Tag: Tehran

Political Activists Akbar Danesh Sararoudi and Naser Daneshfar Arrested in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Akbar Danesh Sararoudi, Naser Daneshfar, Rahim Ghomeishi, Tehran

HRANA News Agency – Security forces in Tehran have arrested Akbar Danesh Sararoudi and Naser Daneshfar, transferring them to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, citing Ensaf News, the two activists were detained after recently calling for a gathering in front of the University of Tehran scheduled for Thursday.

In connection with these events, political activist Rahim Ghomeishi was also arrested by security forces in Tehran yesterday.

As of the time of this report, no information has been released regarding the charges against them or their current whereabouts.

Akbar Danesh Sararoudi, a political and media activist from Isfahan, has previously faced arrests and legal action due to his activism.

Naser Daneshfar, also a political activist, is a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war.

Political Activist Rahim Ghomeishi Arrested in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Rahim Ghomeishi, Tehran, رحیم قمیشی

HRANA News Agency – Security forces arrested political activist Rahim Ghomeishi today, Wednesday, February 12, 2025, in Tehran and transferred him to an undisclosed location.

According to Emtedad, Ghomeishi, who had recently issued a call for a gathering on Thursday in front of the University of Tehran, was arrested this afternoon by security forces.

No information is available yet regarding his whereabouts or the charges against him.

Rahim Ghomeishi, a Tehran resident and political activist, is also a veteran of the eight-year Iran-Iraq war.

Christian Citizens Naser Navard Goltapeh and Joseph Shahbazian Arrested in Tehran

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News, Religious Minorities
Evin Prison, Joseph Shahbazian, Naser Navard Goltapeh, Parand, revolutionary court, Tehran, ژوزف شهبازیان, ناصر نورد گل تپه

HRANA News Agency – On Thursday, February 6, Naser Navard Goltapeh and Joseph Shahbazian, two Christian citizens residing in Tehran Province, were arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents and transferred to Evin Prison.

According to HRANA, quoting Article 18 News Outlet, the arrests took place in the early morning of February 6, 2025. Intelligence agents raided Naser Navard Goltapeh’s residence in Parand and Joseph Shahbazian’s home in Tehran, detaining both individuals. Following their arrest, they were taken to Evin Prison, where Goltapeh has since gone on a hunger strike in protest.

As of the time of this report, no information has been disclosed regarding the charges against them.

Both Goltapeh and Shahbazian have previously been arrested and imprisoned due to their religious beliefs and activities.

Joseph Shahbazian was sentenced to 10 years in prison and additional social restrictions by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on May 29, 2022, on charges of “establishing a house church and acting against national security.” This verdict was upheld by the Tehran Court of Appeals in August 2022. He was subsequently arrested on September 8, 2022, and transferred to Evin Prison. However, in February 2023, Iran’s Supreme Court overturned his conviction due to a “lack of sufficient evidence proving his leadership role,” leading to his release in September 2023.

Naser Navard Goltapeh was previously arrested in July 2016 during a private gathering and was later sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of “establishing a house church.” He served his sentence in Evin Prison from 2017 without any furlough, and multiple requests for a retrial or conditional release were denied. After serving more than half of his sentence, he was released in October 2022.

Notably, while Christianity is officially recognized as a minority religion in Iran, security agencies view the conversion of Muslims to Christianity as a highly sensitive matter and respond with severe crackdowns on those involved in religious activism.

The persecution of Christian converts in Iran persists despite Article 18 of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which affirm every individual’s right to freedom of religion, including the right to change their faith and to practice it openly or privately, alone or in community with others.

Woman Goes Partially Unclothed in Tehran; Four Individuals Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News
Mizan News, Tehran

HRANA News Agency – On February 8, a woman who partially undressed on a street in Tehran was arrested. Judiciary-affiliated media claim that the act was pre-planned, leading to the arrest of three other individuals in connection with the incident.

