A Daily Overview of Human Rights Violations in Iran for January 11, 2019

The following is an overview of human rights violations in Iran on January 11th, 2019 based on the information compiled and verified by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

(1) Tohid Ghoreishi was transferred to Evin prison after an attack to Sunni prisoners’ ward in Rajai-shahr prison by the Special Forces. He is facing new accusations while serving the last months of his seven years sentence.

(2) Esmail Bakhshi ‘s lawyer confirmed that none of the Iranian authorities have reached out to him regarding his complaint. He wrote a letter explaining his torture in prison and called on the Minister of Intelligence for a debate concerning torture and abuse in prisons.

(3) In a bus rollover in Assaluyeh on Thursday, 13 workers of Bushehr Petrochemical Company were injured.

(4) Nasrollah Lashani a political prisoner, ended his hunger strike. He was on hunger strike since January 7, 2019, protesting mistreatment by the prison officials and being banned from having visitors. Lashani is a Nationalist-Religious Activist who was accused of ‘propaganda against the state’ and was sentenced to six years in prison. He was beaten and insulted in front of his wife and his 8-years-old son during a family visit on December 26, 2018.

(5) Expulsion of Shayan Manavi, a Baha’i Civil Engineering student from Azad University of Qods due to his faith. Baha’i students in Iran routinely experience denial of entrance to university or expulsion during their studies.

(6) The parliament authorities have shown concern about Zahra Navidpour ‘s death. She accused a member of parliament for repeatedly raping her. She reported that there were several women who had been raped by Salman Khodadadi but did not file a complaint, fearing their lives.

(7) Mostafa Mostafavi, a Sunni prisoner, had been held for 27 days in a solitary confinement of the intelligence office before he was transferred to Urmia prison. He is accused of ‘cooperation with Kurdish opposition groups’.

(8) A prisoner who was sentenced to death on the charge of murder, was saved from the gallows by the intercession of Imam of Friday prayers and forgiveness of the next of kin in Andimeshk after six years.

(9) A manager of a clothing retailer was arrested and her business was closed down in Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh in Gilan province because of advertising in social media. In October, several photographers were arrested in Shiraz because of ‘inappropriate content’ in their Instagram account.

(10) Several customers of the Iranian automobile manufacturers in protest to the company’s false promises to deliver their purchased car and fulfilling their demands, have been protesting for three consecutive days in the international auto fair in Tehran.

(11) Nour Mohammad Shimvaari, a prisoner of Zahedan prison, was severely beaten and injured by prison wardens. His wrist was fractured, and he was denied medical care.

A Daily Overview of Human Rights Violations in Iran for January 7, 2019

The following is an overview of human rights violations in Iran on January 7th, 2019 based on the information compiled and verified by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

(1) Nasrollah Lashani a political prisoner, began his hunger strike protesting mistreatment by the prison officials. Lashani is a Nationalist-Religious Activist who was accused of ‘propaganda against the state’ and sentenced to six years in prison. He was beaten and insulted in front of his wife and his 8-years-old son during a family visit on December 26, 2018.

(2) Two detained workers of Iran National Steel Industrial Group Mostafa Obiat and Kazem Heydari were released on bail on January 7, 2019. Tarogh Khalafi, Mohammadreza Nematpour, Behzad Alikhani, Karim Syahi, Meisam Ali GHanavati, and Gharib Hoveizavi are the six other workers of NISCO who are still in prison.

(3) Mohmmad Yousefi, a political prisoner who is serving his two years sentence in Evin prison, requested for an appeal but it was denied. He was charged with ‘insulting the Supreme Leader’.

(4) Mohammad Najafi ‘s appeal request was denied. He is a lawyer and human rights activist who is serving his three years sentence in prison and faced 74 lashes and 14 more years imprisonment for his new charges of ‘spreading lies and disturbing public opinion’.

(5) Abbas Lesani, Azerbaijani Turkic minority rights activist, was released on bail. He was tried in absentia and sentenced to 10 months imprisonment on charge of ‘propaganda against the state’.

(6) Expulsion of Sima Nazifi, a Baha’i architecture student from Azad University of Shahriyar due to her faith. Baha’i students in Iran routinely experience either denial of entrance to university or removal from student lists during their studies. Numerous reports are published annually regarding the barring of Baha’i citizens from education.

(7) A member of Isfahan city council, Nahid Khodakarami, was charged with ‘promoting de-veiling’ through her interviews and tweets.

(8) The forced closure of a Baha’i citizen, Farshid Deymi’s business in Birjand which had been permitted by Judicial authorities.

(9) The workers of Ahvaz sugar refining company have six months unpaid wages.

(10) Morteza Oustad, a prisoner of Tabriz prison, began hunger strike on December 26, 2018 protesting ‘unfair judicial system’. He was transferred to medical ward due to his deteriorating health condition.

(11) The parole request of a detained Nationalist-Religious Activist, Reza Aghakhani, was denied for the second time despite his eligibility due to having served a third of his sentence. He was sentenced to three years in prison on a charge of “acting against national security.”

