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Pardon and Sentence Reduction Granted to 115 Security Prisoners

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News, Other
Asghar Jahangir, HRANA

HRANA – The spokesperson for Iran’s Judiciary announced that the Supreme Leader has agreed to the conditional pardon and sentence reduction of 115 individuals convicted on security-related charges. According to the spokesperson, this process will continue until late December, when the final number of pardoned individuals will be officially announced.

According to HRANA, quoting IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting), the Judiciary’s spokesperson provided details regarding the number of prisoners granted conditional pardon and sentence reductions.

On Tuesday, October 28, Asghar Jahangir stated that Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, had so far approved the conditional pardon and commutation of sentences for 115 security prisoners on the occasion of the birth anniversaries of the Prophet of Islam and the sixth Shia Imam.

Mr. Jahangir added that this process will continue until the end of December, when the final figures will be made public. He also promised that with the inclusion of additional cases, a greater number of security prisoners will benefit from this pardon.

Earlier, in September 2025, state media reported that the Supreme Leader had approved the Judiciary Chief’s proposal for the pardon and reduction of sentences for certain convicts. Official news agencies clarified that this pardon only applies to prisoners in so-called “security” cases whose sentences were issued at least five years ago and who have not engaged in any “anti-security” activities or statements during that time. Furthermore, the person’s sentence must not yet have been fully executed, a condition that effectively excludes many political and ideological prisoners.

In addition, a wide range of offenses, including “security-related crimes,” espionage, and collaboration with hostile states,” were explicitly excluded from eligibility for the pardon.

A Prisoner Executed in Gorgan Prison

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Executions, News
Citizen execution, Gorgan Prison, Saeed Hadadian, گرگان

HRANA – Today, October 28, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted on drug-related charges was carried out in Gorgan Prison.

HRANA has identified the prisoner, who was hanged at dawn on Tuesday, October 28, as Saeed Hadadian. Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Hadadian had earlier been arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

At the time of this report, the execution has not been announced by prison authorities or other official bodies.

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, over 52 percent of executed prisoners had been convicted on drug-related charges. Over the past ten years, individuals convicted of drug trafficking have accounted for 40 percent of all executions. Unfortunately, HRANA’s statistics show no progress in reducing executions for drug-related offenses.

Heavy Prison Sentences Issued for Six Residents of West Azerbaijan Province

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Freedom of Expression, News
Bukan, Hassan Mamil Azar, Heyman Mam Ghaderi, Mahabad, Mansour Karbalaie, Miandoab, Salar Bayazidi Azar, Yousef Mam Ghaderi

HRANA – Six citizens from the cities of Mahabad, Bukan, and Miandoab, Yousef Mam Ghaderi, Heyman Mam Ghaderi, Salar Bayazidi Azar, Mansour Karbalaie, Hassan Mamil Azar, and Salar Seyed Rahimi, were each sentenced to ten years in prison by Branch 1 of the Mahabad Revolutionary Court.

According to Kurdpa, on Saturday, October 25, the preliminary verdicts for these six residents of West Azerbaijan Province were issued. Presided over by Judge Ahad Siyami, Branch 1 of the Mahabad Revolutionary Court sentenced each of them to ten years and one day in prison on charges including acting against national security and membership in one of the opposition parties to the Iranian government.

According to the same report, in connection with this case, a death sentence in absentia was issued for another defendant, Kavis Abdollahzadeh Aghdam, on the charge of “baghi” (armed rebellion). He reportedly left Iran after being temporarily released, and no further details are available about his legal proceedings.

Yousef Mam Ghaderi and Heyman Mam Ghaderi, both residents of Bukan, Salar Bayazidi Azar from Mahabad, and Mansour Karbalaie, Hassan Mamil Azar, and Salar Seyed Rahimi, all from Miandoab, were arrested by security forces between June 25 and June 30, 2022.

After their arrests, they were transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Urmia for interrogation, and later moved to Bukan Prison. They were eventually released on bail after the investigation phase was completed.

