Tag: IRGC Intelligence

IRGC Intelligence Arrests 7 Supporters of Erfan-e-Halgheh in Ardabil

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Freedom of Expression, News
Erfan-e-Halgheh, HRANA, irgc, IRGC Intelligence

The Prosecutor General of Ardabil Province has announced the arrest of seven supporters of Erfan-e-Halgheh (Interuniversal Mysticism), by agents of the IRGC Intelligence Organization in Ardabil.

According to HRANA, citing Mehr News Agency, the detainees are accused of engaging in activities described as “deviant and contrary to Islamic principles,” including “illicit relationships, fraudulent scientific claims, unauthorized medical practices under the guise of treatment, acquiring wealth through unlawful means, and propagandizing against the regime.” Jalal Afaghi, the Prosecutor General, confirmed the arrests but did not provide details about the identities, current locations, or specific charges against those detained.

The Iranian government classifies Erfan-e-Halgheh as a “deviant and anti-religious movement” and has taken strict judicial and security actions against its founder and followers. Participants in the movement have faced severe punishments, including imprisonment, fines, and flogging.

International human rights organizations have condemned these actions as violations of the right to freedom of belief and expression. They have repeatedly urged the Iranian government to cease such repressive measures and respect religious and ideological freedoms.

IRGC Agents Arrest Several in Khuzestan on Espionage Charges

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News, Other
irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Khuzestan

HRANA News Agency – Several individuals in Khuzestan Province have been arrested by the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on charges of “espionage,” according to a report by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency.

The report claims that the detainees were “in contact with the intelligence service of a Persian Gulf country and involved in collecting information from sensitive sites within the province.”

Details regarding the exact number of those arrested, their identities, and their current location remain undisclosed.

While combating espionage is not inherently a human rights issue, Iran’s consistent history of using such accusations as a pretext to suppress political dissent raises concerns. These allegations, particularly in the absence of detailed evidence and judicial transparency, often invite skepticism and call into question the motives behind such arrests.

Ayoub Gheibipour Arrested by IRGC Intelligence in Ahvaz

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Freedom of Expression, News
ahvaz, Ayoub Gheibipour, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Kerman prison, Qassem Soleimani

Ayoub Gheibipour Hajivar, one of the detainees from the 2022 nationwide protests, was arrested by security forces in Ahvaz yesterday and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, a source close to Gheibipour’s family confirmed the news, stating:
“Yesterday, IRGC intelligence agents first went to Mr. Gheibipour’s family home in Ahvaz. After learning he was not home, they went to the gym where he was training and arrested him there. The agents also confiscated the gym’s CCTV cameras. His current location remains unknown.”

The source added: “Mr. Gheibipour has not received any summons to serve his sentence. It is likely that his arrest is connected to his activities.”
In April of 2024, the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court sentenced Gheibipour on charges of arson, destruction of public property, and propaganda against the regime. He was given a 10-year prison term in exile in Kerman Prison for “moharebeh” (enmity against God) and an additional year for “propaganda against the regime.” One of the charges cited against him was “burning a statue of Qassem Soleimani.”

Initially, this verdict was overturned by Branch 20 of the Supreme Court and sent back for retrial. The Ahvaz Revolutionary Court reinstated the same sentence, which was later upheld by the Supreme Court in late October 2024.

Gheibipour was previously arrested in November 2022 during the nationwide protests and detained at Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz. He was eventually released on February 13, 2024, after posting a bail of 3 billion tomans. During his detention, he was denied adequate medical care.

Prolonged Detention and Hunger Strike: Pouria Javaheri’s Case in Sanandaj Prison

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News, Prisoners
irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Kamyaran, moharebeh, Pouria Javaheri, Sanandaj, Sanandaj Prison

Pouria Javaheri, a resident of Kamyaran and one of those arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran, remains in Sanandaj Prison more than 25 months after his arrest. Frustrated by the lack of resolution in his case, he has started a hunger strike to protest his prolonged detention.

Mustafa Ahmadian, Mr. Javaheri’s lawyer, announced: “My client, Pouria Javaheri, has gone on a hunger strike to protest his extended pre-trial detention in Sanandaj Prison.”

Mr. Javaheri was arrested on November 29, 2022, after being summoned by the IRGC Intelligence office in Kamyaran. Following his arrest, he was held in Kamyaran Prison until late February 2023, before being transferred to Sanandaj Prison in early September 2023.

In early 2023, the Chief Justice of Kurdistan Province publicly announced that Mr. Javaheri had been charged with “moharebeh” (enmity against God). By August 2023, his case had been referred to Branch 1 of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court, where he now faces multiple allegations, including “moharebeh through the intentional killing of a military officer,” “membership in opposition groups,” “propaganda against the regime,” and “intentional assault on several security officers.”

Arrest of Javad Amini, a Christian Convert, in Nowshahr

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News, Religious Minorities
Christian Citizen, Christian convert, IRGC Intelligence, Javad Amini, Nowshahr, جواد امینی

On November 17, IRGC Intelligence agents arrested Javad Amini, a Christian convert, in Nowshahr, Mazandaran province, and transferred him to a detention facility in Sari. The arrest, reported by Article Eighteen News Outlet, is believed to be linked to his religious beliefs.

Following the arrest, agents raided Amini’s home, interrogating his wife and 10-year-old daughter in a tense and distressing environment.

According to the report, Mr. Amini is one of 12 Christian converts implicated in a joint legal case currently under review by the Nowshahr Revolutionary Court.

This is not the first time Mr. Amini has faced harassment. During the Christmas season last year, security forces searched his home and confiscated some of his personal belongings.

