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Reza Arabpour Sentenced to 15 Years Following 2022 Protests in Izeh

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Freedom of Expression, News
and Esmail Mousavi Nazari, Bahman Bahmani, Behrooz Salahshoor, Mohsen Ahmadpour, Rasoul Bodaghi, Sadegh Ghasemi, Vahid Abbasi

Reza Arabpour, one of the detainees from the 2022 nationwide protests in Izeh, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by Branch 4 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court.

According to his defense attorney, Hossein Ali Hatami, Mr. Arabpour was convicted on charges of “aiding and abetting moharebeh” (enmity against God) but was acquitted of charges related to participation in rebel groups. Mr. Hatami also stated that Mr. Arabpour’s vehicle has been released and that they plan to appeal the verdict. Before the issuance of this verdict, Arabpour was released on bail on September 28, 2024, after spending 21 months in detention.

On October 6, 2023, the same court acquitted several other defendants in the case—Bahman Bahmani, Mohsen Ahmadpour, Behrooz Salahshoor, Rasoul Bodaghi, Vahid Abbasi, Sadegh Ghasemi, and Esmail Mousavi Nazari—of charges including moharebeh, “corruption on earth,” and membership in groups opposing the regime.

A few months later, the joint indictment of these individuals on charges of moharebeh, corruption on earth, and forming rebel groups was referred to Branch 4 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court.

Annual Report on Executions in Iran: Marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty

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Executions, News, Publications
Citizen executions, Corruption on Earth, drug-related executions, Execution, World Day Against the Death Penalty

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)– Ahead of the World Day against the Death Penalty, the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) has published its annual report in an effort to inform the public about situation of the death penalty in Iran, particularly thousands of individuals facing the death penalty and awaiting looming executions.

HRA’s Statistics Center relies on the work of HRANA reporters, as well as a network of independent and verifiable sources. It also incorporates the judicial authorities’ announcements or confirmations of prisoner executions on media, and as such, is exposed to a margin of error representing efforts by the Iranian authorities to omit, conceal, or restrict the collection of such data.

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.

HRANA obtained 721 reports regarding executions and death penalty in Iran during this period. The identified executed individuals, include 23 women and 4 juvenile offenders under the age of 18 at the time of alleged crime. Compared to the last period, the execution of female offenders has increased 35.29%.

According to the reports obtained by HRANA, over this period, Iranian authorities sentenced at least 186 defendants to death penalty, including at least 12 women, and 3 individuals to public execution. Death sentences issued increased by 13.41% compared to the last year. In the reporting period, the Supreme Court additionally upheld 59 previously imposed death sentences.

The chart below shows a breakdown of executions by capital offense: 55.49% were charged with drug trafficking, 35.51% with murder, 2.34% with rape, 2.34% with unknown offenses, 1.23% with spying, terror, and bombing, 1.11% with Corruption on Earth (Non-political), 0.86% with Political or Security-related offenses, 0.62% with armed robbery and 0.49% with Corruption on Earth.

execution in Iran

The pie chart below displays execution numbers by the province in which they took place. According to this chart, the Alborz (where three overcrowded prisons are located)  had the highest number of executions at 21.70%. Fars and Isfahan Provinces come second and third, with 9.86% and 6.78%, respectively.

The chart below depicts the distribution of executions’ information sources. The chart indicates that 71.64% of HRANA-confirmed executions were not announced by the official Iranian sources. Undisclosed executions are referred to as “secret” executions.


The chart down shows the execution numbers by gender.

The chart below displays execution numbers by the prison where the executions were carried out. The Qezel Hesar Prison of Karaj And Adel Abad of Shiraz officials have carried out the highest number.

The chart below displays percentage of executions carried out in public vs the number of executions that were carried out in prison. According to statistics, 0.49% of the executions in Iran were carried out in public.

 

For further inquiries please contact Skylar Thompson, Deputy Director Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) at [email protected]

Motahareh Goonehi Arrested and Transferred to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News, Students
Ardabil University, Mahdi Hadizadeh, Motahareh Goonehi, Tehran

Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, has announced the arrest and imprisonment of Motahareh Goonehi, a student activist.

The report indicates that her arrest and imprisonment were prompted by content she posted on social media.

On the previous day, Ms. Goonehi had received an electronic summons ordering her to appear before Branch 9 of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office for Media and Culture.

