Drug-Related Charges; Three Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

HRANA – At dawn on Wednesday, September 24, the death sentences of three prisoners previously convicted on drug-related charges were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

The identities of those executed this morning were confirmed by HRANA as Ahmad-Reza Geravand and Farshad Geravand, both from Kuhdasht, and an individual named Amir (last name unknown).

These prisoners had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts.

On September 21, HRANA reported that 14 prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison, all convicted on drug-related charges, had been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for execution.

As of the time of this report, the executions of these prisoners have not been announced by prison officials or relevant authorities.

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year – a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

Detained Citizen Bijan Kazemi on Hunger Strike in Qom Intelligence Facility

HRANA – Bijan Kazemi, a detained citizen, has been on hunger strike since Thursday, September 18, to protest the poor conditions of his detention. He is currently held in The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Qom, in a state of prolonged legal uncertainty.

According to his mother, Shahnaz Khosravi, Kazemi began the strike in response to mistreatment by intelligence agents, his detention far from his hometown, and the indefinite nature of his case.

In mid-August, an interrogation session was held at Branch 5 of the District 33 Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran without the presence of a lawyer. Although bail was set at 4 billion tomans, the case officer opposed his release. Shortly afterward, he was transferred to Qom.

Earlier, following Israel’s military attack on Evin Prison, Kazemi was among dozens of detainees moved to the Greater Tehran Prison.

Kazemi was first arrested on January 19, 2025, by intelligence agents in Kuhdasht County. Two days later, on January 22, he was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence.

Kazemi has previously faced judicial proceedings due to his activism.

Rostam Bagheri Held Over Three Months in Khorramabad Prison Without Bail

HRANA News Agency – Rostam Bagheri, a citizen from Kuhdasht, has been held in detention for over three months and remains in a state of legal uncertainty in Khorramabad Prison. Despite his family securing the bail set for his temporary release, the judicial authority has refused to register and accept it.

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Bagheri has been held for 94 days. In a letter to the head of the Kuhdasht judiciary, he protested both his continued detention and the refusal to accept his bail.

In a second case, Bagheri faces the charge of “supporting Israel.” The court session related to this case was held on September 2.

Previously, in his first case, he was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to three years in prison on charges of “insulting the Supreme Leader” and “propaganda against the regime.”

Rostam Bagheri, a 36-year-old citizen from Kuhdasht and father of one child, was arrested on June 21 by IRGC intelligence agents in the city without a judicial warrant and was later transferred to Khorramabad Prison.

Bijan Kazemi Remains Detained Without Charges After More Than 170 Days

HRANA – More than 170 days after the arrest of Bijan Kazemi, a resident of Kuhdasht, he remains in detention with no clear legal status. He was recently transferred from the Greater Tehran Prison to an undisclosed location and has had no contact with his family or relatives for the past 10 days.

Yesterday, Kazemi’s mother, Shahnaz Khosravi, posted an update stating that her son has been denied visitation with both his family and legal counsel for 176 days. She said he was recently transferred from Greater Tehran Prison to one of the Ministry of Intelligence’s so-called “safe houses” and has not made any contact in the past 10 days. The family’s growing concern is fueled by this prolonged silence.

Kazemi was previously transferred to Greater Tehran Prison alongside ten other detainees following an Israeli military strike on Evin Prison.

He was first arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents in Kuhdasht on January 19, 2025, and was subsequently transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison—a detention facility operated by the Ministry of Intelligence—on January 22.

As of this report, no information has been made available regarding the reasons for his arrest or the charges against him.

Bijan Kazemi has previously faced legal action due to his activism.

Unresolved Detention: Bijan Kazemi Still Held in Evin Prison

HRANA News Agency – Bijan Kazemi, a resident of Kuhdasht,  remains in limbo in Evin Prison more than four months after his arrest.

Kazemi has been in detention for over four months and remains in an uncertain state. A source informed HRANA that Kazemi has been denied visitation rights and access to his lawyer. No legal proceedings have taken place regarding his case thus far.

Bijan Kazemi was transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison, on January 22, 2025. He was initially arrested by Intelligence Ministry agents in Kuhdasht, Lorestan province, on January 19, 2025.

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

Kazemi has previously faced legal action due to his activism.

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Drug-Related Offenses: Three Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

HRANA News Agency –In the early hours of Monday morning, June 2, three prisoners convicted of drug-related offenses were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, has confirmed the identities of two of the executed individuals as Ali Karami Nasr and Alireza Shahbazi, both from Kuhdasht. The identity of the third individual remains under investigation.

The three had previously been arrested on drug charges and sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of publication, neither prison authorities nor relevant state institutions have officially acknowledged the executions.

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year — a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

At Least Three Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison

HRANA News Agency –Today, February 26, 2025, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the execution of at least three prisoners. Among them, two were sentenced to death in separate murder cases, while the third was executed on charges of moharebeh (enmity against God) through direct involvement in an armed robbery.

HRANA has identified two of the executed individuals as Mosayeb Azizi from Arak and Sajad Eghbali from Kuhdasht, Lorestan province. Both had previously been arrested in separate murder cases and sentenced to death by the judiciary.

The identity of the third executed prisoner has not yet been confirmed. However, he had been sentenced to death on charges of moharebeh through direct involvement in an armed robbery. The Judiciary’s media center has released details of his case.

According to Mizan News, in September 2022, police officers patrolling the area grew suspicious of two motorcyclists. When the suspects attempted to flee, officers opened fire, eventually stopping and arresting them. Weapons were discovered in their possession, and they later confessed to carrying out a series of “violent robberies.” One of the suspects was sentenced to death, and after the Supreme Court upheld the verdict, the execution was carried out this morning.

As of the time of this report, prison and judicial authorities have not publicly announced these executions.

Sajad Eghbali
Sajad Eghbali

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Prisoner Executed in Karaj Central Prison for Drug-Related Offenses

On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, a prisoner previously sentenced to death for drug-related offenses was executed in Karaj Central Prison.

The prisoner has been identified by HRANA as Ehsan Basati Valiabad, a 31-year-old resident of Kuhdasht. HRANA has also reported that three other death-row inmates were executed in the same prison on the previous day.

According to HRANA’s findings, Mr. Basati was arrested in 2020 in Karaj on charges related to drug offenses and was subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. On Sunday, November 24, he was moved to solitary confinement in preparation for his execution.

As of this report, the execution has not been publicly announced by prison officials or other responsible authorities.
The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Prisoner Executed in Parsilon Prison, Khorramabad

On August 28, 2024, a prisoner previously sentenced to death on murder charges was executed in Parsilon Prison, Khorramabad.

HRANA has identified the prisoner as Meysam Hosseinkhani, a resident of Kuhdasht. He was previously arrested on murder charges and sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, the execution of this prisoner has not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.
According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Six Citizens Including Three School Students Arrested in Different Cities

Recently, related to nationwide protests, security forces arrested six citizens, including three school students in Kuhdasht, Takab, Tehran and Bushehr.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, six individuals, including three school students, were arrested by security forces in different cities.

HRANA has identified the students as Milad Jahangiri, Sirvan Malekian and Behzad Iranpour, all residents of Takab, West Azerbaijan Province.

Three other citizens have been identified as Amir Mohammadi in Tehran, Mohsen Teymoori in Kuhdasht (Lorestan Province) and Mehdi Omrani in Bushehr.

Mohammadi has been jailed in Great Tehran Penitentiary. The five other individuals’ whereabouts are still unknown.