Tag: Rasht

Prisoner Executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht, for Drug-Related Offenses

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Hassan Sa'adati, Lakan prison, Rasht, حسن سعادتی

At dawn today, December 3, a prisoner previously sentenced to death on charges related to drug offenses was executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

HRANA has identified the prisoner as Hassan Sa’adati. He was previously arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

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.

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.

Three Prisoners Executed in Qom, Rasht, and Shahrekord

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Citizens executed, Qom, Rasht, Shahrekord

Three prisoners previously sentenced to death for drug-related charges and murder were executed in the prisons of Qom, Lakan Rasht, and Shahrekord.

According to HRANA, on Wednesday, November 20, Ali Torkashvand, 54, from Sahneh, Kermanshah, was hanged in Lakan Prison, Rasht. He had been arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

According to Iran Human Rights Organization, another prisoner, Seyed Davood Rajabi, 30, was executed in Qom Prison at dawn on Wednesday, November 27. Rajabi had been in detention for four years on murder charges and was subsequently sentenced to death.

Additionally, at dawn on Thursday, November 21, the execution of a prisoner identified as Majid Jafari, 38, was carried out in Shahrekord Prison. Jafari had been arrested three and a half years ago for drug trafficking near Shahrekord and later sentenced to death.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been officially announced by prison authorities or other relevant institutions.

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.

Prisoner Executed in Lakan Prison for Drug-Related Charges

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
HRANA, Lakan prison, Rasht

At dawn on Saturday, November 16, 2024, a prisoner convicted of drug-related charges was executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the prisoner has been identified as Mehdi Gilani.

Mr. Gilani had been arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant officials have not announced the execution.

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.

Two Prisoners Executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
HRANA, Lakan prison, Majid Jamali, Rasht

On November 7, 2024, the death sentences of two prisoners convicted of drug-related charges were carried out in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

One of the executed prisoners has been identified as Majid Jamali. The identity of the other prisoner, a woman, is still under investigation.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, the prisoners had been arrested on drug-related charges and sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant officials have not officially announced the executions.

According to latest HRANA’s annual report over between October 10, 2023, and October 8, 2024, at least 811 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, rising to 23.06% compared to the same period last year. Of these executions, four were carried out in public. Many of the defendants were denied a fair trial.

Vadood Asadi Sentenced to Five Years and Six Months in Prison

Posted on by . .
Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Rasht, Salar Taher Afshar, Vadood Asadi

After his appeal was accepted and a retrial held, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Vadood Asadi has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison by Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht.

Asadi was originally sentenced in absentia by the same court. He had received a one-year sentence for “propaganda against the regime,” three years and six months for “membership in opposition groups,” and an additional one year for “insulting the Supreme Leader.” Following Asadi’s appeal, the court reconvened on Sunday, October 27, ultimately reissuing a verdict of five years and six months in prison.

In a separate case, Asadi was recently sentenced to four years in prison by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, following a hearing held on May 21, 2024.

Asadi’s recent detainment history began in February 2024, when he was arrested by security forces in Rasht. He was transferred to Evin Prison in March, where he remained briefly before being released on bail.

Asadi has faced previous legal action due to his activism, adding to a history of judicial confrontations related to his advocacy work.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Yashar Nikroo Sentenced to One Year in Prison Following Appeal

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Ahmad Gourabi, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Rasht, Rasht Revolutionary Court, Yashar Nikroo

After the acceptance of his appeal and a retrial, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Yashar Nikroo has been sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 3 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court.

Nikroo’s initial trial was held in absentia earlier this year, resulting in a one-year prison sentence for “propaganda against the regime.” On September 10, a new hearing was held in the same court to reconsider the charges. Despite the appeal, the court reaffirmed the one-year prison sentence during a subsequent session on October 9.

Yashar Nikroo, also known as Ahmad Gourabi, is a well-known Azerbaijani-Turk activist residing in Rasht. He had previously faced similar charges in the Rasht Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office.

