Tag: Lakan prison

Hamzeh Darvish Receives 14-Year Exile Prison Sentence

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News, Prisoners
Ahmad Darvish Goftar, Hamzeh Darvish, Lakan prison, Rasht, sunni prisoner, Syria, Turkey

The Rasht Revolutionary Court has handed a 14-year prison sentence in exile to Hamzeh Darvish, a Sunni prisoner who faced charges brought against him while incarcerated.

This decision was reached based on a verdict issued by presiding Judge Ahmad Darvish Goftar on July 30. According to the judgment, Darvish has been sentenced to five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” five years for “assisting in deliberate destruction to defy the regime,” two years for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” and two years for “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Due to the charge of “setting fire to a prison building,” he is to serve his sentence in exile in Ramhormoz, Khuzestan province. The period of his detention has been taken into account.

The verdict restricts visitation rights to only his family and relatives during his time in exile. The ruling stipulates that, upon expressing genuine remorse, he may be eligible for a pardon from the Supreme Leader after serving one year in exile.

The verdict is subject to appeal at the Supreme Court of Iran within 20 days of its issuance.

Darvish’s journey through adversity began in 2014 when he was deceived by ISIS forces into traveling to Turkey and later to Syria, as he claims. Following a period of confinement in an ISIS jail, he managed to escape and returned to Iran, where he surrendered himself to security forces.

After spending a year in detention, he was initially released on bail. However, he was subsequently rearrested and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. On May 11, 2020, he was transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison to Lakan Prison, where he continues to serve his ongoing sentence.

Two Baha’i Citizens Arrested in Rasht

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News, Religious Minorities
Anisa Samieian, Baha'i citizens, Lakan prison, Mojgan Samimi, Shiva Kashani-Nejad, Vesal Momtazi

Last Wednesday, July 19, Baha’i citizens Shiva Kashani-Nejad (Samieian) and Mojgan Samimi were separately arrested by security forces in Rasht, Gilan Province.

Reliable sources disclosed to HRANA that the Ministry of Intelligence was responsible for their arrests. Both were apprehended at their respective residences, with the agents conducting searches and confiscating some of their belongings.

While Samimi managed to call her family and inform them of her detention at Lakan Prison, Kashani-Nejad has not yet been granted the opportunity to contact her family, leaving her loved ones anxious about her whereabouts.

According to another source, Samimi is facing charges of “propaganda against the regime.”

In a related matter, Anisa Samieian, Kashani-Nejad’s daughter, and her husband Vesal Momtazi recently received a combined sentence of nine years and six months from the Rasht Revolutionary Court, further heightening concerns over the treatment of Baha’i citizens in the region.

The deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a breach of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Samaneh Nowruz Moradi Arrested in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Lakan prison, Rasht, Samaneh Nowruz Moradi, Tehran

On April 24, security forces arrested political prisoner Samaneh Nowruz Moradi at her house in Tehran and took her to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on April 24, 2023, political prisoner Samaneh Nowruz Moradi was arrested in Tehran.

The reasons for this arrest and the allegations against Moradi are unknown.

Moradi, age 35, has faced other arrests and incarceration for her civil activities in the past. On April 5, 2021, she was released on bond from Lakan Prison, Rasht, after the representative of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office agreed on the suspension of the prison sentence.

Poet Sara Mottaghi Arrested in Rasht

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News
Gilan province, Lakan prison, Rasht, Sara Mottaghi, Sepandarmazgan

On February 28, 2023, poet Sara Mottaghi was arrested and jailed in Lakan Prison in Rasht.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 28, 2023, Sara Mottaghi, age 26, was arrested in Rasht, Gilan Province.

An informed source told HRANA, “Mottaghi was summoned to the Investigation office of Rasht Courthouse, arrested and taken to Lakan Prison.”

“She was summoned for writing about the commemoration of ancient Iranian day of women (Sepandarmazgan), which was deemed by the Ministry of Intelligence insulting to Twelve Imams of Shia Islam,” the source added.

Three Inmates Executed in Rasht and Karaj

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Executions, News
Amir Abbasi, Hassan Amini, Karaj, Lakan prison, Rasht, Reza Tajik

On December 15, 2022, three inmates convicted of murder and drug-related crimes were executed in Lakan Prison in Rasht and the Central Prison of Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on December 15, 2022, quoting Iran Human Rights Organization, Hassan Amini and Amir Abbasi were executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht, Gilan Province.

These individuals were previously sentenced to death for murder.

Also, an Afghan national identified as Reza Tajik convicted of drug-related crimes was executed in the Central Prison of Karaj.

 

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Civil Rights Activist Peyman Sokooti Still in Detention  

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Gilaki Civil Rights Activist, irgc, Lakan prison, Peyman Sokooti

Gilaki civil rights activist Peyman Sokooti has been detained for the past three months in Lakan Prison, awaiting due process while he is denied access to a lawyer.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, civil rights activist from Gilan Province Peyman Sokooti has been detained for three months.

Sokooti has been charged with “acting against national security through membership in anti-regime groups, insulting the Supreme Leader and propaganda against the regime”.

On May 23, 2022, security forces arrested Sokooti, held him for ten days in an IRGC detention facility, and then transferred him to Lakan Prison in Rasht.

Two Christian Converts Jailed in Lakan and Evin Prisons for Sentencing

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, News
Fariba Dalir, Lakan prison, Sekineh Behjati

On Saturday, April 16, 2022, Christian convert Sekineh Behjati was sent to Lakan Prison in Rasht for sentencing. On the same day, another Christian convert Fariba Dalir was jailed in Evin Prison to serve her two-year sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Saturday, April 16, 2022, Sekineh Behjati was jailed in Lakan Prison to serve her two-year sentence.