Prison Sentences for Three Azerbaijani-Turk Activists Upheld by the Supreme Court

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Freedom of Expression, News
Araz Aman Zeinabad, Ayaz Seifkhah, Azerbaijani Turk activists, Bagher Hajizadeh

HRANA – The prison sentences of Azerbaijani-Turk activists Ayaz Seifkhah, Araz Aman Zeinabad, and Baqer Hajizadeh Mazraeh have been upheld by the Supreme Court. The three had previously been sentenced by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to a combined total of 40 years in prison.

According to HRANA, the sentences were confirmed by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court, presided over by Judge Kuhkamari. Based on the ruling of the country’s highest judicial authority, Ayaz Seifkhah was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Araz Aman and Baqer Hajizadeh were each sentenced to 13 years in prison.

The prison terms issued against these three political defendants were previously upheld in January 2024 by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals.

The three were tried in October 2024 by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati. According to the verdict, Ayaz Seifkhah was sentenced to nine years in prison for espionage and five years for “assembly and collusion against national security.” Araz Aman and Bagher Hajizadeh were each sentenced to eight years for espionage and five years for “assembly and collusion against national security.”

In addition, all three were sentenced to two years of deprivation from membership in political parties, media activity, and social media presence, as well as a two-year travel ban as complementary punishments.

Hearings on their cases, along with several other political defendants, were previously held at the same court, during which they defended themselves against the charges.

All these Azerbaijani-Turk activists were arrested in February 2024 by security forces and later transferred to Evin Prison.

Execution of Fourteen Prisoners in Various Prisons

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Executions, News
Aligudarz Prison, Borujerd, Dastgerd Prison, Gilan province, Isfahan, Lakan prison, Rasht, Tabriz, Zanjan Prison

HRANA – In recent days, fourteen prisoners were hanged in different prisons across Iran.

On Tuesday, October 21, Fardin Vafaipour, 43, father of two and a resident of Borujerd, was executed in the city’s prison. According to Iran Human Rights, Mr. Vafaipour had been arrested four years ago on charges related to drug offenses and was later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

On Wednesday, October 22, Marouf Fattahi, 30, from Tabriz, was hanged in the city’s prison, Iran Human Rights reported. According to the report, Mr. Fattahi was arrested five years ago on a murder charge stemming from a street fight and was subsequently sentenced to death by a criminal court.

According to HRANA, on Saturday, October 25, Lakan Prison in Rasht, Gilan Province, witnessed the execution of three prisoners on drug-related charges. HRANA has identified one of them as Farhad Hatami.

That same day, Iran Human Rights reported the execution of two prisoners in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan. The identities of the prisoners were reported as Farhang Taheri and Ammar Pourmansouri, both residents of Ahvaz. The two were executed in a joint case on charges related to drug offenses.

On Sunday, October 26, Mehrdad Moradi was executed in Arak Prison on drug-related charges. He had been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

On the same day, another prisoner named Manouchehr Mahaki was hanged in Aligudarz Prison. According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Mahaki had previously been arrested on a murder charge and later sentenced to death by a criminal court.

Also on Sunday, three prisoners were executed in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz. HRANA has identified one of them, known only by the surname Dehghani. According to HRANA’s information, Mr. Dehghani had been arrested earlier on a murder charge and later sentenced to death by a criminal court. The other two prisoners had been separately arrested on drug-related charges and sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

Additionally, Haal Vsh reported the execution of another prisoner named Mohammad Omar Zardkouhi, 28, in Zahedan Prison.

Finally, on Monday, October 27, a prisoner named Hamid Rafiei was executed in Zanjan Prison on a murder charge.

At the time of this report, the executions of these prisoners have not been announced by prison officials or relevant authorities.

