Tag: HRANA

Mohsen Hooshmand Receives One-Year Prison Term on Alleged Political Charges

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Mohsen Hooshmand, Rasht, Rasht Revolutionary Court

The Rasht Revolutionary Court has handed down a one-year sentence to Mohsen Hooshmand.

According to the verdict, Hooshmand has been convicted of “acting against national security.” During the court session held on November 14, 2023, Hooshmand’s social media and internet posts were cited as evidence supporting the charge.

Sources close to his family revealed to HRANA that the case has now been forwarded to the Executive Unit.

Having been arrested on October 25, 2023, Hooshmand spent 16 days in detention before being released on bail.

This isn’t Hooshmand’s first encounter with legal troubles, as the 29-year-old activist had previously faced arrest and conviction for his involvement in activism.

Amir-Nasr Azadani’s Legal Case: 16-Year Imprisonment Upheld on Appeal

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Amir Nasr Azadani, Dastgerd Prison, HRANA, Isfahan Revolutionary Court, Khaneh e Isfahan, امیر نصر آزادانی

Amir-Nasr Azadani, a former soccer player embroiled in the “Khaneh e Isfahan (Isfahan House)” legal case, is currently serving his sentence in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan. The Supreme Court recently confirmed his sixteen-year sentence, and the verdict has been forwarded to the executive unit of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court.

According to a source close to Azadani’s family, the Supreme Court, on January 24, 2024, upheld the 16-year prison term following an appeal for “assisting in enmity against God (Moharebeh).” Subsequently, the executive unit of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court executed the verdict.

In January 2023, the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan initially sentenced Azadani to five years for “membership in illegal groups to act against national security,” another five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” and sixteen years for “enmity against God (Moharebeh).” Upon appeal to the Supreme Court, he was acquitted of the first two charges, leaving the prison term for the third charge intact.

During nationwide protests on November 17, 2022, security forces arrested Azadani in connection to the “Khaneh e Isfahan” case. Notably, three co-defendants in the same case, Saleh Mir Hashemi (36), Majid Kazemi (30), and Saeed Yaghoubi (37), were executed on May 19, 2023, on charges of enmity against God (Moharebeh).

Five Individuals Detained by Security Forces in Salas-e Babajani

Posted on by . .
News, Other
Aryan Khal-Khal, Barzan Yousefi, HRANA, Mazyar Ahmadi, Osameh Ayazi, Salas-e Babajani, Shahin Rahmani

On January 31, 2024, Osameh Ayazi, Mazyar Ahmadi, Shahin Rahmani, Aryan Khal-Khal, and Barzan Yousefi were apprehended by security forces in Salas-e Babajani county, Kermanshah province. They were subsequently transported to the Ministry of Intelligence facility in the county.

A source close to one of the families confirmed this development to HRANA, disclosing that these individuals, aged between 18 to 20, were taken into custody by Ministry of Intelligence agents and are currently held in a detention facility.

As of now, the specific reasons for their arrest and the charges against them remain undisclosed.

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.

Two Political Prisoners Face Execution in Zahedan Prison

Posted on by . .
Executions, News, Prisoners
Adham Narui, HRANA, Lashar, Mohammad Zeineddine, moharebeh, Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan Prison

Mohammad Zeineddine and Adham Narui, currently incarcerated in Zahedan Prison, are under the threat of execution following the confirmation of their death sentences by Iran’s Supreme Court in November 2023.

In March 2023, the Criminal Court of Zahedan sentenced Zeineddine and Narui to the death penalty for “enmity against God (Moharebeh) through armed action.” On November 20, 2023, this verdict was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Security forces apprehended Zeineddine in September-October 2020 and Narui on May 25, 2021, in Lashar, Sistan and Baluchestan Province. After completing the interrogation process in a security detention facility, they were transferred to Zahedan Prison and are currently held in Ward 9.

Subsequently, they were accused of killing three security forces, an allegation they consistently denied throughout the trial.

A reliable source close to the family of one of the prisoners has confirmed to HRANA: “Mohammad and Adham are innocent, and the charges against them are unfounded. Earlier, during a confrontation with security forces in the Sirchah region, several relatives of Mohammad were killed, resulting in the death of three security personnel. In this confrontation, the individual who had shot at these three officers was also killed. However, these two individuals, who had no involvement in this incident, were arrested.”

