Tag: Qom

Two Inmates Executed in Qom Prison for Murder and Drug Offenses

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Executions, News
Alireza Arezoomandi, Qom, Qom prison, Samir Saeedirad

On May 26, 2024, Qom Prison in Iran carried out the executions of two inmates convicted of murder and drug-related offenses, as reported by the Iran Human Rights Organization.

The individuals executed were identified as 23-year-old Alireza Arezoomandi from a village in Farahan County, Markazi Province, and 35-year-old Samir (Hamid) Saeedirad from Arak, Markazi Province. Arezoomandi was convicted of murder three years prior, while Saeedirad was found guilty of drug offenses five years earlier.

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

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered the execution of 767 individuals. Out of these, 7 were carried out in public. Among the executed individuals whose genders were identified, 21 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.

 

Abolfazl Pour-Hosseini Sentenced to Four Years in Prison with Additional Penalties

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News, Prisoners
Abolfazl Pour-Hosseini, Abolfazl PourHosseini, Erfan-e-Halgheh, Karaj, Qom, ابوالفضل پورحسینی, عرفان حلقه

The Revolutionary Court of Karaj has pronounced a four-year prison sentence on Abolfazl Pour-Hosseini, a member of the mystical group Erfan-e-Halgheh, alongside two years of exile, a fine, a prohibition from leaving the country, and other social restrictions.

This verdict, confirmed by a source close to Pour-Hosseini’s family, stems from charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “inciting people to act against national security.”

Pour-Hosseini was officially informed of this decision on March 17, 2024. Presently incarcerated in Karaj’s Central Prison, he faces further hardship as prison officials have imposed a three-month ban on family visits as a punitive measure.

The ordeal began on June 13, 2023, when Pour-Hosseini was apprehended by the IRGC’s intelligence in Karaj and confined to Ward 15 of the Central Prison of Karaj. Reports from HRANA suggest that his arrest was linked to the distribution of leaflets on behalf of Erfan-e-Halgheh.

In addition to his recent legal battles, Pour-Hosseini had previously been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Karaj to three years of imprisonment and two years of suspended imprisonment.

This is not Pour-Hosseini’s first brush with the authorities; he had been arrested in Qom for his participation in courses organized by the Erfan-e-Halgheh group.

Pour-Hosseini, aged 47 and a father of two daughters, resides in Karaj.

Data collected by the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) points to the involvement of IRGC Intelligence in 392 cases of human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests.

Confrontation in Qom Clinic Sparks Outrage: Legal Actions Against CCTV Publishers

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News
compulsory hijab, Hassan Gharib, Hijab, Qom, religious vigilantes

A recently circulated video has ignited public anger against a cleric, revealing an altercation between a woman, holding her sick newborn, and this cleric attempting to discreetly film her, due to perceived violations of hijab norms in a medical clinic in Qom. The incident sheds light on the persistent issue of harassment by hijab enforcers and religious vigilantes.

According to Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, Qom prosecutor Hassan Gharib announced that legal action would be taken against those who surfaced the CCTV video and shared it with media outside Iran, charging them with “agitation of the public.” Gharib claimed to have identified the individuals responsible for sharing the footage, referring to them as “disruptors of order.”

While supporting the cleric’s actions, Gharib emphasized backing religious vigilantes adhering to the Islamic duty of “Enjoining good and forbidding wrong,” as long as they adhere to the established conditions for this duty. Contrary to reports, he denied the closure of the clinic by judicial authorities and asserted that no arrests had been made in connection to the incident.

Critics, including human rights experts, consistently argue that the concept of “Enjoining good and forbidding wrong” represents blatant interference in individuals’ personal matters, often leading to vigilantism and societal violence.

Qom Seminary Lecturer, Mohammad-Taghi Akbarnejad, Arrested by IRGC Intelligence

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News, Other
IRGC Intelligence, Mohammad-Taghi Akbarnejad, Qom, Qom Seminary

In a recent development, Mohammad-Taghi Akbarnejad, a lecturer at Qom Seminary, has been arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents in Qom and taken to an undisclosed location.

The grounds for his arrest and the specific location of Akbarnejad’s detention remain unknown.

It is worth noting that Akbarnejad has previously faced legal scrutiny for his activism, adding a layer of complexity to the current situation.

Execution of Eight Inmates for Various Crimes in Recent Days

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News
Eslah Allahbakhsh, Fathollah Jurkesh, Hamid Ebadi, Hassan Gorgij, Hossein-Ali Kootahi, Lakan prison, Mashhad Prison, Nouri Zamani, Qom, Rasht, Zahedan

In recent days, eight inmates have been executed in Qom, Mashhad, Isfahan, Rasht, and Zahedan for offenses including drug-related crimes and murder.

On January 17, 2024, Islam Amaneddin, a 29-year-old Afghan, was executed in Qom prison for a murder conviction dating back three years, as reported by Etemad Newspaper. Another execution reported by Etemad involved Mohsen (last name unknown), who was convicted of killing a man during a group altercation in Mashhad Prison.

On Saturday, January 20, three inmates were executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, according to Iran Human Rights Organizations. The hanged individuals were identified as Nouri Zamani, 32, Fathollah Jurkesh, 30, and Hossein-Ali Kootahi, with separate drug offense convictions.

The same organization also documented the execution of Eslah Allahbakhsh, 36, an Afghan national, and Hamid Ebadi, both convicted of drug-related crimes in Lakan Prison, Rasht, on the same day.

Lastly, Haal Vsh reported the execution of 23-year-old Hassan Gorgij in Zahedan Prison, who was convicted of murder three years ago.

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.