The Deputy Minister for Culture and Student Affairs at the Ministry of Health also announced that Goonehi’s right to continue her studies has been revoked, and a disciplinary file has been opened against her at the university.

Recently, the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office pressed charges against Goonehi, a suspended student from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, citing her “online posts” regarding Iran’s recent military actions.

Earlier, Ms. Goonehi had announced her transfer to Ardabil University. She and her husband, Mahdi Hadizadeh, also a student at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, had previously been temporarily suspended and transferred to Ardabil University of Medical Sciences by the Central Committee of the Ministry of Health.

On May 1, 2024, Goonehi was detained by IRGC Intelligence agents in Tehran after being summoned. She was taken to Evin Prison but was released on bail after several days of detention.

In July, Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to one year in prison.

Goonehi, a dentistry student and former political secretary of the Islamic Association of Students at the University of Tehran and Tehran University of Medical Sciences, had also been detained by security forces during the nationwide protests of 2022.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Mohammadreza Khalili Sentenced to One Year in Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Azerbaijani Turk activist, Mohammadreza Khalili, Rasht

Mohammadreza Khalili, a 22-year-old Azerbaijani-Turk activist, has been sentenced to one year in prison by a court in Rasht.

According to HRANA, Khalili was convicted based on a recent ruling issued by the Judiciary of Rasht. He was sentenced to one year in prison on charges of “inciting or provoking people to warfare and violence with the intent to disrupt national security.” Khalili defended himself against these charges on August 6, 2024, in Branch 103 of the Astara Criminal Court.

Previously, this activist, originally from Khalkhal, was arrested by the Cyber Police (FATA) in the city of Sowme’eh Sara, Gilan Province, and subsequently transferred to prison. He was later released on bail set at 2 billion tomans.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) recorded 329 reports, citing the arrest of 324 citizens linked to ethnic and national rights. Notably, 156 of these arrests occurred without the issuance of a judicial warrant.

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence of Political Prisoner Mahmood Mehrabi

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Executions, News
Dastgerd, Mahmoud Mehrabi, Revolutionary Court in Isfahan

The Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of Mahmood (Mahmoud) Mehrabi, a political prisoner detained at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, after accepting his appeal. The case has now been referred for retrial to a different branch of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan.

Mehrabi’s defense attorney, Babak Farsani, confirmed the development, stating: “Through the diligent efforts of our legal team and the support from the Supreme Court, the death sentence of my client, Mehrabi, initially convicted of ‘corruption on earth,’ has been annulled. His case has now been assigned for retrial to a parallel branch of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan.” In June, Farsani had noted that his appeal highlighted over ten major errors in the original verdict, each providing substantial grounds for the Supreme Court to reconsider.

In May, Branch 5 of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan had sentenced Mehrabi to death for “corruption on earth,” citing “the extensive dissemination of false information” on his Instagram account as a primary offense.

Mehrabi was first arrested by security forces in Isfahan on February 1, 2023. He was released on bail from Dastgerd Prison on March 16, 2023, but was re-arrested at his home in Isfahan only hours after his release, and subsequently returned to the same prison.

In September 2023, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Mobarakeh County indicted Mehrabi on several charges, including “corruption on earth through spreading false information, anti-regime propaganda on social media, inciting military and police forces to disobey orders and surrender online, inciting violence and unrest to disrupt security, and insulting the Supreme Leader and Ruhollah Khomeini on social media.”

In January 2024, Mehrabi faced additional charges, including “publishing criminal content in the media and insulting religious figures and sacred entities.”

Mahmood Mehrabi, 35, a resident of Isfahan, worked as an electrical engineer prior to his arrest.

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Mohammadreza Faghihi Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison and Additional Punishments

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Freedom of Expression, News
Mohammadreza Faghihi, Tehran, Zahra Minooie

Mohammadreza Faghihi, a defense attorney, has been sentenced by Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court to five years in prison. Additionally, he has been sentenced to a two-year travel ban, a two-year prohibition from practicing law, and a two-year ban on membership in political parties and groups.

Zahra Minooie, Mr. Faghihi’s defense attorney, announced: “My client was sentenced by Branch 15 of Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Court to five years in prison on charges of ‘collusion and assembly with the intent to commit a crime against national security.’ As additional punishment, he has also been banned from leaving the country for two years, from practicing law, and from membership in political parties and groups for two years.”
The court session addressing the charges against this lawyer was held on September 11 of this year.