The source further added that the families of these prisoners have been subjected to verbal insults by judicial officials during their inquiries about the well-being and condition of their sons.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Dual Execution in Hamedan Prison for Drug-Related Crimes

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Ahmad Haeri, Hamedan prison, HRANA, Kermanshah, Salman Salimi

On January 21, 2024, Hamedan Prison officials carried out the execution of two inmates convicted of drug-related offenses.

HRANA has identified the individuals as Salman Salimi from Kermanshah and Ahmad Haeri.

As of the current writing, there have been no reports on these executions from official sources or domestic media outlets within the country.

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal 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.

 

Inmate Executed by Hanging in Ilam Prison for Murder

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
HRANA, Ilam County, Ilam prison, Mohsen Mehri

On January 16, 2024, authorities at Ilam Prison carried out the hanging execution of an inmate convicted of murder.

The executed individual has been identified as Mohsen Mehri, originally from Ilam County.

As of the time of writing, there have been no reports from official sources or domestic media outlets within the country regarding 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.

Sasan Chaman-Ara Detained in Ilam; Family Residences Searched

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Ilam, Sasan Chaman Ara

On January 17, 2024, security forces arrested Sasan Chaman-Ara in Ilam, transporting him to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in the city. Concurrently, his father’s and sister’s residences were subjected to searches by the agents.

Confirming the arrest, a source close to Chaman-Ara’s family informed HRANA that three agents from the Ministry of Intelligence detained him on a street in Ilam. Subsequently, they conducted comprehensive searches at his family members’ homes, seizing some belongings. Eventually, he was taken to the Ministry of Intelligence’s office.

“Since then, Chaman-Ara has been denied the opportunity to make a phone call to his family,” the source added.

Chaman-Ara’s initial arrest by security forces occurred in September-October 2022, and he was released on bail from Great Tehran Penitentiary in January 2023.

Following this, the Tehran Revolutionary Court issued a five-year prison sentence for “assembly and collusion against national security and propaganda against the regime,” a verdict upheld on appeal.

Execution of Three Inmates in Ghezel Hesar Prison for Drug Offenses

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Bahman Fathollahzadeh, Bamyar Fathollahzadeh, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Iman Sha'abani

On January 17, 2024, Ghezel Hesar Prison executed three inmates convicted of drug-related crimes.

HRANA has identified two of them as Iman Sha’abani and Bahman Fathollahzadeh. The third inmate is an Afghan national whose name remains undisclosed.

Sha’abani and Fathollahzadeh received the death penalty in a legal case. Another co-defendant, Bamyar Fathollahzadeh, met the same fate last month.”

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing. The lack of official information raises concerns 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.

 

Arrests of Azerbaijani-Turk Activists in Jolfa Raise Concerns

Posted on by . .
Ethnic Minorities, News
Ebrahim Asemani, Habib Negahban, Hamed Yeganeh Pour, HRANA, Mohsen Ganji, Mokhtar Ebrahimi, Seyed Mohammad-Reza Movahed, Siamak Kooshi, Younes Zareioun, Yourush Mehrali Baygloo, Yourush Mehrali Baygloo. Karim Esmaeilzadeh

On January 12, 2024, a group of Azerbaijani-Turk activists en route to Jolfa to visit the family of imprisoned Yourush Mehrali Baygloo were arrested. The detainees include Karim Esmaeilzadeh, Ebrahim Asemani, Seyed Mohammad-Reza Movahed, Younes Zareioun, Siamak Kooshi, Habib Negahban, Mohsen Ganji, Mokhtar Ebrahimi, and Hamed Yeganeh Pour, as reported by a source close to one of the detainee’s families.

The motive behind these arrests and the current location of the detainees remain unknown.

Notably, Esmaeilzadeh, Asemani, Zareioun, Kooshi, Negahban, Ebrahimi, and Yeganeh Pour have previously experienced arrests and legal challenges due to their activism.

On November 7, 2023, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Yourush Mehrali Baygloo was apprehended by security forces in Jolfa County and subsequently transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Tabriz. The situation is developing, and concerns over the well-being of the activists persist.