Tag: HRANA

Farhad Fahandej, a Baha’i Citizen, Arrested in Gorgan

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, Farhad Fahandej, Gorgan, HRANA, حمید فرهادی

HRANA – On Wednesday, November 12, Farhad Fahandej, a Baha’i citizen residing in Gorgan, was arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location. At the same time, his home was searched by the agents.

According to HRANA, eight security officers carried out the arrest at Mr. Fahandej’s residence. During the search, several personal items, including his books and photographs, were confiscated.

A source close to the family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “The agents only showed Mr. Fahandej, who was home alone at the time, a warrant to search the house. Later, when his wife and children returned, they were threatened and interrogated by the agents.”

As of now, no information is available regarding the reasons for his arrest, the charges against him, or his place of detention.

Farhad Fahandej, aged approximately 66, living in Gorgan, has previously faced arrest and judicial persecution due to his faith.

Over the past decade, the Iranian Bahá’í community has been disproportionately targeted by Iran’s security forces and judiciary, more than any other minority group. In the past three years, an average of 72 percent of the reports on religious rights violations collected by HRANA have documented the Iranian regime’s repression of the Bahá’í community.

Four Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

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Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj

HRANA – Today, November 12, four prisoners previously sentenced to death on murder charges were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the executions took place early this morning. The prisoners had been arrested on murder charges and later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court. Further details, including the identities of those executed, are still under investigation by HRANA.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant government institutions.

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year, a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

Three Prisoners Executed in Yazd Prison

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Executions, News
HRANA, Shah Hossein Farhadi, Yazd Prison

HRANA – At dawn today, November 11, three prisoners were executed in Yazd Prison. They had previously been sentenced to death on murder and drug-related charges.

According to HRANA, the execution sentences of these individuals were carried out early Tuesday morning. HRANA has identified one of them, Shah Hossein Farhadi, who had been convicted of murder.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, the other two executed prisoners had been sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts on drug-related charges.

Further details, including the identities of the second and third executed prisoners, are still under investigation by HRANA.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been officially announced by prison or judicial authorities.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons, marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Four Azerbaijani-Turk Activists Arrested by Security Forces

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Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Abbas Lesani, Ali Kheirjoo, Behzad Dashti, Evin Prison, HRANA, Taher Naghavi, Vadood Asadi, Yousef Kari

HRANA – On Tuesday, November 11, Azerbaijani-Turk activists Abbas Lesani (Lisani), Ali Kheirjoo, Yousef Kari, and Behzad Dashti were arrested in front of Evin Prison and taken to an unknown location. They had traveled to Tehran to support the sit-in held by families of several political prisoners detained in this prison.

According to HRANA, the arrests were carried out today by security forces outside Evin Prison. These Azerbaijani-Turk activists had gone to Tehran in solidarity with the families of Taher Naghavi and Vadood Asadi, political prisoners currently held in Evin Prison.

So far, there is no information on the detainees’ whereabouts or the charges brought against them. Recently, Vadood Asadi and Taher Naqavi were transferred to solitary confinement in Evin Prison as a punitive measure following their hunger strike.

Abbas Lesani, Ali Kheirjoo, Yousef Kari, and Behzad Dashti have previously faced arrests and judicial proceedings due to their activism.

Three Citizens Arrested for Writing About the Self-Immolation of an Ahvazi Vendor

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ahmad Baldi, ahvaz, Hassan Salamat, HRANA, Javad Saedi, Seyed Sadegh Alboshoukeh

HRANA – Following the self-immolation of Ahmad Baldi, a 20-year-old student and street vendor from Ahvaz who set himself on fire in protest against the demolition of his family’s kiosk by municipal agents, three citizens have been arrested for writing about his situation on social media.

According to a report by HRANA, at least three individuals have been detained in Ahvaz. HRANA has identified them as Hassan Salamat, Javad Saedi, and Seyed Sadegh Alboshoukeh. The reason for their arrest has been cited as posting and sharing information about Ahmad Baldi and his family’s condition online.

According to a source familiar with the matter, “A heavy security presence surrounds Ayatollah Taleghani Hospital in Ahvaz, and security agents are preventing journalists and citizens from contacting the Baladi family. Public gatherings near the hospital and online discussions about the incident have led to more arrests.”

On the morning of Sunday, November 2, municipal officers demolished the Baldi family’s kiosk in Zeytoon Park. Ahmad and his mother remained inside the kiosk to stop the demolition, but officers forcibly removed them. After the violent confrontation, Ahmad Baldi set himself on fire. His health condition remains critical.

The Ahvaz Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office issued an official statement warning that any reporting on this incident constitutes “exploiting a tragic event to sow division among ethnic groups” and announced that it would take action against those who “agitate public sentiment.”

On the evening of Thursday, November 6, following Baldi’s self-immolation, a group of citizens gathered in protest outside the hospital where he is being treated.

Local sources have reported a higher number of arrests, which HRANA is currently investigating.

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Leila Adalati, Baha’i Citizen, Arrested

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News, Religious Minorities
HRANA, irgc, Leila Adalati, Leila Edalati, Shiraz

HRANA – On Saturday, November 8, Leila Adalati (Bangaleh), a Baha’i citizen residing in Shiraz, was arrested by intelligence agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and taken to an undisclosed location. At the same time, her home was searched by security agents.

