Appeals Court Confirms Six-Month Sentence against Political Prisoner Manoochehr Bakhtiari

The Court of Appeal in Qazvin has upheld a six-month sentence against Manoochehr Bakhtiari, a political prisoner currently held in Qazvin Prison.

Judge Habibollah Amiri issued this verdict on February 13, 2024, citing “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran” as the grounds for the additional imprisonment.

The initial sentence was handed down by the Revolutionary Court of Qazvin on November 1, 2023.

Notably, as a punitive measure, Bakhtiari has been prohibited from making phone calls or receiving family visits since January 9.

Currently serving a three-year, six-month sentence in Qazvin Prison, Bakhtiari’s wife has raised concerns about his health, citing multiple ailments, and alleges that he is being denied access to medical treatment and furlough. She explained, “He endured a toothache for four months with infections spreading to his ears and eyes. Prison officials delayed his dispatch to a dentist every day until he had to extract his upper row teeth to alleviate the pain.”

Bakhtiari’s legal troubles began on April 29, 2021, when security forces forcibly arrested him at his residence in Tehran. Subsequently, the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to three years and six months in prison, along with a two-year, six-month exile and a two-year travel ban. Bakhtiari began serving this sentence in July 2021.

In a tragic and interconnected series of events, Bakhtiari’s son, Pouya, at the age of 27, was fatally shot by regime forces during the 2019 protests, also known as the Aban Protests, in Karaj. According to his sister and mother, Pouya succumbed to his injuries in the hospital after being shot in the head during the second day of the protest’s eruption.

Execution of Three Death-Row Convicts Across Yazd, Qazvin, and Kermanshah

On January 11, 2024, three inmates convicted of murder and drug-related crimes were executed in Yazd, Qazvin, and Kermanshah.

Kurdpa reported the execution of Falit Abedi, a 55-year-old inmate in Choobindar Prison, Qazvin. Abedi had been convicted of drug offenses three years ago.

Simultaneously, in Kermanshah Province, Meysam Habibi, 37, was executed on the same day for a murder conviction dating back seven years, according to Kurdpa.

Haal Vsh reported the execution of Nezam Dhamarde, a 48-year-old father of four, on January 11, in Yazd Prison. Dhamarde had been sentenced to death for drug offenses two years ago.

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing. The lack of official information raises concerns about transparency and accountability in the execution process.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered the execution of  746 individuals. Out of these, 6 were carried out in public. Among the executed individuals whose genders were identified, 597 were male and 20 were female. Additionally, 2 juvenile offenders, defined as individuals under the age of 18 at the time of their alleged crimes, were also executed. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s annual report.

 

Civil Rights Advocate Mohammad Abolhassani Faces Imprisonment and Flogging

Mohammad Abolhassani, a civil rights advocate currently incarcerated in Choobindar Prison, has been handed a sentence of three months and 12 lashes for additional charges incurred during his imprisonment. The prison term has been converted to a monetary fine.

The sentence was imposed on Abolhassani under the allegation of “disturbing public opinions.”

Presently serving his sentence at Choobindar Prison in Qazvin, Abolhassani is housed among inmates convicted of violent crimes, contrary to prison regulations. Moreover, he has been subjected to limitations when making phone calls, including the mandatory presence of prison guards during these conversations.

In January 2021, Abolhassani while serving his sentence for a previous legal case, was sentenced to 15 months in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court for “propaganda against the regime.” In addition to the prison term, he was assigned four hours of penal labor per day for four months. This ruling was subsequently upheld on appeal.

On January 1, 2022, Abolhassani was transferred to Evin Prison to commence his sentence.
In October 2022, he found himself facing further legal actions, resulting in an additional four-year imprisonment term.
On February 6, 2023, he was violently relocated from Evin Prison to Choobindar Prison in Qazvin.

 

Foreign National Arrested on Espionage Charges in Qazvin

The Qazvin governor has officially announced the arrest of a foreign national on charges of “espionage,” as reported by the IRGC-affiliated news agency Tasnim.

The report refrains from disclosing the identity and nationality of the detainee as well as the current location of his detention.

While the prosecution of individuals for espionage is not inherently considered a violation of human rights, concerns arise about the credibility of these allegations. The regime has a history of frequently employing such accusations to suppress political dissidents or for political gains. Ambiguities in legal proceedings and a lack of transparency surrounding these cases further contribute to apprehensions about the fairness of the process.

Manoochehr Bakhtiari Faces an Additional Six Months in Prison Amidst His Incarceration

Manoochehr Bakhtiari, a political prisoner currently confined in Qazvin Prison, has been handed a six-month sentence by the Qazvin Revolutionary Court.

In a verdict issued on November 1, 2023, Bakhtiari was convicted and sentenced to an additional six months in prison for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran.” This adds to his ongoing imprisonment.

At present, Bakhtiari is serving a three-year, six-month sentence in Qazvin Prison. His wife, Sara Abbasi, has expressed concerns about his health, citing multiple diseases, and claims he is being denied access to medical treatment and furlough.