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Two Prisoners Executed in Hamedan Prison on Drug-Related Charges

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Executions, News
Asghar Manafi, Hamedan prison, Mohsen Davarpanah

HRANA – At dawn on Saturday, October 25, 2025, the death sentences of two prisoners previously convicted on drug-related charges were carried out in Hamedan Prison.

HRANA has identified the executed prisoners as Asghar Manafi and Mohsen Davarpanah.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Manafi and Mr. Davarpanah had been arrested earlier on charges related to drug offenses and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Courts.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been officially announced by prison or judicial authorities.

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, over 52 percent of executed prisoners had been convicted on drug-related charges. Over the past ten years, individuals convicted of drug trafficking have accounted for 40 percent of all executions. Unfortunately, HRANA’s statistics show no progress in reducing executions for drug-related offenses.

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentences of Five Protest Detainees from the 2022 Nationwide Protests

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Executions, Freedom of Expression, News
Kaveh Salehi, Pejman Soltani, Rezgar Beigzadeh Babamiri, Salimi Babamiri, Teyfour Salimi Babamiri

HRANA – The Supreme Court has overturned the death sentences of Rezgar Beigzadeh Babamiri, Pejman Soltani, Ali (Soran) Ghasemi, Kaveh Salehi, and Teyfour Salimi Babamiri, five individuals arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests, whose execution verdicts had previously been issued by the Urmia Revolutionary Court.

Following the ruling, the cases of these individuals have been referred to the Mahabad Revolutionary Court for retrial. It is worth noting that Salimi Babamiri, after being temporarily released, has since left Iran.

These five individuals were tried in a joint case by Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court and sentenced to death and imprisonment. The charges against them included “armed rebellion (baghi),” “enmity against God (moharebeh),” and “leadership and formation of an armed insurgent group.” According to the original verdicts, four of them had been sentenced to death more than once. The verdicts were delivered to their defense attorneys on Monday, July 7, 2025.

Specifically, Ghasemi, Soltani, and Salehi were each sentenced to death three times on the charges of baghi, moharebeh, and forming and leading an insurgent group; Rezgar Bigzadeh Babamiri was sentenced to death twice; and Tifour Salimi Babamiri received one death sentence for forming and leading an insurgent group. In addition, eight other defendants in the same case were sentenced to prison terms and fines.

Currently, Soltani, Rezgar Babamiri, Salehi, and Ghasemi are being held in Urmia Prison. These individuals had previously been sentenced respectively to death, 15 years in prison, and 10 years in prison on the charge of “killing a security agent.”

They were arrested in April 2023, while Tifour Salimi Babamiri was detained in March 2023. Salimi Babamiri was released approximately 18 months after his arrest.

Zahra Shahbaz Tabari, Political Prisoner from Rasht, Sentenced to Death

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Executions, News
Ahmad Darvish, Lakan prison, Rasht, Zahra Shahbaz Tabari, زهرا شهناز طبری

HRANA – Zahra Shahbaz Tabari, a 67-year-old political prisoner from Rasht, has been sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the city’s Revolutionary Court on the charge of “collaboration with anti-regime groups,” based on highly limited and unreliable evidence.

Her trial was held last week via video conference, during which Judge Ahmad Darvish issued the death verdict. According to her family, the entire judicial process was “symbolic and unlawful.”

Her child told HRANA: “The hearing lasted less than ten minutes. My mother had no meaningful access to an independent lawyer. The court-appointed attorney confirmed and signed the verdict without any defense. The whole trial was a show.” They added, “My mother has never had any connection with political or opposition groups; the charges against her are entirely fabricated.”

According to the family, Zahra Shahbaz Tabari was arrested on April 17, 2025, at her home by security agents and later transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht. During the arrest, the agents searched her home and confiscated her and a family member’s mobile phones and laptop.

The family reports that the alleged evidence in the case is extremely limited and unreliable, including “a piece of fabric bearing the slogan ‘Woman, Resistance, Freedom’” and “an unpublished voice message,” with no proof of organizational or military links. Her child noted that authorities even attempted to accuse her of possessing weapons, claims the family described as “ridiculous and baseless,” particularly given her age and background.

