Execution of Three Prisoners in Qazvin Prison

On Tuesday, December 31, 2024, the death sentences of three prisoners convicted of drug-related offenses and murder were carried out at Choobindar Prison in Qazvin.

HRANA has identified one of the executed individuals as Amir Mohammadi, who was hanged at dawn on December 31, 2024. The identities of the two other prisoners remain under investigation.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Mohammadi had been convicted of murder, while the other two prisoners were convicted of both drug-related offenses and murder.

As of the time of this report, prison officials and relevant institutions have not officially announced the executions. In 2024, judicial authorities or domestic media in Iran officially announced only 6% of executions, underscoring a deeply troubling lack of transparency in the country’s legal and judicial processes.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

Two Prisoners Executed in Choobindar Prison, Qazvin

On Wednesday, October 9, two prisoners who had previously been sentenced to death on murder charges were executed in Choobindar Prison, Qazvin.

Based on information received by HRANA, the prisoners had been previously arrested on murder charges and sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

Further details, including the identities of the prisoners, are currently being investigated by HRANA.

As of the time this report was compiled, the executions had not yet been officially confirmed by prison officials or relevant authorities.

In 2023, 66% of HRANA’s reports on executions lacked official announcements by judicial authorities and went unreported by media inside Iran, highlighting a troubling lack of transparency in due process.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Execution of Three Inmates in Lahijan and Qazvin Prisons

Three prisoners sentenced to death on charges of drug offenses and murder were executed in Lahijan and Qazvin prisons, as reported by Iran Human Rights Organization.

The inmates have been identified as Ali Afrooz, 31, from Sari; Saeed Alimardani, 45, from Tabriz; and Mohammad Ghasaban, 40, from Qazvin.

According to the report, Alimardani and Ghasaban were arrested in 2022 on the Qazvin-Tehran highway while transporting 150 kilograms of crystal meth and heroin. Both were subsequently sentenced to death, with their executions carried out on the morning of Monday, September 23, 2024, in Qazvin Prison.

Ali Afrooz was arrested in April-May 2021 for the murder of a family member and was also sentenced to death. His execution took place on Sunday, September 22, 2024, in Lahijan Prison.

At the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant institutions have not officially confirmed the executions.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Two Prisoners Executed in Qazvin for Drug Offenses

At dawn on Thursday, July 25th, two prisoners, convicted of drug-related charges in a joint case, were executed in Choobindar Prison in Qazvin.

The identities of these prisoners have been reported by Iran Human Rights Organization as “Hamed Naderi, 32 years old, and Ali Moharram Khani, 37 years old, a father of two, residents of Abhar.”

According to a source, Naderi and Moharram Khani were both arrested about two years ago in a joint case on drug-related charges and were subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing.

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Civil Rights Advocate Mohammad Abolhassani Faces Deprivations in Choobindar Prison

Mohammad Abolhassani, a civil rights activist, is serving his sentence in Choobindar Prison, Qazvin. Mr. Abolhassani has faced various deprivations in this prison due to his refusal to perform forced labor.

A source close to the prisoner’s family confirmed this news to HRANA, stating: “Since July 14, the authorities of Choobindar Prison have violated the principle of separation of crimes by transferring Mr. Abolhassani from Ward 17 to Ward 14, which is designated for financial crimes. In this ward, prisoners are obliged to perform forced labor. Mr. Abolhassani’s refusal to do forced labor led the authorities to deny his request for leave.”

The informed source added that this prisoner has also been threatened with punitive transfer to solitary confinement and deprivation of all prison facilities, including having a bed, if he continues to refuse forced labor.

Mohammad Abolhassani was summoned on December 14, 2021, to serve his prison sentence and was subsequently transferred to Evin Prison on January 1, 2022. On February 6, 2023, without prior notice, he was beaten and transferred from Evin Prison to Choobindar Prison in Qazvin.

Regarding a new case opened against him during his imprisonment, Abolhassani was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Qazvin to three months in prison and twelve lashes for “disturbing public order. Ultimately, this prison sentence was converted to a fine.

In January 2021, while serving his previous sentence, he was tried in a new case along with two co-defendants and was initially sentenced by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, to fifteen months in prison and four months of forced labor at the Agricultural Jihad Organization for four hours a day. In March 2021, this sentence was upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals.

