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Two Inmates Executed in Bandar Abbas and Zahedan

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Executions, News
Baloch Activists Campaign, Bandar-Abbas, Khosro Mohammadi, Leila Bameri, Rasank News, Zahedan Prison

On February 27, 2023, a female death-row prisoner convicted of drug-related crimes was executed in Bandar Abbas prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Baloch Activists Campaign, on February 27, 2023, a woman identified as Leila Bameri was executed in Bandar Abbas prison. Three years ago, she was arrested for drug-related crimes in Bandar Abbas.

She was reportedly executed without having a chance to visit her family for the last time. Bameri was the mother of a five-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy.

Rasank News also reported the execution of an inmate identified as Khosro Mohammadi, a resident of Shiraz, in Zahedan Prison on February 28. Four years ago, he was arrested for drug-related crimes.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

 

About 1200 School Students Poisoned in Qom and Borujerd

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Children, News
Etemad News, Iranian schoolgirls, Mohammad Taghi Fazel Meybodi, Zahra Sheikhi

According to the spokesperson for the Parliament’s Health Commission, 800 school students in Qom and 400 in Borujerd have been poisoned in a series of poisoning attacks on several schools.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Etemad News, about 1200 schoolgirls have been poisoned at school in recent weeks.

Similar suspicious poisoning incidents took place in schools in other cities such as Tehran, Ardabil and Kermanshah.

Zahra Sheikhi, the Parliament’s Health Commission spokesperson, stated, “by February 27, 799 cases of mild poisoning at schools have been reported. As reported during the meeting today, in Borujerd, about 400 school students have been poisoned mildly between February 21 and 29.”
“The investigations dismiss digestive poisoning, but they have been subjected to respiratory poisoning. There are some theories about that, but the findings are still inconclusive,” she added.

Earlier, a deputy of Iran’s ministry of health stated that with these attacks: “Some want all schools, especially girls’ schools, to be closed down.”

Also, Mohammad-Taghi Fazel Meybodi, a religious scholar and university professor, called these incidents intentional attacks organized by “religious groups.” Moreover, the prosecutor-General of Iran also called these incidents “intentional.”

Poet Sara Mottaghi Arrested in Rasht

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News
Gilan province, Lakan prison, Rasht, Sara Mottaghi, Sepandarmazgan

On February 28, 2023, poet Sara Mottaghi was arrested and jailed in Lakan Prison in Rasht.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 28, 2023, Sara Mottaghi, age 26, was arrested in Rasht, Gilan Province.

An informed source told HRANA, “Mottaghi was summoned to the Investigation office of Rasht Courthouse, arrested and taken to Lakan Prison.”

“She was summoned for writing about the commemoration of ancient Iranian day of women (Sepandarmazgan), which was deemed by the Ministry of Intelligence insulting to Twelve Imams of Shia Islam,” the source added.

Four Inmates Executed in Karaj, Hamedan and Urmia

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Executions, News
Ali Milan, Hamedan prison, Mohammad Doosti, Mohammad Safari, The Central Prison of Karaj, Urmia prison

On February 28, 2023, two inmates in the Central Prison of Karaj and one in Hamedan Prison were executed. Moreover, Urmia prison officials recently carried out the execution of one inmate. All these individuals were previously convicted of drug-related crimes.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 28, 2023, two inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed in the Central Prison of Karaj. HRANA has identified one of them as Mohammad Safari.
On the same day, an unidentified inmate was executed in Hamedan Prison.
Also, in this prison, an inmate identified as Mohammad Doosti has recently been transferred to solitary confinement, awaiting imminent execution. The allegations against him are unknown.
Moreover, an inmate identified as Ali Milan was executed in Urmia Prison. He and two other death-row inmates, Ramin Shirzad and Jalal Taheri had been transferred to solitary confinement. Prison officials, however, did not carry out the execution of the latter two prisoners.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

 

 

Poisoning of Schoolgirls Continue: 37 Girls Hospitalized in Pardis, Tehran Province

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Children, News
Borujerd, Mohammad Taghi Fazel Meybodi, Pardis, poisoning, Qom, Reza Karimi Saleh, Tehran

In the last incident of serial poisoning of school students, 37 schoolgirls were poisoned and hospitalized with an unidentified toxic gas, in Pardis county, Tehran Province. In recent weeks, in a series of incidents, hundreds of schoolgirls have been hospitalized due to respiratory poisoning in several cities across Iran.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Tasnim, 37 schoolgirls were poisoned and hospitalized in a school in Pardis, Tehran Province.

The Governor of Pardis stated, “Right after reporting the poisoning, emergency forces reached the spot and transferred the poisoned school students to the hospital.”

“37 students were hospitalized, all of them have recovered from poisoning and are now in good health condition,” Reza Karimi Saleh added.
He also stated that the police’s preliminary investigation has detected some suspicious activities, which will be reported publicly after conclusive findings.

In recent weeks, similar suspicious poisoning incidents took place in several schools in cities like Qom and Borujerd.

A member of the Health and Medical Commission of Iran’s Parliament called these incidents “intentional.” Moreover, one of the deputies of Iran’s ministry of health stated that with these attacks, “some want all schools, especially girls’ schools, to be closed down.”

Also, Mohammad-Taghi Fazel Meybodi, a religious scholar and university professor, called these incidents intentional attacks organized by “religious groups.”

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Student Ebrahim Ahmadpour Arrested in Tabriz

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Freedom of Expression, News, Students
Azerbaijani Turk activist, Ebrahim Ahmadpour, Tabriz

On February 27, Azerbaijani Turk activist Ebrahim Ahmadpour, a student of the University of Tabriz, was summoned and arrested by Public Security and Intelligence Police in Tabriz.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 27, 2023, Azerbaijani Turk activist Ebrahim Ahmadpour was arrested in Tabriz.

