Armed Clash and Security Tensions in Izeh

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, March 8, 2025, security forces surrounded a house in Izeh where Abol Korkor, a protester from the 2022 nationwide protests, had been in hiding. Korkor, who had lived covertly for over two years, broadcasted a live video on Instagram while under siege. As security forces fired at the house, Korkor repeatedly shouted, “We surrender!” However, the gunfire continued. In the final moments of the live stream, he shot himself in the head and is presumed to have died.

Three others were in the house with him: Reza Abdollahzadeh, known as “Adol”, Sohrab Ahmadi, a relative of Kamar Tahmasebi (a protester killed on August 22, 2023), and Hossein Mehri.

According to a knowledgeable source, as these three attempted to surrender, security forces opened fire on them and then detonated a grenade, destroying the house. However, there is no confirmed information on their fate—whether they survived, were injured, or were killed.

Following this incident, Izeh has been placed under heightened security, with security forces deployed across different areas.

Channels close to security institutions reported the use of tear gas and smoke grenades by security forces, as well as the arrest of the three individuals who were with Korkor. Additionally, Fars News Agency confirmed the death of Esfandiar Oraki and suggested that the detained individuals were likely wounded.

Mojahed Korkor Sentenced to Death for the Second Time

Abbas (Mojahed) Korkor, a prisoner held in Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, has been sentenced to death for the second time by the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz. He had previously been sentenced to death by the same court, but that ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court, and his case was referred to a parallel branch for retrial.

The prisoner’s sister, in a public statement, announced: “Based on the latest information, we have learned that Mojtaba has been sentenced to death once more.”

In December of this year, the Supreme Court had overturned Korkor’s initial death sentence and referred his case for retrial to a parallel branch. In April of 2023, he had been sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz on charges such as “enmity against God” (Moharebeh) and “spreading corruption on earth” (Efsad-e Fel-Arz). Then, in December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence, and his case was forwarded to the execution enforcement branch of the Izeh court.

Korkor was initially held in solitary confinement at Sheiban Prison starting December 20, 2022, before being moved to Ward 8 in early August 2023.

The judiciary accused Korkor of involvement in the killing of Kian Pirfalak, a child who died during the 2022 nationwide protests. However, Kian’s family has consistently denied these allegations, with his mother stating, “When we were returning home, security forces opened fire on our car.”

The court had charged Korkor with “disrupting public order, causing severe injuries and the deaths of seven individuals, including Kian Pirfalak, significant damage to public and private property, forming opposition groups, and engaging in armed rebellion against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

In January 2023, the Izeh prosecutor reported that judicial cases had been filed against 70 protesters involved in the November 16 protests, during which at least seven people, including Kian Pirfalak, were fatally shot by security forces.

While officials have described the November 16 events in Izeh as “terrorist attacks,” eyewitness accounts and testimonies from victims’ families directly contradict these claims.

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence of Abbas (Mojahed) Korkor

The Supreme Court of Iran has overturned the death sentence of Abbas (Mojahed) Korkor (Korkori), a prisoner in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, and referred his case to a parallel branch for retrial.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Korkor’s death sentence was annulled following a Supreme Court review prompted by legal appeals from his defense team.

A source close to Korkor’s family confirmed the development to HRANA, stating: “Korkor’s lawyers had separately filed requests for a retrial and invoked Article 477. After the Supreme Court accepted these requests, it reviewed the case and ultimately overturned his death sentence.”

In April 2023, Korkor was sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court on charges of “waging war against God (moharebeh) and corruption on Earth.” Although the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence in December 2023 and referred the case to the Execution Branch of the Izeh Court, the recent decision marks a significant reversal.

Korkor was initially held in solitary confinement at Sheiban Prison starting December 20, 2022, before being moved to Ward 8 in early August 2023.

The judiciary accused Korkor of involvement in the killing of Kian Pirfalak, a child who died during nationwide protests. However, Kian’s family has consistently denied these allegations, with his mother stating, “When we were returning home, security forces opened fire on our car.”

