Tag: HRANA

Baha’i Citizen Armaghan Yazdani Arrested in Shiraz

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News, Religious Minorities
Armaghan Yazdani, HRANA, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Shiraz

HRANA – On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, Armaghan Yazdani, a Baha’i citizen residing in Shiraz, was arrested by agents of the IRGC Intelligence Organization. Her family home was also raided, during which agents confiscated digital devices, religious materials, and identification documents belonging to family members.

A source close to the family told HRANA:
“Ms. Yazdani was arrested while she was out with her mother and sister making preparations for her upcoming wedding. Agents intercepted them, forced the family to return home, and carried out the arrest at the residence.”

The source added that the agents searched the home during the arrest, seizing several personal belongings including mobile phones, a laptop, a tablet, IDs, photographs, and religious books and pamphlets.

As of the time of this report, no information has been made available regarding the reasons for Yazdani’s arrest, her current whereabouts, or the charges she may be facing.

Armaghan Yazdani is the fiancée of Vahid Masoumi, who was previously arrested and later released on bail.

Documentary Filmmaker Mina Mashhadi Mahdi Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News
Hasan Naqqashi, HRANA, Mina Mashhadi Mahdi

HRANA– On Tuesday, July 22, 2025, documentary filmmaker Mina Mashhadi Mahdi was arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

Her husband, Hasan Naqqashi, announced that security forces arrested his wife on July 22 and, despite assurances that she would be released the same day, she remains in detention.

As of the time of this report, there is no information available regarding the reasons for her arrest, the charges against her, or her place of detention.

Mina Mashhadi Mahdi is a documentary filmmaker, editor, and actress. Her works have been screened at various art festivals.

At Least 2,000 People Arrested During Iran–Israel War

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, HRANA

HRANA – Iran’s judiciary chief has announced that approximately 2,000 individuals were arrested during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel. HRANA had previously cited similar figures in earlier reports.

Quoting Hamshahri, HRANA reports that Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, head of the judiciary, stated: “During the 12-day war, at least 2,000 people were arrested. Many of them had no involvement in acts of sabotage and have since been released.”

For further details, see HRANA’s comprehensive report on the Iran–Israel conflict.

The war began in the early hours of Friday, June 13, 2025, with a wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian territory. According to HRANA’s field sources, alongside military sites, residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure were also hit, leading to the deaths of hundreds of civilians.

New Case Filed in Prison: Mehdi Mahmoudian Summoned to Tehran Prosecutor’s Office

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Freedom of Expression, News
Greater Tehran Prison, HRANA, Iman Afshari, Mehdi Mahmoudian

HRANA – Mehdi Mahmoudian, a civil activist imprisoned in the Greater Tehran Prison, is facing a new legal case. He has been summoned to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran after receiving a notice to defend himself against new charges.

A recent summons, issued by Branch 5 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of District 31 (Media and Cyber Crimes) in Tehran, was delivered to Mr. Mahmoudian’s family. He has been asked to appear and respond to the charge of “spreading false information.”

Earlier this month, following Israel’s attack on Evin Prison, Mr. Mahmoudian was transferred to Greater Tehran Prison along with several other prisoners.

On February 3, 2025, he was arrested at the Enforcement Branch and sent to prison to serve his sentence.

Previously, Mahmoudian had been tried in Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. He was sentenced to 8 months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime,” along with two-year bans on party membership, smartphone use, and foreign travel.

Commenting on his sentence, Mahmoudian had written that “all of these punishments were imposed solely because I responded to a false report by a news outlet about the ‘eradication of bedbugs in prison,’ and wrote that they are ‘addicted to lying.’”

He had also previously faced prosecution for giving an interview about the difficulties Baha’is face in burying their deceased. In May of last year, he was arrested after appearing at the Prosecutor’s Office for Culture and Media and released a day later on bail.

Prisoner Executed in Arak Prison in Drug-Related Offenses

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Executions, News
Arak prison, HRANA, Mohammad-Javad Zare

HRANA – On Monday, July 21, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted on drug-related charges was carried out in Arak Prison.

HRANA has identified the individual executed yesterday as Mohammad-Javad Zare.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Zare had been previously arrested on drug-related charges and was later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant institutions have not officially announced the execution.

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, over 52 percent of executed prisoners had been convicted on drug-related charges. Over the past ten years, individuals convicted of drug trafficking have accounted for 40 percent of all executions. Unfortunately, HRANA’s statistics show no progress in reducing executions for drug-related offenses.