In February of 2020, along with three other Christian converts, Behjat was arrested by security forces at her house on the charges of “propaganda against the regime, and assembly and collusion against national security”. In May 2022, in her first court session held by Branch 10 of the Revolutionary court of Rasht, Behjat was granted a bail of 500 million tomans. Since she was not able to provide the bail, she was transferred to Lakan prison, until six days later, when she was released after the bail was reduced to 200 million tomans.

Subsequently, the court sentenced her to two years in prison on the charges of “acting against national security through organizing a home church service and propaganda against the regime through preaching evangelical Christianity.”

Similarly, Article 18 News Outlet reported the imprisonment of another Christian Convert Farbia Dalir in Evin Prison. She had been sentenced to five years in prison on the charge of “acting against national security through establishing a home church service”. Later on, this verdict was  reduced to two years in prison. Dalir had been arrested on July 19, 2021, along with five other Christian converts.

The persecution of Christian converts stands in 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 and freedom to express it openly or secretly.

 

 

Civil Activist Atena Daemi Released from Lakan Prison in Rasht City

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Atena Daemi, Evin Prison, Exile, Lakan prison

On January 24, civil activist Atena Daemi was granted an early release and freed from Lakan Prison in Rasht. Since December of 2016, she was spending her sentence in Evin Prison until March 2021 when she was sent to exile in Lakan Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Daemi was arrested on October 21, 2014 and was sentenced on May 15, 2015. Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced her to 14 years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion to act against national security” and “offensive statements against the supreme leader of Iran.” This verdict was reduced to 7 years on appeal. The severest punishment of five years was enforceable from these two charges.

Daemi began serving her sentence in 2016 in Evin Prison. In 2018, while still in jail, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran opened a new case against her and Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee on a new charge of “membership in anti-regime groups”. She was sentenced to an additional three years and seven months and the verdict was upheld on appeal. Per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest punishment of two years and one month was enforceable.

In July 2020, she was sentenced to two years and 74 lashes in another new case, this time opened by Branch 24 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. Her request for a retrial was dismissed. During this time, she and her family were consistently pressured by judicial and security forces.

On March 16, 2021, she was transferred at night from Evin Prison to Lakan Prison to spend the rest of her sentence in exile.

Four Inmates Executed in Prisons in Shiraz, Rasht and Kerman

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Adel Abad, Adel-Abad Prison, Adelabad Prison, Baloch, Gholjai, Kerman, Kerman prison, Lakan, Lakan prison, Maarouf Gholipur, Secret executions, Shams-e-din Gholjai, Shiraz, Zahedan

Four inmates were recently executed in Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz, Lakan Prison in Rasht and Kerman Prison.

On Thursday, November 18, two inmates who had been convicted of murder were executed in Lakan Prison in Rasht city, and another inmate who had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges was executed in Kerman Prison.

Additionally, last Sunday, November 14, an inmate who was previously convicted of murder was executed in Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz City.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Iran Human Rights Organization, Mostafa Asadpur and Mojtaba Bagheri, 35 and 40 years old respectively, were executed in Lakan Prison in Rasht.

“The prison officials announced that the executions will be carried out next Saturday but they executed them today on Thursday,” the report quoted from an informed source.

The Baloch Activists Campaign reports that Shams-e-din Gholjai the resident of Zahden was executed in Zahedan Prison.

In another report, Maarouf Gholipur, who was 41 years old and a resident of Kazerun City, was executed in Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz.

The most recent report of the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between October 8 of 2020 and October 9 of 2021, at least 266 citizens, three of whom were juvenile offenders, were executed and 90 citizens were sentenced to death.

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 82% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

None of these executions have been reported by official sources in Iran as of this writing.

Concerns Increase about Atena Daemi’s Condition in Rasht Prison After Two Months Incommunicado

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners, Women
Arena, Atena (Fatemeh) Daemi, Atena Daemi, Daemi, Evin, Evin Prison, Goldrokh Ebrahimi, Lakan, Lakan prison, Mohammad, Mohammad Moghiseh, Rasht

After two months in detention, civil activist Atena Daemi is still incommunicado in Rasht’s Lakan Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, her family has not heard from her or received updates about her condition in two weeks, and it seems she is being denied access to phone calls, mounting concern about her situation.

On August 12, in protest against the intentional and frequent interruption of prison phone lines and the poor conditions within the prison, Atena Daemi went on a hunger strike. She broke her hunger strike after five days, after authorities restored her access to a telephone. However, according to an informed source, even at the time, she had been allowed to have only five minutes of phone time with the presence of a prison guard or at the office of the head of the prison.

Atena (Fatemeh) Daemi was sentenced to 14 years in prison on May 15, 2015, by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Mohammad Moghiseh, on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security, propaganda against the regime, and offensive statements against the supreme leader”. The verdict was reduced to seven years in the court of appeal, from which five years is enforceable grounded on Article 134 of the Islamic penal code.

She began serving her prison term in December 2016. In 2018, while enduring her sentence in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, she and Golrokh Ebrahimi, another civil activist, faced a new case, for which they were sentenced to an additional three years and seven months in prison by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran.

The verdict was upheld by the court of appeal. By applying Article 134, two years and one month of this term are enforceable. Additionally, they were condemned to a two-year prohibition from membership in political groups and parties.

Once again, in July 2020, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran opened a new case and sentenced her to two years imprisonment and flogging of 74 lashes. Her request for a retrial was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Iran in March 2021. She and her family have been frequently under pressure by security forces and judiciary officials.

On March 16 of this year, she was transferred from Evin Prison to Lakan Prison in Rasht.