Previously, on October 12, 2022, Mohammadreza Faghihi was arrested by security forces, along with two other lawyers, during a protest by defense attorneys objecting to the “violation of protesters’ rights and Article 27 of the Constitution” in front of the Central Bar Association in Argentina Square, Tehran. He was eventually released on bail on October 25, 2022.

This attorney has a prior record of arrest and sentencing due to his professional activities.

Zhina Modares Gorji Sentenced to 28 Months in Prison on Appeals

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Freedom of Expression, News, Women
Kurdistan Province, Sanandaj, Zhina Modares Gorji

Zhina Modares Gorji, a resident of Sanandaj, has been sentenced to 28 months in prison by the Court of Appeals of Kurdistan Province, according to Kurdpa.

The report states that on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, Branch 4 of the Kurdistan Provincial Court of Appeals issued the ruling, which was communicated to Ms. Modares Gorji’s lawyer. She was acquitted of the charge of “collaborating with a hostile government” but was sentenced to one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime” and 16 months for “forming an illegal group aimed at overthrowing the regime,” amounting to a total of 28 months in prison.

Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, regarding multiple offenses, the most severe punishment, which is 16 months of imprisonment, will be enforceable.

Earlier this year, in June, Ms. Modares Gorji was sentenced to 21 years of imprisonment and exile by the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj.

On April 10, 2023, she was arrested by intelligence officers and transferred to the Sanandaj Correctional Center. She was released on bail on July 3, 2023. A second court session to address her charges was held on September 13, 2023, and a third session took place on April 9, 2024.

It is worth noting that she had been arrested before, in late September 2022, and transferred to the Sanandaj Juvenile Correctional Center. She was temporarily released on bail on October 29 of that year.

Mohammad Hossein Mohebizadeh Sentenced to Prison on Political Charges

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Joveyn County, Khorasan Razavi Province, Mohammad-Hossein Mohebizadeh

Mohammad-Hossein Mohebizadeh, a resident of Joveyn County in Khorasan Razavi Province, has been sentenced to 22 months and 17 days in prison.

The verdict was recently issued by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Joveyn County, presided over by Judge Mohammad Mohammadzadeh. Mohebizadeh was sentenced to 15 months and one day for “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic” and an additional seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime,” bringing his total sentence to 22 months and 17 days.

According to HRANA, an independent human rights news agency, Mohebizadeh had previously been sentenced to two years in prison by the 101st Branch of the Criminal Court of Joveyn County on May 7 of this year for “blasphemy.” This ruling was upheld by the Khorasan Razavi Provincial Appeals Court on July 24, 2024.

Mohebizadeh was arrested in April after being summoned to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Joveyn County. He was transferred to Sabzevar prison but released after four days upon posting bail of 2 billion tomans.

This is not the first time Mohebizadeh has faced legal action due to his activities.

Two Prisoners Executed in Kerman Prison

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Executions, News
Kerman prison

According to Rokna, on October 3, 2024, two prisoners were executed in Kerman Prison.

The report states that last June, following several reports of assaults by unidentified individuals along the Haft-Bagh Road, three suspects were arrested and sentenced to death. After the death sentences of the first and second defendants were upheld by the Supreme Court, their executions were carried out yesterday in Kerman Prison.

The death sentence for the third defendant in this case is still under review by the Supreme Court.

In February of last year, the Second Branch of the Criminal Court of Kerman Province sentenced all three defendants to death for the charge of rape. The three men were accused of posing as officers, stopping vehicles of individuals and young couples, and using threats and kidnapping to commit assault, rape, and ultimately steal valuable items from their victims.

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.

Two Prisoners Executed in Ilam Prison

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Executions, News
Ilam, Nasrollah Mennati, Nima Moradi

On October 1, 2024, two prisoners convicted of murder in separate cases were executed in Ilam Prison.

Kurdpa identified the prisoners as Nima Moradi and Nasrollah Mennati, both residents of Ilam.

Moradi was arrested two years ago, while Mennati had been detained earlier, each in separate cases related to murder charges. Both were sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

As of the time of this report, the executions had not been officially confirmed by prison officials or relevant authorities.

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.