Author: A MN

Two Inmates Executed for Drug-related Crimes in Mashhad and Zahedan Prisons

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Hafizaullah Barahooye, Najibullah (Mohammad-Reza) Gorgij, Secret executions, Zahedan

On February 3, two inmates convicted for drug-related crimes were executed in Mashhad and Zahedan prisons.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rasank News Outlet, an inmate identified as Najibullah (Mohammad-Reza) Gorgij, a resident of Zahedan, was executed in Mashhad Prison. He had been accused of drug-related crimes and been in jail for two years.

Reportedly, the execution was carried out without informing his family and without a last visitation.

Rasank News also reported that on Thursday, Hafizaullah Barahooye, a resident of Zahedan, was executed in Zahedan Prison. He had been convicted for drug-related crimes.

The most recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between January 1 of 2020 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.

Neither of these executions have been announced by judicial authorities or reported by media inside Iran.

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.

Soheila Hejab Beaten and Threatened Following Protest Against Poor Quality Prison Food

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners, Women
Correctional Center of Kermanshah, Hunger Strike, Political Prisoner, Soheila Hejab

Since January 31, inmates of the women’s ward in the Correctional Center of Kermanshah have refused to get their meals in protest against the poor quality of the prison food. During the protest, the head of the prison guards beat political prisoner Soheila Hejab and threatened to open a new legal case against her and send her to an exile prison. Other protesting prisoners have been threatened with denial of visits and phone calls.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, an informed source stated that “on the first day, Soheila Hejab brought a piece of burned food to the head of the prison and asked her if he [could] eat it. He responded that they are running low on budget and therefore the food is what it is. When Soheila Hejab was returning to her ward, she saw the decorations for celebrating Fajr decade (an annual ten-day celebration for the triumph of the 1979 revolution). She protested why they do not use the costs of this celebration for improving food quality. Following a verbal quarrel, in response, the Head of Prison Guards Leila Hosseini-Nia beat her hard in the chest and hit her with a mirror.”

According to this source, prison officials have tried to accuse her of provoking a riot in prison. They have threatened to deny other prisoners visitations and phone calls unless they corroborated this and signed reports as witnesses.

Once before, in October 2021, Hejab was beaten in Qarchak Prison while on hunger strike.

Hejab was arrested by security forces on June 1, 2019, and then released from Evin Prison in Tehran on a bail of 3 billion tomans on March 14, 2020.

Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced her to 18 years in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime”, “illegal assembly”, “incitement of public opinions to riot” and “organizing unlawful political groups”.

On May 23, 2020, the intelligence unit of the Revolutionary Guards arrested and transferred her to Gharchak Prison in Varamin City to serve her sentence. She was then transferred to Sanandaj Prison and then, on January 7, to the Correctional Center of Kermanshah City.

Two Inmates Executed in Maragheh Central Prison

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
executions, Farid Mohammadi, homosexuality, LGBTQ+, Maragheh Central Prison, Mehrdad (Akbar) Karimpour, secret executuons, sodomy

On the morning of January 30, two inmates accused of and convicted for “forced sodomy” were executed in Maragheh Central Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the executed inmates were Mehrdad (Akbar) Karimpour, age 32, and Farid Mohammadi.

Six years ago, they were arrested, accused of forcible sodomy, and subsequently sentenced to death. They have since been imprisoned.

In Iran’s law, forcible sodomy is ascribed to homosexual rape and/or non-consensual same-sex intercourse.

These executions have not yet been announced by judicial officials or reported by media inside Iran.

The most recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (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.

 One Inmate Executed in Adel-Abad Prison

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
Adel-Abad Prison, blood money, executions

On February 2nd, an inmate convicted for murder was executed in Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz City.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Wednesday morning, an inmate currently unidentified was executed. He was sentenced to death five years ago for committing murder and had been in jail since then.

According to an informed source, the inmate could not afford to pay “blood money” to the victim’s family in order to exact satisfaction. Because of this, he was ultimately executed.

The most recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (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.

Azerbaijani Turk Activist Abbas Nikravan Sentenced to 91 Days In Prison

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Abbas Nikravan, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Salmas

Abbas Nikravan, an Azerbaijani Turk Activist and resident of Salmas City, was sentenced to 91 days in prison by the Criminal Court of Salmas.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Branch 102 of Salmas’s Criminal Court sentenced Nikravan on the charge of “propaganda against the regime on the Internet”. The sentence is grounded in Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code.

On September 5, 2021, security forces arrested and transferred him to the Ministry of Intelligence Office in Urmia City. On September 21 of last year, he was released on bail from Urmia Prison.

Nikravan has another arrest on his rap sheet. On July 5, 2018, he was arrested during an annual gathering in Babak Castle and released on bail six days later.

