Tag: Rajai-Shahr

More than Two Decades Behind Bars, Prisoner Profiles – No. 5: Saeed Masouri

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News, Prisoners
ahvaz, Evin, Ghezel Hesar, HRANA, Rajai-Shahr, Saeed Masouri, سعید ماسوری

HRANA – Many political and religious prisoners in Iran have endured over twenty years behind bars. To prevent their cases from fading from public memory in the flow of daily news, HRANA has launched a series of reports highlighting their situations. Each installment outlines the prisoner’s legal case, detention conditions, access to rights, and immediate needs.

In this installment, HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, reviews the current situation of Saeed Masouri after more than two decades in prison.

Profile

• Name: Saeed Masouri

• Year of Arrest: 2000 (1379 in the Iranian calendar)

• Declared Charge: Moharebeh (enmity against God) through membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI)

• Initial Sentence: Death

• Current Sentence: Life imprisonment (commuted by one degree)

• Detention Locations:

◦ 14 months in solitary confinement at the Ahvaz Ministry of Intelligence detention facility

◦ Ward 209 of Evin Prison

◦ Several years in Rajai Shahr Prison (Karaj), including transfers between wards

◦ June 2015: moved to the IRGC-controlled ward of Rajai Shahr

◦ August 2017: forcibly transferred from Ward 12 to Ward 10 of Rajai Shahr

◦ August 2023: after Rajai Shahr’s closure, moved to Ward 8, Hall 10 of Evin Prison, then a month later to Ghezel Hesar Prison

◦ September 2023: transferred from the secure unit (Ward 3) of Ghezel Hesar to Dar al-Quran Hall (Ward 4), designated for drug-related prisoners

◦ August 2025: exiled from Ghezel Hesar to Zahedan Prison; after rejection there, secretly transferred and ultimately returned on August 5, 2025, to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar

• Furlough/Access: No furlough reported in recent years; limited access to family and lawyer

• Current Status: Serving life imprisonment despite legal changes that could allow review or sentence reduction

Case History

Dr. Saeed Masouri, born in 1965, lived in Norway for his studies. Upon returning to Iran, he was arrested in Dezful on January 8, 2001, on charges of membership in the PMOI. His family was informed in May 2001.

In 2002, the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced him to death on charges of moharebeh. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. While this prevented execution, it effectively placed him among those serving indefinite sentences, limiting opportunities for judicial review or relief.

Key points in the case:

• Severe security charges: Moharebeh is among the most serious charges in Iran’s political-security cases, carrying broad judicial and punitive consequences.

• Sentence commutation: The initial death sentence and its later reduction to life imprisonment demonstrate both the severity of the charge and the judiciary’s capacity for intervention, but do not necessarily address concerns over fairness of proceedings.

• Continued imprisonment despite legal reforms: Although recent legal changes allow retrial, sentence reductions, or conditional release, Masouri remains imprisoned.

Detention and Transfers

Throughout his imprisonment, Masouri has been repeatedly moved: from solitary confinement in Ahvaz, to Ward 209 of Evin, to Rajai Shahr, and later to Ghezel Hesar and Zahedan. These transfers have often involved violence, including beatings during moves in 2017, 2023, and 2025.

He has staged hunger strikes in protest, including after being beaten and transferred without warning in 2017. Following Zahedan Prison’s refusal to accept him in August 2025, he was held in an unknown location for several days before being returned to Ghezel Hesar.

Observations on Conditions

• Repeated transfers: Frequent relocations disrupt access to family, lawyer, and healthcare.

• Solitary confinement as punishment: He spent 14 months in solitary in Ahvaz, and has repeatedly been returned to solitary in later years, including in 2013, 2017, 2023, and 2025.

• Exposure to violence: Reports document physical and verbal abuse in Ahvaz, Rajai Shahr, Evin, Ghezel Hesar, and during forced transfers.

• Medical neglect: Despite suffering from chronic back pain, eye and dental problems, a broken ankle, urinary bleeding, and needing ultrasound examinations, prison authorities have systematically obstructed his access to specialized care. Denial of medical treatment is considered inhuman treatment and a violation of the right to health and even life.

Access to Family, Lawyer, and Furlough

In recent years, Masouri has been denied furlough. His access to family and his lawyer remains limited, negatively affecting both his mental well-being and his ability to pursue legal remedies.

