Tag: Tehran

Family of Fallahi Faces Eleven-Year Sentence on Political Charges

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Ardavan Fallahi, Arghavan Fallahi, Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Nasrollah Fallahi, Parvin Mirasan, Tehran, پروین میرآسان, نصرالله فلاحی

In a recent verdict from the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Parvin Mirasan and Nasrollah Fallahi, alongside their children, Ardavan and Arghavan, have been collectively sentenced to 11 years in prison on political charges.

Presiding over Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, Judge Iman Afshari delivered the verdict, condemning Parvin Mirasan and Nasrollah Fallahi to four years each for charges including “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” Meanwhile, Arghavan received a two-year sentence and Ardavan, one year.

According to a source close to the family, Parvin Mirasan and Nasrollah Fallahi are currently held in Evin Prison, while their children, who had previously been released on bail, have already served their terms, factoring in their detention period.

Reports obtained by HRANA indicate that this legal case involves 12 defendants, yet their identities and specifics remain undisclosed.

Ardavan Fallahi was apprehended in Isfahan on November 3, 2022, followed by the arrest of a family member the subsequent day. On February 12, 2023, they were transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran. Ardavan and Arghavan were granted release on bail pending legal proceedings, on January 3, 2024, and March 12, 2024, respectively.

Reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA in 2023 indicate a total of 193 cases in which Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, has been involved in issuing verdicts that infringe upon the human rights of defendants.

Journalist Dina Ghalibaf Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News
Dina Ghalibaf, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, دینا قالیباف

Dina Ghalibaf, a journalist and student at Shahid Beheshti University, was arrested by security forces on April 16 and transported to an undisclosed facility.

The arrest took place at Ghalibaf’s residence, with the responsible security institution currently unidentified.
However, Ghalibaf revealed on social media yesterday that she had been apprehended by the police at a metro station in Tehran, where she was taken to a room, subjected to electric shocks, and sexually assaulted.

Previously, Ghalibaf had been summoned by the university’s disciplinary committee for her involvement in a protest against the execution of several individuals in the “House of Isfahan” legal case.

Ghalibaf has contributed to various news agencies, including ISNA and Eghtesad Online.

Baha’i Educator Keyvan Rahimian’s Nine-Year Sentence Sustained on Appeal

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News, Religious Minorities
Abbasali Hoozan, Appellate Court of Tehran, Bahais, Keyvan Rahimian, Tehran, کیوان رحیمیان

The Appellate Court of Tehran Province has maintained a nine-year sentence and additional penalties for Baha’i educator Keyvan Rahimian.

In a verdict issued by Branch 36 of the Appellate Court of Tehran Province, presided over by Judge Abbasali Hoozan, Rahimian was sentenced to five years for “educational activities and propagating against the Islamic Sharia” and four years for “assembly and collusion against national security.” Alongside the prison term, Rahimian has been stripped of social rights and fined.

Per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, five years of the prison term will be enforced.

Rahimian was apprehended by security forces in Tehran on July 18, 2023, and subsequently detained in Evin prison. His detention has been extended for four consecutive months, with Rahimian granted leave from November 25 to 29, 2023, to attend his mother’s funeral.

This is not Rahimian’s first encounter with legal repercussions for his activism. In August 2017, he was released from Rajai Shahr Prison after serving a five-year sentence. The current sentence raises concerns about the continued suppression of Baha’i individuals involved in educational and community activities.

Baha’is are subjected to violations of their religious rights, comprising 82% of reports on infringements against religious minorities, according to HRA’s 2023 annual report.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

 

Woman Arrested for Displaying Israeli Flag in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Israel, Israel flag, Tehran

A woman has been arrested by IRGC Intelligence for displaying an Israeli flag in the streets of Tehran, as reported by Fars News Agency.

The identity of the woman and the location of her detention have not been disclosed in the report. She was apprehended while allegedly trying to depart the country.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) documented 2,380 cases in which citizens faced legal and security consequences for exercising their freedom of expression and thought. These incidents resulted in the arrest of 3,130 individuals.

