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Three Citizens Sentenced to a Total of 4 Years in Prison on Political Charges

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Freedom of Expression, News
Diako Azizi, Loghman Zangi, Oshnavieh, Siamand Zangi

Diako Azizi, Loghman Zangi, and Siamand Zangi, residents of Oshnavieh, have each been sentenced to 16 months in prison by the city’s Criminal Court, according to a report by Kurdpa.

The verdict, issued by Branch 101 of Oshnavieh’s Criminal Court 2 under Judge Ansari, charges Azizi, Zangi, and Zangi with “collaboration with an opposition group” against the government. Each individual received a 16-month prison term.

These citizens were initially detained by security forces in Oshnavieh on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. Following their arrests, Siamand Zangi was released on bail on September 25, and Loghman Zangi was released on October 5, 2024.

Female Student Detained After Removing Clothes

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News, Students, Women
Islamic Azad University, mandatory hijab, Tehran

This afternoon, November 2, a female student at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, removed her clothes in a public. Student sources report that security forces violently detained her, transferring her to an undisclosed location.

According to Amirkabir Newsletter, the confrontation began when university security officers approached the student aggressively, citing her lack of compliance with hijab regulations. In response to this altercation, she removed her clothing and remained in only her undergarments as a form of protest before being detained with force.

In contrast, Fars News Agency disputed the claims of violent treatment, alleging instead that “the student attended class in inappropriate attire. After university security reminded her of the campus dress code, she undressed and walked around the university grounds unclothed.”

However, some sources have attributed the student’s actions to her mental state, denying any link to the issue of compulsory hijab.

The student’s identity remains unknown. HRANA continues to investigate whether mandatory hijab may have been a factor in this incident and to clarify the student’s possible motivations.

The original report was published on November 2 and was updated with new information on November 4.

Gholamhossein Kalbi, Political Prisoner in His 24th Year of Life Sentence, Denied Medical Care Amid Deteriorating Health

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News, Prisoners
ahvaz, Dezful, Gholamhossein Kalbi, HRANA, Mahshahr, Saeed Masouri, Sheiban Prison

Political prisoner Gholamhossein Kalbi is now in his 24th year of a life sentence at Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz. He suffers from multiple health conditions, yet has been denied specialized medical care and transfer to treatment centers.

As per HRANA’s information, Mr. Kalbi suffers from a hernia, ear and dental infections, and has recently contracted a fungal infection that has caused severe toe infections. Despite his worsening condition and repeated transfers to the prison infirmary, he has only received basic examinations and minimal medication due to limited medical resources. Kalbi urgently needs specialized medical care, which has yet to be approved.

According to a source close to the case, the Ministry of Intelligence, overseeing Kalbi’s file, recently rejected his request for transfer to a prison near his home in Mahshahr. “He is held in Sheiban’s security ward, where he lacks any area for exercise and lives in overcrowded conditions, with twice the capacity in his cell,” the source told HRANA.

Kalbi was arrested on January 8, 2001, along with Saeed Masouri, in Dezful, on charges of membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran. In 2002, he was sentenced to death by the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of “enmity against God” (Moharebeh). His death sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.

After his arrest, he spent 14 months in solitary confinement at the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz before being transferred to Ward 209, and later to Ward 350 of Evin Prison. Following his sentencing, he was moved to Mahshahr Prison and later to Karun Prison in Ahvaz. After the closure of Karun Prison in February 2016, he was transferred along with other prisoners to Sheiban Prison.

In October 2016, his brother, the last remaining member of his family, suffered a stroke and passed away while en route to the prison for a face-to-face visit with him—a visit he had managed to secure after five years of effort. The judicial authorities denied Mr. Kalbi leave to attend his brother’s funeral.

The troubling case of Kalbi underscores a broader pattern of neglect within Iranian prisons. In 2023, the Department of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 1,390 instances of denial or neglect of medical care for prisoners, highlighting a systemic issue that urgently demands attention.

Prisoner Executed in Zahedan Prison

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Executions, News
Hassan Ekhlasi, Zahedan Prison

On Thursday, October 31, 2024, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death on murder charges was carried out in Zahedan Prison, according to Haal Vsh.

The prisoner has been identified as Hassan Ekhlasi, approximately 35 years old, a resident of Golshan County.