Potential Legal Avenues (General Recommendations)

1. Retrial (Eda‘e Dadrasi): Based on new evidence or substantive/procedural flaws.

2. Sentence reduction or commutation: If legal grounds exist.

3. Conditional release/suspension: If requirements such as served time, conduct, or health conditions are met.

4. Remedying rights violations in detention: Including access to medical care, freedom from ill-treatment, and regular visitation rights.

5. International documentation and advocacy: In case domestic legal remedies are blocked.

Timeline Summary

• 2000 (1379): Arrest on charges of moharebeh through PMOI membership

• 2002 (1381): Sentenced to death; commuted to life imprisonment

• 2000–2001: 14 months in solitary, Ahvaz Intelligence facility

• 2000s–2010s: Long-term detention in Rajai Shahr Prison

• 2013: Solitary confinement reported; beatings in Rajai Shahr

• 2015: Moved to IRGC ward in Rajai Shahr

• 2017: Beaten and transferred to Ward 10, Rajai Shahr

• 2023: Transferred from Rajai Shahr to Evin, then Ghezel Hesar; solitary confinement and beatings reported

• 2025: Violently exiled to Zahedan Prison; after refusal there, returned to Ghezel Hesar solitary

• Recent years: No furlough, inadequate medical care, restricted access to family/lawyer

• Present: Still serving life sentence

Conclusion

Despite legal reforms enabling retrial, sentence reduction, or release for those convicted of moharebeh, Saeed Masouri remains imprisoned. His case exemplifies the plight of long-term political-security prisoners in Iran. Reviewing such cases is a vital step toward securing their rights and release.

Urgent Needs

• Regular, unrestricted access to lawyer and family

• Independent medical evaluation, especially after reported abuse

• Judicial review of case in light of legal reforms

• Compliance with prison regulations on visits, furloughs, and communication

• Adequate medical treatment

About this Series

This report is part of the “Two Decades Behind Bars” series, which aims to document the cases of long-term prisoners and to highlight the collective responsibility to ensure their visibility and pursue their rights.

Four Inmates Executed in Karaj and Kahnuj 

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Executions, News
Arya Parvizi, Ashkan Sohrabi, Hassan Nourollahi, Hossein Roosta, Kahnuj, Karaj, Kerman, Rajai-Shahr

HRANA, Human Rights Activists News Agency –On May 31, 2023, Rajai Shahr Prison officials carried out the execution of two inmates who were convicted of murder.

HRANA has identified them as Hassan Nourollahi and Hossein Roosta.

Additionally, two inmates, Ashkan Sohrabi and Arya Parvizi, were executed in Kahnuj, Kerman Province, on June 1, 2023, for their involvement in drug-related crimes three years ago, as reported by the Baloch Activists Campaign.

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.

 

 

Four Inmates Executed in Three Prisons

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Executions, News
Adel-Abad Prison, Ali Allahverdi, Bandar-Abbas, Farhang Zakaie, Mansour Yousefzehi, Rajai-Shahr

Four death-row prisoners convicted of drug-related crimes and murder were executed in Rajai Shahr, Bandar-Abbas and Adel-Abad Prisons.

According to Rokna, on February 1, 2023, an unidentified inmate convicted of killing three members of a family was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj.

Iran Human Rights Organization also reported that on January 31, two inmates, identified as Ali Allahverdi and Farhang Zakaie, were executed in Adel-Abad Prison, Shiraz.

According to an informed source mentioned in this report, these two stepbrothers committed murder three years ago.
Lastly, on February 1, Mansour Yousefzehi, age 22, was executed in Bandar-Abbas Prison. Two years ago, he was arrested reportedly for smuggling two kilos of drugs.

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.

 

17-Year-old Political Prisoner’s Daughter Arrested

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News, Prisoners
Asal Meskin-Navaz, Evin Prison, Fahraj, Karaj, Kerman, Mehdi Meskin Navaz, Rajai-Shahr

On January 30, political prisoner Mehdi Meskinnavaz was relocated from Rajai Shahr Prison to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Meanwhile, intelligence agents arrested his 17-year-old daughter, Asal Meskinnavaz .

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on January 30, 2023, Asal Meskinnavaz was arrested by intelligence agents.

An informed source told HRANA that the prosecutor’s representative, Eliasi, directly ordered Mehdi Meskinnavaz’s relocation to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. The agents also confiscated some of his personal belongings in prison.

On May 5, 2019, security forces arrested Meskinnavaz in Bandar Anzali for “running a Telegram channel advocating the overthrow of the regime.” He was transferred to the public ward of Evin Prison in Tehran after ending the interrogation.