Saeed Farokhi Pour Arrested in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Amir-Mehdi Farokhi Pour, HRANA, Mahsa Amini Protests, Saeed Farokhi Pour, Tehran, سعید فرخی پور

Saeed Farokhi Pour (Farohkipour) was apprehended by security forces on April 1, 2024, and transferred to an undisclosed facility. His minor son, Amir-Mehdi Farokhi Pour, was killed at the hands of regime forces during the 2022 nationwide protests, known as the Mahsa Amini Protests.

Confirming Farokhi Pour’s arrest, a source close to his family informed HRANA that the arrest occurred at Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery in Tehran, where Farohki Pour was attending his son’s burial. Despite inquiries by his family regarding his whereabouts and condition, they have received no response.

The motive behind his arrest remains undisclosed.

Amir-Mehdi Farokhi Pour, aged 17, was fatally shot during the protests on September 27, 2022, and succumbed to his injuries the following day.

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Civil Rights Activist Raheleh Rahemipour Denied Vital Medical Care in Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Jila Karamzadeh Makvandi, Raheleh Rahemipour, Tehran, راحله راحمی پور

Raheleh Rahemipour, a civil rights advocate currently incarcerated in Evin Prison, has been unjustly denied access to crucial medical treatment due to non-compliance with compulsory hijab regulations.

According to a source close to Rahemipour’s family, she is battling multiple serious illnesses, including a brain tumor requiring specialized medical attention. Despite her urgent medical needs, authorities have refused to transfer her to an external hospital solely on the grounds of her refusal to adhere to hijab requirements.

Additionally, reports obtained by HRANA reveal that Rahemipour has been deprived of family visits, exacerbating her isolation and distress.

Rahemipour was briefly hospitalized in late January 2024 due to her deteriorating health, undergoing cardiac angiography before being abruptly returned to prison two days later.

The civil rights activist was initially arrested alongside Jila Karamzadeh Makvandi in Tehran on November 12, 2019, and detained in Ward 2-A of Evin Prison which is under the control of IRGC. After a period on bail, she was indicted by the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime,” leading to a six-year prison sentence beginning in November 2023.

Political Prisoner Shakila Monfared Receives Additional 12-Month Prison Term and Further Penalties on Appeal

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News, Prisoners
Abbasali Hozan, Evin Prison, Narge Mohammadi, Political Prisoner, Shakila Monfared, Tehran, شکیلا منفرد

The Appellate Court of Tehran has imposed an additional twelve-month prison sentence and other penalties on Shakila Monfared, a political prisoner currently held in Evin Prison. This decision stems from a legal case initiated while she was incarcerated.

Presided over by Judge Abbasali Hozan, Branch 36 of the Tehran Appellate Court found Monfared guilty of allegedly “spreading propaganda against the regime,” leading to a 12-month imprisonment. Additionally, she faces restrictions, including a ban on residing in Tehran and its surrounding provinces, prohibition from joining political or civil groups, and limitations on smartphone usage.

Initially sentenced to 15 months in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Monfared’s appeal, along with her co-defendant Narge Mohammadi, was adjudicated in absentia in December. She was informed of the conviction on February 20, subsequent to the dismissal of her appeal request by the court.

This marks the third legal case resulting in a conviction that Monfared has encountered during her incarceration.

Monfared’s ordeal began on August 31, 2020, when security forces arrested her as she was leaving her home. She was transferred to one of the detention centers under the control of the IRGC in Tehran. After 14 days of detention, she was subsequently released on bail from Evin Prison.

Following that, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Monfared to six years in prison and four months of probation work in the Agricultural Jihad on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “blasphemy.” This verdict was later reduced to four years and two months on appeal.

In January 2022, in a new legal case while imprisoned, Monfared received two years and eight months, this time for the charge of “membership in anti-regime groups” and paying a fine for “disseminating false information.”

It is worth noting that on June 6, 2023, once again, Monfared faced the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security,” and this time the case was closed after a while.

