Tag: Rajai Shahr Prison

Behnam Moosivand Hospitalized As a Result of Hunger Strike

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Behnam Moosivand, Evin Prison, Rajai Shahr Prison

On Sunday, April 24, 2022, civil activist Behnam Moosivand was sent to the quarantine section of Evin Prison from Rajai-Shahr Prison. He has been on hunger strike since April 19 and is currently hospitalized for low blood pressure and other side effects.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Civil activist Behnam Moosivand who is still on a hunger strike after seven days, was transferred to the quarantine section of Evin Prison from Rajai-Shahr Prison. On Tuesday, April 26, 2022, he was sent to a hospital for low blood pressure and other side effects.

According to an informed source, last Sunday, while Moosivand was suffering from life-threatening side effects of his hunger strike, without any prior notice, prison officials transferred him to Evin Prison.

On April 19, 2022, Mr Moosivand went on a hunger strike in protest against being beaten by prison officers following his objection to being handcuffed during the dispatching to the hospital.

On February 1, 2018, the intelligence officials raided Behnam Moosivand’s home and transferred him to the detention facility of the Ministry of Intelligence in Evin Prison, known as Ward209. He was released on bail on March 19, 2018.

Subsequently, in September 2019, branch 28 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced Moosivand to five years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security”, and one year on a charge of “propaganda against the regime”. The verdict was upheld on appeal. On June 14, 2020, Moosivand went to Evin for sentencing. In September of 2020, he was sent into exile, to Rajai-Shahr prison in Karaj City.

Eight Inmates Executed in Adel-Abad, Rajai-Shahr and Dastgerd Prisons  

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Adel-Abad Prison, Dastgerd Prison, Rajai Shahr Prison

Last Sunday and Wednesday, eight inmates were executed in Adel-Abad, Rajai-Shahr and Dastgerd prisons.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Iran Human Rights Organization, last Sunday, four inmates who had been previously convicted for drug-related crimes were executed in Adel-Abad prison in Shiraz.

Two of the executed inmates have been identified as Jamshid Fadai and Hossein Mehrabani, age 37.

Iran Human Rights Organization also reported the execution of an inmate of Afghan origins, identified with the first name of Zobeyd, in Dastgerd prison of Isfahan on Wednesday, March 16.

On the same day, three inmates were executed in Rajai-Shahr prison in Karaj. These inmates were identified as Gholamali Khargir, Abbas Khargir and Mohsen Jondaghi and had been convicted of murder during an armed robbery twenty years ago. 

None of these executions were reported by official sources and media outlets inside Iran so far.

The most recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between January 1 of 2021 and December 20 of 2021, at least 299 citizens, including four juvenile offenders, were executed. In addition, 85 citizens were sentenced to death in this period.

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 88% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

Sunni Prisoner Hamzeh Darvish Sentenced to Two Years and One Month In Prison

Posted on by A MN
Prisoners
Hamzeh Darvish, Rajai Shahr Prison, Sunni

In a new case recently opened against him, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht sentenced Sunni prisoner Hamzeh Darvish to two years and one month iin prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Darvish is currently serving a 15 year sentence in Lakan prison, and was sentenced to two years and one month in prison in a new legal case.

In this verdict, he has been sentenced to 18 months on the charge of “offensive statements against the supreme leader of Iran” and seven months and sixteen days on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. This verdict was issued on March 5, and he was notified yesterday, March 9.

This case was opened following complaints by the Ministry of Intelligence regarding audio of Darvish that circulated on social media. In this audio recording, Darvish explains his condition in prison.

Darvish claims that in 2014, ISIS troops tricked him into Turkey and then he travelled to Syria. He had been in ISIS jail for some time, then escaped to Iran and introduced himself to security forces.

After spending a year in detention, he was released on bail. However, he was arrested again and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in a trial which raised many questions. On May 11, 2020, he was transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison to Lakan Prison. On September 30, 2020, he was held in solitary confinement for more than two months for the second time.