In October 2022, he was also sentenced to four years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran for another case opened against him during his imprisonment.

Mohammad Abolhassani, a resident of Qazvin, has a history of arrest and conviction due to his activism.

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Manouchehr Bakhtiari Sentenced to Over 13 Months in Prison on Appeal

The thirteen months and fifteen days prison sentence for Manoochehr Bakhtiari, a political prisoner held in Choobindar Prison in Qazvin, has been upheld by Branch 1 of the Court of Appeal of Qazvin Province. This case was filed against him during his imprisonment.

Based on this ruling, issued on July 1 by Branch 1 of the Court of Appeal of Qazvin Province, communicated to this political prisoner’s lawyer on Sunday, July 7, Mr. Bakhtiari has been sentenced to thirteen months and fifteen days in prison for the charge of “spreading false information.”

In May of this year, Bakhtiari received this conviction from Branch 110 of the Criminal Court 2 of Qazvin Province for a case filed against him during his imprisonment.
The court session for examining Manoochehr Bakhtiari’s charges was held on April 16 of this year via video conference in the aforementioned branch.

Bakhtiari’s initial arrest occurred on April 29, 2021, when he was taken by security forces from his home in Tehran. The Revolutionary Court subsequently sentenced him to three years and six months in prison, with an additional two years and six months of exile and a two-year travel ban, starting in July 2021.

On November 1, 2023, while still serving his sentence, Bakhtiari received a six-month prison term for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” a conviction that was confirmed on appeal.

Furthermore, in January of this year, Judge Seyyed Mousavi Asef-Al-Hosseini of Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court delivered a significant ruling against Bakhtiari. He was sentenced to ten years for “assembly and collusion to act against national security, and for forming and running groups on the Internet to disturb national security.” Additionally, Bakhtiari received five years for “collaboration with anti-regime groups,” two years for “propaganda against the regime and disturbing public opinions,” and one year plus 74 lashes for “disseminating false information.” However, the Appellate Court later overturned these convictions and remanded the case back to the court for further review.

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.

Inmate Executed in Qazvin Prison

On Saturday, June 22, a prisoner previously sentenced to death for murder was executed in Qazvin Prison, according to Iran Human Rights Organization.

His identity has been reported as Nategh Hosseini, 36, from Qazvin.
According to the report, three years ago, Nateg Hosseini accidentally committed murder during a fight and was sentenced to death by the judiciary.

The report states that the victim’s family requested that Nateg Hosseini’s seven-year-old child be present at the time of execution. Nateg’s family agreed and brought the child with them hoping that the presence of the child would increase the chances of the victim’s family granting clemency. However, the execution was ultimately carried out in the presence of his young child.

Manoochehr Bakhtiari Sentenced to Additional 13 Months in Prison

Manoochehr (Manouchehr) Bakhtiari, a political prisoner at Choobindar Prison in Qazvin, has been handed an additional sentence of 13 months and 15 days by the Criminal Court of Qazvin.

This latest case, which led to charges of “disseminating false information,” was initiated while he was already incarcerated. This marks the third instance of Bakhtiari facing further charges during his imprisonment. The verdict was issued on May 12 by Branch 110 of the Criminal Court in Qazvin.

Bakhtiari’s initial arrest occurred on April 29, 2021, when he was taken by security forces from his home in Tehran. The Revolutionary Court subsequently sentenced him to three years and six months in prison, with an additional two years and six months of exile and a two-year travel ban, starting in July 2021.

On November 1, 2023, while still serving his sentence, Bakhtiari received a six-month prison term for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” a conviction that was confirmed on appeal.

Furthermore, in January of this year, Judge Seyyed Mousavi Asef-Al-Hosseini of Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court delivered a significant ruling against Bakhtiari. He was sentenced to ten years for “assembly and collusion to act against national security, and for forming and running groups on the Internet to disturb national security.” Additionally, Bakhtiari received five years for “collaboration with anti-regime groups,” two years for “propaganda against the regime and disturbing public opinions,” and one year plus 74 lashes for “disseminating false information.” However, the Appellate Court later overturned these convictions and remanded the case back to the court for further review.

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.

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.