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Two Inmates Executed in Ilam and Isfahan

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Executions, News
Dastgerd Prison, Ghodrat Zibarm, Ilam, Isfahan, Omid Karimi

Wednesday, January 18, two inmates convicted of murder were executed in Ilam Prison and Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on January 18, 2023, Ghodrat Zibarm, age 30, was executed in Ilam Prison.

Zibarm was arrested and convicted of murder three years ago.
Iran Human Rights Organization also reported the execution of an inmate identified as Omid Karimi in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, on the same day.
Karimi, reportedly, was sentenced to death for murder four years ago.

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 Karimi
Omid Karimi

Faezeh Modares Gorji Arrested in Sanadaj

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Freedom of Expression, News
Aida Farzaneh, Arvin Morattab, Faezeh Modares Gorji, irgc, Sanandaj, Ukraine International Airlines flight 752

Wednesday, January 18, in Sanandaj, Faezeh Modares Gorji was arrested by security forces at the annual commemoration ceremony for two victims of the Ukraine Plane Crash. She was taken to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on January 18, 2023, Faezeh Modares Gorji was arbitrarily arrested in Sanandaj.

Her daughter, Jina Modares Gorji, who also was previously arrested at nationwide protests, stated: “My mother was arrested at the police station when she went to inquire about the impoundment of her vehicle license plate by the police at the annual ceremony. She was arrested for attending the annual ceremony of Aida Farzaneh and Arvin Morattab, two victims of the Ukraine plane crash.”

The location where Gorji is held and the allegations against her are still unknown.

On January 8, 2020, the Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, killing all 176 people onboard. After three days of unsuccessful cover-up, on January 11, 2020, Iran authorities officially admitted that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unintentionally shot down this Ukrainian airliner in Tehran.

Iran Protests: Six People Arrested in Piranshahr

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News, Other
Ahmad Abdollahpour, Ghader Mohammadpour, Mohsen Ghaderi, Piranshahr, Shahoo Abdollahpour, Sina Deshmir, Taha Rasoulian

On January 18, 2023, security forces arrested Taha Rasoulian, Ahmad Abdollahpour, Shahoo Abdollahpour, Sina Deshmir, Ghader Mohammadpour and Mohsen Ghaderi in Piranshahr and took them to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on January 18, 2023, six residents of a village in Piranshahr County, West Azerbaijan Province, were arrested.

The agents reportedly did not show any arrest warrant. The reason for their arrests, whereabouts and allegations are still unknown.

 

Baha’i Citizen Elmira Rahmani Arrested in Isfahan

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, Elmira Rahmani, Isfahan

On January 16, security forces arrested Baha’i citizen Elmira Rahmani at her home in Isfahan and took her to an undisclosed location. The agents searched the house and confiscated some of her belonging.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on January 16, 2023, Baha’i citizen Elmira Rahmani was arrested in Isfahan.

Rahmani, age 28, is a resident of Isfahan and a professional musician.

The location where she is held and the allegation are still unknown.

According to the HRANA Annual Statistical Report of Human Rights Conditions in Iran, in 2022, 64% of the entire reports on the violation of religious minorities’ rights are about harassment, prosecution and conviction against Baha’is.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian Constitution recognizes only Islam as the official religion, in addition to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Bahai faith is not considered legitimate by the authorities, and the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

Narges Hosseini Sentenced to Four Months in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News

The Isfahan Court of Appeals recently sentenced Narges Hosseini to four months in prison. Initially, the Kashan Revolutionary Court sentenced her to 43 months in prison. Hosseini was arrested at recent protests.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, protestor Narges Hosseini was sentenced to four months in prison.

According to this verdict, Hosseini was sentenced to four months on the charges of “assembly and collusion against national security,” and “propaganda against the regime.”

Announcing this news, lawyer Shima Ghusheh expressed hope that, taking the three-month detention into the calculation, judicial authorities consider that Hosseini has already served her sentence.

On September 21, 2022, security forces arrested Hosseini in Kashan and jailed her in the prison of this city. On December 26, 2022, she was released on one-billion-toman bail.

Hosseini faced other arrests and convictions on prior occasions.

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German National Arrested in Khuzestan

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News, Other
Khuzestan, Tasnim

IRGC-affiliated news agency Tasnim reported the arrest of an unidentified German national due to photographing the oil facilities in Omidiyeh.

The report did not reveal the detainee’s identity and the allegations against him.