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Keyvan Samimi Released From Jail

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Exile, Iran Farda, Keyvan Samimi, Mostafa Nili

On February 1,  Keyvan Samimi was released from jail by a stay of execution order. According to his lawyer, Mostafa Nili, this release is temporary and issued considering forensic medicine’s report on Samimi’s health.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Samimi, the imprisoned editor of Iran Farda Magazine and a member of the Iranian Writers’ Association, was released from jail by order of the prosecutor.

According to Nili, the order to suspend his incarceration has been issued considering Samimi’s health and is grounded on Article 533 of the Criminal Procedure code.

Samimi was sent into exile in Semnan Prison after several relocations.

He has been serving his two year sentence since December 7, 2020.

On May 1, 2019, he attended the workers’ protests on the anniversary of Labour Day before Parliament. The protest turned violent due to the interference of security forces, leading to his arrest along with dozens of other protestors. On May 12, 2019, security forces raided and searched the Iran Farda magazine office and confiscated many documents, including his computer. On June 17, 2019, he finally was released on bail until the end of legal proceedings.

On April 20, 2020, in a trial in absentia, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to three years imprisonment on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security”. The verdict was upheld on appeal but was reduced to two years in the retrial.

Samimi has previously served six years in prison in 2009 for questioning the 2009 Presidential Election, participating in protests, and writing articles critical of the Islamic Regime. His two political activist brothers were executed, one by this regime and the other by the former regime.

Minor Sukhtbar in Hirman County Killed by Direct Shooting of Border Police

Posted on by A MN
Children, News, Other
child killed, death of a minor, Hirmand County, police shooting, Sukhtbar

On January 31, a ten year old boy who worked as a cross-border fuel carrier (sukhtbar) was killed from a shot in the head fired by military forces in a border area in Hirmand County.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, border forces killed the child without warning by a direct and unruly shooting.

The identity of this child is still unknown at the time of writing.

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.

Ali Musa-Nejad Farkoosh On Hunger Strike in Rajai Shahr Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Ali Musa-Nejad Farkoosh, hunger strikes

On February 1, imprisoned civil activist Ali Musa-Nejad Farkoosh went on hunger strike and refused to take his medicine as a way of demanding freedom for political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, he was sent on furlough for treatment, however, on October 27, 2021, he was forced to return to Rajai Shahr Prison despite the treatment remaining unfinished. Recently, forensic medicine confirmed that he prisoner suffers from acute diseases that require surgery.

On January 10, 2019, the security forces arrested Farkoosh before releasing him until the end of legal proceedings.

In June 2019, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Moghayeseh, sentenced Farkoosh to eight years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion to act against national security”, “an offensive statement against the current and former supreme leaders of Iran” and “propaganda against the regime”. This verdict was upheld by Branch 36 of Tehran’s Court of Appeals. Grounded on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest punishment of five years for the count of “assembly and collusion” is enforceable.

On November 29, 2020, he was sent to Rajai Shahr Prison to serve his sentence.

In Iran’s prisons, hunger strikes are common among prisoners despite causing long-term physical and mental impairment. Hunger strikes are used as a last resort to achieve urgent demands such as unlawful long-term detention without trials, violations of prisoners’ rights and infringement in due process.

Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association Member Jafar Ebrahimi Sentenced to Four Years and Six Months in Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Iranian Teachers Trade Association, Jafar Ebrahimi

Jafar Ebrahimi, a teacher and member of the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association, was sentenced by the Karaj Revolutionary Court to four years and six months in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the court notified Ebrahimi about the sentence sentence on charges of “spreading lies” and “propaganda against the regime” and “acting against national security.” The trial was held in November of 2021.

Earlier on May 19, 2020, he was indicted by Culture and Media Court for publishing official statements for the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations. He was finally released on bond pending further legal proceedings.

Approaching the anniversary of the Aban Protest, security forces arrested him while he was going to the cemetery to attend a memorial for those killed by the regime during the Aban Protests. On December 26, 2019, he stated during a phone call that he was sent to Rajai Shahr Prison. One month later, he was released on bail. At the time he was detained, he was banned from teaching by the Ministry of Education of Shahriar on the pretext of “unjustified absence”.

Workers’ Right Activist, Khabat Shakiba Arrested in Sanandaj City

Posted on by A MN
News, Other
Khabat Shakiba, worker's rights

On January 29, workers’ rights activist, Khabat Shakiba, a resident of Sanandaj, was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence and transferred to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Saturday, January 9, intelligence agents arrested Shakiba in Sanandaj and transferred him to an unidentified location.

According to an informed source, “1 pm on Saturday, security forces arrested Mr. Shakiba while he was going to a cemetery to a relative’s burial place.”

Shakiba’s family’s inquiry to whereabouts has not answered by judicial authorities. The reason for his arrest is still unknown at the time of writing.

Shakiba faced other arrests and convictions due to his civil activities.