Tag: Kachooie Prison

Christian Convert Parvin Ghadiani Held in Legal Limbo for Three Months

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News, Prisoners, Religious Minorities
HRANA, Kachooie Prison, Kachouei Prison, Karaj, Parvin Ghadiani, Parvin Ghadyani

HRANA News Agency – Parvin Ghadiani, a Christian convert, has been in custody for approximately three months after being arrested by security forces. She is currently being held in a state of uncertainty in Kachouei Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Ghadiani remains in detention.

HRANA has learned that she was arrested by security forces in January of last year. Following her interrogation at one of Karaj’s security detention centers, she was transferred to Kachouei Prison.

A source familiar with Ghadiani’s situation confirmed to HRANA: “The reason for her arrest has been cited as proselytizing Christianity.”

Notably, while Christianity is officially recognized as a minority religion in Iran, security agencies view the conversion of Muslims to Christianity as a highly sensitive matter and respond with severe crackdowns on those involved in religious activism.

The persecution of Christian converts in Iran persists despite Article 18 of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which affirm every individual’s right to freedom of religion, including the right to change their faith and to practice it openly or privately, alone or in community with others.

Detention Order for Baha’i Citizen Nahid Behroozi Extended

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News, Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Alborz province, Baha'i citizen, HRANA, Kachooie Prison, Nahid Behroozi

Nahid Behroozi (Forouhari), a Baha’i citizen, remains in a state of uncertainty in Kachooie Prison, Karaj, 26 days after her arrest. Today, her detention order was extended for another week.

A source close to Behroozi’s family confirmed to HRANA: “Today, Ms. Behroozi’s detention order was extended for another week. Despite 25 days having passed since her arrest, she remains in a state of uncertainty in Kachooie Prison, Karaj.”
This Baha’i citizen was transferred to Kachooie Prison, Karaj, on August 15th after completing interrogation at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility.

Behroozi was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence agents at her home in Fardis, Alborz province, on Monday, July 29, 2024.

The reasons for Behroozi’s arrest and the charges against her remain unknown.

Judicial Case Filed Against Former Political Prisoner Fariba Asadi

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Freedom of Expression, News
Fariba Asadi, Fereshteh Khadem, HRANA, Kachooie Prison, Mohammadshahr Revolutionary Court, Qarchak Prison, فریبا اسدی

Fariba Asadi, a former political prisoner who was released from prison in February 2023 after serving a previous sentence, is now facing a new judicial case.

A knowledgeable source close to Asadi confirmed the news to HRANA, stating that this case was opened following a complaint by Fereshteh Khadem, an official of the Mohammadshahr Revolutionary Court. The charges against Ms. Asadi include “propaganda against the Islamic Republic,” “disrupting public order and peace,” “public display of sinful acts,” “insulting officials and agents,” “intentional assault and battery,” and “insulting ordinary people.”

This source added that Fereshteh Khadem had previously filed a complaint against Ms. Asadi, which was closed with a no-prosecution ruling. The trial for Fariba Asadi’s new charges is scheduled for July 21, at the Mohammadshahr Criminal Court 2.

Asadi was previously arrested along with three co-defendants in February 2021 by security forces on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “membership in anti-regime groups.” She was released on bail after a while. In October 2021, she was sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 2 of the Shahriar Revolutionary Court for “propaganda against the regime.” In January 2022, she began serving her sentence in Qarchak Varamin Prison. She was ultimately released from Evin Prison in late February 2023 following an amnesty directive.

She was arrested again in September last year in connection with another case and released on bail from Kachouei Prison in Karaj in March of the same year.

Hamideh Zeraei, Opponent of Mandatory Hijab, Begins Hunger Strike in Lakan Prison

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News, Prisoners
Hamideh Zeraei, HRANA, Kachooie Prison, Karaj, Rasht, حمیده زراعی

Hamideh Zeraei, an opponent of compulsory hijab, has initiated a hunger strike to protest her continued detention in Lakan Prison, Rasht. She was detained on June 5 following a court appearance at Branch 13 of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht.

