Tag: HRANA

Tragic End to the Life of Shahin Galehdari, Political Prisoner at Urmia

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News, Prisoners
HRANA, Shahin Galehdari, Urmia

In a devastating turn of events, 46-year-old political prisoner Shahin Galehdari has reportedly taken his own life in Urmia Prison.

A reliable source close to Galehdari confirmed this tragic news to HRANA, stating that he had been incarcerated since February-March 2023, serving a two-year sentence. Prison officials conveyed the distressing information of his suicide to his family yesterday.

According to the latest updates received by HRANA, Galehdari’s body has been transferred to forensic medicine. His family has been directed to claim his body.

Shahin Galehdari’s initial arrest occurred nine years ago at the hands of security forces. Following a period of detention, he was released on bail until the end of legal proceedings. In 2020-2021, the Revolutionary Court at Urmia sentenced him to two years for charges related to “acting against national security.” Subsequently, in February-March 2023, he began serving his sentence in Urmia Prison.

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

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Morteza Parvin Initiates Hunger Strike in Protest of Unlawful Detention

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Ethnic Minorities, News, Prisoners
Ardabil, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Evin Prison, HRANA, Morteza Parvin

On February 24, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Morteza Parvin commenced a hunger strike at Evin Prison to protest his detention.

A source close to Parvin’s family, informing HRANA of his decision, revealed that on February 23, Parvin notified his family of the charge he faces – “assembly and collusion against national security.” In a phone call, Parvin expressed his refusal to cooperate with the interrogation, asserting, “They are insisting on linking me to people with whom I have never been associated. I have declined interrogation so far and will continue to do so. Despite the interrogators’ requests for me to sign interrogation sheets, I informed them that I would speak only during the hearing in the presence of the judge. In protest against my unlawful detention, I will initiate a hunger strike tomorrow.”

According to this source, Parvin’s well-being during the hunger strike is further complicated by a lumbar disc issue, heightening concern for his family.

Security forces detained Parvin in Ardabil on February 6, and after a few days, he informed his family of his transfer to Evin Prison. This incident is not the first time Parvin has faced arrest due to his involvement as an Azerbaijani-Turk activist.

Three Political Prisoners Held in Prolonged Detention for Over 13 Months

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Freedom of Expression, News
Arman Sedghi Sabet, Hafez Forouhi, HRANA, Lakan prison, Mehdi Mirzaie, Rasht

Hafez Forouhi, Arman Sedghi Sabet, and Mehdi Mirzaie have been trapped in legal limbo for over 13 months at Lakan Prison in Rasht.

A source close to one of the individuals’ families informed HRANA that the Rasht Criminal Court held a session on February 14, 2024, addressing multiple charges, including “membership in anti-regime groups.” Despite the court session, the judge dismissed their release on bail, opting to extend their detention further.

They were initially arrested by security forces in Rasht last year and later transferred to Lakan Prison on January 19, 2023.

Dana Lenj-Abadi Arrested in Marivan

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Freedom of Expression, News
Dana Lenj-Abadi, HRA, HRANA, Kolbar News, دانا لنج آبادی

On February 20, security forces in Marivan, Kurdistan province, apprehended Dana Lenj-Abadi, as reported by Kolbar News.

Subsequently, two days later, Lenj-Abadi’s detention period was extended by one month. He faces charges of “spreading propaganda against the regime,” as stated by the Public and Revolutionary Courthouse.

It is worth noting that Lenj-Abadi has a history of previous arrests, convictions, and educational deprivation due to his activities.

According to data collected by the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA in 2023, Kurdistan Province accounted for 8.3% of reported human rights violations, including instances of arbitrary detentions.

Political Prisoner Shakila Monfared Receives 15-Month Sentence and Additional Restrictions While Incarcerated

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News, Prisoners
HRANA, Shakila Monfared, Tehran

After her appeal was rejected, 30-year-old Shakilia Monfared was sentenced to a 15-month prison term and additional penalties in a legal case initiated during her incarceration. Monfared is currently serving her sentence in Evin Prison.

Charged with “propaganda against the regime,” Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Monfared to 15 months of imprisonment. Additionally, she faces a two-year travel ban, a prohibition from residing in Tehran and surrounding provinces, a ban from joining political/civil groups, and restrictions on using smartphones.

Confirmation of this conviction came from a source close to Monfared’s family who informed HRANA that the verdict against Monfared and her co-defendant, Narge Mohammadi, was issued in absentia in December. She was then notified about this conviction on February 20, after her appeal request was dismissed by the court.

