Two Citizens Arrested in Rask County, One Arrested in Mahabad City by Security Forces

On March 1, security forces arrested two citizens in Rask County. On March 5, a citizen in Mahabad City was arrested by security forces.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rasank news, two citizens identified as Zahed Hayat-Zehi and Abdolghafar Arbabi were arrested in Rask County. Reportedly, they have been transferred to Zahedan City.

Kurdpa reported that a citizen identified as Shahab Alizadeh was arrested in Mahabad City and was transferred to a detention centre at disposal of the Ministry of Intelligence.

The reasons for these arrests and charges are unknown at the time of this writing.

Ahmad Tamouei Freed After Fifteen Years in Prison

Political prisoner Ahmad Tamouei was freed on December 16 after fifteen years in prison, ten months before serving his full sentence. He is currently on furlough and therefore, by court order, will not return to Urmia Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Tamouei was arrested by IRGC’s intelligence unit  on October 24, 2007. He was arrested by in Mahabad City while on a motorbike.

After spending time in a detention facility at the disposal of the IRGC, he was relocated to Mahabad Prison. On December 31, 2007, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to 15 years in prison, exiled in Urmia Prison on the charge of “enmity against the God through membership in Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK)”. The verdict was upheld on appeal. On September 8, 2008, he was transferred to Urmia Prison where he has been held until now.

Amir Bayazidi Azar and Ghasem Azizian Summoned and Sent to Prison to Endure Their Sentences

Amir Bayazidi Azar and Ghasem Azizian, both of Mahabad City, were summoned to Mahabad Prison this past week to serve their respective sentences. Azar left on Saturday to begin a three month sentence, while Azizan left Monday to serve a 28 month sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, both men had previously been tried and sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Mahabad, and both verdicts were upheld on appeal.

Azar was arrested by security forces on January 16, 2021. After being held for three days in the detention centre of the Ministry of Intelligence, he was relocated to Mahabad prison. On February 7, 2021, he was released on bail. Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to three months in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime”.

Similarly, Azizian was arrested by security forces on May 21, 2021. After interrogation, he was transferred to Mahabad prison. On July 19, 2021, he was released on bail. Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to 28 months in prison on charges of “membership in an opposing political party”.

Two Workers Killed Due to Unsafe Workplace Conditions in Zanjan and Mahabad

On Saturday, November 27 and Sunday, November 28th,  two workers lost their lives in workplace accidents in Mahabad and Zanjan cities, respectively.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rokna news, on Sunday, November 28,  a worker was killed in an explosion at a welding workshop in Zanjan City. Jafari Roohi, head of Zanjan’s Emergency Medical Center, commented on the incident.

“Two ambulances were dispatched to the spot. The injured man, 30 years old, had been killed right after the explosion,” Roohi said. He added that the victim died due to the explosion of a gas tank in a welding workshop.

In Mahabad, according to ILNA, a construction worker fell from the third floor of an under-construction building and lost his life.

“Today, a-31 year-old worker who was concreting a column construction fell from the third floor and died immediately,” the Mahabad Chief of Police commented.

Iran ranks 102nd in workplace safety among 189 countries.

 

Omar Sharifi Bukani Arrested in Tehran and Transferred to Unknown Location

On Thursday, November 11, security forces arrested Tehran resident Omar Sharifi Bukani and then transferred him to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, security forces arrested 70-year-old Sharifi Bukani without a warrant at his home in Tehran.

Mr. Sharifi Bukani was reportedly arrested once previously, in 1992, on a charge of “membership in one of the opposition political parties” and then sentenced to seven years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Mahabad City. He was released in 1998 after serving out his sentence in Urmia Prison.

The reasons for yesterday’s arrest, along with Mr. Sharifi Bukani’s current whereabouts, are unknown as of this writing.

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Three Inmates Including a Juvenile Offender Executed in Urmia Prison Despite Pleas from Amnesty International

At dawn on Sunday, July 4, three prisoners, one of whom was a juvenile offender, were executed in Urmia Prison despite Amnesty International’s pleas for the execution to be halted.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the three prisoners, who had previously been sentenced to death for murder, were transferred to solitary confinement the day before the sentence was carried out.

HRANA has confirmed the identities of the three prisoners as juvenile offender Baha-al-din Ghasemzadeh, Baha-al-din’s brother, Davood Ghasemzadeh, a native of the Salmas, and  Anwar Abdollahi, a native of Mahabad City in West Azerbaijan Province.

HRANA previously reported on the deteriorating physical condition of the two imprisoned brothers in June of 2018. The Gasemzadeh brothers were executed this Sunday even though Baha al-din was a child at the time of his arrest, and Davood had severe spinal cord injuries from beatings sustained during his detention.

Recently, in an interview with Agence France-Presse, Secretary of the state-run High Council for Human Rights, MajidTafreshi, said that the Islamic Republic executes juvenile offenders “three to four times a year”, and claimed this should not be considered a human rights violation.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1st and December 20th of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed. One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

“Iranian authorities must immediately stop the execution of Baha al-din Ghasemzadeh,” Amnesty International tweeted the day before the execution took place.  “The imposition of the death penalty on those who were children at the time of the crime is a gross violation of Iran’s international rights and obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.”