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Execution of Four Inmates Takes Place in Qom, Khorramabad, and Isfahan for Drug Offenses

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Executions, News
Bahram Seyed Zadeh, Davoud Brahui, Isfahan, Khorramabad, Qom, Sajjad Haghi Zadeh, Vahid Haji Pour

Recently, four individuals on death row were executed in prisons located in Qom, Khorramabad, and Isfahan.

On December 12, Sajjad Haghi Zadeh, 37, was executed in Khorramabad Prison for drug offenses. Haghi Zadeh had been sentenced to death three years ago.

Vahid Haji Pour, 40, another inmate convicted of drug offenses two years ago, was executed in Isfahan Prison on December 13, as reported by the Iran Human Rights Organization.

In Qom Prison, two inmates faced execution for drug-related crimes. On December 12, 38-year-old Bahram Seyed Zadeh, a father of one, and on December 15, Davoud Brahui (Brahooie), 41, father of four, were both executed.

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

According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Concerningly, many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.

Report on Abolfazl Pour-Hosseini’s Condition in Central Prison of Karaj

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News, Prisoners
Abolfazl Pour-Hosseini, Abolfazl PourHosseini, Central Prison of Karaj, Erfan-e-Halgheh, HRANA, irgc, Karaj, Qom, ابوالفضل پورحسینی

Abolfazl Pour-Hosseini, a follower of Iranian mysticism known as Erfan-e-Halgheh, has recently been sentenced to three years in prison with an additional two years of suspended imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court. He is currently imprisoned in the Central Prison of Karaj.

A source close to Pour-Hosseini’s family provided HRANA with details about this verdict. Moreover, Pour-Hosseini faces charges of “propaganda against the regime and inciting people to act against national security” in a separate case under review by the Karaj Revolutionary Court.

According to this source, Pour-Hosseini has rejected the charges and declined to sign the charge sheet.

On June 13, 2023, IRGC Intelligence forces in Karaj arrested Pour-Hosseini, detaining him in the Central Prison of the city. According to a statement from one of his friends to HRANA, Pour-Hosseini was distributing a leaflet about Erfan-e-Halgheh at the time of his arrest.

Pour-Hosseini had previously been arrested in 2022 for attending a meeting of this mysticist group in Qom, being released on bond after a period of detention. Aged approximately 47, Pour-Hosseini is the father of one daughter and anticipates becoming a father once again.

Notably, concerns persist about the violation of freedom of religion in Iran, exemplified by cases like Pour-Hosseini’s. This incident adds to ongoing apprehensions regarding the protection of religious rights in the country.

 

Comedian Zeinab Mousavi Arrested on Allegations of Blasphemy

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Freedom of Expression, News
Kuzcoo, Qom, Tehran, Zeinab Mousavi

Zeinab Mousavi, a well-known Iranian comedian and parody artist, has been arrested under orders from the Tehran prosecutor’s office, facing allegations of blasphemy in connection with a satirical video.

According to Dideban Iran, Mousavi is accused of committing blasphemy in her satirical videos that were shared on social media.

Mousavi is widely recognized for her portrayal of the parody character known as the Empress of Kuzcoo. It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time she has faced legal issues, as she was previously arrested by security forces in Qom on October 12, 2022. She was subsequently released on bail the following month. During her detention, Mousavi spent 25 days in solitary confinement.

Seven Executions Carry out Across Various Prisons in Iran

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Executions, News
Ali Abbas Najari, Birjand, Mohammad Narooie, Mohammad Narui, Qom, Saeed Sanjarani, Shiraz, Tabriz, Zahedan

In recent days, seven inmates, including a woman, met their fate through executions carried out in Tabriz, Shiraz, Qom, Birjand, and Zahedan Prisons.

According to the Iran Human Rights Organization, on Tuesday, September 5, Ali Abbas Najari (Najjari), aged 37, was executed in Shiraz’s Adelabad Prison. He had been convicted of murder three years ago.

The Rokna News Agency also reported the execution of an inmate, identified only by his first name, Saeed, aged 34, in Tabriz Prison. He was found guilty of taking a life during a group altercation four years ago.

On Friday, September 8, a female inmate, who had been convicted of murder, was executed in Qom Prison, as reported by the Iran Human Rights Organization.

Furthermore, Haal Vsh reported the execution of Saeed Sanjarani, aged 23, who had been convicted of drug-related crimes in Birjand Prison on September 10. Additionally, three inmates, one of whom was identified as Mohammad Narui (Narooie), aged 27, were executed in Zahedan Prison on September 9. Narui had been convicted of murder three years ago, while the other two were found guilty of murder in a joint case seven years ago.

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 Inmates Executed in Qom, Babol, Zahedan, and Imminent Execution Awaited in Zabol

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Executions, News
Asadollah Amini, Babol, Baydollah Gorgij, Hamid Asgarinia, Mohammad Arbab, Qom, Zabol, Zahedan

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 30, an inmate identified as Hamid Asgarinia, convicted of rape, was executed in Qom Prison.

Also, the Chief Justice of Qom province, citing from Fars News Agency, announced the execution of another inmate for rape in this prison took place in the last ten days.

According to Haal Vsh, on July 30, in Zahedan Prison, Baydollah Gorgij, 43, met a tragic fate as he was executed for drug-related crimes. In Babol Prison, Mohammad Arbab, 30, an Afghan national, also was hanged due to the same charges. Both executions took place without prior notice to their families, depriving them of a final visitation.

Adding to the alarming situation, Asadollah Amini, 32, another Afghan national, has been transferred to solitary confinement in Zabol Prison, where he awaits an imminent execution for 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.