The following is an overview of human rights violations in Iran on January 23rd, 2019 based on the information compiled and verified by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
(1) At least six protests were organized across the country on January 23, 2019. The municipality workers in Marivan, Borujerd, and Shadegan, the retired employees in Tehran, costumers of Kerman Motors in Tehran, and the families of victims’ of Sanchi oil tanker collision have held separate protests to request their redemands.
(2) The authorities of Evin prison refused to transfer Narges Mohammadi and Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe to a hospital. Mohammadi is in urgent need of medical care such as anti-seizure drugs.
(3) Esmat Salahshour was sentenced to five years imprisonment in Urmia, on the charge of “cooperation with a Kurdish opposition group”. Mokhtar Zarei has been tried in absentia and was sentenced to three years in prison. He is accused of “insulting the Supreme Leader” and “propaganda against the state”.
(4) Yashar Soltani, director of Memari News website, was sentenced to five years in prison, and was banned for two years form traveling, membership in any social or political group, and internet activism. He was arrested in 2016 after he reported on alleged corruption in Tehran’s municipal government.
(5) Majid Hosseini was released on bail today. He was transferred from solitary confinement to the quarantine ward of Evin prison recently. Arsham rezaei who was arrested with him, is still in prison. He was arrested with Arsham Rezaei on the charges of “insulting the Supreme Leader” and “collusion against the state”.
(6) Iraj Mohammadi was released on bail after ten days, in Miandoab. He was accused of “propaganda against the state” because a former political prisoner transferred the amount of money into Mohammadi’s bank account.
(7) Leila Mir-Ghaffari was sentenced to paying fines for de-veiling. In October she was sentenced to two-year in prison for having pointed to a picture on the wall. Mir-Ghaffari was initially detained for supporting the “Girls of Enghelab Street.”
(8) Rahman Jasbi Zargani who was married and had two children, was executed in Sepidar prison in Ahvaz on the charge of murder. He was accused of murdering his cousin in a fight in 2009. In 2018, at least 236 people have been executed and 195 people have been sentenced to death in Iran.
(9) Sepideh Gholian was detained in the Intelligence Ministry’s detention center in Ahvaz but Esmail Bakhshi ‘s whereabouts is still unknown. They have been rearrested after the broadcast of their under-torture confessions on the national television. Their families have been under pressure from security forces not to discuss the matter publicly. Moreover, Amnesty International warns that they are at grave risk of further torture.
(10) Saeed Shirzad, a political prisoner in Rajaee Shahr prison in Karaj, has been refused urgent medical care despite doctors requested his transfer to hospital for his severe kidneys’ failure a month ago. While the prosecutor’s office has assured that he would receive treatment a month ago, prison authorities have prevented this transfer.
(11) Two workers died and one was injured in Charmshahr village in Tehran province because of negligence in the oversight of safety conditions in their workplace. Iran ranked 102 in the workplace safety among other countries.
(12) Four female prisoners including a juvenile offender, accused of murder were spared from hanging on gallows by consent of next of kin in Shahr-e Rey prison. In addition, Sohrab Nosrati was saved from execution in Rajaee shahr prison in Karaj.
(13) Two thousand workers of Abadan municipality have unpaid wages. The workers of Ghoflkar Company in Qazvin have held a protest to request their unpaid wages on Tuesday.
(14) Ahwazi Arab citizens, Hassan Alvani, Malek Abdollahi, and Gheis Chaian have been arrested by security forces in Ahvaz and Shush. Their whereabouts are still unknown.
(15) Tehran appeals court sentenced Christian converted ,Majid Reza Souzanchi Kashani, to two-year prison term. He was charged with “membership in evangelical groups” and “evangelical-related activities”.
(16) The arrest of 11 poachers in Sarab and 160 illegal tree removals in Bandar Abbas have been reported by the Department of Enviroment.
