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Five Inmates Executed in Birjand Prison

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Executions, News
Abdolhamid Sheh Bakhsh, Ali Fanoodie, Birjand, Birjand Prison, South Khorasan province, Zahedan

On February 26, Birjand Prison officials executed five death-row prisoners, including two women.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Haal Vsh, five inmates, including two women, were executed in Birjand Prison, South Khorasan Province.

Two of these men have been identified as Abdolhamid Sheh Bakhsh, a resident of Zahedan, and Ali Fanoodie, a resident of Birjand. In 2020, they were arrested and sentenced to death for drug-related crimes.
The identities of the three others are still unknown.

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.

 

 

Omid Moshir Panahi Arrested in Sanandaj

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News, Other
Nojin, Omid Moshir Panahi, Sanandaj

On February 23, 2023, the Sanandaj Ministry of Intelligence summoned and arrested Omid Moshir Panahi.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on February 23, 2023, Omid Moshir Panahi, a resident of Sanandaj, was arrested.

Moshir Panahi is a member of the cultural association Nojin which is engaged in environmental activities, forest protection and Kurdish language teaching.

The reason for his arrest, whereabouts and allegations are still unknown.

 

 

Iran Protests: Mehrdad and Mojtaba Moghiseh Sentenced to Imprisonment and Additional Punishments

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Freedom of Expression, News
Khour and Biabanak County, Mehrdad Moghiseh, Mojtaba Moghiseh, Sabzevar

The Sabzevar Revolutionary Court sentenced brothers Mehrdad and Mojtaba Moghiseh, arrested at recent protests, to nine years and six months in prison, and two years in exile.

Each of the Moghiseh brothers received six years for “clashing with the police and forming groups in order inciting people to riot” and three years and six months for “assembly and collusion to act against national security.” They have also been sentenced to two years in exile in Khour and Biabanak County, Isfahan province.

On September 24, 2022, security forces arrested them violently amid recent nationwide protests. According to an informed source, they were under pressure to make coerced confessions during the detention. On December 22, 2022, they were released on bail.
“One of their brothers, Masoud Moghiseh, an Oil Company employee, was suspended from work, even though he was not involved whatsoever.”

Detained Protestor Died in Police Station

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other, Prisoners
Ebrahim Rigi, Haal Vsh, Zahedan

On February 22, Ebrahim Rigi died in the custody of the police a few hours after his arrest in Zahedan. He had been arrested for the second time over protests.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Haal Vsh, detained protestor Ebrahim Rigi died in custody in Zahedan.

On February 22, two police agents arrested Rigi in Zahedan and took him to a police station, where he was reportedly beaten in the police station. “The Judge of the homicide branch, a Judge on duty and Zahedan Forensic medicine have confirmed beating as the cause of his death,” Haal Vsh reported.

Nonetheless, police claimed that Rigi has been beaten outside the police station. Rigi’s family reportedly are under pressure not to follow up on this case.

Also earlier, on October 13, 2022, Rigi, age 24, was arrested over protests by security forces near his house in Zahedan. He was released on bail on January 1, 2023.

Five-Year Sentence against Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani Upheld on Appeal

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Freedom of Expression, News
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani, irgc, Mohammad Hossein Aghasi

The Tehran Court of Appeals sentenced political activist Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani to five years in prison and banned her from leaving the country.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani was sentenced to five years in prison.

Attorney at law Mohammad Hossein Aghasi informed the public that Rafsanjani’s sentence was upheld on appeals.

On September 27, 2022, security forces arrested Rafsanjani in Tehran. IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency claimed she was arrested for participating in nationwide protests.

Rafsanjani, a former parliament member and daughter of the former president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, faced other arrests and convictions on prior occasions.

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Austrian National Sentenced to Seven Years and Six Months

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Austrian foreign ministry, Espionage

In a statement, the Austrian foreign ministry revealed that Iran’s judicial officials sentenced an Austrian national to seven-and-a-half years in prison “, with two years of probation being waived in the case of good behavior.” This individual was arrested last October.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, an Austrian man was sentenced to seven years and six months for alleged spying.

In reaction, Vienna summoned the Iranian ambassador to express its strenuous objection to this conviction.

This statement mentioned “espionage” as the charge against this Austrian convict. “Two years of this sentence” may be “waived in the case of good behavior,” the ministry added.

