Tag: irgc

Civil Rights Activist Raheleh Rahemipour Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison Following Retrial

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Evin, Evin Prison, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Raheleh Rahemipour, راحله راحمی

HRANA News Agency – The prison sentence of Raheleh Rahemipour, a 72-year-old civil activist currently imprisoned in Evin Prison, has been reduced to four years and two months following the acceptance of her retrial request. The revised verdict was issued by Branch 21 of the Tehran Court of Appeals, lowering her initial sentence of five years and ten months.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, the updated ruling was recently issued by Branch 21 of the Tehran Court of Appeals and formally communicated to her defense attorney yesterday. Under the new sentence, Rahemipour has been convicted of:

“Assembly and collusion against national security” – three years, six months, and ten days in prison
“Propaganda against the regime” – seven months and twenty days in prison

Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, which mandates the enforcement of the most severe sentence in cases involving multiple charges, Rahemipour will serve three years, six months, and ten days behind bars.

Legal Background and Arrest History

Earlier, attorney Payam Dorfeshan had announced that Branch 9 of the Supreme Court had accepted Rahemipour’s request for a retrial and referred the case to an equivalent court for reconsideration.

Rahemipour was arrested in late November 2023 after appearing at the Evin Prosecutor’s Office and was subsequently transferred to Evin Prison to serve her sentence.

Her original conviction was handed down by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, which sentenced her to five years in prison for “assembly and collusion” and ten months in prison for “propaganda against the regime.” This ruling was issued following a trial held on June 16, 2020.

Rahemipour was previously arrested on November 12, 2019, by security forces in Tehran. She was subsequently transferred to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Detention Center, known as Ward 2A of Evin Prison, before being temporarily released.

Given her advanced age, Rahemipour suffers from multiple health conditions and has been consistently denied access to essential medical care.

Iman Khedri Arrested in Masjed Soleyman

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Khuzestan, Masjed-Soleyman

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, March 4, Iman Khedri, a resident of Masjed Soleyman, Khuzestan province, was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents at his home and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to information received by HRANA, IRGC Intelligence agents arrested Khedri at his residence in Masjed Soleyman. The arrest was carried out with violence, including beatings and the use of an electric shocker.

As of the time of this report, there is no information on his whereabouts or the charges against him.

Khedri has previously been arrested and faced security-related pressures due to his activities.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Saman Bidar Arrested by Security Forces in Ardabil

Posted on by . .
Ethnic Minorities, News
Ardabil, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Saman Bidar, سامان بیدار

HRANA News Agency – Saman Bidar, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents in Ardabil on Saturday, March 1, and transferred to an undisclosed location.

Despite four days having passed since his arrest, his family’s efforts to obtain information from judicial and security authorities about his whereabouts and condition have been unsuccessful.

The reasons for his arrest and any charges against him remain unknown.

Saman Bidar has previously been arrested and sentenced due to his activism.

Appeals Court Upholds Mehdi Hemmati’s 5-Year Prison Sentence

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Abolghasem Salavati, irgc, Jina Amini, Mahsa Amini, Mehdi Hemmati, Tehran

HRANA News Agency – Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals has upheld the five-year prison sentence of Mehdi Hemmati, a political prisoner currently held in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

As per the verdict recently issued by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals and communicated to Hemmati, he has been sentenced to five years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion to commit a crime against national security.” This sentence was initially handed down by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati.

Additionally, in another part of his case, Branch 1147 of the Tehran Criminal Court sentenced Hemmati to 10 months in prison for “disrupting public order,” five months in prison, and 30 lashes for “possession of explosive materials.” This ruling was later upheld by Branch 34 of the Court of Appeals.

Mehdi Hemmati was arrested during the 40-day memorial ceremony for Mahsa (Jina) Amini in Tehran. He spent time in detention at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) detention facility in Tehran, where he was subjected to torture and denied access to legal representation. He was later transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

Ghezel Hesar Prison: Update on Mehdi Hemmati, a Detainee from the 2022 Protests

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Amir Kamandi, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, irgc, Mahsa Amini, Mehdi Hemmati, Tehran

HRANA News Agency – Mehdi Hemmati, a Tehran resident arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests, is currently serving his sentence in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. He was previously sentenced by Tehran’s Revolutionary and Criminal Courts to more than six years in prison and 30 lashes.

According to HRANA, Hemmati was sentenced by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, to five years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion to commit a crime against national security.” In a separate ruling, Branch 1147 of the Tehran Criminal Court sentenced him to 10 months for “disrupting public order” and an additional five months in prison, along with 30 lashes, for “possession of explosives.”

His Revolutionary Court sentence has been sent to Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals, while the Criminal Court’s ruling was upheld by Branch 34 of the Appeals Court.

