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Mohammad-Reza Shoghi Arrested in Gorgan

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Freedom of Expression, News
Gorgan, HRANA, Mohammad Reza Shoghi, محمدرضا شوقی

On Wednesday, July 10, Mohammad-Reza Shoghi, a resident of Gorgan, was arrested by security forces in the city.

A source close to his family confirmed this news to HRANA, saying: “This morning, Mohammad Reza Shoghi was arrested after an appearance at the Security Police office in Gorgan. Mr. Shoghi had previously been summoned to this security agency by phone.”

So far, no information has been obtained regarding the charges and reasons for the arrest of this resident of Gorgan.

Mohammad Reza (Tahmuras) Shoghi has a history of arrest and conviction due to his activities.

Prisoners Deprived of Water Access in Ghezel Hesar Prison

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News, Prisoners
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Qezel Hesar

For the past twenty days, prisoners in Ghezel (Qezel) Hesar Prison in Karaj have faced significant issues with accessing clean water. During this period, the inmates have only had access to safe drinking water for seven hours a day, putting their health at serious risk. The prison officials’ failure to promptly address this health issue could lead to the outbreak and spread of various diseases.

For several days, prisoners in this prison have experienced frequent water outages. This situation has further endangered the health of the inmates. On Wednesday, July 10, the family of one prisoner confirmed this issue in a call with HRANA, stating: “For about twenty days, prisoners’ access to clean water has been limited. Every day from 5 to 8 AM, 1:30 to 3:30 PM, and 9 to 11 PM, tap water is available to the prisoners. However, even during these hours, the water pressure is very low.”

According to information received by HRANA, the frequent water outages in recent days have prevented prisoners from regularly using the showers. Additionally, the lack of water has made it difficult for prisoners to use the restrooms. Given the hot season and the absence of water, the prison’s sanitary facilities are kept in a very dirty condition, further endangering the prisoners’ health.

Family members of another prisoner told HRANA: “The frequent water outages on these warm days are causing the spread of diseases such as tuberculosis, skin diseases, and other illnesses in the prison. A water tank has been set up for use during water outages, but it is only suitable for washing hands and faces. Prisoners who can afford it are forced to buy water from the prison shop at high prices, but not all prisoners have the financial means to do so.”

HRANA had previously reported on frequent water outages in The Central Prison of Karaj as well.

It is worth mentioning that imprisonment, defined as the restraint of a person’s liberty against their will, should not infringe on human dignity. Prisoners’ access to adequate food and water, healthcare, and legal advisers is affirmed in both domestic laws and international regulations, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The conditions of the prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison, which endanger their health and fail to meet their basic needs, are repeated violations of domestic and international laws.

Women’s Rights Activists Zohreh and Zahra Dadras Arrested to Commence Serving Their Sentences

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Freedom of Expression, News
Azadeh Chavoshian, Forough Saminia, Gilan province, Hooman Taheri, Jelveh Javaheri, Lakan prison, Matin Yazdani, Negin Rezaie, Rasht, Sara Jahani, Shiva Shah Sia, Yasamin Hashdari, Zahra Dadras, Zohreh Dadras

Zahra (Fatemeh) Dadras and Zohreh Dadras, women’s rights activists in Gilan province, were arrested to serve their prison sentences and transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht on July 10, 2024.

Abolfazl Ghorbani, the lawyer for these two women’s rights activists, announced: “At 9 AM today, Zohreh (Fatemeh) Dadras was detained and transferred to the Enforcement of Judgments department without prior summons or notice. Similarly, Zahra Dadras was arrested at 12 PM today after appearing at the Criminal Sentences Execution branch. Both sisters were then transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht.”

Hirakani News Agency announced today that the other nine defendants in this case, Forough Saminia, Sara Jahani, Yasamin Hashdari, Shiva Shah Sia, Negin Rezaie, Azadeh Chavoshian, Matin Yazdani, Hooman Taheri and Jelveh Javaheri, have also been summoned to the Revolutionary the Enforcement of Judgments office in Rasht by phone.

These 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.”

