Prisoner Executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht, for Drug-Related Offenses

At dawn today, December 3, a prisoner previously sentenced to death on charges related to drug offenses was executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

HRANA has identified the prisoner as Hassan Sa’adati. He was previously arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing. In 2023, 66% of HRANA’s reports on executions lacked official announcements by judicial authorities and went unreported by media inside Iran, highlighting a troubling lack of transparency in due process.

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.

Prolonged Legal Limbo: Fariborz Sebghatollahi Held Without Trial in Rasht

Fariborz Sebghatollahi, a political detainee from Astara, has been held in legal limbo at Lakan Prison in Rasht for over 130 days.

HRANA’s sources report that he was charged in a Rasht prosecutor’s office on suspicion of membership in an opposition group. For the past 136 days, he has been held without resolution in Lakan Prison, and no court hearing has been scheduled.

Sebghatollahi was arrested on July 17, 2024, by Astara Intelligence Ministry agents. He was initially detained at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Astara for two days before being transferred to the Ministry’s detention center in Rasht. After interrogation, he was moved to Lakan Prison.

Previously, a source informed HRANA: “Sebghatollahi was repeatedly subjected to interrogations, psychological torture, threats against his family, and humiliation while in detention at the Ministry of Intelligence facility in Rasht. During his arrest, his daughter, daughter-in-law, ex-wife, and several friends were also detained but later released.”

Sebghatollahi, approximately 50 years old, resides in Astara.

Prisoner Executed in Lakan Prison for Drug-Related Charges

At dawn on Saturday, November 16, 2024, a prisoner convicted of drug-related charges was executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the prisoner has been identified as Mehdi Gilani.

Mr. Gilani had been arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant officials have not announced the execution.

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.

Two Prisoners Executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht

On November 7, 2024, the death sentences of two prisoners convicted of drug-related charges were carried out in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

One of the executed prisoners has been identified as Majid Jamali. The identity of the other prisoner, a woman, is still under investigation.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, the prisoners had been arrested on drug-related charges and sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant officials have not officially announced the executions.

According to latest HRANA’s annual report over between October 10, 2023, and October 8, 2024, at least 811 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, rising to 23.06% compared to the same period last year. Of these executions, four were carried out in public. Many of the defendants were denied a fair trial.

Mahsa Jalal Badiei Transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht to Serve Her Sentence

Mahsa Jalal Badiei, a resident of Rasht, was arrested and transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht on Sunday, October 13, to serve her prison sentence.

A source close to the family confirmed to HRANA that “Ms. Badiei was arrested on Sunday, October 13, after reporting to branch 5 of the Enforcement Office of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht and was transferred to prison.” She had previously been summoned to this branch via a court notification.

On May 13 of this year, Ms. Badiei was arrested by security forces and released six days later after posting bail.

She was later sentenced by the Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht, presided over by Judge Mehdi Rasekhi, to seven months and 16 days in prison for “propaganda against the regime” and to three years and six months in prison for “conducting educational and promotional activities against Islamic Shaira.” Additionally, she was deprived of her social rights for 10 years.

Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the most severe punishment—three years and six months in prison—will be enforced.

According to information obtained by HRANA, her conviction stemmed from online activities including converting banned books into audio files and distributing them, supporting political figures, and participating in nationwide protests in 2022.

Badiei, born in 1985, is a mother of one child.

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Five Women Sentenced to Over Twenty Years in Prison Combined for Political Charges

According to Hyrkani, Nina Golestani, Rozita Rajayi, Anahita Hejazi, Negin Edalatkhah, and Anahita Doostdar have each been sentenced to four years, one month, and seventeen days in prison by the Rasht Revolutionary Court.

The charges against them include “assembly and collusion to commit a crime” and “propaganda against the regime.”

Anahita Hejazi, an animal rights activist from Rasht, Rozita Rajayi, Nina Golestani, a writer, Negin Edalatkhah, and Anahita Doostdar were arrested by security forces in Rasht on November 11 of 2023. They were released on bail from Lakan Prison in Rasht after a period of detention.

Continued Hunger Strike: Latest Update on Manouchehr Fallah in Lakan Prison, Rasht

Despite his deteriorating physical condition, political prisoner Manouchehr Fallah continues his hunger strike in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

A source close to Fallah’s family confirmed this news to HRANA, stating, “Manouchehr Fallah, who is on hunger strike, is suffering from low blood pressure of 7 over 5, fatigue, and cold hands and feet. The prison authorities have not only ignored his demands, but the case judge announced yesterday that his case, under controlt of the criminal court, must be reviewed again by the prosecution office.”

The source added, “Fallah’s sentence related to the Revolutionary Court case was completed in May of this year, but another part of his case is still under review. On Tuesday, Javad Pour Sajedi, the investigator in charge of his case and the investigator of Branch 16 of the Revolutionary Court, asked him to end his hunger strike, but he refused. On the same day, Manouchehr received a notice stating that his temporary release could be granted if he posts a 5 billion toman bail. Manouchehr subsequently wrote a letter requesting the reconsideration of the bail amount, but he has not received a response due to obstruction by the case investigator.”
It is worth noting that five other political prisoners in this prison, identified as Issa Chulandim, Jamshid Azizi, Hooman Taheri, Sasan Khanzadeh, and Mohammad Miri, have announced in a letter that they joined Manouchehr Fallah’s hunger strike on Sunday, August 11.

