Tag: Izeh

7 Political Defendants Begin Hunger Strike in Protest of Prolonged Detention

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News, Prisoners
Ashkan Mohammadi, Farshid Kazemi, Hooman Almasi, HRANA, Izeh, Maziar Nekooie, Ramin Mohammadi, Reza Karimnejad, Ruhollah Khosravi

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.

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

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News, Prisoners
HRANA, Izeh, Mohammad Tahmasbi, Urmia, محمد طهماسبی

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

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News, Prisoners
ahvaz, Hojjat Al-Mohammadi, HRANA, Izeh, حجت آل محمدی

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

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Freedom of Expression, News
ahvaz, Bahman Bahmani, Behrooz Salahshoor, Esmail Mousavi Nazari, HRANA, Izeh, Mohsen Ahmadpour, Rasoul Bodaghi, Reza Arabpour, Sadegh Ghasemi, Sheiban Prison, Vahid Abbasi, رضا عرب پور

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

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News, Prisoners
ahvaz, Hooman Seydali, Izeh, Sheiban Prison, هومن صیدالی

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.

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Hamidreza Shirzadi Sentenced to Imprisonment for Blasphemy

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Freedom of Expression, News
Blasphemy, Dezpart, Hamidreza Shirzadi, HRANA, Izeh, Khuzestan, حمیدرضا شیرزادی

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.

Ruhollah Kavousi Remains Detained for Over 300 Days, Facing Political Charges

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News, Prisoners
ahvaz, HRANA, Izeh, Ruhollah Kavousi, Sheiban Prison

Ruhollah Kavousi, a political detainee, has been held in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, for over 300 days without resolution. Despite his poor health, he has been denied proper medical care and transfer to medical facilities.

A source close to Kavousi’s family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Mr. Kavousi has developed kidney and liver diseases, affecting his physical health. Nonetheless, he has been denied transfer to external medical facilities and proper medical care.”

Based on HRANA’s information, despite 306 days passing since his arrest, Kavousi remains in limbo in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz. His case is under review by the second branch of the Izeh Prosecutor’s Office. He faces charges including “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.”

Kavousi, from Izeh, was arrested by security forces in Ahvaz on September 1, 2023, and subsequently transferred to Sheiban Prison in the city.

Christian Convert Yasin Mousavi Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

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News, Religious Minorities
ahvaz, Izeh, Sheiban Prison, Yasin Mousavi, یاسین موسوی

Yasin Mousavi, a Christian convert, has been sentenced to fifteen years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz, as reported by Mohabat News.

Based on the verdict issued by the third branch of the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz, presided over by Judge Fathinia, and communicated to Mr. Mousavi, he has been sentenced to fifteen years in prison on charges including “membership in groups aimed at disrupting national security” and “propaganda against the regime through promoting Zionist Christianity.”

Mousavi was previously arrested on December 24, 2023, along with several other Christian converts in the city of Izeh. After enduring twenty days of solitary confinement at the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, he was transferred to Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz. Mousavi was released on bail from Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz on April 30, 2024.

Mousavi has a history of previous arrests and imprisonment in October 2017, April 2021, and November 2022.

Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Islamic law, the security services pursue the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity and deal harshly with those who convert to Christianity.

The persecution of Christian converts is a blatant violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which state that every individual has the right to freedom of religion and belief, including the freedom to express their faith openly or privately.

Ahmad Key-Shamas Endures Prolonged Detention on Political Charges

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ahmad Key-Shamas, ahvaz, Izeh, Sheiban Prison, احمد کی شمس

Ahmad Key-Shamas, a resident of Izeh, remains confined in Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz for over eight months, trapped in legal uncertainty.

A source close to Key-Shamas’s family confirmed to HRANA his detention for 247 days. Denied access to a private lawyer, he faces charges of “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” “propaganda against the regime,” and “disturbing public order.”

Key-Shamas was apprehended by security forces on July 18, 2023.

Workers’ Rights Defender Mostafa Zamani Arrested in Isfahan

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
IIWU, Independent Iranian Workers Union, Isfahan, Isfahan Oil Refinery, Izeh, Mostafa Zamani

Mostafa Zamani, an advocate for workers’ rights and a resident of Izeh, was arrested on January 14, 2024, by security forces in Isfahan. The Independent Iranian Workers Union (IIWU) reported his arrest and subsequent transfer to an undisclosed location.

The arrest allegedly took place within the premises of Isfahan Oil Refinery, yet the reasons behind his detention and his current location remain undisclosed.

Zamani, known for his advocacy of workers’ rights, is also employed as a welding worker.

As HRA’s annual report reveals, in 2023, 64 workers’ rights advocates were arrested by security forces in Iran. Additionally, 29 labor activists or defenders of workers’ rights were sentenced to 654 months of imprisonment, which includes 568 months of actual imprisonment and 86 months of suspended imprisonment. These alarming statistics underscore the challenging environment faced by those advocating for labor rights in the country.