According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Independent Iranian Workers Union, teacher Union Activist Ahmad Taghavi was sentenced to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. Taghavi was arrested on April 25, 2022.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 2, 2022, civil activist Farangis Mazloum started her sentencing in Evin Prison.
On October 19, 2021, Mazloum appeared at Evin Judgement Enforcement Unit to start sentencing. However, the deputy prosecutor refused to imprison her due to her old age and asked the forensics for an imprisonment intolerance certificate.
On July 22, 2019, Farangis Mazloum was arrested at her sister’s home and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. On October 8, 2019, she was released on bail of 250 million tomans until the end of legal proceedings.
Initially, the Branch 29 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran held the trial in absentia and sentenced Mazloum to six years imprisonment. Six other individuals related to this case were also sentenced to imprisonment. After Mazloum’s objection, in a retrial, Branch 29 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on August 25 and 28 2020 changed the sentence to 18 months in prison. This verdict was confirmed on appeal.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 2, 2022, nine Baha’i citizens, Hooman Khoshnam, Elham Salmanzadeh, Payam Shabani, Kianoosh Slamanzadeh Soroosh Agahi, Parvan Manavi, Jamileh Pakro, Peyman Manavi and Neda Shabani started serving their one-year sentence as home detention using the electronic monitoring device.
According to this verdict, these individuals can go up to 500 meters in the periphery of their residence, and they have to pay for the monitoring devices.
These individuals have been detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison from September to December 2018, In August 2020, Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Shahriar convicted them for “propaganda against the regime through promoting the Baha’i faith.”
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, at a checkpoint in Firoozabad, the police shot at a vehicle, killing two children.
The victims have been identified as two brothers, Mehdi and Matin Rashedi Manesh, ages 9 and 13, from a village in Mariwan County.
According to an informed source, no warning was given to stop the vehicle when the police fired at the vehicle. The two adults are severely injured and in critical condition.
According to HRANA’s annual report, in 2021, 242 citizens were targeted by unruly shootings by regime military forces, of which 94 were killed. This includes 23 kolbars (cross-border carriers) and 31 sukhtbars (cross-border fuel porters). 148 people have been injured, including 81 kolbars and 51 sukhtbars.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 1, 2022, teacher and Azerbaijani Turk Activist Shokrollah Ghahremani Fard was arrested.
Ghahremani Fard’s son, Yashar Ghahremani Fard informed the public about the arrest of his father on social media, “Over 8 intelligence agents raided our house, searched and confiscated some of my father’s belongings and took my father. Still, we do not have any information about his whereabouts.”
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Shia cleric Vahid Heroabadi was sentenced to two years in prison for “spreading falsehood and propaganda against the regime on social media.” He was later acquitted of the charge of “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran”.
According to an informed source, another legal case has also been opened against Heroabadi for his protest against a foreign political figure visiting Iran.
On June 1, 2022, Heroabadi was arrested at the border while attempting to leave the country. Two weeks later, he was released on bail.
In a previous legal case, the court of appeals sentenced Heroabadi to one year in prison for “spreading falsehood and disturbing public opinion” and fined him for “dishonoring the clergy”.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Maryam Karim-Beigi was sentenced to five years imprisonment, 74 lashes, and a fine payable to the court.
Karim-Beigi’s mother, Shahnaz Akmali broke the news on social media, saying that her daughter has been sentenced to three years and seven months in prison for meeting an Iranian singer. Karim-Beigi has also been sentenced to one year on the charge of propaganda against the regime and one year for having alcoholic beverages in her possession.
On April 10, 2022, Karim-Beigi was expelled from the university she was attending. On June 14, 2022, the security forces arrested Karim-Beigi at her house and transferred her to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. She was released on 700 million tomans bail on July 9.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 31, 2022, security forces raided and searched at least 36 houses belonging to the Baha’is in different cities across Iran.
The agents also arrested six Baha’is, Behnam Momtaz in Qazvin, Saha Sabeti in Sari, Saman Ostovar and Afif Naeimi in Karaj, and Mahvash Sabet and Fariba Kamal Abadi in Tehran. The three latter were the members 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.
In recent weeks, the persecution and harassment of Baha’i citizens have significantly increased.
According to the Baha’i International Community (BIC), during the last month, 44 Baha’is were arrested or imprisoned.
Bani Dugal, BIC’s Principal Representative to the United Nations said “Baha’is in Iran have experienced ongoing persecution for their beliefs over the last 44 years, But the current escalation is beyond troubling.”
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, workers’ rights activist Hirad Pirbodaghi started his sentencing at Evin Prison.
An informed source told HRANA: “over five agents broke the door, raided the house and arrested Pirbodaghi. Later, he made a phone call to his family and informed them that he is held in the quarantine section of Evin Prison. He was arrested for sentencing even though he had not been summoned and was still awaiting the Court of Appeal’s decision”.
In March 2022, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Pirbodaghi to four years and eight months in prison, no membership in political parties and groups for two years, and not leaving the country for two years. If the verdict is confirmed on appeal, four years imprisonment will be enforceable for him.
Pirbodaghi was arrested with Asal Mohammadi on November 6, 2021.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, security forces arrested Hasti Amiri at her house in Tehran and took her to Evin Prison for sentencing.
In March of this year, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Amiri to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. She was also prohibited from membership in political and civil rights groups, and activities on the internet, and banned from attending student gatherings for two years. The Court of Appeals upheld this verdict.
According to her lawyer, Amir Raisian, a published photo showing Amiri in a student gathering for the celebration of Women’s Day in March, as well as her statements on social media against capital punishment was presented in the trial as evidence.