Based on the information obtained by HRANA, Ms. Adalati was arrested at her private residence on Saturday, November 8, by IRGC intelligence agents. Her home was searched for more than four hours, during which a number of her personal belongings were confiscated.

So far, no information has been made available regarding the reasons for her arrest, the location of her detention, or the charges brought against her.

Leila Adalati (Bangaleh) is a Baha’i citizen residing in Shiraz.

Over the past decade, the Iranian Bahá’í community has been disproportionately targeted by Iran’s security forces and judiciary, more than any other minority group. In the past three years, an average of 72 percent of the reports on religious rights violations collected by HRANA have documented the Iranian regime’s repression of the Bahá’í community.

Drug-Related Crimes; One Prisoner Executed in Urmia Prison

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Executions, News
HRANA, Shams al-Din Abbasi Kay, Urmia prison

HRANA – At dawn on Friday, November 7, 2025 , the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges was carried out in Urmia Prison.

According to reports received by HRANA, the identity of the executed prisoner has been confirmed as Shams al-Din Abbasi Kay, a resident of Urmia. He had earlier been arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or other relevant institutions.

From the beginning of this year until the end of October, the Iranian regime has executed 1,286 people, marking an unprecedented increase compared to previous years.

Jewish Iranian-American Dual National Kamran Hekmati Imprisoned in Evin Prison Over Past Trip to Israel

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Kamran Hekmati, Navid Reuven, Shahab Yousef, Tehran

HRANA – Kamran Hekmati, a 70-year-old Iranian-American dual national and Jewish citizen, is currently serving his prison sentence in Evin Prison. He had been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to four years in prison for traveling to Israel, a sentence that was later reduced to one year.

According to The New York Times, Mr. Hekmati was sentenced in late August by the Tehran Revolutionary Court to four years in prison over a trip he made to Israel 13 years ago. After a reduction in the penalty for travel to Israel from four years to two, the final sentence was ultimately reduced to one year of imprisonment.

His family told the newspaper that Mr. Hekmati’s lawyer has filed an appeal, but no court date has yet been scheduled. They expressed hope that he would be released on humanitarian grounds, noting that he was not involved in political activities, that his visit to Israel was personal, and that he is currently battling aggressive bladder cancer.

In August this year, HRANA reported that four Jewish citizens were arrested in Tehran and Shiraz by the Ministry of Intelligence following security tensions related to the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict. HRANA identified them as Navid Reuven, Shahab Yousef, Kamran Hekmati, and Michael (last name unknown). HRANA further reported that Hekmati, approximately 70 years old, was arrested by security forces upon entering Iran to visit relatives due to his previous trip to Israel, and was transferred to one of The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facilities in Tehran.

Despite official government claims of protecting the rights of religious minorities, including Jews, human rights experts have warned that the recent security pressures on this minority community may constitute religious and ethnic discrimination, violating Iran’s international human rights obligations.

Ongoing Detention and Uncertainty for Three Citizens in Yasuj Prison

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News, Prisoners
HRANA, Mohammad-Ali Mohammad-Hosseini, Nima Hasanpour, Sirus Akram-Kish, Yasuj

HRANA – Mohammad-Ali Mohammad-Hosseini, Nima Hasanpour, and Sirus Akram-Kish, three residents of Yasuj, remain in detention at the city’s prison more than two weeks after their arrest, without clarity on their legal status.

According to information received by HRANA, the three were arrested in the mid-October by agents of the Yasuj office of the Ministry of Intelligence. Since then, they have been held without charge or trial and, by order of the investigating judge of Yasuj Branch 3, have been denied access to legal counsel and family visits.

HRANA has learned that Mohammad-Hosseini suffers from autoimmune disease and diabetes, and the lack of information about his condition has heightened his family’s concerns.

The charge of “acting against national security” has been brought against these citizens.

Mohammadhosseini, aged 45, along with Hasanpour and Akram-Kish, both around 40 years old, are residents of Yasuj County.

Execution of Three Prisoners in Borujerd, Qazvin, and Dorud

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Executions, News
Borujerd, Citizen executed, Dorud, HRANA, Qazvin

HRANA – In recent days, HRANA reported the execution of three prisoners on charges related to drug offenses and murder in the prisons of Borujerd, Qazvin, and Dorud.

At dawn on Monday, a prisoner named Arman Solgi was hanged in Borujerd Prison, Lorestan province. According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Selegi had previously been arrested on a murder charge and later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

On Tuesday, another prisoner identified as (first name unknown) Kamangar, a native of Lorestan Province, was executed in Qazvin Prison for drug-related offenses.

On Wednesday, Dorud Prison, also located in Lorestan Province, witnessed the execution of another prisoner convicted of murder. Further details, including the identity of the executed individual, are still being investigated by HRANA.

As of the time of this report, none of these executions have been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant government institutions.

From the beginning of this year until the end of October, the Iranian regime has executed 1,286 people, marking an unprecedented increase compared to previous years.