Author: A MN

Jafar Panahi and Amirsalar Davoudi Contracted Covid-19 in Prison 

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Amirsalar Davoudi, covid-19, Evin Prison, Jafar Panahi

Following a new outbreak of Covid-19 in Evin Prison, film director Jafar Panahi and lawyer Amirsalar Davoudi have contracted Covid-19 in captivity.

Panahi is currently held in the Quarantine Section of Evin Prison. Prison officials denied his request to be sent to a hospital and similarly,  did not grant him access to a lawyer after three weeks of detention.

Panahi was arrested on July 11 in Tehran.

Similarly, Amirsalar Davoudi has fell ill with Covid-19 symptoms, but the prison infirmary has refused to test him and provide proper medical care.

On June 26, 2022, Davoudi was taken to prison to serve a ten-year sentence. Earlier, Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals sentenced him to 14 years in prison, of which, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, ten years is enforceable.

Navid Kohnehpushi Arrested in Mariwan

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Mariwan, Navid Kohnehpushi

On August 3, 2022, agents arrested Navid Kohnehpushi after his appearance at the Ministry of Intelligence office in Mariwan.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, Navid Kohnehpushi was arrested in Mariwan.

 Kohnehpushi informed his family that he was detained in a detention facility controlled by the Ministry of Intelligence.

The reason for this arrest and the charges are unknown so far. 

Navid Kohnehpushi, age 31, is an environmental activist and a resident of a village in Mariwan, Kurdistan Province.

Two Inmates Executed in Qom Prison

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Hossein Ziari, Mehdi Shahpasand, Mojtaba Ramin, Qom Central Prison

On August 6, 2022, prison officials executed one inmate convicted of drug-related crimes and murder in Qom Central Prison. Last week, on August 1, another inmate convicted of murder was also executed in Qom Central Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Iran Human Rights Organization, on August 6, 2022, an inmate identified as Ali Qarehlu was executed in Qom Central Prison.

Qarehlu was sentenced to death for murder and drug smuggling charges. On August 1, an inmate identified as Mojtaba Ramin who was convicted of murder was also executed in this prison.

Moreover, two other inmates of this prison Mehdi Shahpasand and Hossein Ziari are transferred to solitary confinement awaiting imminent execution. Both had been sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

 In a recent video which became viral on social media, prisoners of Qom prison asked the public for help to stop the new wave of executions in this prison.

The most recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists  (HRA) states that between January 1 of 2021 and December 20 of 2021, at least 299 citizens, including four juvenile offenders, were executed. In addition, 85 citizens were sentenced to death in this period. 

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 88% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
ahvaz, Arak, Ardabil, East Azerbaijan, firefighters, Hormozgan, Khuzestan, NGO Anjoman Sabz Chia

On Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7, at least 8 protests took place in Iran.

The workers of the Regional Electricity Organization in Hormozgan, Khuzestan and East Azerbaijan Provinces gathered before this organization building in each city. According to these protestors, six months after the beginning of the year, the company has not yet announced how much their salaries will increase.

The pensioners continued their protests in Ardabil, Arak and Ahvaz. They asked to free imprisoned pensioners and levelling up pensions in accordance with Supreme Labor Council’s enactment.

A number of residents of Shadegan, Khuzestan Province, gathered before the Regional Electricity Organization to protest against frequent power blackouts.

On Sunday, August 7, the volunteer firefighters of the NGO Anjoman Sabz Chia gathered before the Governor’s office in Mariwan to protest against the local authorities’ inattention to recent wildfires.

 

Baha’i Individual Afif Naimi in Detention 

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Afif Naimi, Baha’i community

Five days after tensions and the arrests of Baha’i activists, Afif Naimi is in detention and his whereabouts are unknown. Naimi suffers from heart disease which raises concerns about his condition.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Baha’i citizen Afif Naimi’s whereabouts are still unknown.

Lawyer Saeed Dehghan wrote on his social media page, “among detained Baha’is, Afif Naimi’s whereabouts are still unknown. During his incarceration, he was hospitalized for his heart issues and the doctors certified that he was unable to bear imprisonment, but the authorities refused to commute his sentence”.

On July 31, 2022, security forces arrested six Baha’i citizens including Naimi. He was a member of a now-disbanded Baha’i group known as the “Yaran e Iran” or “Friends of Iran”, addressing the spiritual and social needs of the Baha’i community.

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Nahid Shirpisheh Beaten by a Violent Prisoner 

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Aban protests, Nahid Shirbisheh, Pouya Bakhtiari

Nahid Shirpisheh, Pouya Bakhtiari’s mother, was beaten by a prisoner of violent crimes in Kachooie Prison in Karaj, which she was taken to on July 28, 2022. Shirpisheh became a face of resistance and most of her family were arrested since they sought justice for their son, Pouya Bakhtiari, who was killed in widespread 2019 protests. 

