His identity has been reported as “Asad Kakeh, born in 1994.”
According to this report, Mr. Kakeh was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence on one of the streets in Takab without a judicial warrant.
So far, there is no information on the reasons for his arrest, his whereabouts, or the charges against him.
During this session, held today, Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in the Revolutionary Court, Mr. Ahmadpour defended himself against the charge of “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security through collaboration with regime opponents.”
Vafa Ahmadpour, a singer known as “Vafadar,” was arrested by security forces in Shiraz on May 9 and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Shiraz, known as House No 100. He was later transferred to the central detention facility of this city, located in Adelabad Prison.
Ahmadpour was previously arrested on February 4, 2024, by security forces at his residence and was held in detention for over 15 days before being released on bail from Evin Prison. He was then sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to one year in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime.
A source close to one of the activists’ families confirmed this news to HRANA, saying, “These individuals were summoned to the Enforcement of Judgments department of the Rasht Prosecutor’s Office simultaneously with the arrest of Zahra (Fatemeh) Dadras on July 10.”
The case of these individuals, along with eight other women’s rights activists in Gilan named Forough Saminia, Zahra (Fatemeh) Dadras, Zahra Dadras, Shiva Shah-Siah, Negin Rezaei, Azadeh Chavoshian, Matin Yazdani, and Jelveh Javaheri, was referred to the Enforcement of Judgments department in late June this year.
These eleven women’s rights activists were separately arrested by security forces in Gilan on August 16 and 17, 2023. Zahra Dadras was released on bail from Lakan Prison on September 17 of last year, and Zohreh Dadras was released on October 1 of the same year.
On February 29, 2024, a court session was held to address the charges against them in a joint case at Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht, presided over by Judge Mehdi Rasekhi. Their initial verdicts were issued by this branch in early March of this year.
Their sentences were confirmed on May 28 of this year by Branch 11 of the Gilan Provincial Court of Appeal, presided over by Judge Mohammad Sadegh Iran Agideh.
According to the issued verdict, Zohreh Dadras was sentenced to nine years, six months, and two days in prison for “forming a group to disrupt national security” and “assembly and collusion against national security.” Zahra Dadras was sentenced to six years, one month, and seventeen days in prison for “membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.”
Additionally, other defendants in this case were also sentenced to prison. Farough Samiei Nia, Sara Jahani, Yasmin Hashdari, Shiva Shah Siah, Negin Rezaei, Azadeh Chavooshian, and Matin Yazdani were each sentenced to six years, one month, and seventeen days in prison, while Jelveh Javaheri and Hooman Taheri were each sentenced to one year for “propaganda against the regime.”
The individual has been identified as “Feyzollah Shadi, 47 years old, from the village of Kavaneh, and a resident of Kamyaran.”
The report states that security forces arrested this citizen at his workplace in Kamiyaran without presenting a judicial warrant and transferred him to an unknown location. His workplace has also been sealed.
No information has yet been obtained about the charges against this citizen.
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.
A source close to Mehrabi’s family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Family inquiries revealed that Ms. Mehrabi is being held in Dolatabad Women’s Prison in Isfahan. She was transferred to solitary confinement some time ago and has gone on a hunger strike to protest the psychological pressure, poor conditions, and separation from her children. She has been hospitalized in the prison infirmary several times. The inability to meet or contact her has increased her family’s concerns.”
This citizen was arrested by security forces in Isfahan on June 18.
Mehrabi was previously arrested in March 2023 while pursuing her brother Mahmoud Mehrabi’s case. She was detained by security forces at the Mobarakeh County Prosecutor’s Office and transferred to Dolatabad Prison in Isfahan. She was released on bail three days later. Last September, she was sentenced by Branch 102 of the Criminal Court Two of Mobarakeh City to seventy-four lashes and three months in prison, which was later converted to a fine.
Mehrabi’s brother, Mahmoud, a political prisoner, has been sentenced to death on charges of “spreading corruption on earth.” He is currently held at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.
This journalist reported that the case was filed following a complaint by Masoud Pirayesh, Director General of the Sports and Youth Department of Markazi Province. Mr. Khalaj Asadi was sentenced to forty lashes on the charge of insulting a government official.
Khalaj Asadi also announced that he was acquitted of the charges of “personal insult, defamation, and spreading falsehoods.”
It is crucial to note that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights prohibits flogging as a form of cruel and inhumane punishment.
Initially, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Ms. Fotouhi to three years in prison for “propaganda against the regime and membership in the Erfan-e Halgheh group (believing in interuniversal mysticism),” and to three years and eight months for “assembly and collusion against national security through her presence and encouragement of others in Mahsa Amini’s protests and its anniversary.”
Mohammad-Zaman Daryabari, the defense lawyer for this political prisoner, also published an update on the latest status of her case, stating: “Branch 39 of the Supreme Court issued a retrial request for my client, Fotouhi. However, Branch 54 of the same rank Revolutionary Court rejected Ms. Fotoohi’s retrial request, and she was sentenced to a total of six years and eight months in prison.”
Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the most severe punishment, which is three years and eight months in prison, was enforceable for her.
Neda Fotoohi, a resident of Tehran, was arrested by security forces at her friend’s house in September-October 2023.
Reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA in 2023 indicate a total of 193 cases in which Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, has been involved in issuing verdicts that infringe upon the human rights of defendants.
Based on information received by HRANA, Ms. Gholami has been in detention for nearly fourteen months. Despite a court session held on June 30 in Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, no verdict has been issued for her on the charge of “armed rebellion.” Gholami Simiyari remains in an uncertain state in the women’s ward of Evin Prison. She is part of a joint case with seven other defendants: Hamidreza Sahlabadi, Ehsan Ravazjiyan, Amin Sokhanvar, Ali Harati Mokhtari, Hossein Mohammad Hosseini, Amir Shah Velayati, and Hossein Ardestani.
Gholami Simiyari was arrested on May 18, 2023, by IRGC intelligence agents on a street in Tehran. She was transferred to Ward 1-A of the IRGC, held in solitary confinement, and interrogated. After two months, she was transferred to Ward 2-A and eventually to the women’s ward of Evin Prison on September 26, 2023.
After five months in detention, she was charged with “assembly and collusion against national security,” “propaganda against the regime,” and “armed rebellion (Baghi).”
According to a friend of Ms. Simiyari, “She was subjected to psychological and physical torture during her detention, and forced confessions were obtained from her in front of a camera at the detention facility. The confessions were dictated and forced by the interrogator.”
A source close to the family confirmed this news to HRANA, stating: “Ms. Salmanzadeh was arrested by security forces on July 4th in the city of Maku and recently informed her family in a phone call that she has been transferred to the public ward of Urmia Prison. Also, temporary release has not yet been possible for this Baha’i citizen.”
As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained about the reasons for her arrest and the charges against her.
Mojgan Salmanzadeh is a Baha’i citizen and a researcher in the field of physiological psychology.
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.
The report states that Mr. Bakhtiari was arrested by security forces during the 2022 nationwide protests and was released on bail shortly after.
