Tag: Tehran

Baha’i Educator Keyvan Rahimian Receives Nine-Year Prison Sentence

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News, Religious Minorities
Evin Prison, Keyvan Rahimian, Tehran, Tehran Revolutionary Court

Keyvan Rahimian, a Baha’i citizen and lecturer at an online university affiliated with the Baha’i community, has been sentenced to nine years in prison, accompanied by a fine and a six-year deprivation of social rights.

The verdict, issued by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, outlines a five-year sentence for “educational activities and propagating against Sharia Islam” and a four-year sentence for “assembly and collusion against national security.” Alongside the prison term, Rahimian has been prohibited from exercising social rights and ordered to pay a fine.

Should the verdict be upheld on appeal, Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code stipulates that five years of the prison term will be enforced, as it imposes the maximum prison term for one charge from multiple charges.

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 the first time Rahimian has faced legal repercussions for his activism. In August 2017, he was released from Rajai Shahr Prison after completing a five-year sentence. The current sentence raises concerns about the ongoing suppression of Baha’i individuals engaged in educational and community activities.

Civil Rights Activist Mohammad Nourizad Sentenced to 61 Months in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Mohammad Nourizad, Shahid Kechooie judicial complex, Tehran

Renowned civil rights advocate Mohammad Nourizad has been sentenced to 61 months in prison as a result of a legal case initiated while he was already incarcerated.

Presently serving his sentence at Evin Prison, Nourizad revealed the additional imprisonment through a voice message from behind bars. The recent court session addressing the new charges against Nourizad took place at the Shahid Kechooie judicial complex in Tehran. Unfortunately, he was unable to defend himself as he was not present during the proceedings.

Details regarding the charges leveled against Nourizad remain undisclosed at this time.

On August 9, 2023, Nourizad faced punitive measures and was relocated to solitary confinement due to his protest against the restriction of prisoners’ telephone cards, impeding their ability to make phone calls.

In a separate legal development from July 2023, Nourizad received an additional two-year prison sentence from the Tehran Revolutionary Court. This sentence stemmed from yet another legal case initiated while he was already in prison.

Nourizad’s legal ordeal began on August 11, 2019, when he was arrested by security forces for participating in the drafting of an open letter with 13 other civil rights activists, calling for the Supreme Leader of Iran to step down. In the initial case, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, three years of exile in Izeh, and a two-year travel ban. Although the prison sentence was upheld on appeal, the duration of exile and travel ban were reduced to two years.

In late April 2020, Nourizad received an additional one-year imprisonment for expressing support for Baha’i citizens in Eyvanki, Semnan Province.

Concerning the second part of his legal case, the Mashhad Criminal Court sentenced Nourizad to 8 months in prison and 74 lashes, along with exile to Tabas, for “disturbance of public order.” He also received an additional 74 lashes for “spreading falsehood.” This verdict was upheld on appeal as well.

Nourizad was released from Evin Prison on November 17, 2021, based on an early release order. However, on January 23, 2022, he was summoned and re-incarcerated in Evin Prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Nourizad has a history of arrests and convictions linked to his peaceful activism. He is a prominent filmmaker, writer, director, and journalist from Iran. While previously known as an outspoken religious journalist, he has become an active critic of the Islamic Republic in recent years.

 

Political Prisoner Majid Tavakoli Faces Upheld Six-Year Sentence Following Retrial

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Majid Tavakoli, Tehran, Tehran Revolutionary Court

Branch 54 of the Court of Appeal in Tehran has affirmed a six-year sentence for political prisoner Majid Tavakoli.

A source close to his family confirmed to HRANA that Tavakoli was sentenced to six years in prison, along with internet and social media usage restrictions for two years, a two-year ban from residing in Tehran, and a travel ban for two years.

Tavakoli received notification of this verdict on January 29.

Previously, the Supreme Court accepted Tavakoli’s request for a retrial, transferring the case to another court branch. Notably, Tavakoli, a student activist and former political detainee, was arrested by security forces in Tehran on September 23, 2022, during the Mahsa Amini Protests. He was released on bail on December 19, 2022.