According to HRANA, quoting Mizan News, the judiciary’s news agency, a total of four citizens were arrested in Tehran. The report states that at noon on Saturday, February 8, a partially unclothed woman stepped out of her private vehicle on a street in Tehran. After walking a short distance, she retrieved her clothes from the back seat, put them on, and left the scene.

Judiciary-affiliated sources allege that the woman was part of a four-person organized group and that three other individuals accompanying her were filming and photographing her as she walked partially undressed in the street.

All four individuals have reportedly been arrested, and criminal cases have been opened against them.

The report does not provide any details regarding the identities or whereabouts of the detained individuals.

Tehran Prosecutor Files Charges Against Sadegh Zibakalam

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, HRANA, Mohammad Izadi, Sadegh Zibakalam, Tehran, صادق زیباکلام

HRANA News Agency – The Tehran Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against Sadegh Zibakalam for posts he made on social media. Zibakalam, a political analyst and prisoner, is currently on medical furlough from Evin Prison.

According to HRANA, quoting Mizan, the charges against Mr. Zibakalam were initiated without specifying the exact nature of the allegations, with the reasoning cited as his social media activity.

Previously, following the enforcement of his prison sentences, Mr. Zibakalam was transferred to Evin Prison on May 12, 2024. Shortly thereafter, his lawyer, Mohammad Izadi, revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer while in custody. In September 2024, he was granted medical furlough.

In his first case, Mr. Zibakalam was sentenced to 18 months in prison and a two-year ban on participating in political parties, groups, and online activities for “propaganda against the regime.” In a second case, he received a one-year prison sentence for similar charges. In a third case, he was sentenced to six months in prison for “publishing false information.” These sentences were enforced following appeals to the Supreme Court.

In recent years, the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against Mr. Zibakalam for posts on topics such as the deadly Kerman explosions, reports of student poisonings, and “publishing false, undocumented, and inaccurate information” online.

Sadegh Zibakalam is a political science professor, author, and prominent Iranian analyst with reformist and liberal views. He has previously faced convictions for his activities.

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Maziar Seyednejad Sentenced to 39 Months in Prison Following Sentence Consolidation

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Freedom of Expression, News
ahvaz, Evin Prison, Maziar Seyednejad, Tehran

HRANA News Agency – Following the acceptance of a request for sentence consolidation, labor activist Maziar Seyednejad’s sentence was reduced to three years, three months, and two days by the Khuzestan Province Court of Appeals. Previously, he had been sentenced to a total of six years in prison across two separate cases heard by Revolutionary Courts in Ahvaz and Tehran.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, this revised sentence was issued by Branch 16 of the Khuzestan Court of Appeals, presided over by Saeed Koosha, on December 20, 2023, and has since been communicated to Seyednejad. He was sentenced to two years, seven months, and sixteen days in prison for “membership in an anti-regime group” and to seven months and sixteen days for “propaganda against the regime.” Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest sentence—two years, seven months, and sixteen days—will be enforceable.

Seyednejad, currently on furlough, had previously been sentenced by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court in January 2023 to three years in prison, a two-year ban on leaving the country, prohibition from joining political parties or groups, and a ban on social media activity for charges of “membership in an illegal Marxist-leftist group” and “propaganda against the regime.” In another case, Branch 4 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court sentenced him to three years in prison for “membership in anti-regime groups (communist groups).”

Seyednejad was arrested by security forces on June 7, 2021, at his home in Tehran and was released from Evin Prison on August 16, 2021, after posting bail of 600 million tomans. He eventually reported to Evin Prison on May 21, 2022, to serve his sentence.

Maziar Seyednejad has a history of arrests and convictions related to his activism.

Female Dentist Arrested by Security Forces Following Assault

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Freedom of Expression, News, Women
Farzaneh Mohammadi Parsa, HRANA, Tehran

Farzaneh Mohammadi Parsa, a dentist residing in Tehran, was arrested by security forces in the city and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Farzaneh Mohammadi Parsa was arrested at her private residence on Wednesday, December 25. Reports indicate that her arrest involved physical assault.

