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Political Prisoner Varisheh Moradi Sentenced to Death

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Executions, Freedom of Expression, News
Baghi, Evin Prison, Varishe Moradi, Varisheh Moradi, وریشه مرادی

Political prisoner Varisheh Moradi, currently held in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to death on charges of baghi (armed rebellion) by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The verdict was issued under the supervision of Judge Abolqasem Salavati.

Ms. Moradi was arrested on August 1, 2023, by security forces near Sanandaj. Following her arrest, she underwent interrogation at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, referred to as Ward 209 of Evin Prison. On December 26, 2023, after the completion of the interrogation process, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison.

The legal process in Ms. Moradi’s case has been marked by delays:

  • The first court session, held on June 17, 2024, addressed charges including membership in an opposition group and baghi.
  • A hearing scheduled for August 4, 2024, was postponed due to Ms. Moradi’s absence.
  • Another hearing on August 28, 2024, was canceled because the prosecutor’s representative and Judge Amuzad, serving as an advisor, were not present.

The second court session finally took place on October 5, 2024, during which the death sentence was finalized.

In a separate case involving four other prisoners, Ms. Moradi was recently sentenced to six months of imprisonment by Branch 2 of the Quds Judicial Complex in Tehran. This sentence relates to accusations of “assaulting an officer and defiance” during a protest in the women’s ward of Evin Prison on August 7, 2024.

The protest erupted after inmates learned of the execution of Reza Rasaei, leading to a confrontation with prison guards. This incident resulted in new charges against Ms. Moradi and other prisoners.

Ardabil Street Vendor Detained for 12 Days on Charges of “Disturbing Public Opinion”

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Ethnic Minorities, News, Prisoners
ardabil prison, Azerbaijani Turk activist, HRANA, Yousef Kari

Yousef Kari, a street vendor and Azerbaijani-Turk activist from Ardabil, has been held in Ardabil Prison for 12 days following his arrest on charges of “disturbing public opinion.”

A source close to his family confirmed to HRANA: “Mr. Kari was violently detained by police while working as a street vendor on October 29, 2024. Despite being charged by the Ardabil Prosecutor’s Office and the setting of a 5 billion rial bail, the presiding judge has refused to grant his release, leaving him in legal limbo.”

The source added, “During his arrest, Mr. Kari was subjected to physical violence, which he protested. In retaliation, security forces took him to a forensic medical examiner and pressured a psychiatrist to label him mentally unstable.”

Yousef Kari, previously dismissed from his job under security pressure, now earns a living as a street vendor in Ardabil. He has faced repeated harassment in the past due to his activism.

Two Prisoners Executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht

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Executions, News
HRANA, Lakan prison, Majid Jamali, Rasht

On November 7, 2024, the death sentences of two prisoners convicted of drug-related charges were carried out in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

One of the executed prisoners has been identified as Majid Jamali. The identity of the other prisoner, a woman, is still under investigation.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, the prisoners had been arrested on drug-related charges and sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant officials have not officially announced the executions.

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.

Two Prisoners Executed in Zanjan Prison

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Executions, News
Ezzat Seyedi, HRANA, Soleiman Abbaspour, Zanjan Prison

The death sentences of two prisoners, previously convicted of murder, were carried out in Zanjan Prison.

HRANA has identified these executed prisoners as Soleiman Abbaspour and Ezzat Seyedi.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Soleiman Abbaspour, who had been arrested on murder charges and sentenced to death by the judiciary, was executed at dawn on Saturday, November 2, 2024.

Likewise, Ezzat Seyedi, also convicted of murder and sentenced to death, was hanged at dawn on Thursday, November 7, 2024.

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

Three Baha’i Citizens Arrested in Isfahan

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i, Isfahan, Parsa Dehghani, Pedram Dehghani, Rashid Dehghani, Tehran, Tiran

On Saturday, November 2, security forces arrested three Baha’i citizens—Rashid Dehghani, Pedram Dehghani, and Parsa Dehghani—in the city of Tiran, Isfahan, and transferred them to an undisclosed location, according to Radio Farda. Rashid and Pedram are residents of Tehran, while Parsa resides in Karaj.

The three had traveled to Tiran in Isfahan to attend a Baha’i religious celebration, during which security forces detained them along with eight other Baha’i attendees. While the eight others have since been released, there is still no information on the whereabouts or condition of Rashid, Pedram, and Parsa Dehghani.

Baha’is are subjected to violations of their religious rights, comprising 82% of reports on infringements against religious minorities, according to HRA’s 2023 annual report.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

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Two Prisoners Executed on Drug-Related Charges in Ahar and Khorramabad Prisons

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Executions, News
Borujerd, Hamed Darvishi, Khorramabad Prison, Yousef Ramezani

On the morning of Wednesday, November 6, 2024, two prisoners previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges were executed in Ahar and Khorramabad prisons.