Subsequently, Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court imposed a six-year sentence, which was upheld on appeal. On October 7, 2023, Tavakoli commenced serving his sentence in Evin Prison.

Tavakoli’s history of arrests and convictions is rooted in his activism.

Woman Sentenced to 11 Months in Prison After Confrontation with Religious Vigilante Over Dog Walk

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Freedom of Expression, News
Negin Chaparian, Tehran, Tehran Revolutionary Court

The Tehran Revolutionary Court has handed down an eleven-month prison term to Negin Chaparian for an altercation with a religious vigilante who harassed her while walking her dog.

According to the recent verdict from Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Chaparian has been convicted of “spreading propaganda against the regime, provoking impurity and indecency, and outraging public decency.”

In August 2023, 34-year-old Chaparian, a Tehran resident, engaged in a dispute with a religious vigilante in a park who objected to her walking a dog, deeming it inappropriate by Islamic standards. Subsequently, she was arrested after sharing photos of the incident on social media. Chaparian spent three days in detention and was later released on bail.

This incident highlights a concerning violation of citizens’ privacy rights and freedom, as the Iranian regime encourages individuals to enforce the Islamic code in public as a religious duty.

Concerns Rise as Khaled Pirzadeh Hospitalized in Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners
ahvaz, Evin Prison, Khaled Pirzadeh, Tehran, Ward 209 of Evin Prison

Political prisoner Khaled Pirzadeh has been hospitalized since January 19, 2024, due to a deteriorating health condition.

A reliable source close to Pirzadeh’s family confirmed the news, stating, “Last week, Pirzadeh was admitted to Loghman Hospital in Tehran due to heart arrhythmia. He is currently in the ICU with a bound chain on his ankle.”

Earlier this year, Pirzadeh was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court for “assembly and collusion against national security” and an additional eight months for “propaganda against the regime.”

In September 2023, security forces arrested Pirzadeh in Ahvaz, and he was subsequently transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison in Tehran. On October 15, he was moved to Ward 6 within the same prison.

It is noteworthy that Pirzadeh has a history of previous arrests and convictions related to his activism.

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Political Prisoner Manoochehr Bakhtiari Faces Extended Incarceration and Corporal Punishment

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News, Prisoners
Manoochehr Bakhtiari, Mousavi Asef-Al-Hosseini, Pouya Bakhtiari, Tehran, منوچهر بختیاری

Manoochehr Bakhtiari, a political prisoner held in Qazvin Prison, has recently been handed an additional 18-year prison term and 74 lashes as part of a legal case initiated against him while in prison.

Presiding over Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, Judge Seyyed Mousavi Asef-Al-Hosseini sentenced Bakhtiari to ten years for “assembly and collusion to act against national security, and forming and running groups on the Internet to disturb national security.” Additionally, he received five years for “collaboration with anti-regime groups,” two years for “propaganda against the regime and disturbing public opinions,” and one year along with 74 lashes for “disseminating false information.”

Bakhtiari conveyed this latest sentence to his family in a phone call on January 9, as reported by his wife, Sara Abbasi.

On November 1, 2023, Bakhtiari was also handed an additional six-month prison term for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran.”

Currently serving a three-year, six-month sentence in Qazvin Prison, Bakhtiari’s wife has raised concerns about his health, citing multiple ailments, and alleges that he is being denied access to medical treatment and furlough. She explained, “He endured a toothache for four months with infections spreading to his ears and eyes. Prison officials delayed his dispatch to a dentist every day until he had to extract his upper row teeth to alleviate the pain.”

Bakhtiari’s legal troubles began on April 29, 2021, when security forces forcibly arrested him at his residence in Tehran. Subsequently, the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to three years and six months in prison, along with a two-year, six-month exile and a two-year travel ban. Bakhtiari began serving this sentence in July 2021.