Imprisoned Civil Activist Farhad Meysami Faces New Charges

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Farhad Meysami, propaganda against the regime, Rajai Shahr Prison

On February 17, civil activist Farhad Meysami, who is spending the fourth year of his sentence in Rajai Shahr Prison, was indicted on the charge of “propaganda against the regime” in a new legal case opened by Branch 1 of Karaj’s Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Meysami is serving his fourth year in prison without a day of furlough. Yesterday, Karaj’s Revolutionary Court summoned and indicted him with a new charge of “propaganda against the regime”. These charges are pressed due to notes on social media and the internet that have been attributed to him.

On July 31, 2018, security forces arrested him, and thereafter Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced him to five years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security” and one year on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. Moreover, he was deprived of any political activities and membership in political parties and groups on social media, as well as press both inside the country and abroad for two years.

Grounded in Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the sentence of five years as the severest punishment is enforceable, which is related to his first charge.

On November 9, 2019, he was transferred suddenly from Evin to Rajai Shahr Prison.

Sunni Prisoner Arkan Palani Jaf Beaten in a Solitary Confinement Cell

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Arkan Palani Jaf, Rajai Shahr Prison, Sarpol Zahab City

While still on hunger strike, Sunni prisoner Arkan Palani Jaf was relocated to a solitary confinement cell and beaten by prison guards. Last Wednesday, he sewed his lips shut and went on hunger strike in protest against the prison’s refusal to grant him furlough.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Sunni prisoner Arkan Palani Jaf was held in solitary confinement in Rajai Shahr Prison and beaten by prison guards. He has been on hunger strike since last Wednesday.

According to an informed source, the prisoner’s head Allah-Karam Azizi, the Head of Penitentiary No 4 and other prison officials have been ordered to punish him by beating. “They beat him and worn and ripped threads off of his sewed lips. They threatened him to beating every day if he continues his hunger strike,” he commented.

Palani Jaf has spent more than four years of his seven year sentence without furlough. His request for furlough has been dismissed several times.

Earlier, on Monday, December 17, 2021,  he went on a hunger strike, which ended after a few days.

Palani Jaf was arrested in 2016 and sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to 7 years on the charge of “collaboration with ISIS”. According to an informed source, the security agents wanted to arrest his brother and when they failed, arrested him instead despite having no evidence for his association with ISIS.

Palani Jaf is 28 years old and a resident of Sarpol Zahab City. He is currently jailed in Rajai Shahr Prison.

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At Least Six Inmates Executed in Rajai Shahr Prison

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Amin Safari, executions, Mohammad Bavi, Peyman Mousavi, Rajai Shahr Prison, Secret executions, Shahin Allah-Moradi

On January 12, at least six inmates were executed in Rajai Shahr Prison. All of the prisoners executed had been sentenced to death for murder.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Wednesday morning, two of these executed prisoners as Shahin Allah-Moradi and Mohammad Bavi. The Iran Human Rights Organization has also identified two other inmates as Amin Safari and Peyman Mousavi.

Three other inmates on death row were transferred to solitary confinement to await their execution, but were able to get a moratorium from the blood avenger (a member of the victim’s family). Also on January 12, Rahborde Moaser News Outlet reported the execution of an inmate in Rajai Shahr Prison. Reportedly, he was a guard at Imam Sadiq University who was accused of killing one of the university managers. The report did not reveal the identity of the executed inmate.

The most recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between January 1 of 2021 and December 20 of 2021, at least 299 citizens, including four juvenile offenders, were executed. In addition, 85 citizens were sentenced to death in this period.

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 88% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

Three Inmates Executed in Rajai Shahr and Kerman Prisons

Posted on by A MN
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.

Juvenile Offender Arman Abdolali Executed in Rajai Shahr Prison

Posted on by A MN
Children, Executions, News
Amnesty International, Arman Abdolali, Citizen executions, Death row, executions per capita, Ghazaleh Shakur, Karaj, Rajai Shahr Prison, Rajai-Shahr, Secret executions

Earlier this Wednesday, November 24, juvenile offender Arman Abdolali was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Abdolali was relocated to a solitary confinement cell yesterday as a regular procedure before carrying out the execution, and then executed in the morning.