According to Article 503 of the Islamic Penal Code, taking photos of forbidden places can be punishable by a prison term from six months to three years.

Civil Rights Activist Hamid Haj-Jafar Kashani Arrested

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News, Other
Evin Courthouse, Fariba Fereidooni, Hamid Haj-Jafar Kashani, Iranian Futsal Referee, Rajai Shahr Prison

On January 16, 2023, civil rights activist and futsal referee Hamid Haj-Jafar Kashani was arrested when he went to Evin Courthouse to inquire about a relative’s legal case. Currently serving his sentence in Rajai-Shahr prison, Haj-Jafar Kashani was spending his medical furlough before his arrest at Evin.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on January 16, 2023, civil rights activist Haj-Jafar Kashani was arrested.

An informed source told HRANA, “Kashani accompanied Fariba Fereidooni who was summoned to Evin Courthouse. Security forces apprehended him violently and took him inside the courthouse. After a few hours, they handcuffed him and took him to Evin Prison.”
According to this source, Kashani was on medical furlough to undergo surgery for his lumbar disc.

In the fall of 2020, security forces arrested Kashani and jailed him in Evin Prison. Subsequently, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced him to three years and six months in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” and six months for “propaganda against the regime.” He was also sentenced to additional punishment.

In August of this year, he faced new charges following the complaint of the head of the Tehran Prisons and Security and Corrective Measures Organization.

Workers’ Rights Activist Maziar Seyednejad Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
irgc, Maziar Seyednejad, Tehran Revolutionary Court

The Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced workers’ rights activist Maziar Seyednejad to three years in prison and additional punishments.

According to this verdict, Seyednejad received two years for “membership in Communist groups” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.” He is also banned from leaving the country for two years and from membership in political groups and social activities on the Internet.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, two years in prison for the first count will be enforceable.
Taking his previous three-year sentence into account, he has to serve five years in prison.

On June 7, 2021, security forces arrested Seyednejad at his home in Tehran and took him to IRGC’s detention facility in Evin Prison, known as Ward 2-A. On August 16, 2021, he was released on 600-million-toman bail until the end of legal proceedings.
Seyednejad faced other arrests and convictions on prior occasions for his civil activities.

 

Report on Protestor Maryam Esmailzadeh’s Death

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Freedom of Expression, News
Babak Esmailzadeh, Maryam Esmailzadeh

On December 15, 2022, Maryam Esmailzadeh was shot dead by security agents in Tehran. HRANA has obtained documents and evidence about her death. Based on these documents and eyewitness statements, this report sheds light on this example of the regime’s atrocities and following cover-ups.

On Thursday, December 15, 2022, security forces killed Maryam Esmailzadeh, age 39, a resident of Tehran. They delivered her body to her family to bury her in Behesht Zahra cemetery under tightening security measures.

The cemetery officials as well as Tehran forensics mentioned in the burial permit the “struck by hard object” as the cause of Esmailzadeh’s death.  

Her brother, Babak Esmailzadeh, told HRANA, “My sister left home located in Niavaran district in Tehran and after a while, they informed us that she had been killed. On that day, there was no protest in Niavaran. However, since my sister had participated actively in protests days before, we suspect that the security agents had identified her and hunted her down.”

“My sister was killed by three bullets in the chest and heart. They wrapped her body in a plastic cover and buried her in that wrap without allowing us to see the body. They forced us to announce cardiac arrest as the cause of her death on social media,” he added.

According to her brother, Esmailzadeh had contracted breast cancer. She worked as a nail implant designer.

HRANA estimates that at least 525 people have been killed at recent protests. For more details and statistics on the nationwide protest across Iran, read HRANA’s comprehensive report here.

Children’s Rights Activist Mahya Vahedi Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, News, Women
Imam Ali's Popular Students, Mahya Vahedi, Meisam Vahedi

On January 15, security forces arrested children’s rights activist Mahya Vahedi.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Mahya Vahedi was arrested.

Her brother, Meisam Vahedi, wrote on his page on social media, “My sister was arrested at her workplace without giving any explanation. The agents confiscated some of her electronic devices.”

Mahya Vahedi is a children’s and women’s rights activist and former voluntary member of Imam Ali’s Popular Students Relief Society.

The reason for this arrest and her whereabouts are still unknown.

Since the outbreak of nationwide protests, about 19400 people, including journalists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, have been arrested. So far, at least 724 people have been convicted over protests. For more details and statistics on the nationwide protest across Iran, read HRANA’s comprehensive report here.