Othman Mameh Detained for Over 600 Days

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News, Prisoners
Bukan, HRANA, Othman Mameh, عثمان مامه

Othman Mameh, a resident of Bukan in West Azerbaijan province, has been detained for over 600 days. The lack of information about his condition has heightened the concern of his family and acquaintances.

A source close to Mameh’s relatives confirmed this news to HRANA: “Despite 600 days passing since Mr. Mameh’s arrest and the family’s follow-ups with security and judicial authorities, the relevant officials refuse to provide a clear answer regarding his status. Mameh has not had any contact with his family since his arrest, which has added to the concerns of his family and acquaintances. The only response from security agencies is that if he had died, they would have been informed.”

Mameh, 55, was arrested by security forces in Bukan on November 18, 2022.

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for his arrest, his place of detention, or the charges against him.

Environmental Activist Yousef Farhadi Babadi Sentenced to Imprisonment and Fine

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Freedom of Expression, News
Tehran, Yousef Farhadi Babadi, یوسف فرهادی بابادی

Yousef Farhadi Babadi, an environmental activist, has been sentenced to two years in prison and a fine by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

Based on a verdict issued by Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court and delivered to Mr. Farhadi Babadi’s lawyer on July 6th, he has been sentenced to one year in prison for “propaganda activities against the regime” and one year in prison and a fine of 15 million tomans for “spreading falsehoods against the Ministry of Intelligence.”

The court session for addressing the charges against this citizen was held on Tuesday, July 2nd of this year in the aforementioned branch.

Farhadi Babadi was summoned to Branch 1 of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office in late April after receiving a summons. The indictment for his case regarding the above charges was issued in May.

This citizen also has a history of previous arrests.

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Amir Sheibani Zaveh’s Conviction Upheld on Appeal

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Freedom of Expression, News
Amir Sheibani Zaveh, Razavi Khorasan Province, Vakilabad prison

The Court of Appeal of Razavi Khorasan Province upheld the ten-month prison sentence and additional punishments for Amir Sheibani Zaveh, a political prisoner held in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

Based on a recent ruling issued by Branch 35 of the Court of Appeal of Razavi Khorasan Province and communicated to him, Mr. Sheibani Zaveh has been sentenced to ten months of imprisonment, an eighteen-month travel ban, and an eighteen-month ban on online activities for the charge of “propaganda against the regime through online activities.”

This political prisoner was indicted on May 5 by Branch 901 of the Mashhad Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office.

In January of 2024, Sheibani Zaveh faced another legal case for which he recevied by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad, presided over by Judge Hadi Mansouri, to one year of discretionary imprisonment, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year ban on online activities for the same charge of “propaganda against the regime.” This sentence was later upheld op appeal.

In April of this year, Sheibani was arrested and transferred to Vakilabad Prison to serve his sentence.

Sheibani has a history of arrests and convictions due to his activities.

Inmate Executed in Adelabad Prison for Drug Offenses

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Executions, News
Harsin, HRANA, Kermanshah province, Mojtaba Karami, Shiraz

On Sunday, July 7, a death-row inmate convicted of drug-related charges was executed in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz, as reported by Kurdpa.

His identity has been reported as “Mojtaba Karami, 28 years old, from Harsin, a county in Kermanshah Province.”

The report states: “This prisoner was arrested about three and a half years ago on drug-related charges and was subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.”

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing. 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 data compiled by HRANA, in 2023, Adelabad Prison carried out 49 executions, ranking five among prisons across Iran. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Manouchehr Bakhtiari Sentenced to Over 13 Months in Prison on Appeal

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News, Prisoners
Bakhtiari Province, Choobindar Prison, Manoochehr Bakhtiari, Qazvin

The thirteen months and fifteen days prison sentence for Manoochehr Bakhtiari, a political prisoner held in Choobindar Prison in Qazvin, has been upheld by Branch 1 of the Court of Appeal of Qazvin Province. This case was filed against him during his imprisonment.

Based on this ruling, issued on July 1 by Branch 1 of the Court of Appeal of Qazvin Province, communicated to this political prisoner’s lawyer on Sunday, July 7, Mr. Bakhtiari has been sentenced to thirteen months and fifteen days in prison for the charge of “spreading false information.”