Bakhtiari’s legal woes began on April 29, 2021, when he was forcefully arrested by security forces at his residence in Tehran. Subsequently, the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to three years and six months in prison, coupled with a two-year, six-month exile and a two-year travel ban. Bakhtiari commenced serving this sentence in July 2021.

In a tragic and related turn of events, Bakhtiari’s son, Pouya, at the age of 27, was fatally shot by regime forces during the 2019 protests, also known as the Aban Protests, in Karaj. According to his sister and mother, Pouya succumbed to his injuries in the hospital after being shot in the head during the second day of the protest’s eruption.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Civil Rights Advocate Alireza Ramezani Receives Imprisonment and Exile Sentence

Alireza Ramezani, a civil rights activist residing in Qazvin, has been sentenced to one year, ten months, and 16 days by the Qazvin Revolutionary Court.

This verdict comprises a 15-month sentence for “insulting the supreme leader of Iran” and an additional seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime.” Furthermore, he faces a two-year mandatory residence in Nikshahr, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, along with a two-year travel ban.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, in accordance with Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the harshest penalty of 15 months in prison for the first charge will be enforced.

On July 9, 2023, Alireza Ramezani was arrested by security forces in Tehran and subsequently transferred to Choobindar prison in Qazvin. He secured his release on bail from this facility on July 20, 2023.

Notably, in September 2022, Ramezani was detained by security forces in Qazvin and held at Choobindar Prison. He was granted bail on October 13, 2022. However, in May 2023, the Qazvin Revolutionary Court sentenced him to one year in prison and imposed a two-year exile in Borazjan, Bushehr Province, despite being granted amnesty in February 2022.

Alireza Ramezani, approximately 37 years old, is a father of one child and a former university lecturer passionately involved in civil rights advocacy.

Ramin Ghashghaie Receives Six-Year Prison Sentence

Ramin Ghashghaie Garbachi, a resident of Qazvin, has been sentenced to six years in prison by the Qazvin Revolutionary Court. The sentence also includes a travel ban and mandatory residence in Nik Shahr, Sistan and Baluchestan province, for two years.

The verdict stipulates that Ghashghaie is given five years for “assembly and collusion to act crime and against national security,” and an additional year for “propaganda against the regime.” If the verdict stands after appeal, Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code will enforce the five-year imprisonment.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, five years imprisonment as per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code will be enforceable.

Ghashghaie was apprehended by security forces in Qazvin on March 12, 2023, and spent approximately two months in detention at Choobindar Prison before being released on bail.

Five Inmates Executed in Qazvin, Kerman, and Kahnuj

On August 21, 2023, the lives of five individuals came to a solemn end yesterday as they were executed in separate incidents across Kerman, Kahnuj, and Qazvin.

According to Haal Vsh, Kerman Prison officials executed three death-row prisoners, identified as Saeed Rigi, approximately 40 years of age, Abdolghafoor Toomaj Turkman, and Amir Rahimi. Three years ago, in two separate cases, they were sentenced to death by the Kerman Revolutionary Court for drug offenses.

Haal Vsh also reported the execution of Rasoul Narui (Narooie), aged 29, in Kahnuj Prison, located in Kerman Province. He had been found guilty of murder four years ago.
Adding to this list of tragic events, Iran Human Rights Organization verified the executions of two more inmates in Qazvin Prison. Jamil Abdollahzadeh, aged 41, and Mehran Amiri, approximately 45 years old, were put to death due to their involvement in drug-related crimes.

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.

 

Execution of Three Inmates in Kerman and Qazvin

On August 7, Haal Vsh reported that two inmates, both convicted of drug-related crimes, were executed at Kerman Prison.

One of these inmates has been identified as Abdolghafar Shehiki (Hasehmzahi), a 38-year-old married man and father of two children. He was arrested for drug-related offenses in Kerman two years ago and subsequently sentenced to death by the Kerman Revolutionary Court. The second inmate, an Afghan national, remains unidentified.

In a separate incident, the Iran Human Rights Organization informed about the execution of Jabar Moslemi, aged 35, on August 6, at Choobindar Prison in Qazvin. Moslemi had been arrested and convicted of murder three years ago.

At the time of writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have reported on these executions.

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.

 

Alireza Ramezani Arrested in Tehran

On July 9, 2023, security forces arrested Alireza Ramezani, a Qazvin resident, in Tehran. Simultaneously, his legal case was transferred to the Qazvin Courthouse, according to a reliable source close to his family who spoke with HRANA.

The whereabouts of Ramezani remain unknown, causing great distress for his family.

Previously, in September 2022, Ramezani was apprehended by security forces in Qazvin and imprisoned in Choobindar Prison. He was granted release on bail on October 13, 2022. However, in May 2023, the Qazvin Revolutionary Court sentenced him to one year in prison and imposed a two-year exile in Borazjan, Bushehr province, despite being granted amnesty in February 2022.

Alireza Ramezani, approximately 37 years old, is a father of one child and a former university lecturer.