An informed source told HRANA, “Ahmadpour was summoned to Public Security and Intelligence Police station, where he was beaten and arrested.”

According to this source, three years ago, Ahmadpour was suspended from the university for one semester for his participation in a student protest against a fuel price surge. This suspension order was revoked later.

The reason for his arrest is still unknown.

 

Four Inmates Executed in Ilam, Sanandaj and Zahedan

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Executions, News
Hadi Arbabi, Hamid Rahimi, Ilam, Mohammad Eshagh Gorgij, Mohmmad-Rasoul Cholaki, Sanandaj, Zahedan

On February 27, 2023, two inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed in Zahedan Prison. Also, last week, two inmates convicted of murder were executed in Ilam and Sanandaj prisons.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Haal Vsh, on February 27, 2023, Hadi Arbabi (Gorgij) and Mohammad Eshagh Gorgij, both residents of Zahedan, were executed in Zahedan Prison.

Also, Kurdpa reported the execution of Hamid Rahimi in Sanandaj Prison and Mohmmad-Rasoul Cholaki in Ilam Prison on February 26 and 22, respectively. Both were previously convicted of murder.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

 

Report on the Arrest of Fifteen Members of an Iranian Religious Group

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News, Religious Minorities
Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, Alireza Akbari Arzati, Arman Feydabadi, Ghasem Yousefi Ramanti, Hamid Reza Yousefi, Maryam Naqshbandi, Mohammad Amin Nouri, Mohammad Hashem Bazarafshan, Mohammad Reza Shekarian Asl, Owais Akbari Arzati, Saeed Gudarzi, Special Clerical Court

In December 2022, fifteen members of a religious group called “Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light” were arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence agents and jailed in Evin Prison.

According to the reports obtained from multiple sources, these individuals were targeted and arrested due to their beliefs, deemed heretical to Shia beliefs by Iran’s regime. The arrests occurred on the 15th of December 2022, but it is unclear where the arrests took place.

Four individuals’ passports were confiscated at the airport while leaving the country. The detained individuals have been forced to sign a repentance letter, renouncing their faith and denouncing their leader.

These detained individuals, including two women and three minors, are:

1- Ghasem Yousefi Ramanti – from Babol – (his passport was seized at Imam Khomeini Airport on December 7)
2- Mohammad Reza Shekarian Asl, a resident of Tehran, was arrested for the second time.
3- Alireza Akbari Arzati
4- Owais Akbari Arzati
5- Maryam Naqshbandi
6- the 8-year-old child of Alireza Akbari Arzati and Maryam Naqshbandi
7- the 14-year-old son of Alireza Akbari Arzati and Maryam Naqshbandi
8- Saeed Gudarzi – (His passport was seized at Khomeini Airport on December 7)
9- Mohammad Hashem Bazarafshan- (His passport was seized at Khomeini Airport on December 7)
10-Hamid Reza Yousefi – (his passport was seized at Khomeini Airport on December 7)
11- Saba Sedaghat
12- Amir-Mahdi (last name is unknown)
13- Farzan (last name is unknown)
14- Mohammad Amin Nouri, 17 years old (detained in the correctional center)
15- Arman Feydabadi

Their legal cases have been delivered to the Special Clerical Court.

Ahmadi (officially: Ahmadi religion of peace and light, not confused with the Qadiani sect) are supporters of a religious movement that believes in “Imam Muhammad Mahdi and Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan”.

Iran’s security apparatus, the Ministry of Intelligence in particular, has formed special teams to target and prosecute a variety of religious, mystics and intellectual-religious communities whose beliefs diverge from the official interpretation of Shia Islam.

Every year, many people are summoned or arrested just for claims such as having a spiritual connection to the Twelfth Imam or propagating a different interpretation of Islam.

Former Political Prisoner Mosayeb Raisi Yeganeh Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Mosayeb Raisi Yeganeh, Tehran

On February 25, 2023, security forces arrested former political prisoner Mosayeb Raisi Yeganeh in Tehran and took him to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 25, 2023, Mosayeb Raisi Yeganeh was arrested by security forces in Tehran.

An informed source told HRANA, IRGC intelligence forces beat and arrested him at his home in Tehran.
Yeganeh was previously arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence agents in September 2017. Subsequently, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced him to six years imprisonment for “propaganda against the regime, blasphemy, insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran.” This verdict was upheld on appeal. Ultimately, on February 4, 2020, he was jailed in Evin Prison to serve his sentence.

After the fire incident at Evin Prison on October 15, 2022, Yeganeh was relocated to Rajai Shahr Prison and after a while, he was released from jail without prior notice.
His whereabouts and the allegation are still unknown.

Baha’i Citizen Payam Vali Sentenced to 16 Years

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News, Religious Minorities
Alborz Revolutionary Court, Ghezel Hesar prison, Karaj, Payam Vali

The Alborz Revolutionary Court sentenced Baha’i citizen Payam Vali, imprisoned in Ghezel Hesar Prison, to 16 years imprisonment, pre-trial detention included. He was also banned from leaving the country for two years and sentenced to two years in exile in Yasuj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Baha’i citizen Payam Vali was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

According to this verdict, Vali received ten years for “collaboration with hostile countries,” five years for “inciting people to commit violence,” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.” As additional punishment, he was banned from leaving the country for two years and sentenced to a two-year compulsory residence in Yasuj County.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, ten years in prison for “collaboration with hostile countries”, will be enforceable.

On September 24, 2022, security forces arrested Vali at his house in Karaj, searched the house, and detained him in Rajai Shahr Prison. He was later relocated to Ghezel Hesar prison.