Notably, this is the third legal case she has faced, resulting in a conviction 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.

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Execution Carried Out in Hamedan Prison for Drug Offenses

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Executions, News
Ahmad Esmaeili, Citizen execution, Hamedan, HRANA

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.

 

Appeals Court Upholds One-Year Sentence for Amir Sheibani Zaveh Linked to 2022 Nationwide Protests

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Freedom of Expression, News
Amir Sheibani Zaveh, Hadi Mansouri, HRANA, Mashhad

The Appeals Court of Razavi Khorasan Province has upheld the one-year sentence against Amir Sheibani Zaveh, citing his involvement in the 2022 nationwide protests.

The initial verdict, issued by the Mashhad Revolutionary Court and presided over by Judge Hadi Mansouri, found Sheibani Zaveh guilty of “propaganda against the regime.” In addition to the one-year imprisonment, he faces a two-year travel ban and two years of restrictions on Internet and social media use.

A source close to Sheibani Zaveh’s family, who spoke to HRANA, revealed that the charge was based on his communication with the families of protestors injured or killed by regime forces during the 2022 nationwide protests.

Sheibani Zaveh was apprehended by security forces in Mashhad in late October 2022 and remained in detention for a period. In January 2023, he received a sentence of eight years and six months, which was later nullified following his inclusion in the “general pardon and commutation” directive.

About the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. During the nationwide protests, about 19600 people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students, and civil rights activists, were arrested.

Khoda-Karami Brothers Receive Combined 12-Year Prison Sentence

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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.

Lawyer Taher Naghavi Arrested in Karaj

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Karaj, Taher Naghavi

On February 6, attorney-at-law Taher Naghavi was arrested by security forces in Karaj and subsequently transferred to an undisclosed location.

A reliable source close to Naghavi’s family confirmed to HRANA that the arrest took place at one of his friends’ residences in Karaj. The reasons behind his arrest, the location of his confinement, and the charges against him are currently unknown.

Update on Six Death-Row Prisoners in Vakilabad Prison

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Abdolbaset Avarsan, Abdolhakim Azim Gorgij, Abdolrahman Gorgij, Ahmadian Salami, Baghi, Farhad Shakeri, Hamid Rast Bala, HRANA, Isa Eyd-Mohammadi, Kabir Saadat Jahani, Malek Ali Fadaie-Nasab, Mohammad Reza Sheikh Ahmadi, Mohammad-Ali Arayesh, Morteza Fakoori, Taj-Mohammad Khormali, Vakilabad prison

Malek Ali Fadaie-Nasab, Farhad Shakeri, Isa Eyd-Mohammadi, Abdolhakim Azim Gorgij, Abdolrahman Gorgij, and Taj-Mohammad Khormali, currently incarcerated in Ward 1/6 of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, face imminent execution. In late July 2023, the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced these defendants, part of the same legal case, to death in a retrial.

These six individuals, along with six others—Abdolbaset Avarsan, Mohammad-Reza Sheikh Ahmadi, Morteza Fakoori, Hamid Rast Bala, Kabir Saadat Jahani, and Mohammad-Ali Arayesh—were detained by the Ministry of Intelligence in 2015 and imprisoned in Vakilabad Prison after one year. Except for Fadaie-Nasab, all these prisoners are members of the Sunni minority in Iran.

In 2019, the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced Ahmadi, Avarsan, and Fakoori to 15 years in prison for “armed rebellion (Baghi) through membership in a Salafi-ISIS group.” The remaining 9 defendants were sentenced to death for “armed rebellion through membership in the Salafi group known as Al-Furqan and the Iranian Sunni front known as Hambastegi Melli.”

Rast-Bala, Saadat Jahani, and Arayesh were executed in this prison on December 31, 2020. The case of the six other defendants was overturned by the Supreme Court, and it was forwarded to another court branch for a retrial. In July 2023, Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Ahmadian Salami, sentenced these six prisoners to death again. The verdict is currently under review by branch 39 of the Supreme Court.

A source close to one of their families informed HRANA that after the issuance of the death sentence, Shakeri and Abdolrahman Gorgij initiated a hunger strike that lasted for a while.

“The case has many flaws, and there is no substantial evidence to support the charges,” the source clarified. The source also confirmed that the prisoners have been subjected to torture during their detention.