Wrestling Coach and Referee Masoumeh Soleimani Receives One-Year Prison Sentence

Khorramabad Criminal Court has handed down a one-year prison sentence to Masoumeh Soleimani, a wrestling coach and referee, according to a report from Kolbar News.

Presiding judge Mostafa Sohrabi found Soleimani guilty of “inciting violence through the Internet.”

The presiding judge, Mostafa Sohrabi, found Soleimani guilty of “inciting violence through online platforms.”

Soleimani’s arrest occurred on May 10, 2023, in Khorramabad by security forces. After spending four days in detention at an IRGC facility, she was subsequently released on bail.

Notably, Soleimani has a history of arrests linked to her activist involvement.

 

Three Inmates Executed in Khorramabad for Drug-Related Offenses

On August 2, 2023, three inmates were executed at Parsilon Prison in Khorramabad after being convicted of drug-related crimes.

The executed prisoners have been identified by HRANA as Mohammad-Javad Akbari, Sharif Akbari, and Kianoosh Teymoori.
The execution process commenced after the inmates were transferred to solitary confinement last Monday, as a precursor to the implementation of the sentence.

At present, no official sources or domestic media outlets in the country have reported on these executions.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

Execution of Four Inmates in Khorramabad and Bandar Abbas Revealed

On July 2, 2023, an inmate convicted of drug-related crimes was executed in Parseylun Prison, located in Khorramabad Province.

The individual has been identified as Yaser Golzardian, according to HRANA. Having been transferred to solitary confinement the day prior, he awaited his execution.

As of the time of this report, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have made any mention of this particular execution.

In a separate incident, Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, disclosed the execution of three inmates at Bandar Abbas prison on July 4. These death-row prisoners had received sentences of death for committing rape. The individuals, working as nurses and technicians, reportedly exploited their positions to sexually assault victims by administering anesthesia under the pretense of a beauty procedure. However, the report did not provide details about the identities of the executed individuals.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

Eight Inmates Executed in Kerman and Khorramabad

HRANA, the Human Rights Activists News Agency, reported on May 13, 2023, that six inmates in Kerman prison and two in Khorramabad prison were executed for drug-related crimes.

HRANA has identified two of the six inmates executed in Kerman prison as Kambiz Davarpanah and Amrollah (Shamal) Adish, both coming from Dehdasht.

According to an informed source who spoke to HRANA, Davarpanah had been sentenced to death five years ago, and his body has not yet been returned to his family.
On the same day, Khorramabad Prison officials carried out the execution of two inmates convicted of drug-related crimes.
HRANA is working on identifying these executed inmates.

At the time of writing, none of the official sources or media outlets in the country has reported these executions.

The alarming trend of executions has been increasing in recent weeks. According to reports obtained by HRANA, at least 57 prisoners, including two women and two prisoners of conscience, have been executed in various Iranian prisons from April 28 to May 9, 2023.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

Masoumeh Soleimani Arrested in Khorramabad

On May 10, 2023, security forces arrested Masoumeh Soleimani, a wrestling coach and referee, and took her to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Masoumeh Soleimani was arrested in Khorramabad.

The reason for her arrest, the place of her confinement, and the accusations against her are presently unknown. Soleimani has previously been detained for her activism.

 

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Six Inmates Executed in Rasht, Urmia and Khorramabad

According to reports from the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on May 4, 2023, six inmates were executed in three different prisons in Iran. Four of the inmates were executed in Lakan prison in Rasht, while one was executed in Urmia and another in Khorramabad prison.

HRANA has identified one of the inmates executed in Rasht as Jalaledin Rahimian Azar, a 23-year-old resident of Mahabad who was convicted of murder. The other three inmates executed in Rasht were convicted of drug-related crimes.

Additionally, on the same day, Faramarz Shakhsi, a resident of Bukan, was executed in Urmia Prison. Also, Khorramabad Prison officials executed an inmate identified as Hamid Emami, convicted of murder.

In addition to these executions, on the same day, Faramarz Shakhsi, a resident of Bukan, was executed in Urmia prison and Hamid Emami, who had been convicted of murder, was executed in Khorramabad prison.

In recent days, the number of executions has surged in various prisons across the country, adding to the growing concern about the use of the death penalty in Iran’s justice system.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

 

Dozens of Businesses Closed for Breaking Islamic Rules of Dress Code and Behavior

In recent days, dozens of businesses in several cities across Iran were closed for allegedly violating the Islamic dress code (Hijab) and behaviour rules.

An official from the IRGC announced the closure of at least 40 businesses in Kashan due to “female customers’ lack of Hijab.” Earlier, a hotel and a tourist complex were also shut down for this reason.

Similarly, in Khorramabad, one restaurant and one wedding hall were closed, and in Mianeh, seven businesses were shut down. In Babolsar, six businesses were closed, and several others in Shiraz were also affected due to violations of the Islamic dress code and behaviour rules.

Iran’s regime routinely violates its citizens’ privacy and right to choose their clothing. Imposing a certain lifestyle on citizens stands in blatant violation of Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which entitles everyone to the right to life, liberty and security of person. Additionally, Article 12 of this declaration affirms, “One shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.”

 

Three Inmates Execute in Khorramabad Prison

On March 6, 2023, three inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed in Khorramabad Prison, Lorestan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on March 6, 2023, three inmates identified by HRANA as Ayat Ali Yari, Sohrab Soori and Joodaki (first name unknown), were executed in Khorramabad Prison.

Earlier, HRANA had reported about their relocation to solitary confinement as a routine procedure for carrying out the execution.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

 

Iran Protests: Ghasem Fazelikia Sentenced to Imprisonment and Flogging

The Revolutionary and Criminal Courts of Khorramabad sentenced Ghasem Fazelikia, age 31, arrested at recent nationwide protests, to two years and 74 lashes.

The Khorramabad Revolutionary Court sentenced Fazelikia to one year for “propaganda against the regime.” Moreover, the Criminal Court of this city sentenced him to one year and 74 lashes for “disturbing public order.”

In September 2022, IRGC intelligence agents arrested Fazelikia. He was released on bail on October 22.

Also, earlier in November 2019, he was arrested by security forces, but on trial, he was acquitted of the charges.

 

Three Physicians Arrested in Mahabad

The intelligence agents arrested three doctors Jaser Rahmani-Rad (GP), Behnam Ohadi (Psychiatrist) and Homayoun Eftekharian-Nia (Operating Room Technician), in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province. They had travelled from Tehran and Khorramabad to Mahabad.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, three physicians, Jaser Rahmani-Rad, age 34,  Behnam Ohadi, age 49, and Homayoun Eftekharian-Nia, age 23, were arrested in Mahabad.

These individuals travelled to Mahabad on November 30 and were arrested four days later by security agents.

The reason for these arrests is still unknown. Their families’ inquiries have yet remained unanswered by judicial/security officials, raising their concerns over their conditions.