In August 2019, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Meskinnavaz to 13 years for “assembly and collusion to act against national security, insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran, and Propaganda against the regime.” He was also banned from membership in political parties and groups and two-year compulsory residence in exile in Fahraj, Kerman.

On April 20, 2020, he was transferred from Evin to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.

 

 

Six Inmates Executed in Rajai-Shahr and Qazvin Prisons

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Executions, News
Qazvin, Rajai-Shahr, Yousef Mirza-Beigi

Five inmates in Rajai-Shahr Prison and one in Qazvin Prison were executed.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on December 14, 2022, Rajai-Shahr Prison officials executed five inmates convicted of murder.

HRANA is working on identifying these individuals.

Also, Kurdpa reported the execution of an inmate identified as Yousef Mirza-Beigi in Qazvin Prison on December 15. He was previously convicted of murder.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

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World Day Against the Death Penalty: Annual Report on Execution in Iran 2021-2022

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Executions, News
capital offense, Capital Punishment, Death Penalty, Death row, Death sentence, Drug-related charges, drug-related offenses, Evin, executions, executions in iran, iran death penalty, Juvenile Offenders, Rajai-Shahr, World Day Against the Death Penalty

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)- On the World Day against the Death Penalty, the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) has published its annual report in an effort to sensitize the public about the death penalty situation in Iran, particularly thousands of death-row convicts awaiting their looming executions.

HRA’s Statistics Center relies on the work of HRANA reporters, as well as a network of independent and verifiable sources. It also incorporates the judicial authorities’ announcements or confirmations of prisoner executions on media, and as such, is exposed to a margin of error representing efforts by the Iranian authorities to omit, conceal, or restrict the collection of such data.

Between October 10, 2021, and October 7, 2022, at least 528 convicts were executed by hanging in Iran, rising to 98% compared to the same period last year. Of these executions, one was carried out in public. Many of the defendants were denied a fair trial and due process.

Click here to download report in PDF format

HRANA obtained 439 reports regarding executions and death penalty in Iran during this period. The identified executed individuals, include 20 women and 6 juvenile offenders under the age of 18 at the time of alleged crime. Compared to the last period, the execution of female offenders has raised 55%.

According to the reports obtained by HRANA, over this period, Iranian authorities sentenced at least 89 defendants to death penalty, including at least 5 women, and 7 public executions.  Issuing death sentence decreased by 1% compared to the last year.

As the chart below shows a breakdown of executions by capital offense: 50.38% were charged with murder, 41.29% with drug and narcotic offenses, 3.03% with rape, 1.70% with non-political armed robbery/offenses classified as “corruption on earth,” and 0.38% with political or security-related offenses. Moreover, 0.38% were convicted of security charges (spying, terror, and bombing), 0.38% were convicted of armed robbery, and 2.46% of charges are unknown.

The pie chart below displays execution numbers by the province in which they took place. According to this chart, the Sistan and Baluchestan Province had the highest number of executions at 16%. Alborz (where three overcrowded prisons are located) and Fars Provinces come second and third, with 16.48% and 11.93%, respectively.

The chart below depicts the distribution of executions’ information sources. The chart indicates that 70% of HRANA-confirmed executions were not announced by the official Iranian sources. Undisclosed executions are referred to as “secret” executions.

 

The chart above shows the execution numbers by gender.

The pie chart below displays execution numbers by the prison where the executions were carried out. The Rajai-Shahr Prison officials have carried out the highest number of executions with 14.42%. Zahedan Prison ranks second with 12,33% executions.

The chart below displays percentage of executions carried out in public Vs. the number of executions that were carried out in prison. According to statistics, 0.19% of the executions in Iran were carried out in public.

***

Click here to download the report in PDF format.

For further inquiries please contact Skylar Thompson, Senior Advocacy Coordinator Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) at [email protected]

Nine Inmates Executed in Rajai Shahr, Gonbad-e Kavus, and Bandar Abbas

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Executions, News
Abolfazl Shahi, Bandar-Abbas, Gonbad-e Kavus, Khosro Noorbakhsh, Mohammad Arab, Rajai-Shahr, Yarmohammad Eshagh-Zehi

On September 7, 2022, Rajai Shahr Prison officials executed seven inmates who were previously convicted of murder.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on September 7, 2022, seven inmates were executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.

HRANA has identified three out of the seven inmates as Khosro Noorbakhsh, Mohammad Arab, and Abolfazl Shahi.

On that day, in Gonbad-e Kavus, Golestan Province, an inmate identified as Ghafoor Nejat Pour, age 22, was executed. He was convicted of murder.

