Tag: Urmia

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence of Prisoner Accused of Espionage for Israel

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Executions, News
IRGC Intelligence, Naser Bakarzadeh, Urmia

HRANA News Agency – The Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of Naser Bakarzadeh, a prisoner held in Urmia Prison. Bakarzadeh had previously been sentenced to death by the Urmia Revolutionary Court on charges of “espionage for Israel.”

This judicial decision was communicated to his defense attorney today. Bakarzadeh is currently being held in the political ward of Urmia Prison and remains in legal limbo until a new court branch is assigned and his case is re-examined.

In November 2024, Branch 3 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death on charges of “espionage for Israel and collaboration with the Mossad intelligence agency.” The Judiciary’s media center was the first to announce this verdict.

Approximately 26 years old, Bakarzadeh was arrested in December 2023–January 2024. He was held for a period in the IRGC Intelligence’s detention facility in Urmia, where he underwent interrogation. According to a source close to his family, the process involved violations of his basic rights, including denial of phone calls and family visits.

Death Sentence of Political Prisoner Hamid Hosseinnezhad Upheld by Supreme Court

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News, Prisoners
Chaldoran, Hamid Hosseinnezhad, HRANA, Najafzadeh, Urmia, Urmia prison

HRANA News Agency – The death sentence of Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou, a political prisoner held in Urmia Prison, has been upheld by the Supreme Court of Iran. He had previously been sentenced to death by the Urmia Revolutionary Court on the charge of baghi (armed rebellion).

According to HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, the Supreme Court’s Branch 9 confirmed the death sentence, which was officially communicated to him on March 26, 2025, in Urmia Prison.

Mr. Hosseinnezhad was sentenced to death in July 2024 by Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Najafzadeh. He was convicted of baghi for alleged membership in an opposition party. After he appealed the ruling, the case was referred to the Supreme Court.

He was arrested on April 13, 2023, by border guards near Chaldoran. After several hours of interrogation, he was transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Urmia. There, he was subjected to psychological and physical torture for 11 months and 10 days to force a confession. He was made to sign pre-written statements.

During his detention at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, he was only allowed two brief phone calls with his family and was denied access to legal counsel and in-person visits. Due to opposition from the Ministry of Intelligence, he was also denied a chosen lawyer during trial. The court dismissed his defense and sentenced him to death for baghi.

In court, Mr. Hosseinnezhad denied all charges. Kurdpa reported that the Ministry of Intelligence accused him of collaborating with an opposition party without presenting any evidence. The agency claimed he held a grudge against border forces because his brother-in-law, Mostafa Nouri, had been killed by them in 2015. Based on this, he was accused of involvement in an armed clash. Judge Najafzadeh issued the death sentence in a brief hearing, solely based on “the judge’s intuition.”

Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou, aged around 40, is a father of three. He is currently being held in Ward 2 of Urmia Prison.

Mohammad-Ali Azari Arrested by Security Forces in Urmia

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Freedom of Expression, News
Mohammad-Ali Azari, Naqadeh, Urmia

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, March 28, Mohammad-Ali Azari, a resident of Urmia, was arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

Kurdpa has identified him as Mohammad-Ali Azari, father of two, originally from Naqadeh and currently residing in Urmia.

According to the report, Mr. Azari was arrested yesterday by security forces who used violence during the raid on his home. His arrest is reportedly linked to his participation in a Nowruz (Persian New Year) celebration. Each year, the regime’s security forces attempt to prevent Nowruz celebrations, resorting to summoning, threatening, and arresting dozens of citizens to that end.

As of now, there is no information about his whereabouts or the charges brought against him.

Milad Mokhtari Arrested by Security Forces in Urmia

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Azerbaijani Turk activist, Milad Mokhtari, Urmia

HRANA News Agency – Today, Monday, March 24, 2025, Milad Mokhtari, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, was arrested by security forces in Urmia and taken to an undisclosed location.

His arrest took place today, Monday, March 24, 2025, in the city of Urmia. As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the reasons for his arrest, his whereabouts, or the charges brought against him.

Milad Mokhtari has previously faced security-related actions due to his activism.

In 2024, HRA documented the arrests of 262 individuals from ethnic minority groups or those advocating for ethnic minority rights, including Azerbaijani-Turk activists.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Salar Taher Afshar Arrested in Urmia

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Freedom of Expression, News
Azerbaijani Turk activist, Salar Taher Afshar, Tabriz, Urmia

HRANA News Agency – Salar Taher Afshar, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, was arrested yesterday, February 18, in Urmia by the Ministry of Intelligence.

A source close to his family told HRANA: “Around noon on Tuesday, intelligence agents arrived at Mr. Taherafshar’s workplace with two vehicles and arrested him. A few hours later, he informed his family by phone that he is set to be transferred from the Intelligence Detention Facility in Urmia to Tabriz in the coming days.”

As of the time of this report, the reasons for his arrest and the charges against him remain unknown.

Taher Afshar had previously been sentenced to five years in prison by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals in January 2025 on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

He was first arrested on February 6, 2024, in Urmia and later transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. He was released on February 28, 2024, on bail.

