Tag: Tehran

Mohsen Sepehri Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
great tehran penitentiary, Iman Afshari, Mohsen Sepehri, Tehran, Tehran Revolutionary Court

Mohsen Sepehri has been handed a five-year prison sentence by the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Sepehri was apprehended during the 2022 nationwide protests in Tehran and subsequently transferred to the Great Tehran Penitentiary following interrogations.

Judge Iman Afshari issued the verdict, ruling that Sepehri was found guilty of “assembly and collusion against national security,” resulting in a five-year sentence. An informed source, speaking to HRANA, revealed that Sepehri was denied access to legal representation throughout the entirety of the legal proceedings.

Background on the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. Protesters came to the streets with the central slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in protest against the performance, laws and structure of the regime. During the nationwide protests, thousands of people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.

 

Iranian Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence of Mohammad Ghobadloo

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Executions, Freedom of Expression, News
Abolghasem Salavati, Amir Raisian, Mohammad Ghobadloo, Mohammad Ghobadlou, Supreme Court of Iran, Tehran

The death sentence of Mohammad Ghobadloo has been upheld by the Iranian Supreme Court, his lawyer confirms.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Didban Iran news outlet, the Iranian Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Mohammad Ghobadloo, who was arrested during the nationwide protests in 2022.

Ghobadloo is facing two separate legal cases, both of which have resulted in a death sentence issued by the Revolutionary Court and Criminal Court. Ghobadloo’s lawyer, Amir Raisian, confirmed the news, stating, “Our request for a retrial regarding the death sentence issued by the Revolutionary Court is still ongoing, and the Supreme Court has not yet made a decision. However, the request for a retrial regarding the death sentence (Qisas) in the Criminal Court has been denied by the Supreme Court.”

In late January 2023, the public relations department of the Supreme Court announced that Mohammad Ghobadloo’s death sentence would be temporarily suspended following a request from his lawyer.

Initially, Ghobadloo was sentenced to death by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, for charges including “spreading corruption on earth through crimes against the physical integrity of people.” Additional charges against him include “destruction of public property” and “acting against national security by causing unrest.”

On December 10, 2022, the Tehran Criminal Court also held a trial against Ghobadloo and subsequently sentenced him to death.

Background on the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. Protesters came to the streets with the central slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in protest against the performance, laws and structure of the regime. During the nationwide protests, thousands of people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.

Hadi Cheraghi Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
2022 nationwide protests, Hadi Cheraghi, Mahsa Amini, Tehran

HRANA, Human Rights Activists News Agency-Hadi Cheraghi has been sentenced to three years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Cheraghi was arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests in Tehran by security forces and subsequently held in Great Tehran Penitentiary following the interrogation.

Judge Iman Afshari, overseeing the case, handed down a three-year sentence to Cheraghi for “assembly and collusion against national security.”

According to an informed source speaking to HRANA, Cheraghi was denied access to legal representation throughout the entire legal proceedings.

Background on the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. Protesters came to the streets with the central slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in protest against the performance, laws and structure of the regime. During the nationwide protests, thousands of people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.

 

 

Arash Sadeghi Sentenced to over Four Years

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Freedom of Expression, News
Arash Sadeghi, Tehran

The Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced former political prisoner Arash Sadeghi to four years and three months, with three years and seven months being enforceable.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, former political prisoner Arash Sadeghi was sentenced to four years and three months in prison.

Sadeghi’s lawyer revealed that in a retrial, Branch 26 of the court sentenced Sadeghi to three years and seven months for assembly and collusion against national security and eight months for propaganda against the regime.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, three years and seven months for the first charge will be enforceable.

Sadeghi had previously been sentenced to five years and eight months in late-January 2023, along with additional punishment for the same court branch. The retrial was held on April 11, 2023, following Sadeghi’s lawyer’s objection.

Amid the 2022 nationwide protests, on October 12, 2022, security forces arrested Sadeghi and took him to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. On January 21, 2023, he was released on bail.

Sadeghi faced other arrests and convictions in the past.

Ghafar Rezaian Arrested in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ghafar Rezaian, Tehran, zanjan

On May 7, 2023, security forces arrested Ghafar Rezaian, a resident of Zanjan, in Tehran and took him to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on May 7, 2023, Ghafar Rezaian was arrested in Tehran.

According to an informed who spoke to HRANA, the arrest was allegedly due to Rezaian’s online activism, as he had been previously threatened with arrest by security forces.

The institution responsible for the arrest and Rezaian’s current whereabouts remain unknown.