The court had charged Korkor with “disrupting public order, causing severe injuries and the deaths of seven individuals, including Kian Pirfalak, significant damage to public and private property, forming opposition groups, and engaging in armed rebellion against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

In January 2023, the Izeh prosecutor reported that judicial cases had been filed against 70 protesters involved in the November 16 protests, during which at least seven people, including Kian Pirfalak, were fatally shot by security forces.

While officials have described the November 16 events in Izeh as “terrorist attacks,” eyewitness accounts and testimonies from victims’ families directly contradict these claims.

Ruhollah Khosrawi Transferred to Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz; 15 Months in Legal Limbo

Political detainee Ruhollah Khosrawi remains in limbo over 15 months after his arrest. In mid-November, he was transferred from Sheiban Prison to Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz.

A source close to his family confirmed to HRANA: “On November 9, Mr. Khosrawi protested the relocation of Sheiban Prison’s public telephones to a noisy area near the kitchen. After a confrontation with guards, he was beaten and violently removed from the general ward. Following this, and under the orders of Sheiban Prison’s deputy security chief Mr. Ahmadi, coordinated with prison oversight judge Mr. Kooti, he was transferred to Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz.”

Khosrawi recently informed his family that, after 18 days in solitary confinement, he was moved to the general ward of Sepidar Prison.

He was arrested on August 23, 2023, in Izeh by security forces and initially held at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz before being transferred to Sheiban Prison.

On October 19, Khosrawi began a hunger strike in Sheiban Prison to protest his prolonged detention without trial. During the strike, he was moved to solitary confinement but returned to the general ward after ending his strike.

Khosrawi’s case is being investigated by a branch of the Izeh Prosecutor’s Office, with charges reportedly linked to national security. Since his arrest, he has been denied access to legal counsel, and no court hearings have been held.

As of this report, no information has been provided about the charges against him.

Khosrawi, aged around 35, is married and the father of a young daughter and son.

7 Political Defendants Begin Hunger Strike in Protest of Prolonged Detention

Seven political defendants held in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz—Ramin Mohammadi, Farshid Kazemi, Maziar Nekooie, Ruhollah Khosravi, Reza Karimnejad, Ashkan Mohammadi, and Hooman Almasi—have gone on hunger strike as of Saturday, October 19. The strike is in protest of their indefinite detention, which has lasted for over a year without trial. Following their action, all seven were transferred to solitary confinement.

A source close to one of the families confirmed to HRANA that the defendants initiated the hunger strike due to “their continued detention and the lack of progress in their judicial cases.” After launching the strike, they were moved to solitary confinement.

These detainees have been held in Sheiban Prison for more than 14 months without any court hearings to address their cases.

Hooman Almasi was arrested in April 2023, while Ashkan Mohammadi, Ramin Mohammadi, and Farshid Kazemi, all residents of Ahvaz, along with Reza Karimnejad and Maziar Nekooie, residents of Isfahan, were arrested in August 2023 by security forces in Izeh. Ruhollah Khosravi, born in 1989, is married and the father of two children. He was detained by security forces in Izeh on August 23, 2023.

After completing interrogations at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz, the detainees were transferred to Sheiban Prison.

Their cases are under review by a branch of the Izeh Prosecutor’s Office on charges related to national security. However, as of the time of this report, no specific details regarding the charges against them have been disclosed.

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Mohammad Tahmasbi Held Without Charges for Over 50 Days in Ahvaz Ministry of Intelligence Detention Facility

Mohammad Tahmasbi, a 32-year-old resident of Izeh, has been detained in The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz for more than 50 days without being formally charged, despite suffering from serious health issues.

A source close to his family confirmed to HRANA, “Mr. Tahmasbi has been held without charges for 50 days in Ahvaz. He suffers from intestinal adhesions and shortness of breath, requiring specialized medical treatment that is unavailable in the detention facility.”

Tahmasbi was arrested by security forces in Urmia on August 13, 2024, before being transferred to Ahvaz. After a month of no contact, he informed his family via a phone call that he was being held in The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz.

To date, no details have been provided about the reasons for Tahmasbi’s arrest or any charges filed against him.

Growing Concern Over Detained Izeh Resident Hojjat Al-Mohammadi

Hojjat Al-Mohammadi, a resident of Izeh, has been detained for over eight days with no information on his current location, sparking growing concerns among his family and loved ones.