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Two Teenagers Arrested by Security Forces in Mahabad

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Children, News, Other
HRANA, Kamyar Izadi, Mahabad, Rezgar Moloudi, Urmia

On Tuesday, December 31, Rezgar Moloudi and Kamyar Izadi, two teenagers from Mahabad, were arrested after being summoned to Ministry of Intelligence Office in this city and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Urmia.

According to HRANA, citing Kurdpa, the two teenagers, both 17 years old and residents of a village in Mahabad County, were detained on December 31.

The report also mentions that security forces raided Rezgar Moloudi’s family home on Monday, searching the premises.

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

Oshnavieh: Four Citizens Arrested by Security Forces

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News, Other
Mohammad Behroozi, Morad Abdollah Omari, Nouraddin Molla-Alizadeh, Oshnavieh, Tawfiq Amini, Urmia

Yesterday, December 26, four citizens from Oshnavieh, identified as Morad Abdollah Omari, Nouraddin Molla-Alizadeh, Tawfiq Amini, and Mohammad Behroozi, were arrested by security forces in this city and transferred to a security detention facility in Urmia.

Kurdpa identified the detainees as Morad Abdollah Omari, Nouraddin Molla-Alizadeh, and Tawfiq Amini, and Mohammad Behroozi, 28 years old and father of one child.

The report indicates that the arrests were carried out at their homes, without presenting a judicial warrant, and involved physical violence. The detainees were subsequently transferred to a security detention facility in Urmia.

As of now, no information is available regarding the reasons for the arrests or the charges against these individuals.

In 2024, HRANA documented 561 cases of human rights violations in West Azerbaijan Province, including Oshnavieh, placing it third among all provinces in Iran for reported violations.

Four Prisoners Executed in Different Prisons Across Iran

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Executions, News
Birjand, Firouzabad, Firuzabad, Hamid Moradian, Kermanshah, Naqadeh, Shiraz, Urmia, Urmia prison

In recent days, four prisoners were executed in prisons in Kermanshah, Urmia, Shiraz, and Birjand on charges related to murder and drug offenses.

At dawn on Saturday, December 21, Hamid Moradian, a resident of Firuzabad, Lorestan, was hanged in Kermanshah Prison. According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Moradian had previously been arrested on murder charges and sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

On Monday, December 23, a prisoner convicted of drug-related offenses was executed in Urmia Prison following a Revolutionary Court ruling. HRANA has identified the individual as Loghman Shangeh, a resident of Naqadeh.

Today, December 24, HRANA reported that “Amin Farahmand” was executed in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz, on drug-related charges.

Finally, Haal Vsh reported today the execution of 28-year-old Davood Ghaljaie, a father of one, in Birjand Prison. He was arrested in 2019 on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of Birjand. According to the report, his execution was carried out without a final family visit.

As of the time of this report, none of these executions have been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant officials.

According to latest HRANA’s annual report over between October 10, 2023, and October 8, 2024, at least 811 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, rising to 23.06% compared to the same period last year. Of these executions, four were carried out in public. Many of the defendants were denied a fair trial.

727 Days of Silence: The Ongoing Detention of Osman Mameh

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News, Prisoners
Bukan, HRANA, Osman Mame, Osman Mameh, Urmia, عثمان مامه

Osman Mameh, a 55-year-old resident of Bukan, has been held in detention for 727 days without any clear explanation from authorities. The prolonged lack of communication about his condition has left his family and relatives deeply concerned.

A source close to Mameh’s family told HRANA: “Despite nearly two years since his arrest and continuous efforts by his family to seek answers from security and judicial authorities in cities such as Bukan, Urmia, Karaj, and Tehran, no clear information has been provided. Mr. Mameh has not been allowed any contact with his family since his detention, which has only intensified their fears. Security officials have merely stated that he is alive and that the family would have been informed if he had died.”

Mameh was arrested by security forces on November 18, 2022, in Bukan.

As of this report, no details have been disclosed about the reasons for his arrest, the location of his detention, or the charges brought against him.

Individual Sentenced to Death in Urmia On Charges of “Espionage”

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Executions, News
Espionage, Mizan, Urmia

The judiciary’s news agency, Mizan, has reported that a citizen in Urmia has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court on charges of “espionage for Israel.” Just a day earlier, the judiciary spokesperson announced that three others in Urmia had also been sentenced to death in a separate case on similar charges.

According to the judiciary’s media center, the accused had been under investigation for alleged “espionage for Israel and collaboration with the Mossad intelligence agency.” Following an indictment, the case was submitted to the Revolutionary Court in Urmia, where the defendant ultimately received a preliminary death sentence. The report did not disclose the identity of the accused.

In the separate case, the judiciary spokesperson claimed that, beyond “espionage,” the three other individuals were allegedly involved in “transferring assassination equipment” intended for a senior Iranian nuclear program official, under the cover of alcohol smuggling.

Although espionage charges are not classified as human rights violations, such accusations are often met with skepticism due to Iran’s history of leveraging espionage allegations against political dissidents, especially in cases where legal proceedings and case details remain opaque.