Judiciary Media Center announced that on Wednesday morning, Arman Abdolali, who was previously convicted of murdering his girlfriend at the age of 17, was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison.

Last night, in response to his relocation to a solitary confinement cell, Amnesty International asked Iranian authorities to halt the imminent execution. Amnesty International had also previously urged that the sentence be stopped and pointed out, “The use of the death penalty against people who were under 18 at the time the crime was committed is prohibited under international law and constitutes an abhorrent assault on child rights.”

In 2013, while he was underage, Abdolali was indicted on the charge of murdering his girlfriend, Ghazaleh Shakur. During interrogation, he confessed to killing her but later on, he denied the charges, claimed that the confession has been extracted under torture and pleaded his innocence. The victim’s body was never found.

After the first confirmation of the sentence, Abdolali’s lawyer claimed him as innocent and asked for a retrial, which was granted by the Supreme Court of Iran. In the second retrial, the death sentence was upheld after six months by the Supreme Court of Iran and thereafter by an appellate court.

Prisoner of Conscience Soheil Arabi Released From Rajai Shahr Prison

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News, Prisoners
Borzajan City, Evin, Evin Prison, Greater Tehran Penitentiary, Greater Tehran Prison, Karaj, Rajai Shahr Prison, Rajai-Shahr, Revolutionary Court of Tehran, Soheil Arabi, Tehran

On Tuesday, November 16, prisoner of conscience Soheil Arabi was released from Rajai Shahr Prison after completing his sentence and sent to Borazjan to await the court decision about his two-year exile sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Soheil Arabi was sent to Borazjan City accompanied by a police guard. It is yet to be decided whether he should stay in exile in Borazjan, and if so, how long. Because Arabi’s prison term was longer than the sentence required, either the difference will be subtracted from the current exile period, or the charge will be dropped altogether.

Arabi has been imprisoned since November 7, 2013, and never been granted leave. On January 21, 2020, he was relocated from Evin Prison to the Greater Tehran Prison.

While serving out the seven and a half year sentence, Soheil Arabi was convicted on charges from two new cases. In the first case, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to five years imprisonment on the charge of “blasphemy, propaganda against the regime and an offensive statement against the Supreme Leader”. For the second case, he was sentenced to two years imprisonment, two years of exile in Borazjan City, and paying a fine of 4 million tomans on a charge of “spreading lies in the purpose to disturb public opinion and propaganda against the regime”, and one year and eight months on the charge of “the destruction of public property”.

On September 18, 2020, Arabi was punitively relocated from the Greater Tehran Prison to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj. On October 20, 2020, after being held for 33 days in a solitary confinement cell, in a phone call to his family, he informed them about his relocation to the detention center at the disposal of IRGC, known as Ward 2 A of Evin Prison. On November 8, 2020, he was sent back to a solitary confinement cell in Rajai Shahr Prison. After 9 days, he was sent to the public ward of this prison.

Two Inmates Executed in Zahedan and Rajai Shahr Prisons

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Capital Punishment, citizen executions per-capita, executions, Javad Qoljai, Karaj, Kermanshah, Kermanshah province, Manuchehr Kazemi Varmaleh, Rajai Shahr Prison, Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj, Rajai-Shahr, Secret executions

In the last two days, two inmates were executed in Zahedan and Rajai Shahr Prisons.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists,  an inmate who was previously convicted of murder was executed this Wednesday, November 3, in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.

HRANA has identified the inmate as 33-year-old Manuchehr Kazemi Varmaleh, who was a resident of Harsin County in Kermanshah Province.

Another inmate, who has been identified as Javad Qoljai, was executed on Thursday, November 4, in Zahedan Prison on a charge of murder.

According to HRANA, quoting Rasank, Qoljai was arrested two years ago and convicted of the murder of one of his friends. He had been in prison since, until his execution yesterday.

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.

Neither Qoljai’s nor Varmaleh’s executions have been reported by official sources in Iran as of this writing.