A source close to the family confirmed to HRANA that security forces arrested Mr. Al-Mohammadi at his home in Izeh on Monday, September 16. Despite repeated efforts by his family and lawyer to inquire with security and judicial authorities, officials have refused to disclose any details regarding his whereabouts or condition, further intensifying the family’s anxiety.

This is not Al-Mohammadi’s first encounter with security forces. On August 13 of this year, he was also arrested and later released from Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz. Prior to that, on May 23, 2023, he was detained by security agents in Izeh and subsequently transferred to the same prison. He was later sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to nine months in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime.” After serving his sentence, Al-Mohammadi was released on January 29, 2023.

Hojjat Al-Mohammadi, 39, is a father of a young child and a resident of Izeh, a city increasingly under scrutiny for its political and social unrest.

Political Prisoner Reza Arabpour Detained for Over 21 Months Without Verdict

Reza Arabpour, a political defendant arrested during the nationwide protests of 2022 in Izeh, remains in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, over twenty-one months after his arrest, with no legal resolution in sight.

HRANA’s sources indicate that Mr. Arabpour has been in detention for over 600 days. Despite a court session being held in June of this year at Branch 4 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court, no verdict has been issued for him. Arabpour, hence, remains in a state of uncertainty in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz.
Previously, Hossein Ali Hatami, the defense attorney for this political defendant, had told HRANA that Arabpour, along with Mohsen Ahmadpour, Bahman Bahmani, Rasoul Bodaghi, Vahid Abbasi, and Esmail Mousavi Nazari, are involved in a joint case, and a court session was held to address charges including “enmity against God (Moharebeh), corruption on earth (Efsad-e-Fil-Arz), and forming a rebel group.”

In November 2022, Reza Arabpour, Mohsen Ahmadpour, Bahman Bahmani, Behrooz Salahshoor, Rasoul Bodaghi, Vahid Abbasi, Sadegh Ghasemi, and Esmail Mousavi Nazari were arrested by IRGC intelligence officers. After completing the interrogation process, they were transferred to Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz.

A few months later, the indictment of these individuals on the mentioned charges was referred to Branch 4 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court.
Among these citizens, so far, Bahman Bahmani, Mohsen Ahmadpour, Vahid Abbasi, Esmail Mousavi Nazari, Behrooz Salahshoor, and Rasoul Bodaghi have been released from Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, on bail.

Hooman Seydali Detained for over 19 Months in Legal Limbo

Hooman Seydali, arrested during the nationwide protests of 2022, has remained in an uncertain state in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, for over nineteen months.

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Seydali has been held in Ward 8 of Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, for 592 days. Branch 2 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court has issued a hefty bail of fifty billion tomans for his temporary release, but his family’s inability to provide this amount has led to the continuation of his detention.

A source close to Seydali’s family confirmed this news to HRANA, stating, “Seydali has been charged with suspicion of membership in opposition groups.”

Hooman Seydali, 47 years old and a resident of Izeh, was arrested by security forces on December 20, 2022, during the nationwide protests and subsequently transferred to Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz.

Hamidreza Shirzadi Sentenced to Imprisonment for Blasphemy

Hamidreza Shirzadi, a resident of Dezpart County in Khuzestan province, has been sentenced to one year in prison by the criminal court of Izeh.

Based on the verdict issued in absentia on July 21st by Branch 103 of the Second Criminal Court of Izeh, Shirzadi has been sentenced to one year in prison on charges of “blasphemy.” Posting content on Instagram was cited as an example of the charges against this citizen.

A source close to Mr. Shirzadi’s family confirmed the news to HRANA and stated that another part of Shirzadi’s case, involving charges of “propaganda against the regime,” “disturbing public order,” and “insulting the Supreme Leader,” has been referred to Branch 4 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court.

Twenty-two-year-old Hamidreza Shirzadi was arrested by security forces on September 23rd last year and released on bail in February of 2024.

Shirzadi was previously arrested in September 2021 during nationwide protests and was released after a while. His case was closed under a “general pardon and commutation” directive.