Haal Vsh also reported the execution of an Afghan National, Yarmohammad Eshagh-Zehi, age 40, in Bandar Abbas. He was arrested and sentenced to death on drug-related charges two years ago. Eshagh-Zehi’s family has not yet been informed about his execution.

These executions have not been reported by official sources and media outlets inside Iran so far.

Hamid Nouri Sentenced to Life Imprisonment by Swedish Court

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News, Other
Hamid Nouri, Rajai-Shahr

A Swedish court sentenced former IRGC official Hamid Nouri to life imprisonment for his role in the mass execution of political prisoners in 1988. At the time, Nouri was working as the assistant to the Deputy Prosecutor of Rajai Shahr Prison. In 2019, Nouri was arrested upon arrival at the airport in Sweden for committing crimes against humanity under the rules of universal jurisdiction.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 15, 2022, Hamid Nouri was sentenced to life in prison by a Swedish court for “crimes against humanity (war crimes) and murder.”

As the assistant to the deputy prosecutor, Nouri had an important role in the execution of thousands of political prisoners between July and September of 1988.

On November 9, 2019, Nouri was arrested upon arrival at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport.

At least 60 witnesses and 12 experts testified in his trial.

In an interview, a former Iranian Judge, who was the head of the so-called Death Committee at that time, justified these atrocities as “a necessary action against conspirators’ plots.”

In 1988, by the direct order of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, a committee (later known as the Death Committee), including current President Ebrahim Raisi, was established to execute thousands of political prisoners.

Civil Activist and Former Political Prisoner Payam Shakiba Arrested, Transferred to Evin Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Activist arrested, Evin Prison, Payam Shakiba, Rajai-Shahr

Civil activist and former political prisoner Payam Shakiba was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison after being summoned by the Executive Unit of Evin Courthouse to serve his 13 month sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Shakiba was arrested after his appearance at the Executive Unit of Evin Courthouse. He was then imprisoned in the quarantine section of Evin Prison.

On June 14, 2021, Shakiba was arrested by security forces in Tehran and held in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. On July 4, he was released on a bail of 100 million tomans (23,800 USD) pending further legal proceedings.

Shakiba has faced another arrest and conviction due to his civil activities. On February 22, 2017, he was arrested by security forces. He was sentenced in November 2017 to 11 years in prison on charges of “acting against national security through assembly and collusion,” and “propaganda against the regime”. This verdict was upheld on appeal. Ultimately, he was freed from Rajai Shahr Prison on February 3, 2021.

Three Inmates Executed in Rajai Shahr and Kerman Prisons

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Executions, News
Abdolsattar She-Baksh, Arman Abdolali, Capital Punishment, Citizen executed, Citizen executions, citizen executions per-capita, Death Penalty, Death row, death sentenc, Death sentence, juvenile offender, Kerman, Kerman prison, Khan-Mohammad Rahman-Zehi, Rajai Shahr Prison, Rajai-Shahr, Secret executions

This week, in addition to juvenile offender Arman Abdolali, three inmates were executed in Rajai Shahr and Kerman Prisons.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting ISNA, an inmate who was previously convicted of murder was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj on Wednesday, November 24. At the same time, three other inmates, after being sent to the foot of the gallows, were able to obtain additional time from the “blood avengers” at the very last minute, and were sent back to their cells.

Reportedly, the executed man was personnel of a contracting company working for Tehran municipality. As part of his duty, he stopped a van driver, who was working as a scrap metal collector, to check his permit for this work. The verbal quarrel ends up in a fight between them. During the fight, the van driver was hit in the head, fainted and subsequently died from the fracture in his head in hospital.

According to the victim’s son, who witnessed the incident, the man hit his father’s head with brass knuckles led to his death. Despite recognizing the homicide as a semi-deliberate killing by the judge in the first trial, the Supreme Court overturned the verdict. In the second trial, he was sentenced to death and the verdict was confirmed by the Supreme Court. He had been sent to the gallows the previous year, but was that time able to obtain some more time from the blood avengers before being executed.

In Kerman Prison, according to Rasank news, on Thursday, November 25, two inmates, who have been identified as Abdolsattar She-Baksh and Khan-Mohammad Rahman-Zehi, were executed. They have been charged with drug-related crimes. Both had been in jail for three years.

The most recent report of the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between October 8 of 2020 and October 9 of 2021, at least 266 citizens, three of whom were juvenile offenders, were executed and 90 citizens were sentenced to death.

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 82% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.