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Yilmaz Mehrali Beiglou Arrested in Jolfa County

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Jolfa, Yilmaz Mehrali Beiglou, جلفا, مهرعلی بیگلو

HRANA News Agency – On July 21, attorney Yilmaz Mehrali Beiglou was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence in Jolfa County and taken to an undisclosed location. The agents also searched his father’s home.

A source close to the family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Mr. Mehrali Beiglou was arrested today by Ministry of Intelligence agents in Jolfa County. After the arrest, he was transferred to an undisclosed location. Following the arrest, the agents searched his father’s house and confiscated some of his personal belongings.”

On May 26 of 2024, a preliminary hearing for Mehrali Beiglou was held in Branch 1 of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Public and Revolutionary Court in Jolfa. He had previously been summoned to the same branch via an official notice.

In 2024, a total of 2,783 Iranian citizens were arrested by security and judicial authorities due to their beliefs, opinions, or political and civil activities. Over the past decade, the number of such arrests has exceeded 56,000. The highest number of arrests occurred in 2022, during the nationwide protests, when HRANA documented 23,977 detentions.

Drug-Related Charges: One Prisoner Executed in Zanjan Prison

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Executions, News
Davood Amani, HRANA, Zanjan Prison

HRANA– At dawn on Saturday, July 19, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted on drug-related charges was carried out in Zanjan Prison.

The identity of the prisoner who was hanged at dawn on Saturday, July 19, 2025, has been confirmed by HRANA as Davood Amani.

According to information obtained by HRANA, he had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and later 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 relevant institutions.

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, over 52 percent of executed prisoners had been convicted on drug-related charges. Over the past ten years, individuals convicted of drug trafficking have accounted for 40 percent of all executions. Unfortunately, HRANA’s statistics show no progress in reducing executions for drug-related offenses.

Execution of Three Prisoners in Lakan Prison, Rasht

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Executions, News
Hadi Gerousi, HRANA, Lakan prison, Mehdi Babaei, Peyman Afshar, Rasht

HRANA– On Wednesday, July 16, three prisoners were executed in Lakan Prison in Rasht.

HRANA had previously reported the execution of Peyman Afshar, approximately 43 years old, on murder charges. Iran Human Rights later identified the other two executed individuals as Hadi Gerousi, 28, and Mehdi Babaei, 31.

According to the report, Gerousi and Babaei were arrested five years ago in a joint case on charges of murder stemming from an honor-related dispute. Both were later sentenced to death by a criminal court.

As of the time of this report, the execution of these prisoners has not been officially announced by prison authorities or responsible institutions.

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.

Over 80 Arrested in Lorestan for Alleged Ties to Israel

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
HRANA, Israel, Lorestan

HRANA – The police commander of Lorestan Province has announced the arrest of 87 individuals accused of having ties to Israel.

According to HRANA, citing Fars News Agency, more than 80 citizens have been detained in Lorestan Province. Yahya Elahi, Lorestan’s police commander, stated that during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, 87 people were arrested in the province. He cited reasons for the arrests as “spreading public fear, sabotage operations, ties to foreign agents, and possession of explosives.”

He did not disclose the identities or whereabouts of those detained.

In the early hours of Friday, June 13, 2025, the Israeli military launched a wave of airstrikes on Iranian territory. According to HRANA’s field reports, in addition to military targets, the strikes hit residential and civilian areas, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of non-combatants. Around the same time, several citizens were arrested by security forces on charges of espionage or for expressing opinions online.

For more information, see HRANA’s full report on the 12-day war between Iran and Israel.

Abolfazl Ghadiani Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison Over New Case

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Freedom of Expression, News
Abolfazl Ghadiani, Evin Prison, HRANA

HRANA – Abolfazl Ghadiani, an 80-year-old political prisoner, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison over a new case opened against him while in custody.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Ghadiani was convicted of “propaganda against the regime” in connection with this new case. The news was announced by his son, Ahmad Ghadiani, via social media.

Following an Israeli attack on Evin Prison on June 23, Ghadiani and several other prisoners were transferred to Greater Tehran Prison.

On September 30, 2024, he had been arrested by security forces in Tehran to begin serving a previous sentence of three years and six months. He was subsequently transferred to Ward 6 of Evin Prison. Charges against him included “insulting the Supreme Leader” and “propaganda against the regime.”

Ghadiani faces multiple legal cases. In July 2023, Branch 28 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court had sentenced him to 10 months for “propaganda against the regime” and summoned him to Branch 1 of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office to enforce the sentence.

He has also faced another case in Branch 1025 of Tehran’s Government Employees Court on the charge of “spreading falsehoods online.”

Abolfazl Ghadiani, 80, has a history of arrest and imprisonment due to his political activities.