Christian converts in Iran are subject to severe restrictions, widespread security pressures, and systemic discrimination. They frequently face arbitrary arrests, exclusion from educational and employment opportunities, and workplace bias. These actions constitute blatant violations of human rights and the fundamental freedom of religion.

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Motahareh Goonehi’s One-Year Prison Sentence Upheld on Appeal

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, IRGC Intelligence, Motahareh Goonehi, Tehran Court of Appeals, Toomaj Salehi

Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals has upheld the one-year prison sentence for Motahareh Goonehi, a suspended student from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court had initially handed down the sentence.

The charges stem from Gonei’s protest against the death sentence of Toomaj Salehi and her public comments regarding the “murder and assault” of Nika Shakarami. The Court of Appeals convicted her of “propaganda against the regime in favor of anti-revolutionary media.”

Goonehi was arrested by IRGC intelligence forces on May 1, 2023, and transferred to Evin Prison. She was released on bail four days later. Earlier, she and her husband, Mehdi Hadizadeh, both students at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, had been temporarily suspended and transferred to Ardabil University. More recently, Goonehi was expelled from Tehran University, and her academic file was forwarded to Ardabil University.

A dentistry student and activist, Goonehi had previously been arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests.

Shakila Monfared Indicted for New Legal Case While Imprisoned

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, IRGC Intelligence, Shakila Monfared, Tehran

An indictment has been issued for Shakila Monfared, a political prisoner, regarding a new case opened against her during her imprisonment.

Based on information received by HRANA, Monfared faces a new case in prison filed by Ms. Shaghaghi, the Deputy Prosecutor. On Wednesday, July 24, the indictment for this political prisoner was issued by Tehran’s District 8 Prosecutor’s Office with charges of “destruction of public property and disrupting order.”

On June 26 of this year, while on medical leave, Shakila Monfared was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison after appearing at Tehran’s District 8 Prosecutor’s Office to extend her leave, despite her treatment being incomplete and her being subjected to physical assault.

Ms. Monfared was initially arrested by security forces in Tehran on August 31, 2020, while leaving her home. After completing her interrogation at one of the IRGC’s detention centers, she was transferred to Evin Prison. Finally, on September 14, she was released on bail.

The court session for the joint case against Shakila Monfared and two others was held on January 20, 2021, in Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. After the session, Monfared was re-arrested by IRGC intelligence agents and taken back to prison.

Ultimately, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced her to six years of imprisonment and four months of compulsory labor in Ministry of Agriculture Jihad for charges of “propaganda against the regime” and blasphemy.” Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court later reduced her sentence to four years and two months of definitive imprisonment.

In January 2022, Ms. Monfared was tried in Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for another case opened during her imprisonment. In June 2023, Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court sentenced her to two years and eight months of imprisonment for “membership in anti-regime groups” and a fine for “spreading falsehoods.”

It should be noted that on June 6, 2023, Monfared faced new charges for “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security,” but this case was ultimately dismissed.

Additionally, in April of this year, Shakila Monfared was sentenced to twelve months of imprisonment, two years of exile, and additional punishments by Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court for another case opened during her imprisonment.

Shakila Monfared, aged around 31, is a resident of Tehran.

Report on the Latest Status of Writer Mehrzad Mousavi in Adelabad Prison

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News, Prisoners
HRANA, IRGC Intelligence, Kerman, Mehrzad Mousavi, Shiraz, Shiraz Revolutionary Court, مهرزاد موسوی

Mehrzad Mousavi, a writer and historian, is serving his sentence in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz. He was previously sentenced by the Shiraz Revolutionary Court to eleven years in prison and two years of exile in Kerman.

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Mousavi was previously sentenced by Branch 1 of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court to five years in prison for the charge of “membership in anti-regime groups,” five years in prison for the charge of “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security,” one year in prison for the charge of “propaganda against the regime,” and two years of exile to Bardsir, Kerman.

This writer and historian was arrested by IRGC intelligence agents at his home in Shiraz in early November 2023 and transferred to Adelabad Prison in this city.

Mousavi has made contributions to the realm of literature and historical research, with notable works to his name such as “An Inquiry into Achaemenid Art Antecedents” and “Iran in Two Invasions.”

Baha’i Sepideh Rashidi Detained in Ahvaz by IRGC Intelligence

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News, Religious Minorities
ahvaz, IRGC Intelligence, Sepideh Rashidi

IRGC intelligence officials have detained Baha’i citizen Sepideh Rashidi (Derakhshan) in Ahvaz, subsequently transferring her to an undisclosed location. This action has significantly heightened her family’s concerns due to the absence of information about her current condition.

A source close to Rashidi’s family confirmed to HRANA that her arrest occurred on Monday, May 27, 2024. During the arrest, IRGC Intelligence agents conducted an extensive search of her family’s home and seized some of her personal belongings.

As of now, the reasons for Rashidi’s arrest, her exact whereabouts, and any formal charges remain undisclosed.

Baha’is are subjected to violations of their religious rights, comprising 82% of reports on infringements against religious minorities, according to HRA’s 2023 annual report.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Writer and Translator Loghman Ghanbari Arrested by Security Forces in Sarpol-e Zahab

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Freedom of Expression, News
IRGC Intelligence, Loghman Ghanbari, Ofra Bengio, Sarpol-e Zahab

Loghman Ghanbari, a writer and translator, was arrested at his residence in Sarpol-e Zahab, Kermanshah province, by security forces on April 7, 2024, as reported by Kurdpa.

Around 20 IRGC Intelligence agents conducted a search of his residence and seized some of his belongings.

Ghanbari, known for translating the book “The Kurds in a Volatile Middle East,” published in Sweden after Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance denied a license, was accused of “association with Israel” based on his correspondence with the book’s author, Ofra Bengio.

After a day of interrogation, Ghanbari was released upon signing a written commitment.