In a tragic and interconnected series of events, Bakhtiari’s son, Pouya, at the age of 27, was fatally shot by regime forces during the 2019 protests, also known as the Aban Protests, in Karaj. According to his sister and mother, Pouya succumbed to his injuries in the hospital after being shot in the head during the second day of the protest’s eruption.

Iranian Singer Mehdi Yarrahi Receives Prison Sentence and Lashes

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Mehdi Yarrahi, Tehran, Zahra Minooie, مهدی یراحی

The Tehran Revolutionary Court has issued a verdict against singer and musician Mehdi Yarrahi, sentencing him to two years and eight months of imprisonment along with 74 lashes.

Confirming the sentence, Yarrahi’s lawyer, Zahra Minooie, stated, “If the decision is upheld on appeal, the most severe penalty of one year will become enforceable.”

During the court session held on October 16, 2023, Yarrahi faced charges of “propaganda against the regime, inciting people to depravity, producing music content against public modesty, and promoting offenses against chastity on the Internet.”

Yarrahi was initially arrested on August 28, 2023, by the order of the Tehran prosecutor, following the release of a song titled “Your Headscarf.” He secured his release on bail from Evin Prison in October.

Previously, Yarrahi had been prohibited from engaging in legal transactions by the prosecutor’s order due to his support for the 2022 nationwide protests.

Political Prisoner Khaled Pirzadeh Receives Five Years and Eight Months Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News
ahvaz, Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Khaled Pirzadeh, Tehran, خالد پیرزاده

Khaled Pirzadeh, a political prisoner currently held in Evin Prison, has been handed a five-year and eight-month sentence by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court.

Presiding Judge Iman Afshari ruled that Pirzadeh must serve five years for “assembly and collusion against national security” and an additional eight months for “propaganda against the regime.” If the verdict is upheld on appeal, under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, which dictates that in cases of multiple charges, the harshest punishment shall be enforced, Pirzadeh will spend five years in prison.

As per HRANA reports, Pirzadeh has been acquitted of charges related to “disseminating false information” and “illegal acquisition of property.”

Khaled Pirzadeh was apprehended by security forces in Ahvaz in September 2023 and subsequently transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison under the Ministry of Intelligence. Later, he was moved to Ward 6 within the same prison.

On November 14, 2023, Pirzadeh was hospitalized due to deteriorating health conditions.

It is noteworthy that Pirzadeh has faced previous arrests and convictions linked to his activism.

Spanish National Santiago Sanchez Released, Reunites with Family in Madrid

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News, Other
2022 nationwide protests, Doha, Santiago Sanchez, Spanish national, Tehran

On Sunday, December 31, 42-year-old Spanish national Santiago Sanchez was freed from prison in Iran, as reported by Shargh Newspaper.

Although specific details remain undisclosed, Mr. Sanchez has been released and returned to Madrid after being handed over to the Spanish Embassy in Tehran.

Sanchez was initially detained by security forces during the 2022 nationwide protests.
Known for his passion as a football fan, he embarked on a journey on foot across various countries, intending to reach Doha, the host city of the 2022 Football World Cup. His whereabouts became unknown, and social media updates ceased on October 1, 2022, when he entered Iran, the final country on his journey before reaching Doha.

Mohsen Haji-Mohammadi Sentenced to Four Years on Political Charges

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Freedom of Expression, News
Iman Afshari, Mohsen Haji-Mohammadi, Pouria Shokoohi Rad, Tehran, Tehran Revolutionary Court

The Tehran Revolutionary Court has handed down a four-year prison sentence to Mohsen Haji-Mohammadi, while co-defendant Pouria Shokoohi-Rad has been acquitted of the charges.

Presiding over Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Judge Iman Afshari found Haji-Mohammadi guilty of the political charge of “assembly and collusion against national security” during the court session held on December 4 of this year.

Both defendants were apprehended separately in Tehran in September 2023. After seven days of detention in solitary confinement by the Public Security Police, they were subsequently transferred to Evin Prison.

Notably, Haji-Mohammadi has a history of arrests and previous incarcerations due to his activism.

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