Tag: Sanandaj

Execution of Six Prisoners in Various Prisons

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Executions, News
Ashkan Mirali, Dezful, Hamid Babaei, Sanandaj, Varamin, Yousef Khani

HRANA – This report covers the execution of six prisoners in recent days on charges related to drug offenses and murder.

On October 25, a prisoner named Jamal Zare, a resident of Khorramabad, was executed in Bam Prison. According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Zare had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

On October 27, a prisoner named Hamid Babaei was hanged in Sanandaj Prison. Based on HRANA’s information, Mr. Babaei had previously been arrested on a murder charge and sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

On Sunday, November 2, another prisoner named Ashkan Mirali was executed in Dezful Prison. Mr. Mirali had also been arrested on a murder charge and later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

Yesterday, Monday, November 3, the death sentences of two prisoners convicted on drug-related charges were carried out in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz. HRANA has confirmed the identity of one of these prisoners as Mehran Hosseini.

Finally, HRANA has learned that yesterday, another prisoner named Yousef Khani, a resident of Varamin, who had also been sentenced to death on drug-related charges, was executed in Semnan Prison.

As of the time of this report, the executions of these prisoners have not been announced by prison authorities or official judicial sources.

In October alone, a total of 258 people were executed in Iran, a figure unprecedented since the beginning of this year.

Saman Mohammadi Khiyareh Executed

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Executions, News
Abolghasem Salavati, moharebeh, Saman Mohammadi, Saman Mohammadi Khiyareh, Sanandaj, سامان محمدی, سامان محمدی خیاره

HRANA – On Saturday morning, Mizan News Agency, announced the execution of Saman Mohammadi Khiyareh, a political prisoner from Sanandaj. Mr. Mohammadi Khiyareh had previously been sentenced to death by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

The Judiciary’s Media Center stated that the sentence was carried out this morning, Saturday, October 4, 2025, after being upheld by the Supreme Court. In its report, the Judiciary accused Saman Mohammadi of “enmity against God (moharebeh) through membership in terrorist and Takfiri groups, carrying out armed operations, and planning and directing the assassination of Mamousta Sheikh al-Islam.”

The Judiciary further accused him of “armed robbery of a jewelry shop in Hamedan, stealing a private vehicle and killing its driver, shooting at civilians, and attacking a police station at the Sheikhan intersection in Sanandaj, which resulted in the death of a soldier.”

Saman Mohammadi Khiyareh, approximately 34 years old and a native of Sanandaj, was arrested in February 2010 on charges of moharebeh (enmity against God). A few months later, he was sentenced to death by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati. However, due to insufficient evidence, the Supreme Court’s Branch 41 overturned the verdict and sent the case to another branch for retrial. The new court sentenced him instead to 15 years in prison on charges of membership in anti-regime groups.

Nevertheless, in an opaque process and under pressure from security agencies – the complainants in the case – this ruling was overturned, and he was once again sentenced to death on the same charges.

A source close to the prisoner’s family previously told HRANA: “During detention, Saman Mohammadi was subjected to physical and psychological torture and forced to confess to charges including the killing of a military officer and another individual during the 2009 protests. However, he denied these confessions at every stage of interrogation and trial.”

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year – a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

Marivan: Mohammad Hooshmand Sentenced to One Year in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
IRGC Intelligence, Marivan, Mohammad Hooshmand, Sanandaj, محمد هوشمند

HRANA – Mohammad Hooshmand, a resident of Marivan County, has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Revolutionary Court of this city.

According quoting Kurdpa, the ruling was handed down by the Marivan Revolutionary Court and communicated to Mr. Houshmand on September 23, 2025. Based on the verdict, he was convicted on the charge of membership in anti-regime groups and sentenced to one year in prison.

On May 16, 2025, Mr. Hooshmand was arrested by IRGC Intelligence forces in Marivan without a judicial warrant and transferred to Shahramfar Detention Center in Sanandaj. He was eventually released on bail on June 18, 2025.

Mohammad Hooshmand is a resident of Daretfi village in Marivan County.

Continued Detention of Six Teenagers in Sanandaj

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Children, News, Prisoners
Behrouz Rashidi, Ehsan Sabouri, IRGC Intelligence, Kamyaran, Kawan Sabouri, Payam Hosseini, Sanandaj, Soran Mozaffari, Uraz Zamani

HRANA – Six 17-year-old teenagers from Kamyaran remain in detention in Sanandaj, held without clear legal status.