A knowledgeable source confirmed the news to HRANA, stating that Ms. Parsa had previously been detained over issues related to hijab enforcement and writing posts about boycotting Iran’s presidential elections. She was released after signing a pledge.

As of now, no information is available regarding the reasons for her arrest or the charges brought against her.

HRANA documented 1,505 cases of violations against freedom of thought and expression in Iran during 2024, with 1,591 individuals arrested.

Italian Female Journalist Arrested in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Cecilia Sala, Evin Prison, Tehran, Zeinab Mousavi

Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the arrest of Cecilia Sala, a 29-year-old Italian journalist, in Tehran. Sala was detained on December 19, 2024.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the Ministry confirmed Sala’s identity and reported that she has made two phone calls to her family since her arrest. On Friday, December 27, Italy’s Ambassador to Tehran, Paola Amadi, visited her in prison.

Italian media have revealed that Sala is being held in solitary confinement at Evin Prison. They have linked her arrest to her reporting on Iran, including her recent publications critical of the regime.

Shortly before her detention, Sala had conducted and published an interview with Zeinab Mousavi, an Iranian comedian and creator of the character “Emperor Kuzco.”

Majid Tavakoli Sentenced to Two Years in Prison Following Supreme Court Retrial

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, HRANA, Majid Tavakoli, Tehran

Political activist Majid Tavakoli has been sentenced to two years in prison by Branch 21 of the Tehran Court of Appeals. The ruling also imposes additional penalties, including a two-year ban on leaving the country, residing in Tehran, and engaging in online activities. This decision comes after the Supreme Court overturned a previous six-year prison sentence and ordered a retrial.

A source close to Tavakoli’s family told HRANA: “Following the appeal by Mr. Tavakoli’s lawyers against his initial six-year prison sentence issued in January 2024, the case was referred to the Supreme Court after being accepted for retrial by Branch 54 of the Tehran Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court subsequently annulled the original verdict and sent the case to a parallel branch for reconsideration. Branch 21 of the Tehran Court of Appeals ultimately sentenced him to two years in prison for ‘assembly and collusion against national security.’ The complementary penalties, including a two-year ban on leaving the country, residing in Tehran, and online activities, were also upheld.”

Tavakoli was arrested in Tehran by security forces on September 23, 2022, during the nationwide protests. He was released on bail on December 19, 2022.

In July 2023, Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced him to five years in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” and an additional year for “propaganda against the regime.” The court also issued a two-year ban on online activities, residency in Tehran, and international travel. This verdict was later upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals in late August 2023.

Tavakoli began serving his sentence in Evin Prison on October 7, 2023. However, following a temporary suspension of his prison term, he was released on bail in August 2023 pending further judicial review.

Majid Tavakoli is a well-known political activist with a history of arrests and convictions linked to his advocacy work.

Appeals Court Upholds One-Year Prison Sentence for Attorney Mehdi Karimi Farsi

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Freedom of Expression, News
Iran Bar Association, Mehdi Karimi Farsi, Seyed Ali Mazlum, Tehran

The one-year prison sentence for Seyed Mehdi Karimi Farsi, a senior attorney and member of the Central Bar Association, has been upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals. This decision confirms the initial ruling by the lower court.

According to the ruling, issued by Branch 36 and delivered to Mr. Karimi Farsi’s defense attorney on November 24, 2024, he was sentenced to one year in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime.”

Previously, on October 12, 2024, Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Ali Mazlum, had issued the same sentence against Mr. Karimi Farsi.

A court hearing regarding these charges, involving Mr. Karimi Farsi and two other attorneys, was held earlier on February 5, 2024, in the same branch of the Revolutionary Court.

In August 2023, Karimi Farsi drew widespread attention among Iranian attorneys by staging a protest walk across Tehran to defend the independence of the Bar Association. This symbolic act resonated deeply within the legal community and highlighted ongoing concerns over the pressures faced by Iranian lawyers.