A source close to Ms. Zeraei’s family confirmed her hunger strike to HRANA, stating: “Hamideh had declared that if she was not released by Saturday, June 8, she would start a hunger strike. Today, when her sister attempted to visit her in Lakan Prison, officials barred the visit.”

Zeraei was initially arrested at her home on May 29, 2023, and taken to Kachooie Prison in Karaj.

On November 16, 2023, the First Branch of the Revolutionary Court in Karaj, led by Judge Musa Asaf Al-Hosseini, sentenced her to one year in prison, two years of exile to Rasht, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year ban from using social media. Following a plea of no contest, her prison term was reduced to nine months. Upon completing her sentence on February 22, 2024, she was released from Kachooie Prison and began her exile in Rasht.

Recently, Ms. Zeraei was summoned to Branch 13 of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht for further inquiries. Last Wednesday, after her court appearance, she was arrested and transferred to Lakan Prison.

The summons was related to her ongoing two-year exile term in Rasht, during which she was required to check in every three days at a local police station. Following several visits, the station’s officers demanded she wear a chador for her appearances—a condition Ms. Zeraei, who opposes mandatory hijab, refused. Subsequently, the police chief instructed her to cease her visits. This led to her being summoned to court once again after she failed to verify her continued residence in Rasht.

Previously, in 2022, Ms. Zeraei was arrested in connection with nationwide protests and was later released from Kachooie Prison on February 7, 2023, following an official pardon.

Attorney Amir-Hossein Koohkan Sentenced to Six Years

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Freedom of Expression, News
Amir-Hossein Koohkan, Kachooie Prison, Mohammad-Mehdi Karami, امیرحسین کوهکن

The Revolutionary Court in Karaj has sentenced attorney Amir-Hossein Koohkan to six years in prison on political charges. Koohkan faced accusations of “assembly and collusion against national security and propaganda against the regime.”

He was initially detained on August 30, 2023, after being summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence office in Karaj and was later released on bail from Kachooie prison in mid-December 2023.

Koohkan served as the legal representative for the family of Mohammad-Mehdi Karami, who was executed following his arrest during the nationwide protests in 2022.

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Sanaz Ariantalab Summoned to Serve Prison Term for Political Charges

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Freedom of Expression, News
Gohardasht, Kachooie Prison, Karaj, Mahsa Amini, Sanaz Ariantalab, ساناز آریان طلب

Sanaz Ariantalab (Arian-Talab), a resident of Karaj, has been summoned to begin serving her prison term, imposed on political charges.

According to the summons, Ariantalab, aged around 38, must appear within five days at the executive branch of the judiciary.

Ariantalab was arrested on September 16, 2023, the first anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death, in Gohardasht, Karaj. She was detained in Kachooie Prison and released on bail of 500 million tomans (approximately $10,000) after ten days.

On March 10, 2024, the Revolutionary Court of Karaj sentenced Ariantalab to one year in prison for “presence in public without hijab, propaganda against the regime, and assembly and collusion to undermine national security.” Additionally, she was banned from leaving the country for two years and barred from membership in civil groups.

Maryam Jalal Hosseini and Fatemeh Tadrisi Receive Lengthy Prison Sentences and Exile

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Freedom of Expression, News
Fatemeh Tadrisi, Ilam County, Kachooie Prison, Maryam Jalal Hosseini, Mojgan Tadrisi, Musa Asef-Al-Hosseini, Revolutionary Court in Karaj, zanjan

In a recent verdict, the Revolutionary Court in Karaj has sentenced Maryam Jalal Hosseini and Fatemeh (Mojgan) Tadrisi to six years of imprisonment and a two-year exile on charges related to their political activities.

Presiding over the court, Judge Seyed Musa Asef-Al-Hosseini ruled that both individuals were guilty of “inciting people to violence, engaging in propaganda against the regime, insulting the Supreme Leader, and forming groups to act against national security.”