According to Kolbar News, on Sunday, September 14, 2025, Kawan Sabouri, Uraz Zamani, Behrouz Rashidi, Soran Mozaffari, and Payam Hosseini were transferred from the Kamyaran Ministry of Intelligence detention facility to the IRGC Intelligence Detention Facility in Sanandaj (Shahramfar) for interrogation. Ehsan Sabouri was transferred to the Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center in Sanandaj.

The families of the teenagers report that security forces have refused to provide any information regarding the reasons for the arrests or the charges brought against them.

Ehsan Sabouri and Kawan Sabouri were arrested on September 11, while Payam Hosseini was detained a day earlier, on September 10, by security forces in Kamyaran. Uraz Zamani, Behrouz Rashidi, and Soran Mozaffari had been arrested earlier on September 7 in the same city.

It is noteworthy that Soran Mozaffari suffers from diabetes and requires continuous medical supervision and regular insulin injections to manage his condition.

Teachers’ Union Activist Masoud Farhikhteh Sentenced to Imprisonment by Court of Appeal

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Alborz province, Masoud Farhikhteh, Sanandaj, مسعود فرهیخته

HRANA – Branch 12 of the Alborz Province Court of Appeal has reduced the prison sentence of teachers’ union activist Masoud Farhikhteh to four years, one month, and 17 days, down from the six years previously handed down by the trial court.

According to the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, the appellate court sentenced Farhikhteh to three years, six months, and one day in prison for “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against internal security,” and seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime.”

Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, only the most severe sentence — three years, six months, and one day — will be enforceable.

Farhikhteh was originally sentenced in January 2025 by Branch 2 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, following a trial held in July 2024.

In a separate case, the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court sentenced him in April 2024 to three months in prison for “propaganda against the regime,” later converting the sentence to an eight-million-toman fine. He was acquitted of this charge in August 2024 by the Kurdistan Province Court of Appeal.

A board member of the Islamshahr Teachers’ Union, Farhikhteh was arrested by security forces at his home in Karaj on May 1, 2023, and transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison. He was released on bail in June of that year.

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Ramin Gorgani Arrested in Kamyaran by Security Forces

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
HRANA, Kamyaran, Ramin Gorgani, Sanandaj

HRANA– On Sunday, August 10, 2025, Ramin Gorgani, a resident of Kamyaran County, was arrested by security forces in this county and transferred to one of The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facilities in Sanandaj. During a search of his home, agents confiscated several of his personal belongings.

According to Kurdpa, an informed source reported that Mr. Gorgani’s arrest was carried out by security forces without the presentation of a judicial warrant, in one of the streets of Kamyaran. Following his arrest, he was transferred to one of The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facilities in Sanandaj.

Additionally, after detaining him, agents went to his home, searched the premises, and seized some of his personal possessions.

As of the time of writing, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for his arrest or the charges against him.

Ramin Gorgani has previously been arrested due to his activities.

Kamran Sakhtemanqar Sentenced to Imprisonment and Fine

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Freedom of Expression, News
Kamran Sakhtemanqar, Sanandaj, کامران ساختمانگر

HRANA – Kamran Sakhtemanqar, a labor activist from Sanandaj, has been sentenced by Branch 2 of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court to three months of discretionary imprisonment and a fine of 30 million tomans. The verdict, issued on Tuesday, July 15, pertains to the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

A preliminary hearing in the case was held on May 18, 2025, in Branch 2 of the Sanandaj Prosecutor’s Office, following a summons issued on May 10.

Mr. Sakhtemanqar was arrested by security forces on February 5, 2025, and released from Sanandaj Prison on March 11 after posting bail.

In mid-January 2025, he also appeared before Branch 109 of the Sanandaj Criminal Court to respond to separate charges of defamation and slander.

Kamran Sakhtemanqar has previously faced multiple arrests and convictions due to his labor activism.

Four Citizens Arrested by Security Forces in Sanandaj

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Abed Ahmadi, Ali Ahmadi, Ayoub Ahmadi, Diyar Ahmadi, Sanandaj

HRANA – On Monday, July 14, Diyar Ahmadi, Ayoub Ahmadi, Abed Ahmadi, and Ali Ahmadi were arrested by security forces in Sanandaj and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to Kolbar News, security agents arrested them without presenting a judicial warrant.

As of the time of this report, there is no information about the reasons for their arrest, their whereabouts, or the charges brought against them.

