad, Negar Darabi, Sam Samimi, Mahsa Fathi, Samieh Gholinejad, Mojir Samimi, Anis Sanaei, Afananeh Nematian, Basir Samimi, Hengameh Alipour, Golban Falah, Nazanin Goli, and Susan Badavam were sentenced by judicial authorities to a total of 133 years and 9 months in prison and to pay a fine of 786 million and two hundred thousand Tomans.

Additionally, some of these citizens faced supplementary punishments such as deprivation of social rights, prohibition of membership and activity in groups, political, social, and cultural parties, and prohibition of activity in cyberspace.

It is worth mentioning that in the past two months, in addition to the above, the enforcement of a five-year travel restriction for Hooshidar Zarei in Shiraz, an 8-month prison sentence for Sina Shahri in Tabriz, and a two-year prison sentence for Homayoun Khanlari in Rasht also took place.

The Baha’i community in Iran constitutes the largest unofficial religious minority in the country. However, since the change of regime in Iran in 1979, this community has been systematically marginalized and deprived of basic rights, including access to higher education and employment in public sectors. Followers of the Baha’i Faith in Iran are often subjected to arbitrary arrests, false imprisonment, property confiscation, and harassment. The Iranian government’s refusal to recognize the Baha’i Faith as a religion has led to a situation where Baha’is are deprived of many civil rights that are granted to officially recognized religious minorities, exacerbating their challenges and vulnerabilities in Iran.

Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, hundreds of Baha’is have been executed or reported missing, while thousands have faced arrests and various penalties, including property confiscation and ongoing deprivations.

Nine Baha’i Citizens Detained in Hamedan Amid Mass Searches

On November 7, 2023, security forces carried out the arrest of nine Baha’i citizens in Hamedan as part of a widespread search operation targeting the Baha’i community in the region.

The individuals apprehended during this operation are Naeim (Naeem) Aghdasi, Neda Mohebi, Zhaleh Rezaie, Jinous Shadabi, Atefeh Zahedi, Masoud Azarnoosh, Zarin Ahadzadeh, Farideh Ayoubi, and Nora Ayoubi. Security agents conducted house searches not only at their residences but also at the homes of many other Baha’is in Hamedan. Regrettably, these searches were marked by violence and verbal abuse, with personal belongings confiscated.

The motivations behind these mass arrests and the current whereabouts of the detained individuals remain shrouded in uncertainty.

In recent days, the homes of other Baha’i citizens in the city, including Mehran Khandel, Pouran Habibi, Jinous Shadabi, and Akhtar Kousari, have also been subjected to search operations.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Two Inmates Executed in Hamedan Prison

Hamedan Prison, August 29, 2023 – Two inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed today.

The individuals, identified as Hamed Sargazi and Esmaeil Hajizadeh by HRANA, were put to death after being found guilty of drug offenses that led to their death sentences three years ago.

The prevalence of capital punishment in cases involving drug offenses continues to be a concern. According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, 457 cases warranting the death penalty were reported in 2022. Notably, nearly 43% of these cases stemmed from drug-related charges, shedding light on an ongoing issue.

Execution of Four Inmates for Drug-Related Charges Takes Place in Hamedan and Shiraz

On Tuesday, August 8, 2023, two inmates, identified as Hossein Nasirian, 40, and Hassan Ali Shakib were executed in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz, as reported by Iran Human Rights Organization.

Nasirian’s conviction dates back three years, while Shakib’s dates back two years.

On the subsequent day, Wednesday, August 9, two more inmates faced execution in Hamedan Prison. Among them, Manuchehr Khazaie, who had been convicted on charges related to drug offenses, met his fate. The second inmate, Ahad Hashemi, whose identity was confirmed by Kurdpa, was also executed.

These executions bring renewed attention to the ongoing discussions surrounding the criminal justice system’s approach to drug-related crimes. In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran recorded 457 reports concerning the death penalty. Approximately 43% of these executions were linked to drug-related charges.

 

Two Citizens Arrested by Security Forces in Nowshahr County

On August 2, 2023, Meisam Gholami, a former political prisoner and one of the detainees of the nationwide protests in 2022, was arrested along with his friend Mehdi Seifi by security forces in Nowshahr County. Both individuals were taken to an undisclosed location.

According to a source close to one of the families, who spoke to HRANA, Meisam Gholami was arrested at his workplace in Nowshahr County, and shortly after, Mehdi Seifi was also detained. Their mobile phones and some personal belongings were confiscated by the agents.

Meisam Gholami’s initial arrest took place on October 1, 2022, during the nationwide protests in Kabudarahang, Hamedan Province. He spent 14 days in detention before being released on bail from Alvand Prison in Hamedan. The trial session addressing his charges was held on February 15, 2023, at the Revolutionary Court of Kabudarahang County.

Meisam Gholami, 37 years old, has a history of previous detentions and imprisonments due to his activist activities.