Ghafar Rezaian faced other arrests and convictions for his activism.

 

 

 

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Journalist Ruhollah Nakhaei’s Sentence Upheld on Appeal

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ruhollah Nakhaei, Tehran

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)-Branch 36 of the Tehran Courts of Appeal upheld a two-year-and-seven-month sentence against journalist Ruhollah Nakhaei. Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, two years in prison will be enforceable.

Nakhaei was initially sentenced by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.”

On September 23, 2022, security forces arrested Nakhaei, and he remained in detention for about four months until he was released on bail from the Great Tehran Penitentiary.

About the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. During the nationwide protests, about 19600 people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.

 

 

Two Baha’i Citizens Arrested

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News, Religious Minorities
Afif Naeimi, Baha'i arrests, Bahais, Ghezel Hesar prison, Golestan-e-Javid, Tehran, Valliollah Ghadamian, Yaran e Iran

HRANA, Human Rights Activists news agency– Two Baha’i citizens, Afif Naeimi (Naimi) and Valliollah Ghadamian, were arrested by security forces on April 29 and May 1, 2023, respectively.

According to a source close to Naimi’s family, on April 29, Naeimi and several of his relatives were gathered in a garden near Karaj when security forces raided the location and arrested Naeimi. He was then taken to Rajai Shahr Prison.

Naeimi is a former member of a now-disbanded Baha’i group known as the “Yaran e Iran” or “Friends of Iran” that addressed the spiritual and social needs of the Baha’i community.

n 2018, Naeimi was released from Ghezel Hesar prison after serving approximately 10 years in prison. However, on July 31, 2022, he was arrested again, and the Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced him to seven years in prison in a legal case along with twelve other Baha’i co-defendants.

On May 1, 2023, Valliollah Ghadamin was also arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

On May 1, 2023, security forces also arrested Valliollah Ghadamian at his residence in Tehran and took him to an undisclosed location. Ghadamian is a member of a Baha’i association that maintains a Baha’i cemetery in Tehran known as Golestan-e-Javid. In recent days, regime officials have refused to issue burial permits to Baha’is in this cemetery.
The reason for these arrests is currently unknown.

According to HRANA annual report, from the total human rights reports regarding the violation of religious minorities’ rights, 64.63% belonged to the violation of the rights of Baha’is. The Baha’i community in Iran has been subjected to various forms of discrimination and persecution for decades. The Iranian government has imposed severe restrictions on Baha’is’ religious practices, education, employment, and civil rights.

 

 

Iran Protests: Arsam Mahmoudi Sentenced to Six Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Arsam Mahmoodi, Mahsa Amini, Tabriz, Tehran, the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The Tehran Revolutionary Court has sentenced Arsam Mahmoudi, a Tabriz resident, to six years in prison. He was arrested in Tehran amid the 2022 nationwide protests.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Arsam Mahmoudi was sentenced to six years in prison.

Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, gave Mahmoudi five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.” If the verdict is upheld on appeal, the first charge will be enforceable under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.

Mahmoudi, 31, a civil engineering Master’s graduate, was arrested by security forces in Tehran during the 2022 nationwide protests in Tehran.

About the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. During the nationwide protests, about 19600 people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.

Forty Administrators of Instagram Pages Arrested in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
HRANA, Instagram, Tehran, Tehran Cyber Police

Iranian Cyber Police have announced the arrest of 40 administrators of Instagram pages for modeling and online apparel shops on charges of allegedly publishing “half-naked or immodest pictures of women.”

According to HRANA, a news agency for human rights activists, quoting Entekhab News Outlet, 40 individuals were arrested in Tehran.

The chief of the Tehran Cyber Police revealed that those arrested operated Instagram pages for Mezon, modeling, and online shops.
This police official stated that they had published pictures of immodest and half-naked women without regard for privacy rights, solely to make profits and attract followers.

The detainees have been charged and a legal case has been opened against them. The report did not disclose their identities.

Samaneh Nowruz Moradi Arrested in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Lakan prison, Rasht, Samaneh Nowruz Moradi, Tehran

On April 24, security forces arrested political prisoner Samaneh Nowruz Moradi at her house in Tehran and took her to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on April 24, 2023, political prisoner Samaneh Nowruz Moradi was arrested in Tehran.

The reasons for this arrest and the allegations against Moradi are unknown.

Moradi, age 35, has faced other arrests and incarceration for her civil activities in the past. On April 5, 2021, she was released on bond from Lakan Prison, Rasht, after the representative of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office agreed on the suspension of the prison sentence.