Tag: HRANA

Four Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison for Drug-Related Crimes

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Executions, News
Abdolbari Tajik, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Javid Ahmadkhani, Karaj, Pasha Pashto

At dawn today, October 16, the execution of four prisoners who had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges was carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

HRANA has confirmed the identities of three of the prisoners who were hanged this morning as “Abdolbari Tajik and Pasha Pashto, two Afghan nationals, and Javid Ahmadkhani.” The identity of the fourth executed prisoner is still under investigation by HRANA.

These prisoners, who had been previously sentenced to death for drug-related charges, were transferred to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison yesterday along with two other prisoners in preparation for their execution.

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.

Six Prisoners Transferred to Solitary Confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison for Execution

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Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj

On October 15, six prisoners who had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges were transferred to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj in preparation for their execution.

These prisoners had been sentenced to death on drug-related charges, and the transfer was made to carry out their execution. HRANA is currently investigating further details, including the identities of the prisoners.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Mahsa Jalal Badiei Transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht to Serve Her Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Lakan prison, Mahsa Jalal Badiei, Rasht

Mahsa Jalal Badiei, a resident of Rasht, was arrested and transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht on Sunday, October 13, to serve her prison sentence.

A source close to the family confirmed to HRANA that “Ms. Badiei was arrested on Sunday, October 13, after reporting to branch 5 of the Enforcement Office of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht and was transferred to prison.” She had previously been summoned to this branch via a court notification.

On May 13 of this year, Ms. Badiei was arrested by security forces and released six days later after posting bail.

She was later sentenced by the Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht, presided over by Judge Mehdi Rasekhi, to seven months and 16 days in prison for “propaganda against the regime” and to three years and six months in prison for “conducting educational and promotional activities against Islamic Shaira.” Additionally, she was deprived of her social rights for 10 years.

Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the most severe punishment—three years and six months in prison—will be enforced.

According to information obtained by HRANA, her conviction stemmed from online activities including converting banned books into audio files and distributing them, supporting political figures, and participating in nationwide protests in 2022.

Badiei, born in 1985, is a mother of one child.

Over Eight Months of Detention: Abdolaziz Azimi Ghadim Denied Bail and Legal Representation in Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners
Abdolaziz Azimi Ghadim, Evin Prison, HRANA, Qarchak, عظیمی قدیم

Abdolaziz Azimi Ghadim, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist and cleric, has been held in Evin Prison for over eight months without a clear legal outcome, as authorities continue to reject requests for his temporary release on bail.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Azimi Ghadim has now spent 248 days in detention without a formal resolution to his case. Despite repeated appeals, authorities have refused to convert his detention to bail. Furthermore, he has been denied access to legal counsel, limiting his ability to defend himself effectively.

A source close to Azimi Ghadim’s family confirmed to HRANA that he has gone on hunger strike twice since his arrest, protesting his prolonged detention and the lack of resolution in his case. This has raised serious concerns about his health and well-being.

In July 2024, a hearing was held at Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by the notorious Judge Abolqasem Salavati, to review the charges against him. Azimi Ghadim defended himself against accusations of “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion to disrupt national security.” Despite his defense, no resolution was reached, and his legal situation remains uncertain.

Azimi Ghadim was originally arrested on February 7, 2024, by security forces in Qarchak while traveling from Qom to Tehran. He was first taken to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 240 of Evin Prison, before being transferred to the general ward.

Abdolaziz Azimi Ghadim has a history of previous arrests and judicial confrontations related to his activism. His continued detention and denial of basic legal rights underscore the broader pattern of suppression faced by political and ethnic activists in Iran.

Three Prisoners Executed in Karaj Central Prison

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Executions, News
Ebrahim Sedigh, HRANA, Karaj, Majid Afrouz, Mohammad Mashmool, The Central Prison of Karaj

On Wednesday, October 9, 2024, three prisoners previously sentenced to death for separate murder convictions were executed in Karaj Central Prison.

HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, confirmed the identities of the executed individuals as Majid Afrouz (52), Mohammad Mashmool, and Ebrahim Sedigh.

A source informed HRANA that the prisoners had been sentenced by judicial authorities in separate murder cases and were being held in Ward 7 of Karaj Central Prison before their executions.

As of the time of this report, prison officials and authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the executions.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

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Two Prisoners Executed in Choobindar Prison, Qazvin

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Executions, News
Choobindar Prison, HRANA, Qazvin

On Wednesday, October 9, two prisoners who had previously been sentenced to death on murder charges were executed in Choobindar Prison, Qazvin.