 

Theater Director Ali Noorani Commences One-Year Prison Term, Faces New Legal Proceedings

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Noorani, Ali Nourani, Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Tehran, ایمان افشاری, علی نورانی

Theater director Ali Noorani was taken into custody on March 6 to begin serving a one-year sentence at Evin Prison. Simultaneously, new legal proceedings have been initiated against him.

A reliable source close to Noorani confirmed his imprisonment, stating that he was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison following his appearance at the Evin Courthouse. Initially, Judge Iman Afshari of Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court had sentenced Noorani to six years in prison for charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion against national security.” However, the sentence was later reduced to one year on appeal.

Noorani had previously been arrested on September 17, 2023, at his residence in Tehran. After spending 24 days in detention, he was released on a bail of three billion tomans, equivalent to approximately 60,000 dollars. The recent arrest marks the commencement of his one-year prison term as he faces further legal challenges.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) documented 2,380 cases in which citizens, including journalists and civil rights activists, faced legal and security consequences for exercising their freedom of expression and thought. These incidents resulted in the arrest of 3,130 individuals.

Political Prisoner Shakila Monfared Receives 15-Month Sentence and Additional Restrictions While Incarcerated

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News, Prisoners
HRANA, Shakila Monfared, Tehran

After her appeal was rejected, 30-year-old Shakilia Monfared was sentenced to a 15-month prison term and additional penalties in a legal case initiated during her incarceration. Monfared is currently serving her sentence in Evin Prison.

Charged with “propaganda against the regime,” Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Monfared to 15 months of imprisonment. Additionally, she faces a two-year travel ban, a prohibition from residing in Tehran and surrounding provinces, a ban from joining political/civil groups, and restrictions on using smartphones.

Confirmation of this conviction came from a source close to Monfared’s family who informed HRANA that the verdict against Monfared and her co-defendant, Narge Mohammadi, was issued in absentia in December. She was then notified about this conviction on February 20, after her appeal request was dismissed by the court.

Notably, this is the third legal case she has faced, resulting in a conviction during her incarceration.

Monfared’s ordeal began on August 31, 2020, when security forces arrested her as she was leaving her home. She was transferred to one of the detention centers under the control of the IRGC in Tehran. After 14 days of detention, she was subsequently released on bail from Evin Prison.

Following that, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Monfared to six years in prison and four months of probation work in the Agricultural Jihad on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “blasphemy.” This verdict was later reduced to four years and two months on appeal.

In January 2022, in a new legal case while imprisoned, Monfared received two years and eight months, this time for the charge of “membership in anti-regime groups” and paying a fine for “disseminating false information.”

It is worth noting that on June 6, 2023, once again, Monfared faced the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security,” and this time the case was closed after a while.

Three Political Prisoners Sentenced to a Combined 14 Years in Upheld Verdict

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News, Prisoners
Behfar Laleh Zari, Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Mohsen Haji-Mohammadi, Qarchak Prison, Rezavaneh Ahmad-Khan Beigi, Tehran, Varamin

The Appeals Court of Tehran has confirmed a joint 14-year prison sentence for political prisoners Mohsen Haji-Mohammadi, Rezavaneh Ahmad-Khan Beigi, and Behfar Laleh Zari.

As per the verdict endorsed by Branch 36 of the Appeals Court of Tehran, Laleh Zari and her husband Ahmad-Khan Beigi have each been given four years for “assembly and collusion against national security” and an additional year for “spreading propaganda against the regime.” Haji-Mohammadi, on the other hand, received a four-year sentence for “assembly and collusion against national security.”

The initial ruling was handed down by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, led by Judge Iman Afshari.

On September 18, 2023, civil rights advocate, Ahmad-Khan Beigi and Laleh Zari were arrested at their residence by security forces. Laleh Zari, initially held in solitary confinement under Security Police custody, was later transferred to Evin Prison, while Ahmad-Khan Beigi was relocated to Qarchak Prison in Varamin, eventually being moved to Evin Prison.

Haji-Mohammadi’s arrest occurred in Tehran in September 2023. After seven days of solitary confinement under the Public Security Police, they were transferred to Evin Prison.

All three political prisoners have a history of arrests and convictions stemming from their engagement in political activism.