The Iran Human Rights Organization identified one of the prisoners as Yousef Ramezani, who was executed in Ahar Prison. Ramezani was arrested three years ago for trafficking 80 kilograms of methamphetamine and was subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

The second prisoner, Hamed Darvishi, a 40-year-old resident of Borujerd, was hanged in Khorramabad Prison on the same morning. Darvishi had also been arrested three years ago on drug-related charges and received a death sentence.

At the time of this report, prison officials and other relevant authorities have yet to officially confirm these executions.

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Imprisoned Attorney Mohammad Najafi Transferred to Hospital Following Critical Health Deterioration

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News, Prisoners
Arak prison, Evin Prison, HRANA, Mohammad Najafi, محمد نجفی

On Tuesday, November 5, Mohammad Najafi, an attorney detained in Evin Prison and suffering from a heart condition, was urgently transferred to Loghman Hakim Hospital in Tehran due to a sudden worsening of his health.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Najafi experienced a severe health incident while receiving a family visit. A source close to his family told HRANA, “During the visit, Najafi suddenly showed symptoms resembling a heart attack. He was immediately taken to the prison’s medical clinic. Given the critical nature of his condition, he was then transferred to an outside hospital, arriving at Loghman Hakim Hospital in Tehran under heavy restraints.”

Najafi was previously released from prison in 2019 after serving time in an earlier case but was re-arrested just four days later on different charges and taken to Arak Prison. In May 2023, he was transferred from Arak Prison to Evin Prison in Tehran.

Throughout his time in prison, Najafi has faced numerous charges, resulting in multiple sentences. He is currently detained in Ward 4 of Evin Prison. His longest sentence—10 years, later reduced to four years and six months—stems from a charge of “assisting a hostile government through interviews with foreign media.”

Najafi’s combined sentences now total over 21 years across various cases involving 14 separate charges, with no consolidation of these sentences applied to date. At least five new cases have been filed against him during his imprisonment, including one initiated by the warden of Arak Prison, which led to a four-month sentence. Another case involves charges for allegedly releasing audio recordings from within Arak Prison.

Four Citizens, Including a Teenager, Detained in Sarvabad

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Children, News, Other
Hamid Salehinejad, Jafar Ardalan, Mohammad Karimi, Sarvabad, Sina Asadi Hakim

Four citizens, including a teenager named Hamid Salehinejad, Jafar Ardalan, Mohammad Karimi, and Sina Asadi Hakim, were arrested by security forces in Sarvabad and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to Kurdpa, security forces detained these four individuals in Sarvabad,  Kurdistan province. Their identities have been reported as “Hamid Salehinejad, 27, Jafar Ardalan, 40, Mohammad Karimi, 31, and Sina Asadi Hakim, 15, residents of a village in Sarvabad County.”

The arrests took place early on Tuesday, November 5, with reports of violence occurring at their residences during the operation.

No information is yet available regarding the reasons for the arrests or the charges against these individuals.

According to data collected by the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA in 2023, Kurdistan Province accounted for 8.3% of reported human rights violations, including instances of arbitrary detentions.

Lawyer Mohammadreza Faghihi Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison and Additional Restrictions

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Freedom of Expression, News
Mohammadreza Faghihi, Tehran, محمدرضا فقیهی

The Tehran Court of Appeals, Branch 36, has upheld the prison sentence and additional restrictions imposed on attorney Mohammadreza Faghihi. The initial ruling, issued by the preliminary court, sentenced Faghihi to five years in prison, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year prohibition from practicing law and participating in political groups.

The recent appellate ruling maintains these penalties, convicting Mr. Faghihi on charges of “assembly and collusion to act against national security.” In addition to the prison term, he faces a two-year ban on leaving the country, a two-year suspension from practicing law, and a two-year prohibition from participating in political organizations. The verdict was delivered to Faghihi’s legal team on November 4, and the case has since been sent to the enforcement branch for execution.

This decision echoes an earlier ruling from Branch 15 of Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Court, which imposed the same penalties.

Faghihi’s legal troubles trace back to October 12, 2022, when he, along with two other attorneys, was arrested by security forces during a protest held by lawyers outside the Central Bar Association in Argentina Square, Tehran. The protest called attention to the “violation of protesters’ rights and Article 27 of the Constitution.” Faghihi was released on bail on October 25, 2022, but has since faced additional legal challenges.

Mr. Faghihi has a prior history of arrests and convictions linked to his professional advocacy activities.

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.