Based on information received by HRANA, the prisoners had been previously arrested on murder charges and sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

Further details, including the identities of the prisoners, are currently being investigated by HRANA.

As of the time this report was compiled, the executions had not yet been officially confirmed by prison officials or relevant authorities.

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.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Two Prisoners Executed in Urmia Prison

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Executions, News
Borhan Ansari, Bukan, HRANA, Urmia prison

At dawn on October 10, two prisoners convicted of non-political offenses, including drug-related charges, were executed in Urmia Prison.

HRANA identified one of the executed individuals as Borhan Ansari, a resident of Urmia. Mr. Ansari was arrested three years ago on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. The second prisoner, originally from Bukan, had also been sentenced to death for similar offenses.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant officials have yet to publicly confirm the executions.

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.

Journalist Hossein Jafarian Sentenced to Imprisonment

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Freedom of Expression, News
Farhang Ajabshir, HRANA, IRIB, Jafarian

Hossein Jafarian, a journalist from Ajabshir located East Azerbaijan province, has been sentenced to 13 months and 16 days in prison by the Second Criminal Court of this city.

A source told HRANA, “Based on the verdict issued by the Second Criminal Court of Ajabshir on Sunday, October 6, 2024, and communicated to Mr. Jafarian, he was sentenced to 13 months and 16 days in prison for the charge of ‘spreading false information on the Internet.’”

The source added that the basis for the charge was related to his stories published on his personal Instagram account.

Jafarian is a journalist for the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) and the manager of the virtual media outlet Farhang Ajabshir. He also has a background working with Fars News Agency.

Mohammad Hossein Mohebizadeh Sentenced to Prison on Political Charges

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Joveyn County, Khorasan Razavi Province, Mohammad-Hossein Mohebizadeh

Mohammad-Hossein Mohebizadeh, a resident of Joveyn County in Khorasan Razavi Province, has been sentenced to 22 months and 17 days in prison.

The verdict was recently issued by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Joveyn County, presided over by Judge Mohammad Mohammadzadeh. Mohebizadeh was sentenced to 15 months and one day for “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic” and an additional seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime,” bringing his total sentence to 22 months and 17 days.

According to HRANA, an independent human rights news agency, Mohebizadeh had previously been sentenced to two years in prison by the 101st Branch of the Criminal Court of Joveyn County on May 7 of this year for “blasphemy.” This ruling was upheld by the Khorasan Razavi Provincial Appeals Court on July 24, 2024.

Mohebizadeh was arrested in April after being summoned to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Joveyn County. He was transferred to Sabzevar prison but released after four days upon posting bail of 2 billion tomans.

This is not the first time Mohebizadeh has faced legal action due to his activities.

Report on the Execution of 7 Prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

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Executions, News
Behnam Hossein Dastjerdi, Fazlollah Pournasiri, Ghezel Hesar prison, Hamzeh Shahbazi, HRANA, Karaj

At dawn on October 2, at least seven prisoners were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. Among them, two had been convicted of drug-related offenses, three—one woman and two men—were convicted of murder, and two Afghan nationals had been sentenced to death for rape.

According to a previous report by HRANA, Hamzeh Shahbazi and Fazlollah Pournasiri were sentenced to death for drug-related charges, while the two Afghan nationals were convicted of rape. The other three prisoners, convicted of murder, had received death sentences from criminal courts. One of the male prisoners was identified as Behnam Hossein Dastjerdi.

Details of several of these cases, as reported by Hamshahri newspaper, are as follows:

The two Afghan nationals, whose names were not disclosed, were convicted of raping a woman in western Tehran in 2019. They were part of a joint case involving five other men. One of the defendants was acquitted, while the remaining six were sentenced to death. Four other prisoners in the same case are still awaiting execution.

Regarding the female prisoner executed for murdering her husband, reports indicate that eight years ago, she, along with one of her husband’s friends, strangled her husband and set his body on fire. Despite forgiveness from her child, other family members of the victim, including his mother, sister, and brother, insisted on her execution, which ultimately led to the carrying out of the sentence.

Hamshahri also detailed the case of another male prisoner executed for murder. In 2022, following a dispute over a cigarette pack bet, he and a friend fatally stabbed a man. After his arrest, he confessed to the crime and was sentenced to death. Efforts by him and his family to seek forgiveness from the victim’s family were unsuccessful, leading to his execution.

HRANA has confirmed that Behnam Hossein Dastjerdi, one of the executed prisoners, was the father of an 11-year-old child. He and three other prisoners were moved to solitary confinement on Monday, September 30, in preparation for their 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.