Hemmati was arrested alongside four others during the 40th-day memorial service for Mahsa (Jina) Amini in Tehran. The group was initially detained at an IRGC facility in Tehran, where they were subjected to torture and denied access to legal counsel. They were later transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison. During their interrogation, they faced multiple charges, including “disrupting public order,” “possession of explosives,” and “complicity in the murder of Amir Kamandi,” a member of the IRGC Ground Forces.

In the final indictment, Hemmati was acquitted of all murder-related charges. Before his trial, authorities set his bail at one billion tomans, but case officers opposed his release.

A source close to Hemmati’s family told HRANA that he is a 38-year-old unmarried resident of Tehran. “He suffers from multiple health conditions and has been denied medical care,” the source said.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Dehdasht Protests: Judiciary Spokesperson Confirms Arrest of 12 Individuals

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Ahmad Noormohammadi, Alireza Parisayi, Amirhossein Jafari, Atefeh Tahernia, Dehdasht, Hamid Parisayi, Hossein Parisayi, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Jaber Foroughi, Kamran Buzari, Pouria Barati, Reza Yeganeh, Shahram Nooranian, Shahriar Heshmat-Nasab

HRANA News Agency – The spokesperson for Iran’s Judiciary has confirmed the arrest of 12 citizens in Dehdasht, stating that they have been charged with “disrupting public order.” On the night of Tuesday, February 11, protests erupted in the city, during which several individuals were detained. HRANA had previously identified 12 of those arrested.

According to HRANA, quoting Entekhab, Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir claimed that the arrests were related to a “local conflict between two clans” and reiterated that the detainees were charged with “disrupting public order in the city.”

Without disclosing their identities, Jahangir added that one of the detainees is a foreign national and that their cases are under investigation.

Protests and Heavy Security Presence

On the night of February 11, residents of Dehdasht staged a protest, chanting anti-government slogans in response to mounting economic and social grievances in the region. In the aftermath of the demonstration, authorities intensified security measures, leading to widespread arrests and a heavy security presence across the city.

HRANA has identified the 12 detainees as:

  • Shahram Nooranian
  • Shahriar Heshmat-Nasab
  • Reza Yeganeh
  • Hossein Parisayi
  • Alireza Parisayi
  • Hamid Parisayi
  • Ahmad Noormohammadi
  • Atefeh Tahernia
  • Amirhossein Jafari (17 years old)
  • Kamran Buzari (16 years old)
  • Jaber Foroughi
  • Pouria Barati

Among them, Ahmad Noormohammadi has been accused of leading the protests and is currently being held at the IRGC Intelligence detention facility.

Violent Arrests and Use of Force

According to HRANA’s sources, IRGC intelligence agents opened fire on the vehicle of Shahram Nooranian and Shahriar Heshmat-Nasab during their arrest in Tang Pirza, Kohgiluyeh County.

A source close to one of the detainees’ families told HRANA:

“Shahram and Shahriar were violently arrested and beaten. Their families have had no information about their whereabouts since their detention and are deeply concerned for their well-being.”

Mohammad Sultani Arrested by IRGC Intelligence in Arak

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Mehrshad Shahidi, محمد سلطانی

HRANA News Agency – On Friday, February 21, Mohammad Sultani (Soltani), a resident of Arak, was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents in the city. He is currently being held in one of the agency’s detention centers.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Sultani was detained by IRGC Intelligence agents on a street in Arak. A day after his arrest, he contacted his family by phone and informed them of his transfer to the agency’s detention facility.

As of the time of this report, the reasons for his arrest and any charges against him remain unknown.

Sultani had previously been arrested on August 5, 2023, after attending a memorial ceremony at the gravesite of Mehrshad Shahidi, one of those killed during the 2022 nationwide protests. Following his arrest by security forces in Arak, he was transferred to the city’s prison.

In September 2023, he and seven others were tried in a joint case by Branch 2 of the Arak Criminal Court. He was ultimately sentenced to six years in prison and 74 lashes.

On October 1, 2023, Sultani was released from Arak Prison on bail.

Four Months in Legal Limbo: Mohammad-Ali and Hoda Mehreganfar Denied Medical Care in Shiraz Prison

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Adelabad Prison, Fars Province, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Zarghan

HRANA News Agency – Mohammad-Ali Mehreganfar and his daughter, Hoda Mehreganfar, political detainees from Zarghan in Fars Province, have been held in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz for over four months without due process. Despite suffering from serious health issues, both have been denied medical care and access to essential medication.

HRANA has learned that the father and daughter were arrested by security forces in Zarghan on October 22, 2024. They were held for 58 days in an IRGC Intelligence detention facility before being transferred to Adelabad Prison. Authorities have accused them of alleged ties to an opposition group, and they remain in custody without the possibility of release on bail.

A source close to the family confirmed to HRANA: “Hoda Mehreganfar had recently undergone gynecological surgery before her arrest. She received no medical care while in IRGC Intelligence detention, and now in Adelabad Prison, she is also being denied access to hospital treatment. Additionally, Mohammad-Ali Mehreganfar suffers from heart problems, and one of his eyes requires surgery, yet he has not received any medical attention.”