In 2024, a total of 2,783 Iranian citizens were arrested by security and judicial authorities due to their beliefs, opinions, or political and civil activities. Over the past decade, the number of such arrests has exceeded 56,000. The highest number of arrests occurred in 2022, during the nationwide protests, when HRANA documented 23,977 detentions.

Karim Asghari, a Relative of Varisheh Moradi, Arrested in Sanandaj

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Karim Asghari, Mehraneh Moradi, Sanandaj, Varisheh Moradi

HRANA News Agency – Today, Karim Asghari, the brother-in-law of Varisheh Moradi, a political prisoner sentenced to death, was arrested in Sanandaj by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence, who reportedly beat him during the arrest.

Based on information received by HRANA, at 1 PM today, Sunday, June 8, agents from the Ministry of Intelligence in Sanandaj went to Mr. Asghari’s workplace. After presenting a judicial warrant, they arrested him with physical violence.

A source close to the family confirmed the news and told HRANA: “In recent months, members of Varisheh Moradi’s family—including her sister Mehraneh Moradi and Karim Asghari—have been under increasing security pressure.” According to this source, after Varisheh’s arrest, her family has been summoned multiple times to the Ministry of Intelligence in Sanandaj and has been repeatedly threatened with arrest. The source also reported that Mehraneh Moradi was directly threatened with arrest should she continue to follow up on her sister’s case. She had previously, in 2016, been detained along with Karim Asghari for three months.

The source added: “In recent months, as the family sought to pursue Varisheh’s medical treatment and raised concerns over her being denied visits, Karim Asghari was temporarily detained by plainclothes security forces in front of Evin Prison. He was held in a vehicle for three hours, interrogated, and threatened. The agents explicitly warned that any disclosure of information about the case is prohibited and that media coverage would provoke severe consequences.”

As of the time of this report, there is no information on the reasons for Mr. Asghari’s arrest, his place of detention, or the charges against him.

Varisheh Moradi was arrested by security forces in the outskirts of Sanandaj in August 2023. She was ultimately transferred to Evin Prison on December 26, 2023. In late November 2024, she was sentenced to death by Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, on the charge of baghi (armed rebellion).

Report on the Latest Status of Detained Truckers Amid Ongoing Strikes

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Alireza Faghfoori, Ata Aziri, IRGC Quds forces, Kermanshah, Rezgar Moradi, Sanandaj, Sediq Mohammadi, Shahab Darabi, Truckers’ Strike, Zanko Rostami

HRANA News Agency – Since the start of nationwide truckers’ strikes in Iran on May 22, more than 40 truck drivers, supporters, and other citizens have been arrested in various cities. The strikes emerged in protest of rising costs, reduced freight rates, difficult living conditions, and the government’s neglect of truck drivers’ professional demands.

Since the strikes began, reports have confirmed the arrest of over 40 people in different cities. The identities of seven detainees have been confirmed as: Farzad Rezaei from Divandarreh, Zanko Rostami in Dehgolan, Rezgâr Moradi, Sediq Mohammadi, and Ata Aziri from Sanandaj, Alireza Faghfoori from Behbahan, and Shahab Darabi in Eslamabad-e Gharb. Among them, Shahab Darabi has recently been released.

Following the start of the strikes, the Union of Iranian Truckers and Drivers’ Associations reported the arrest of 11 drivers in Kermanshah and several others in Sanandaj.

Additionally, a citizen was arrested by IRGC Quds forces in Gilan province for supporting the nationwide truckers’ strikes in Rasht.

The Public Relations and Propaganda Division of the Khuzestan IRGC also announced the arrest of two citizens in Bandar Imam Khomeini for supporting the strikes. A video of the two individuals’ “forced confessions” was later published by state media.

In another case, the police chief of Bandar Lengeh stated that a citizen had been arrested for encouraging participation in the strike. According to him, the individual had produced and shared a video clip on social media encouraging heavy vehicle drivers to join the strike, which was later shared with foreign-based media outlets.

In addition, the prosecutor of Shiraz confirmed the arrest of several protesting drivers, accusing them of disrupting transportation. Without specifying the number of detainees, he claimed the individuals were “purposefully and systematically disrupting the transport system.”

In a related development, state media reported that nine citizens had been arrested and transferred to prison in Qazvin province for their involvement in the truckers’ strike.

Two citizens were also arrested in Bahar County, and five more in Khuzestan and Hamadan provinces, all in connection with activities related to the strike.

It’s worth noting that HRANA has recently published a detailed report covering the past week of truckers’ strikes. The report comprehensively addresses the causes of the protests, their expansion, the government’s response, and the status of the detainees.