Mahsa Jalal Badiei Transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht to Serve Her Sentence

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Lakan prison, Mahsa Jalal Badiei, Rasht

Mahsa Jalal Badiei, a resident of Rasht, was arrested and transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht on Sunday, October 13, to serve her prison sentence.

A source close to the family confirmed to HRANA that “Ms. Badiei was arrested on Sunday, October 13, after reporting to branch 5 of the Enforcement Office of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht and was transferred to prison.” She had previously been summoned to this branch via a court notification.

On May 13 of this year, Ms. Badiei was arrested by security forces and released six days later after posting bail.

She was later sentenced by the Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht, presided over by Judge Mehdi Rasekhi, to seven months and 16 days in prison for “propaganda against the regime” and to three years and six months in prison for “conducting educational and promotional activities against Islamic Shaira.” Additionally, she was deprived of her social rights for 10 years.

Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the most severe punishment—three years and six months in prison—will be enforced.

According to information obtained by HRANA, her conviction stemmed from online activities including converting banned books into audio files and distributing them, supporting political figures, and participating in nationwide protests in 2022.

Badiei, born in 1985, is a mother of one child.

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence of Labor Activist Sharifeh Mohammadi

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Death sentence, Rasht, Sharifeh Mohammadi

The Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist imprisoned in Lakan Prison, Rasht. Branch 39 of the Supreme Court nullified the sentence and referred her case to a parallel court for retrial.

Amir Raisian, Mohammadi’s defense attorney, confirmed the ruling, stating that her death sentence, initially issued by Branch 1 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court, has been voided. Her case will now undergo a fresh review.

Mohammadi was sentenced to death on July 4, 2023, on charges of baghi (armed rebellion) due to her alleged membership in an opposition group. This sentence against the female labor activist triggered widespread public outcry.

Her trial, held on June 8, 2023, revolved around multiple charges, including propaganda against the regime, actions against national security, and baghi through her supposed affiliation with the group.

Mohammadi was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence at her home in Rasht on December 5, 2023. Later that month, she was transferred from Lakan Prison to Sanandaj Prison on December 30, only to be sent back to Lakan after some time.

A source close to her family told HRANA: “Sharifeh was a member of the Association of Labor Organizations until 2013, which has no ties to the Komala group. The charge of baghi is based on her alleged membership in this group, which is not true.”

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Mohammadreza Khalili Sentenced to One Year in Prison

Posted on by . .
Ethnic Minorities, News
Azerbaijani Turk activist, Mohammadreza Khalili, Rasht

Mohammadreza Khalili, a 22-year-old Azerbaijani-Turk activist, has been sentenced to one year in prison by a court in Rasht.

According to HRANA, Khalili was convicted based on a recent ruling issued by the Judiciary of Rasht. He was sentenced to one year in prison on charges of “inciting or provoking people to warfare and violence with the intent to disrupt national security.” Khalili defended himself against these charges on August 6, 2024, in Branch 103 of the Astara Criminal Court.

Previously, this activist, originally from Khalkhal, was arrested by the Cyber Police (FATA) in the city of Sowme’eh Sara, Gilan Province, and subsequently transferred to prison. He was later released on bail set at 2 billion tomans.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) recorded 329 reports, citing the arrest of 324 citizens linked to ethnic and national rights. Notably, 156 of these arrests occurred without the issuance of a judicial warrant.

Two Azerbaijani-Turk Activists Sentenced to Prison

Posted on by . .
Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Rasht, Vadood Asadi, Yashar Nikroo

Azerbaijani-Turk activists, Vadood Asadi and Yashar Nikroo, have been sentenced to a total of six years and six months in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Rasht.

According to the verdict issued by Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht, Mr. Asadi received one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime,” three years and six months for “membership in anti-regime groups,” and one year for “insulting the Supreme Leader.” Mr. Nikroo was sentenced to one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime.”

In February 2024, Mr. Asadi was violently arrested by security forces in Rasht and transferred to Evin Prison later that month. He was released a few days afterward upon posting bail.

Yashar Nikroo Ahmad Gourabi, another Azerbaijani-Turk activist from Rasht, had previously faced formal charges at the Rasht Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office.