The source further stated: “Prison authorities have refused to provide Hoda Mehreganfar with her prescribed medications. The prison’s medical unit has informed her that she must personally cover the cost and arrange for the medicine to be brought from outside. However, she has no one outside prison to handle her medical needs.”

Mohammad-Ali Mehreganfar, 66, is a former political prisoner from the 1980s. His daughter, Hoda Mehreganfar, 38, is an electronics engineer. Both are residents of Zarghan, Fars Province.

Detained British Nationals, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, Accused of “Espionage”

Posted on by . .
News, Other
Craig Foreman, HRANA, Hugo Shorter, irgc, IRGC’s intelligence, Lindsay Foreman

HRANA News Agency – The spokesperson for Iran’s judiciary has announced that Craig Foreman and Lindsay Foreman, two British nationals recently arrested in Kerman, have been charged with “espionage.”

According to HRANA, quoting Mizan, the judiciary’s official news outlet, the spokesperson confirmed the charges against the detained individuals. Asghar Jahangir, the judiciary spokesperson, stated that the arrests were carried out by the IRGC’s Intelligence Unit and that the couple is accused of gathering intelligence under the cover of tourism. He further alleged:

“The arrested individuals entered Iran under the guise of tourists. They gathered information in multiple provinces while pretending to conduct research and academic studies.”

On February 15, 2025, the Foreman family released a statement confirming the identities of the detainees. Expressing deep concern for their safety, they stated that they are working with the British government to secure their release.

Earlier, on February 13, 2025, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Kerman announced that Hugo Shorter, the British Ambassador to Iran, had met with the detained individuals at the prosecutor’s office.

The couple, both in their early 50s, had entered Iran as part of a motorcycle world tour and had planned to continue their journey to Pakistan after a short stay.

In recent years, Iranian authorities have arrested multiple foreign nationals on charges of espionage or collaboration with hostile governments. While some have been released following political negotiations, human rights organizations and several Western governments have accused Iran of using such arrests as a means of political leverage—an allegation Iranian officials have consistently denied.

Wave of Arrests Following Protests in Dehdasht, Iran

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Ahmad Nourmohammadi, Alireza Parisayi, Dehdasht, Hamid Parisayi, Hossein Parisayi, HRANA, irgc, Jaber Foroughi, Kamran Buzari, Pouria Barati, Reza Yeganeh, RGC Intelligence, Shahram Nooranian, Shahriar Heshmat-Nasab

HRANA News Agency – Following a protest on Tuesday, February 11, in Dehdasht, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, a large number of demonstrators have been arrested.

HRANA has confirmed the identities of several detainees, including Shahram Nooranian, Shahriar Heshmat-Nasab, Reza Yeganeh, Hossein Parisayi, Alireza Parisayi, Hamid Parisayi, and Ahmad Noormohammadi. Earlier, the arrests of Atefeh Tahernia, 17-year-old Amirhossein Jafari, 16-year-old Kamran Buzari, Jaber Foroughi, and Pouria Barati had also been reported.

Ahmad Noormohammadi, accused of leading the protests, is being held in the IRGC Intelligence detention facility. Meanwhile, Hossein, Alireza, and Hamid Parisayi (three brothers), Jaber Foroughi, and Pouria Barati are detained in Dehdasht Prison, while Atefeh Tahernia is held in Yasuj Prison. Amirhossein Jafari, the 17-year-old detainee, has been transferred to the Yasuj Juvenile Correctional Center.

A source close to the detainees confirmed this to HRANA, stating: “Atefeh Tahernia was supposed to be released from Yasuj Prison on bail, but the judicial officer opposed her release.”

Yesterday, Fars News Agency reported the arrests of several protesters in Dehdasht, accusing them of “disrupting public order and attempting sabotage.” At the same time, security-affiliated media channels identified one of the detainees as “Ahmad Lolo” (referring to Ahmad Noormohammadi) and claimed—without evidence—that he is an Afghan national and one of the organizers of the protest.

According to HRANA’s sources, during the arrests of Shahram Nooranian and Shahriar Heshmat-Nasab, IRGC intelligence forces opened fire on their vehicle in the Tang-e Pirza area of Kohgiluyeh County.

A source close to one of the detainees’ families confirmed this account to HRANA, stating:
“Shahram and Shahriar were violently beaten and arrested. Since their detention, their families have received no information about their whereabouts and are deeply concerned for their well-being.”

On the night of Tuesday, February 11, a group of Dehdasht residents gathered in protest, chanting slogans against the government. These demonstrations were driven by growing public frustration over economic and social issues.

In the days following the protest, amid widespread arrests, Dehdasht has remained under heavy security, with a significant presence of security forces throughout the city.