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, political prisoner Nahid Shirpisheh was beaten by a prisoner of violent crime in Kachooie Prison.

The prison officials purposely hold political prisoners in the same ward as the prisoners of violent crime, which is a violation of prison rules and exposes the political prisoners to life-threatening violence.

An informed source told HRANA that Shirpisheh was beaten by an inmate convicted of violent crimes.

On July 11, 2022, security forces arrested the mothers of the individuals killed during nationwide protests in 2019 known as Aban protests, including Nahid Shirbisheh. In a news article, IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency called these justice-seeking families “agitators and troublemakers”.

In November of 2019, an increase in fuel prices sparked a wave of protests in dozens of cities across the country. The spokesperson of the Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Seyed Hossein Taghavi, announced that 7000 people were arrested during these protests. According to reports from human rights organizations, hundreds were killed by the security apparatus.

Sepideh Rashno Hospitalized Prior to Forced TV Confession

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Women
hejab, Sepideh Rashno, Taleghani hospital

An informed source has revealed to HRANA that detained artist Sepideh Rashno had been hospitalized due to the risk of internal bleeding, which raised the question as to whether she was tortured to make confession aired on July 30. 

On July 16, security forces arrested Rashno after a quarrel on a city bus with a woman who harassed and assaulted her for what she deemed improper hejab. 

The informed source told HRANA, “Overnight, a lot of agents took Rashno to the Taleghani Hospital in Tehran for a possible internal bleeding caused by assault.”

A few days after the hospitalisation, Iran’s State TV broadcast Rashno’s forced confession. A picture on social media showing Rashno’s paled face and circles around her eye raised concern about her health condition. So far, she has been denied access to a lawyer and the charges against her are unknown.

Rashno is in custody for her resistance and confrontation against an individual who was enforcing the hejab code in public transportation, a practice which is praised by the Iranian authorities.

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

Posted on by A MN
Labor and Guilds, News
Ilam, Ilam Governor-General, Iranian pensioners, Zanjan Regional Electricity Company

On Wednesday, August 3, at least three protests took place in Iran.

A number of workers of the Zanjan Regional Electricity Company gathered in front of the company building to demand a fair increase in wages. According to these protestors, six months after the beginning of the year, the company has not yet announced how much their salaries will increase.

The Governor-General’s staff gathered in front of The Governor-General’s building in Ilam to protest against not addressing their issues.

In Ardabil, a number of pensioners of the Social Security Organization continued their protests.

 

 

Prison Guards Assault Sunni Prisoner Arkan Palani Jaf 

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Arkan Palani Jaf, Rajai Shahr Prison

On August 2, 2022, prison guards assaulted Sunni prisoner Arkan Palani Jaf when he returned from hospital to prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, prison guards of Rajai Shahr Prison beat Sunni prisoner Arkan Palani Jaf.

An informed source told HRANA, “Palani Jaf suffers from Kidney, intestinal and stomach problems caused by a hunger strike. As a backlash to Palani Jaf’s complaint against the guards’ behavior, 10 prison guards beat him brutally.”

On June 10, 2022, Palani Jaf went on hunger strike by sewing his lips in protest against the rejection of his request for early release, medical furlough and inadequate medical care in prison. He was relocated to solitary confinement and beaten by prison guards. On June 30, Palani Jaf ended his hunger strike after the prison officials agreed to grant medical furlough.

Palani Jaf was arrested in 2016 and sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to 7 years on the charge of “collaboration with ISIS”. According to an informed source, the security agents wanted to arrest his brother and when they failed, arrested him instead despite having no evidence of his association with ISIS.

Baha’is Houses Demolished, One Arrested

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Bahais, Farid Alavi, Mazandaran province, Roshan-Kouh village

In Roshan-Kouh village, Mazandaran Province, state-owned agencies demolished Baha’i-owned houses and grabbed their lands. During this operation, the security forces arrested a Baha’i citizen and beat another one.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a Baha’i citizen identified as Farid Alavi was arrested during a state-run operation to demolish Baha’i houses to grab their lands.

On August 2, 2022, about 200 police special forces, security police and the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad officials blocked the Roshan-Kouh village and begin to demolish six houses owned by the Baha’i residents with an excavator and other heavy machinery. They also grabbed about 20 hectares of farmland and installed barbed wire fences around them.

An informed source told HRANA that the agents used pepper spray against those who resisted. 

Earlier, on August 2, 2021, security forces raided and demolished three Baha’i houses in this village without prior notice. This incident has created reactions on global media and Farsi-speaking social media.