In May of this year, Bakhtiari received this conviction from Branch 110 of the Criminal Court 2 of Qazvin Province for a case filed against him during his imprisonment.
The court session for examining Manoochehr Bakhtiari’s charges was held on April 16 of this year via video conference in the aforementioned branch.

Bakhtiari’s initial arrest occurred on April 29, 2021, when he was taken by security forces from his home in Tehran. The Revolutionary Court subsequently sentenced him to three years and six months in prison, with an additional two years and six months of exile and a two-year travel ban, starting in July 2021.

On November 1, 2023, while still serving his sentence, Bakhtiari received a six-month prison term for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” a conviction that was confirmed on appeal.

Furthermore, in January of this year, Judge Seyyed Mousavi Asef-Al-Hosseini of Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court delivered a significant ruling against Bakhtiari. He was sentenced to ten years for “assembly and collusion to act against national security, and for forming and running groups on the Internet to disturb national security.” Additionally, Bakhtiari received five years for “collaboration with anti-regime groups,” two years for “propaganda against the regime and disturbing public opinions,” and one year plus 74 lashes for “disseminating false information.” However, the Appellate Court later overturned these convictions and remanded the case back to the court for further review.

In a tragic and related turn of events, Bakhtiari’s son, Pouya, at the age of 27, was fatally shot by regime forces during the 2019 protests, also known as the Aban Protests, in Karaj. According to his sister and mother, Pouya succumbed to his injuries in the hospital after being shot in the head during the second day of the protest’s eruption.

Morteza Keyvanloo’s Sentence Upheld on Appeal

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Joghatai, Morteza Keyvanloo, Sabzevar

The seven months and fifteen days prison sentence for Morteza Keyvanloo, a resident of Joghatai County, has been upheld by the Court of Appeal of Razavi Khorasan Province.

Based on a ruling issued on June 18 of this year by Branch 35 of the Court of Appeal of Razavi Khorasan Province and communicated to Mr. Keyvanloo, he has been sentenced to seven months and fifteen days of discretionary imprisonment.

In May of this year, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Sabzevar, presided over by Mohammad Gholami, convicted Keyvanloo of “propaganda against the regime on the Internet.”

Keyvanloo was arrested on February 18, 2024, by security forces in Sabzevar and was released about twenty days later on bail.

According to information received by HRANA, this citizen was also sentenced to six months in prison last year on a similar charge, with the issued sentence suspended for five years. Additionally, in another case, he was fined by the Joghatai Criminal Court.

Morteza Keyvanloo, aged around 41, is the father of two daughters and a resident of Joghatai County.

Teacher Union Activist Mohsen Omrani Sentenced to Imprisonment

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Bushehr, HRANA, Mohsen Omrani, محسن عمرانی

Mohsen Omrani, a member of the Board of Directors of the Bushehr Teachers’ Trade Association, has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Bushehr.

According to the ruling issued by the Revolutionary Court of Bushehr and recently communicated to Mr. Omrani, he has been sentenced to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” Several posts on social media have been cited as evidence for the charges against him.

The court session for these charges was held on July 2 of this year. A previous court session for Omrani’s charges was held, but the case was sent back to the prosecutor’s office due to deficiencies.

A source close to Mr. Omrani told HRANA that he is facing another legal case. In October of last year, Omrani, along with three other members of the Board of Directors of the Bushehr Teachers’ Trade Association, was sentenced to two years of discretionary imprisonment, confiscation of seized assets in favor of the government, and a three-year ban on teaching activities in academic environments. This case has been sent to Branch 3 of the Bushehr Province Court of Appeals, with a hearing date set for August.

Additionally, Mr. Omrani, along with two other union activists, was sentenced by the Bushehr Province Criminal Court to a fine for “participating in teachers’ union protests.” Later, these citizens were acquitted of the charges by the province’s Court of Appeals.

Mohsen Omrani, a member of the Board of Directors of the Bushehr Teachers’ Trade Association, has a history of arrest and conviction due to his activities.