(12) Three protests were organized on January 7. The farmers of Varzaneh in Isfahan, the customers of Saipa Citroen Company in Tehran, and the workers of Doroud-KhorramAbad railway held separate protests to request their demands.

(13) Esmail Bakhshi ‘s torture complaint raises sensitivity among people and now he is forced to deny it. He wrote a letter explaining his torture in prison and called on the Minister of Intelligence for a debate concerning torture and abuse in prisons.

(14) A prisoner charged with murder in Miandoab, was saved from gallows by victim’s family’s consent after spending 15 years in prison.

(15) Atena Daemi’s mother wrote an open letter and questioned the minister of intelligence, about her daughter’s tortures in prison. Recently, Esmail Bakhshi has written a letter about physical and psychological abuse and tortures in prison.

A Daily Overview of Human Rights Violations in Iran for December 26, 2018

The following is an overview of human rights violations in Iran on December 26th, 2018 based on the information compiled and verified by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

(1) The forced closure of nine Baha’i-owned businesses in Omidiyeh which had shut their stores in honor of their religious holiday, are still going on after 23 days. According to the law, citizens may close their businesses for up to 15 days a year for no reason; however, this law is not applied to Baha’is.

(2) Five protests were organized on December 26, 2018. Members of the cooperative housing organization for employees of the Ministry of Agriculture-Jahad, workers of Damghan Agro-industry Company, families of arrested workers of National Steel Company of Ahvaz, workers of Mahabad municipality, and farmers in Isfahan expressed their demands in separate protests.

(3) Mohammad Hossein Sodagar, an Iranian Azerbaijani poet and journalist, was flogged 74 times in the city of Khoy. His charge was questioning Majid Moghaddam, a member of the city council about validity of his claimed degree.

(4) Two construction workers have been severely injured in Bushehr and Lorestan provinces because of unsafe labor practices.

(5) A woman was executed in Tehran. She was identified as Noushin, 25-years-old. She was accused of murdering a man, named Soheil, who repeatedly raped her and forced her into sex with his friends.

(6) The mayor of district 19 of Tehran has confirmed that more than 200 families still live in inactive old brick kilns in this area. These families do not have access to clean tap water, sewage, and natural gas for heating.

(7) Teachers’ Trade Association of Tehran condemned Mohammad Habibi’s sentence and requested a fair trial for syndicate activists. Habibi, the detained teacher’s rights activist, was sentenced to a ten-year prison term and 74 lashes.

(8) The chairman of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran confirmed that the historical monuments in Tehran continue to be demolished for unauthorized construction, such as Nasirodolleh House, Zahiroleslam House, and Yazdgerd House.

(9) A political prisoner, Nasrollah Lashani, was beaten and insulted in front of his wife and his 8-years-old son during a family visit. Lashani is accused of ‘propaganda against the state’ and sentenced to six years in prison.

(10) Houshmand Alipour and Mohammad Ostadghader who are detained on the charge of ‘membership in a Kurdish opposition group’ were transferred from Saghez prison to Sanandaj for their court session.

(11) Reportedly, 108 workers of Mahshahr Pipe Industrial Company and 100 workers of Kavosh Pressure Vessel Manufacturer have been laid off. In addition, 120 workers of Kishwood Industries have unpaid wages.

(12) Due to death of Hashemi Shahroudi, the Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council, all concerts are cancelled on this Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Today was announced as a national day of mourning.

(13) Mohammad Zamanzadeh, a Telegram activist, returned back to the Evin prison after a few days of furlough. He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for blasphemy-related charges.

(14) Ahmad Hajebi, an authority in the Ministry of Health announced that The most suicides which result in death are among 15- to 29-year-olds. Moreover, there are 2 million and 800 thousand addicted to drugs.

(15) Saeed Shirzad, a political prisoner in Rajai-Shahr prison, has been refused urgent medical care despite doctors requested his transfer to hospital for his severe kidneys failure. While the prosecutor’s office has assured that he would receive treatment, prison authorities have prevented this transfer.

(16) A 39-years-old prisoner who was accused of murdering his father-in-law, was spared from the hangman’s noose by the forgiveness of the next of kin in Babol.

(17) Leili Khatami’s, a children’s rights activist, was arrested on November 10th in Zahedan and her family still are not informed of her place of detention. She was charged with ‘espionage’.

Mehdi Rajabian Transferred to a Hospital on the 12th Day of Hunger Strike

HRANA News Agency – Mehdi Rajabian, imprisoned artist in Evin prison, was transferred to a hospital following stomach bleeding resulted from hunger strike. In another news, security authorities of this prison, has threatened prisoners on hunger strike and prisoners who signed the letter in support of these prisoners.
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Mehdi Rajabian, imprisoned artist, was transferred to Taleghani hospital, following stomach bleeding resulted from hunger strike on his 12th day of strike, on November 8. Continue reading “Mehdi Rajabian Transferred to a Hospital on the 12th Day of Hunger Strike”