Zahra Shahbaz Tabari is an electrical engineer, a member of the Iranian Engineering Organization, and a graduate of Isfahan University of Technology. She holds a master’s degree in Sustainable Energy from Borås University in Sweden. Her family stated that she was previously arrested for posting peaceful content on social media and was released after three months under electronic monitoring.

In a letter sent by her child to HRANA, they wrote: “She has been detained for about six months or more. The trial was virtual, and the judge announced the death sentence with a smile in a ten-minute session. The appointed lawyer also smiled upon hearing the verdict.” The letter describes severe due process violations and a lack of real evidence, calling the verdict “another example of human rights violations in the Islamic Republic.”

The family added that judicial authorities have accused Ms. Shahbaz Tabari of collaborating with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK), and they have been given seven days to appeal the verdict. Her son’s letter concludes: “We will do everything we can,” calling on human rights organizations, media, and the public for urgent attention and action.

A Prisoner Executed in Semnan Prison

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Executions, News
HRANA, Safar Ali Rezaei, Semnan prison, صفر علی رضایی

HRANA – On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted on drug-related charges was carried out in Semnan Prison.

HRANA has identified this prisoner as Safar Ali Rezaei.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Rezaei had been arrested earlier on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report, the execution of this prisoner has not been announced by prison officials or judicial authorities.

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, over 52 percent of executed prisoners had been convicted on drug-related charges. Over the past ten years, individuals convicted of drug trafficking have accounted for 40 percent of all executions. Unfortunately, HRANA’s statistics show no progress in reducing executions for drug-related offenses.

Baha’i Citizen Anisa Fanaeian Re-Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison After Retrial

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News, Religious Minorities
Anisa Fanaeian, Ataollah Rezvani, Baha'i citizen, انیسا فنائیان

HRANA – The prison sentence of Anisa Fanaeian, a Baha’i citizen, remained unchanged after the Supreme Court accepted her request for a retrial and referred the case to a parallel appellate branch. Branch 10 of the Semnan Province Court of Appeals has again sentenced her to eight years in prison.

Based on information received by HRANA, despite the Supreme Court’s acceptance of her retrial request, the parallel branch of the Semnan Court of Appeals has reissued the previous eight-year prison sentence against Ms. Fanaeian.

Anisa Fanaeian, who had previously served a prison term, was arrested in late August 2023 by security forces and released on bail some time later.

Earlier, in March 2024, the Semnan Revolutionary Court had sentenced her at the first instance to 10 years in prison for “forming a group with the intention of disrupting national security,” five years for “educational or promotional activities deemed deviant and contrary to Islam within the framework of a sect, group, or association,” a fine of 50 million tomans, and 15 years of deprivation of social rights (grade five). She was also sentenced to one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime.” Additionally, $4,350 -personal family property confiscated from her daughter’s room – was seized by the government.

In December 2024, Branch 7 of the Semnan Court of Appeals, presided over by Judge Javad Raisi and counselor Ali Momeni, sentenced her to seven years in prison on the charge of “forming a group with the intention of disrupting national security,” and to one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime.” Applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the longest sentence, seven years, was enforceable.

On March 11, 2025, Ms. Fanaeian was arrested by security forces on a street in Semnan to serve her prison sentence and was transferred to Semnan Prison.

On October 2, 2025, following the Supreme Court’s acceptance of her retrial request, Anisa Fanaeian was released from Semnan Prison after posting bail.

It should be noted that Anisa Fanaeian is the niece of Ataollah Rezvani. As previously reported by HRANA, eleven years after the killing of Ataollah Rezvani, a Baha’i citizen, Branch One of the Juvenile Criminal Court of Hormozgan Province confirmed the occurrence of intentional homicide but rejected the family’s request for diyah (blood money) from the public fund (Beyt al-Mal) on the grounds of the victim’s Baha’i faith.