In addition to their prison terms, Fatemeh Tadrisi has been ordered to serve a mandatory two-year residence in Zanjan County, while Jalal Hosseini will be in exile in Ilam County. Presently, they are confined in Kachooie Prison, Karaj.

Security forces arrested Hosseini and Tadrisi in August of the previous year. Subsequently, on August 28, 2023, they were transferred to Kachooie Prison.

Both activists have a history of arrests and legal confrontations stemming from their engagement in activism.

Fariba Asadi Detained in Kachooie Prison for Over 20 Days

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Freedom of Expression, News
Fariba Asadi, Kachooie Prison, Karaj, Masoud Vazifeh, Mehran Delfan-Azari, Meysam Gholami

Fariba Asadi, a former political prisoner, remains in custody, enduring over 20 days of legal uncertainty within the confines of Kachooie Prison, Karaj.

A reliable source close to her family has conveyed to HRANA that Asadi faces charges related to violating hijab rules and spreading propaganda against the regime.

Notably, Asadi had previously been arrested by security forces in February 2021, alongside Mehran Delfan Azari, Meysam Gholami, and Masoud Vazifeh. They were detained on allegations of “propaganda against the regime” and “membership in an anti-regime group.”

On October 2, 2021, Branch 2 of Shiraz’s Revolutionary Court sentenced Asadi to a one-year term for the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” Subsequently, she was taken into custody at her residence in Tehran in January 2022, in order to commence her sentence at Qarchak Prison in Varamin. However, she was ultimately released following a pardon under the “pardon and commutation” directive.

Teacher Union Activist Esmail Abdi Remains Detained for Months Despite Retrial Approval

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News
Esmaeil Abdi, Esmail Abdi, Evin Courthouse, Kachooie Prison, Karaj

HRANA, Human Rights Activists News Agency – Esmail (Esmaeil) Abdi, a teacher union activist, continues to be held in Kachooie Prison, Karaj, for over seven months after his request for a retrial was granted.

Monireh Abdi, his wife, shared with HRANA that “Despite the Supreme Court’s approval for a retrial, judicial officials are refusing to grant him bail. Seven months have passed, and Branch 29 of the Revolutionary Court has yet to review the case.”

“Abdi is currently confined in the military ward of Kachooie Prison. After repeated requests, the judicial authorities offered him a five-day furlough on a bail amount of one billion tomans. However, Abdi declined this leave, pointing out that since the Supreme Court overturned the verdict, he should be released on bail as per the law.”
Abdi’s retrial request was accepted by the Supreme Court on November 16, 2022.

On June 27, 2015, Abdi was arrested and interrogated for several hours at Evin Courthouse when he inquired about the reason for being prohibited from leaving the country. Following six months of detention, in March of the subsequent year, he was sentenced to six years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on charges of “propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion against national security,” with five years being enforceable.

Previously, Abdi had received a ten-year suspended sentence, intended to last for five years. However, during the last months of his five-year sentence, the court reactivated the suspended sentence by order.

Fatemeh Tadrisi Arrested in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Baharestan, Fatemeh Tadrisi, Kachooie Prison, Mojgan Tadrisi, Qarchak Prison

On May 9, 2023, Fatemeh (Mojgan) Tadrisi was arrested by security forces and taken to Qarchak Prison in Varamin.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on May 9, 2023, Fatemeh Tadrisi was arrested by security forces in Tehran.

According to an informed who spoke to HRANA, to participate in a teachers’ rally, Tadrisi went to Baharestan Square, where she was arrested by security forces. In a phone call, she informed her family that she had been detained in Qarchak Prison in Varamin. This marks Tadrisi’s third arrest since the start of the nationwide protests in 2022. She was previously detained for a month in Kachooie Prison and spent some time in Evin Prison.

The reasons for Tadrisi’s arrest and the allegations against her are currently unknown