Earlier, in October 2022, the Austrian foreign ministry disclosed the arrest of an Austrian man in Iran and asked Iranian authorities for an explanation. At the time, Iranian authorities asserted that this arrest was not related to the concurrent nationwide protests.

 

Four Individuals Arrested in Bukan

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Freedom of Expression, News
Amir Sahabi, Basij, Bukan, Mizan

The Chief Justice of West Azerbaijan Province announced that four individuals were arrested in relation to killing Amir Sahabi, a Basij militia force in Bukan, amid recent nationwide protests.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, four individuals were arrested in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province.

Without disclosing their identities, this judicial official accused the detainees of “killing Amir Sahabi, a Basij militia force in Bukan”, during “unrest” in last November.

“There is sufficient evidence for their arrests as these four people have admitted that they were on spot at the time,” he claimed.

This report did not mention the detainees’ whereabouts and the allegations.

Hassan Abyat Executed in Ahvaz

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Executions, News
ahvaz, Execution in Iran, Hassan Abyat, Karim Dahimi, moharebeh, Sepidar Prison

On February 20, Hassan Abyat was executed in Sepidar Prison, Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province. Abyat was previously sentenced to death by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court for “enmity against God (moharebeh).”

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on February 20, 2023, Hassan Abyat, age 44, was executed in Sepidar Prison.

Karim Dahimi, a political activist and human rights defender focused on Iran’s Arab communities, told HRANA that, “Abyat was previously sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Farhadvand, for moharebeh.”

“Along with dozens of protestors, Abyat was arrested over protests in Khuzestan Province on April 15, 2011, on the anniversary of 2005 unrests”, he added.

According to Dahimi, Abyat and five others were detained under torture in the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ahvaz for over 11 months. At the time, Iranian state-owned Press TV aired several videos of their coerced confessions.

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.

 

Two Inmates Executed in Sanandaj and Birjand Prisons

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Executions, News
Citizen executions, Davood Rakjan, Haal Vsh, Haj Nabi Kharkoohi, Kurdpa, Moslem Moradi, Zahedan

On February 20 and 21, two inmates convicted of murder and drug-related crimes were executed in Sanandaj and Birjand Prisons, respectively.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on February 20, 2023, Moslem Moradi, a resident of Divandarreh, was executed in Sanandaj Prison. He was previously convicted of murder.

Moreover, Haal Vsh reported that on February 21, Birjand Prison officials executed an inmate identified as Davood Rakjan (aka Haj Nabi Kharkoohi), age 44, a resident of Zahedan.
He was reportedly sentenced to death in 2010 for carrying and keeping drugs.

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 Mass Release of Prisoners in the Past 24 Hours

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Freedom of Expression, News
Abbas Lesani, Behnam Mousivand, Hossein Kheyri, Marzieh Farsi, Mehdi Mehrangiz, Qasem Masoumi, Saba Sherdoost, Saeed Ettehad

In the past 24 hours, several prisoners of conscience were released from Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz, Evin Prison in Tehran, Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, and Ardabil Prison. Moreover, the legal case against journalist Saba Sherdoost was closed without further legal proceedings.

Of these freed prisoners, the most known prisoners are:

Baha’i citizen Qasem (Ghasem) Masoumi from Adel-Abad Prison
Baha’i citizen Saeed Ettehad from Adel-Abad Prison
Political Prisoner Marzieh Farsi from Evin Prison
Civil rights activist Behnam Mousivand from Rajai Shahr Prison
Political prisoner Hossein Kheyri from Rajai Shahr Prison
Azerbaijani (Turk) Activist Abbas Lesani from Ardabil Prison

Also, the legal case against journalist and women’s rights activist Saba Sherdoost was closed without further legal proceedings.

Details of these prison releases are still unknown. They are, however, likely released under the recent directive to “pardon and commute” the sentences of some prisoners.

Moreover, the Chief Justice of Bushehr Province Mehdi Mehrangiz announced the release of 979 prisoners in this province following the directive. He stated, “Of these freed prisoners, 246 were arrested amid nationwide protests. “No criminal record will be registered for them,” he claimed. 

Earlier, the head of the Judiciary proposed to pardon or commute the sentences of some prisoners as an enactment of Article 110, paragraph 11 of the constitution, which was approved by Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader.