Tag: Mizan

Individual Sentenced to Death in Urmia On Charges of “Espionage”

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Espionage, Mizan, Urmia

The judiciary’s news agency, Mizan, has reported that a citizen in Urmia has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court on charges of “espionage for Israel.” Just a day earlier, the judiciary spokesperson announced that three others in Urmia had also been sentenced to death in a separate case on similar charges.

According to the judiciary’s media center, the accused had been under investigation for alleged “espionage for Israel and collaboration with the Mossad intelligence agency.” Following an indictment, the case was submitted to the Revolutionary Court in Urmia, where the defendant ultimately received a preliminary death sentence. The report did not disclose the identity of the accused.

In the separate case, the judiciary spokesperson claimed that, beyond “espionage,” the three other individuals were allegedly involved in “transferring assassination equipment” intended for a senior Iranian nuclear program official, under the cover of alcohol smuggling.

Although espionage charges are not classified as human rights violations, such accusations are often met with skepticism due to Iran’s history of leveraging espionage allegations against political dissidents, especially in cases where legal proceedings and case details remain opaque.

Swedish National Johan Floderus Faces Fourth Court Session While in Detention

Posted on by . .
News, Other
Iman Afshari, Johan Floderus, Mizan

On January 14, 2024, Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, reported that Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, led by Judge Iman Afshari, conducted the fourth court session addressing the charges against detained Swedish citizen Johan Floderus.

The court session included the board of judges, the prosecutor’s representative, defense attorneys, an interpreter, and the Chargé d’affaires of the Swedish Embassy. Floderus is accused of various charges, including “spreading corruption on earth” and “espionage.”

After previously refuting the charges in the last session, Floderus responded to questions from the prosecutor’s representative during this court meeting.

Mizan reported that the proceedings focused on Floderus’ communications, including “documented” emails from his cell phone, his associations with the Swedish Ministry of Defense and Army, as well as his meetings with intelligence agents from several European countries. The defendant was also questioned about his motive for learning Farsi.

Furthermore, the prosecutor’s representative stated that no new charges or re-interrogations would be introduced.

In April 2022, Floderus visited Iran. As he was departing Iran on April 16, 2022, he was detained by the Ministry of Intelligence at the airport on charges of espionage.

In July, the Ministry of Intelligence issued a statement asserting that Floderus had made multiple trips to Iran. During his last visit, he was allegedly on a mission to uncover the identity of another spy who had been apprehended in Iran. Intelligence agents monitored his communications and, after accumulating evidence, arrested him under a warrant issued by the judiciary.

It is worth noting that on May 6, 2022, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed his detention in Iran. The Swedish daily newspaper Aftonbladet described his arrest as a retaliatory move by Iran’s regime in response to the trial of Hamid Nouri, a prominent figure involved in the 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners. Nouri had been arrested in November 2019 in Sweden and subsequently convicted of crimes against humanity.

Trial Commences for Swedish National Johan Floderus

Posted on by . .
Other
Aftonbladet, Iman Afshari, Johan Floderus, Mizan, Sweden, Tehran Revolutionary Court

On December 10, 2023, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court initiated proceedings in the trial of Johan Floderus, a Swedish citizen facing charges of “spreading corruption on earth” and “espionage,” as reported by Mizan, Iran’s judiciary news agency.

Presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, the court session saw Floderus, accompanied by his legal representative, contesting the array of charges leveled against him, which include “spreading corruption on earth” and “undermining national security by collaborating with Israel to gather intelligence.” Throughout the proceedings, the prosecutor asserted that Floderus had allegedly “established a network in Iran in conjunction with the Swedish Intelligence service, engaged in activism aimed at overthrowing the regime, disguised fund transfers to Iran as part of a project, traveled to Israel, and collaborated with Israeli Intelligence within the European Union.”

Floderus was formally indicted in November of the current year.

In April 2022, Floderus visited Iran. As he was departing Iran on April 16, 2022, he was detained by the Ministry of Intelligence at the airport on charges of espionage.

In July, the Ministry of Intelligence issued a statement asserting that Floderus had made multiple trips to Iran. During his last visit, he was allegedly on a mission to uncover the identity of another spy who had been apprehended in Iran. Intelligence agents monitored his communications and, after accumulating evidence, arrested him under a warrant issued by the judiciary.

It is worth noting that on May 6, 2022, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed his detention in Iran. The Swedish daily newspaper Aftonbladet described his arrest as a retaliatory move by Iran’s regime in response to the trial of Hamid Nouri, a prominent figure involved in the 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners. Nouri had been arrested in November 2019 in Sweden and subsequently convicted of crimes against humanity.

Swedish Johan Floderus Faces Indictment in Iran

Posted on by . .
News
Hamid Nouri, Johan Floderus, Mizan, Sweden

The Iranian Judiciary spokesperson has announced the indictment of Swedish Diplomat Johan Floderus, as reported by Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency.

In a press conference, Setayeshi revealed that Floderus’s case has been forwarded to the court.

In April 2022, Floderus visited Iran. As he was departing Iran on April 16, 2022, he was detained by the Ministry of Intelligence at the airport on charges of espionage.

In July, the Ministry of Intelligence issued a statement asserting that Floderus had made multiple trips to Iran. During his last visit, he was allegedly on a mission to uncover the identity of another spy who had been apprehended in Iran. Intelligence agents monitored his communications and, after accumulating evidence, arrested him under a warrant issued by the judiciary.

It is worth noting that on May 6, 2022, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed his detention in Iran. The Swedish daily newspaper Aftonbladet described his arrest as a retaliatory move by Iran’s regime in response to the trial of Hamid Nouri, a prominent figure involved in the 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners. Nouri had been arrested in November 2019 in Sweden and subsequently convicted of crimes against humanity.

Three Iranians Living Abroad Detained by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Iran prisoner swap, Mizan

The Ministry of Intelligence has detained three Iranian individuals residing abroad, accusing them of “leading protests” in Iran, according to a report by Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency. Mizan has also released a video featuring their “coerced confessions.”

The report asserts that the detainees were living in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States. Mizan mentions the identities of two of these individuals as Yaser (last name undisclosed) and Erfan (last name undisclosed), but it provides no information about the third person’s identity.

The report does not specify whether these individuals hold dual foreign citizenship or have solely obtained residency in the mentioned countries (UK, Germany, and the US).

Based on the published video, it appears that these individuals were apprehended upon their return to Iran.

These arrests follow a recent prisoner swap deal between Iran and Western countries in recent months and precede the imminent release of Iran’s frozen assets. Many observers believe that the Iranian government detains foreign and dual nationals to exert leverage in negotiations with Western countries or for political purposes.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Renowned Iranian Actress Shohreh Ghamar Arrested

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Iranian actress, Mizan, Shohreh Ghamar

On July 26, 2023, Shohreh Ghamar, an Iranian actress aged 29, was arrested on charges of allegedly “publishing insulting content on the Internet.” As a result of these accusations, she was taken to an undisclosed location.

The news of her arrest was reported by Tasnim. On the same day, Mizan, the judiciary’s official news agency, reported that Shohreh Ghamar is facing legal action for her alleged role in “publishing insulting content causing psychological insecurity in society.”

However, at this time, the specific details regarding the charges leveled against Ghamar and the location of her detention remain undisclosed.

Execution of Four Inmates in Khorramabad and Bandar Abbas Revealed

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Bandar-Abbas, HRANA, Khorramabad, Mizan, Yaser Golzardian

On July 2, 2023, an inmate convicted of drug-related crimes was executed in Parseylun Prison, located in Khorramabad Province.

The individual has been identified as Yaser Golzardian, according to HRANA. Having been transferred to solitary confinement the day prior, he awaited his execution.

As of the time of this report, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have made any mention of this particular execution.

In a separate incident, Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, disclosed the execution of three inmates at Bandar Abbas prison on July 4. These death-row prisoners had received sentences of death for committing rape. The individuals, working as nurses and technicians, reportedly exploited their positions to sexually assault victims by administering anesthesia under the pretense of a beauty procedure. However, the report did not provide details about the identities of the executed individuals.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

Four Individuals Arrested in Bukan

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Amir Sahabi, Basij, Bukan, Mizan

The Chief Justice of West Azerbaijan Province announced that four individuals were arrested in relation to killing Amir Sahabi, a Basij militia force in Bukan, amid recent nationwide protests.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, four individuals were arrested in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province.

Without disclosing their identities, this judicial official accused the detainees of “killing Amir Sahabi, a Basij militia force in Bukan”, during “unrest” in last November.

“There is sufficient evidence for their arrests as these four people have admitted that they were on spot at the time,” he claimed.

This report did not mention the detainees’ whereabouts and the allegations.

Three European Nationals Charged with Espionage

Posted on by . .
News, Other
detained Belgian, detained French, Espionage, Mizan

The spokesperson of Iran’s judiciary announced that three detained foreign nationals, two French and one Belgian, have been indicted on allegedly “espionage, assembly and collusion against national security.”

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Mizan, two French nationals and one Belgian have been charged with “espionage, assembly and collusion against national security.”

This judicial official did not reveal these individuals’ identities.

 

Five Protestors Awaiting Looming Execution in the Central Prison of Karaj

Posted on by . .
Executions, Freedom of Expression, News
Hadith Najafi, Hamid Ghara-Hasanlu, Hossein Mohammadi, Mizan, Mohammad-Mehdi Karami, Seyyed-Mohammad Hosseini

Recently, the Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced five people arrested at protests to death. These death-row prisoners, Mohammad-Mehdi Karami, Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini, Hamid Ghara-Hasanlu and Hossein Mohammadi, are currently jailed in the Central Prison of Karaj.

About incidents that happened during protests on the 40th day of Hadith Najafi’s death, these individuals were arrested and faced the charge of “spreading corruption on earth” and then sentenced to death.

Initially, the Judiciary mentioned eleven co-defendants in this legal case. Later, however, Mizan, Judiciary’s official media, mentioned 15 people. In the third court session, Hossein Mohammadi was added to the defendants, raising the number to 16.

During the trial, none of the defendants did not access to a private lawyer. They have been also reportedly tortured to confess and accept the charges.