According to this report, Mr. Ekhlasi was arrested in 2011 in Golshan County on charges of murder with a bladed weapon. He was later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court. On Tuesday, he was transferred from Zahedan Prison’s Security Ward 2 to solitary confinement in preparation for the execution.
As of the time of this report, the execution has not been publicly confirmed by prison authorities or relevant officials.

In 2023, 66% of HRANA’s reports on executions lacked official announcements by judicial authorities and went unreported by media inside Iran, highlighting a troubling lack of transparency in due process.

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.

Three Prisoners Executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan

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Executions, News
Amir Jahandar, Dastgerd Prison, HRANA, Isfahan, Kourosh Salehian, Reza Bidabadi

Today, October 31, the death sentences of three prisoners, previously convicted on charges of murder and drug-related offenses, were carried out in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan.

HRANA has confirmed the identities of the prisoners as Kourosh Salehian, Amir Jahandar, and Reza Bidabadi. Early this morning, Reza Bidabadi, sentenced to death on murder charges, was executed by hanging. Meanwhile, Salehian and Jahandar were executed on Monday, October 28, with Salehian convicted of murder and Jahandar on drug-related charges.

As of this report, prison officials and relevant authorities have yet to publicly confirm these 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.

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Prisoner Executed in Naqadeh Prison for Drug Offenses

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Executions, News
Naqadeh, Piranshahr, Vahid Binami

Today, October 31, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted on drug-related charges was carried out in Naqadeh Prison.

HRANA has identified the prisoner as Vahid Binami, a 40-year-old resident of Piranshahr. He was previously arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of this report, prison officials and responsible authorities have not yet publicly announced the execution of this prisoner.

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.

Execution of Prisoner Carried Out in Ahvaz’s Sepidar Prison

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Executions, News
ahvaz, Sardar Safarpour, Sepidar Prison

Early Wednesday morning, October 30, a prisoner sentenced to death on murder charges was executed in Sepidar Prison, Ahvaz.

HRANA has identified the individual as Sardar Safarpour, who was initially detained on murder charges and later received a death sentence from the judiciary.

As of this report, officials from the prison and relevant authorities have not officially announced Safarpour’s execution.

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.

Vadood Asadi Sentenced to Five Years and Six Months in Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Rasht, Salar Taher Afshar, Vadood Asadi

After his appeal was accepted and a retrial held, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Vadood Asadi has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison by Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht.

Asadi was originally sentenced in absentia by the same court. He had received a one-year sentence for “propaganda against the regime,” three years and six months for “membership in opposition groups,” and an additional one year for “insulting the Supreme Leader.” Following Asadi’s appeal, the court reconvened on Sunday, October 27, ultimately reissuing a verdict of five years and six months in prison.

In a separate case, Asadi was recently sentenced to four years in prison by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, following a hearing held on May 21, 2024.

Asadi’s recent detainment history began in February 2024, when he was arrested by security forces in Rasht. He was transferred to Evin Prison in March, where he remained briefly before being released on bail.

Asadi has faced previous legal action due to his activism, adding to a history of judicial confrontations related to his advocacy work.

Four Prisoners Executed in the Central Prison of Karaj on Drug-Related Charges

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Executions, News
HRANA, Karaj, Kermanshah

At dawn yesterday, October 29, four prisoners convicted on drug-related charges were executed in the Central Prison of Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, three of the executed prisoners have been identified as Mohammad Nedaei, Ali Akbar (Mohsen) Akhayer, and Akbar Khorram Taj. These individuals were arrested approximately six years ago on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death.

Kurdpa identified the fourth prisoner as Morovat-Ali Karami, from Kermanshah, who was also executed on similar charges on Tuesday morning.

As of this report, prison authorities and relevant institutions have not publicly confirmed 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.

Prisoner Executed at Jiroft Prison on Murder Charges

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Executions, News
Ahmad Salari, HRANA, Jiroft Prison, زندان جیرفت

At dawn today, October 30, a prisoner previously sentenced to death on murder charges was executed in Jiroft Prison, Kerman Province.

The prisoner has been identified by HRANA as “Ahmad Salari.” Mr. Salari was arrested ten years ago on murder charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

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

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.