Workers’ Rights Activist Farhad Sheikhi Faces Ongoing Imprisonment Amidst History of Targeted Punishment

Farhad Sheikhi, a labor activist, is currently serving an eight-month prison sentence in the Central Prison of Karaj, following a ruling by the Alborz Province Court of Appeals.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Sheikhi was arrested in late September 2024 after appearing at the Criminal Enforcement Office in Hashtgerd and was transferred to Karaj Central Prison to serve his sentence.

On November 5, a source informed HRANA that Sheikhi was punitively transferred to solitary confinement for five days before being returned to his ward.

Sheikhi’s legal troubles began on May 28, 2023, when security forces arrested him at his home in Hashtgerd. Initially detained in Rajai Shahr Prison, he was later charged at the Hashtgerd Prosecutor’s Office on June 13, 2023. He was released on a bail of 100 million tomans pending trial.

In June 2024, Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Musa Asef al-Hosseini, convicted Sheikhi of “propaganda against the regime.” He was sentenced to one year in prison, two years of exile to Divandarreh in Kurdistan Province, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year ban on residing in Alborz and Tehran Provinces following the completion of his exile.

On August 29, 2024, the Court of Appeals reduced his prison sentence to eight months, while the other aspects of his punishment remained unchanged.

Sheikhi, a dedicated workers’ rights advocate, has faced repeated arrests and convictions for his activism. On February 7, 2023, he was released from a prior imprisonment following an amnesty directive.

Sheikhi’s case exemplifies the ongoing challenges faced by labor activists in Iran, who continue to face judicial and extrajudicial pressures for their advocacy.

Three Prisoners Executed in Karaj Central Prison

On Wednesday, October 9, 2024, three prisoners previously sentenced to death for separate murder convictions were executed in Karaj Central Prison.

HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, confirmed the identities of the executed individuals as Majid Afrouz (52), Mohammad Mashmool, and Ebrahim Sedigh.

A source informed HRANA that the prisoners had been sentenced by judicial authorities in separate murder cases and were being held in Ward 7 of Karaj Central Prison before their executions.

As of the time of this report, prison officials and authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the executions.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Execution of Five Inmates for Armed Robbery in Karaj Central Prison

On January 1, 2024, the Central Prison of Karaj carried out the execution of five death-row inmates convicted of armed robbery, as reported by ISNA.

The Chief Justice of Alborz Province, Hossein Fazeli Harikandi, confirmed their identities were withheld due to their conviction of “gang armed robbery, making roads unsafe, instilling fear in the public, and causing significant damage to people’s property.”

According to Harikandi, the Karaj Revolutionary Court had sentenced them to death, although the exact date of the conviction was not disclosed. The executions took place after multiple confirmations of the death sentences by the Supreme Court.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented a total of 746 executions, with 6 taking place in public. Among the executed individuals with identified genders, 597 were male, and 20 were female. Notably, 2 juvenile offenders, defined as individuals under the age of 18 at the time of their alleged crimes, were also executed. For a thorough analysis of the particulars and statistical breakdown of the executions in Iran, please consult HRANA’s annual report.

Four Inmates Executed in Karaj, Hamedan and Urmia

On February 28, 2023, two inmates in the Central Prison of Karaj and one in Hamedan Prison were executed. Moreover, Urmia prison officials recently carried out the execution of one inmate. All these individuals were previously convicted of drug-related crimes.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 28, 2023, two inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed in the Central Prison of Karaj. HRANA has identified one of them as Mohammad Safari.
On the same day, an unidentified inmate was executed in Hamedan Prison.
Also, in this prison, an inmate identified as Mohammad Doosti has recently been transferred to solitary confinement, awaiting imminent execution. The allegations against him are unknown.
Moreover, an inmate identified as Ali Milan was executed in Urmia Prison. He and two other death-row inmates, Ramin Shirzad and Jalal Taheri had been transferred to solitary confinement. Prison officials, however, did not carry out the execution of the latter two prisoners.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

 

 

Three Inmates Executed in Karaj

On February 14, 2023, the Central Prison of Karaj officials executed three inmates convicted of drug-related crimes and murder.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 14, 2023, three inmates were executed in the Central Prison of Karaj.

HRANA has identified one of these individuals as Mehdi Doostari, previously convicted of drug offenses. HRANA is working on identifying two other executed prisoners convicted of murder.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

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Four Inmates Executed in Karaj and Khalkhal

On January 26, 2023, three inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed in the Central Prison of Karaj. Also, on January 25, one inmate sentenced to death for accessory to murder was executed in Khalkhal Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on January 26, 2023, three death-row prisoners were executed in the Central Prison of Karaj.

HRANA has identified two of them as Reza Shokri and Omid Shokri. They were previously convicted of drug offences.

Also, Iran Human Rights Organization reported the execution of an inmate identified as Hamed Heidari in Khalkhal Prison on January 25.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

 

 

Two Inmates Executed in the Central Prison of Karaj

The Central Prison of Karaj officials carried out the execution of two inmates convicted of drug-related crimes.

HRANA has identified one of these individuals as Sharaf Khan Akbari. These inmates were previously sentenced to death for drug offences.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.