Fallah was arrested by security forces at Rasht Airport in June 2022 and was eventually transferred to Lakan Prison in this city.

In December 2023, Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht sentenced him to one year, three months, and one day of imprisonment for “insulting the Supreme Leader” and seven months and sixteen days for “propaganda against the regime.”

Manouchehr Fallah, a tattoo artist, resided in Kish before his arrest.

 

Inmate Executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht

At dawn on Wednesday, July 17th, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death for murder was carried out in Lakan Prison, Rasht, according to a report by Iranian Human Rights Organization.

His identity has been reported as “Taher Sadeghi.”

According to the report, Taher Sadeghi was arrested about three years ago on charges of murder and was subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered the execution of 767 individuals. Out of these, 7 were carried out in public. Among the executed individuals whose genders were identified, 21 were female. Additionally, 2 juvenile offenders, defined as individuals under the age of 18 at the time of their alleged crimes, were also executed.

Three Women’s Rights Activists Arrested to Serve Prison Sentences

On Wednesday, July 17, Hooman Taheri, Sara Jahani, and Yasamin Heshdari, three women’s rights activists in Gilan, were arrested and transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht after reporting to the Enforcement of Judgments department.

A source close to one of the activists’ families confirmed this news to HRANA, saying, “These individuals were summoned to the Enforcement of Judgments department of the Rasht Prosecutor’s Office simultaneously with the arrest of Zahra (Fatemeh) Dadras on July 10.”
The case of these individuals, along with eight other women’s rights activists in Gilan named Forough Saminia, Zahra (Fatemeh) Dadras, Zahra Dadras, Shiva Shah-Siah, Negin Rezaei, Azadeh Chavoshian, Matin Yazdani, and Jelveh Javaheri, was referred to the Enforcement of Judgments department in late June this year.

These eleven women’s rights activists were separately arrested by security forces in Gilan on August 16 and 17, 2023. Zahra Dadras was released on bail from Lakan Prison on September 17 of last year, and Zohreh Dadras was released on October 1 of the same year.

On February 29, 2024, a court session was held to address the charges against them in a joint case at Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht, presided over by Judge Mehdi Rasekhi. Their initial verdicts were issued by this branch in early March of this year.

Their sentences were confirmed on May 28 of this year by Branch 11 of the Gilan Provincial Court of Appeal, presided over by Judge Mohammad Sadegh Iran Agideh.

According to the issued verdict, Zohreh Dadras was sentenced to nine years, six months, and two days in prison for “forming a group to disrupt national security” and “assembly and collusion against national security.” Zahra Dadras was sentenced to six years, one month, and seventeen days in prison for “membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.”

Additionally, other defendants in this case were also sentenced to prison. Farough Samiei Nia, Sara Jahani, Yasmin Hashdari, Shiva Shah Siah, Negin Rezaei, Azadeh Chavooshian, and Matin Yazdani were each sentenced to six years, one month, and seventeen days in prison, while Jelveh Javaheri and Hooman Taheri were each sentenced to one year for “propaganda against the regime.”

Women’s Rights Activists Zohreh and Zahra Dadras Arrested to Commence Serving Their Sentences

Zahra (Fatemeh) Dadras and Zohreh Dadras, women’s rights activists in Gilan province, were arrested to serve their prison sentences and transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht on July 10, 2024.

Abolfazl Ghorbani, the lawyer for these two women’s rights activists, announced: “At 9 AM today, Zohreh (Fatemeh) Dadras was detained and transferred to the Enforcement of Judgments department without prior summons or notice. Similarly, Zahra Dadras was arrested at 12 PM today after appearing at the Criminal Sentences Execution branch. Both sisters were then transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht.”

Hirakani News Agency announced today that the other nine defendants in this case, Forough Saminia, Sara Jahani, Yasamin Hashdari, Shiva Shah Sia, Negin Rezaie, Azadeh Chavoshian, Matin Yazdani, Hooman Taheri and Jelveh Javaheri, have also been summoned to the Revolutionary the Enforcement of Judgments office in Rasht by phone.

These women’s rights activists were separately arrested by security forces in Gilan on August 16 and 17, 2023. Zahra Dadras was released on bail from Lakan Prison on September 17 of last year, and Zohreh Dadras was released on October 1 of the same year.

On February 29, 2024, a court session was held to address the charges against them in a joint case at Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht, presided over by Judge Mehdi Rasekhi. Their initial verdicts were issued by this branch in early March of this year.

Their sentences were confirmed on May 28 of this year by Branch 11 of the Gilan Provincial Court of Appeal, presided over by Judge Mohammad Sadegh Iran Agideh.

According to the issued verdict, Zohreh Dadras was sentenced to nine years, six months, and two days in prison for “forming a group to disrupt national security” and “assembly and collusion against national security.” Zahra Dadras was sentenced to six years, one month, and seventeen days in prison for “membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.”

Additionally, other defendants in this case were also sentenced to prison. Farough Samiei Nia, Sara Jahani, Yasmin Hashdari, Shiva Shah Siah, Negin Rezaei, Azadeh Chavooshian, and Matin Yazdani were each sentenced to six years, one month, and seventeen days in prison, while Jelveh Javaheri and Hooman Taheri were each sentenced to one year for “propaganda against the regime.”