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Mostafa Nili, Arash Kaykhosravi and Mehdi Mahmoudian Still in Detention in Evin Prison

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News
arash kaykhosravi, Citizens detained, Evin, Evin Prison, Leila Heydari, Maryam Afrafaraz, Mehdi Mahmoudian, Mohammad Hadi Erfanian Kaseb, Mohammad Reza Faghihi, Mostafa Nili, Tehran

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, lawyers and civil activists Mostafa Nili, Arash Kaykhosravi, and Mehdi Mahmoudian are still in detention weeks after their arrest.

The citizens are being held in Ward 241 of Evin Prison under the supervision of the intelligence service of Judiciary.

On August 14, several lawyers and civil activists, including Mostafa Nili, Arash Kaykhosravi, Mehdi Mahmoudian, Mohammad Reza Faghihi, Mohammad Hadi Erfanian Kaseb, Maryam Afrafraz, and Leila Heydari, were arrested during a meeting at the office of the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights in Tehran.

Leila Heydari and Mohammad Hadi Erfanian Kaseb were released on bail a day after their arrest, and Mohammad Reza Faghihi and Maryam Afrafaraz were released on bail on August 29, but Nili, Kaykhrosravi, and Mahmoudian remain in detention.

These lawyers and civil activists have been accused of “running an illegal organization” under Article 498 of the Islamic Penal Code. Apart from being allowed to contact their families on the first day of their detention, these citizens have been largely denied the right to make telephone calls.

Appellate Court Upholds Prison Sentence for Baha’i Citizens Abbas Taef and Ataollah Zafar

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News, Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Abbas Taef, Ataollah Zafar, Baha'i, Baha'i arrests in Iran, Baha'i citizen, Baha'i citizens, baha'i citizens arrested, Freedom of religion, Judge Seyed Ahmad Zargar, Seyed Ahmad Zargar, Tehran, Tehran Court of Appeals

Branch 26 of the Tehran Court of Appeals recently upheld the primary court’s sentence for Baha’i citizens Abbas Taef and Ataollah Zafar.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 6, Branch 26 of the Tehran Court of Appeals, presided by Judge Seyed Ahmad Zargar, had sentenced each of these citizens to one year in prison on charges of “acting against national security through the administration and activity in the Baha’i sect”.

According to unofficial sources, more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian constitution recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Because their faith is not considered legitimate by authorities, the rights of Baha’is in Iran have beeen systematically violated for years.

This deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Below is the picture of the AppealsCourt verdict.

Five Citizens Arrested in Naqadeh in West Azerbaijan Province

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As’ad Ramin, Caqal Mostafa, Davood Rahimi, Khaled Ramin, Naqadeh City, Naqdeh, Qarna, Ramin Ramin, Sardar Ramin

On Wednesday, September 1, five citizens were arrested by security forces in Naqadeh City.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, after the citizens were arrested they were transferred to an unknown location.

The report identifies  these citizens as As’ad Ramin, Khaled Ramin, Davood Rahimi, Sardar Ramin, and Ramin Ramin, all of whom are from the villages of Qarna and Chaqal Mostafa in the Naqadeh area.

As of this writing, no information is available on the whereabouts of the detainees and the charges against them.

Baha’i Citizen Arsalan Yazdani Arrested in Tehran

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Arsalan Yazdani, Baha'i, Baha'i arrests in Iran, Baha'i citizen, Baha'i citizen arrested, Freedom of religion, Religious Minorities, Security forces, Tehran, United Nations

On Wednesday, September 1, Bah’ai citizen Arsalan Yazdani was arrested and transferred to an unknown location by security forces in Tehran.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, security forces searched Mr. Yazdani’s home and confiscated some of his personal belongings at the time of the arrest.

According to unofficial sources, more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian constitution recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Because their faith is not considered legitimate by authorities, the rights of Baha’is in Iran have beeen systematically violated for years.

This deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

No information is available on the detainee or his whereabouts as of this writing.

 

Yasin Rezaeipour Executed in Yazd Prison on Drug-Related Charges

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Capital Punishment, Citizen executed, Citizen execution, Death Penalty, Death row, Death sentence, Qazvin, Qazvin native Yasin Rezaeipour, Rezaeipour, Yasin Rezaeipour, Yazd, Yazd Prison

On Wednesday, September 1, a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges was executed in Yazd Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Iran Human Rights (IHR), the identity of this prisoner is Yasin Rezaeipour, a native of Qazvin.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death. According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

As of this writing, the execution of Mr. Rezaeipour has not been announced by Iranian media or official sources.

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Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi Detained by Security Forces in Rezvanshahr

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Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi, Activist arrested, civil activist arrested, Mashhad, Rezvanshahr, Security forces, Vahedian Shahroudi, Vakilabad prison, Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad

At noon on Wednesday, September 1, writer, teacher, and civil activist Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi was arrested by intelligence agents in Rezvanshahr and taken to an unknown location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, meanwhile, Vahedian’s daughter’s home in Mashhad was searched and inspected by security forces and some personal belongings were confiscated.

Mr. Vahedian has previously been arrested and convicted for his writings and activistm. He was arrested in Mashhad in October 2018 and later charged by Branch 903 of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad with “acting against national security”, and “attempting to overthrow the regime”. He was released on bail of 350 million tomans from Vakilabad prison in Mashhad in December 2018.

Shortly after his interrogation, in August 2019, Vahedian was again arrested and transferred to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad . He was one of the 14 signatories of a letter of request for the resignation of Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader. Mr. Vahedian was released on bail from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad in July 2020.

The Return of Genghis Khan the Mongol is one of Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi’s published books.

Amir Abbas Azarmvand Arrested by Security Forces in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Amir Abbas Azramvand, Azramvand, Citizen arrest, Citizen arrested, Citizen arrests, Citizen detained, detention, Labor activist, Tehran

Yesterday morning, Wednesday, September 1, Amir Abbas Azarmvand was arrested by security forces at his home in Tehran and taken to an unknown location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Azarmvand is a journalist and labor activist who has previously been detained for his activities. He was briefly detained by security forces in December 2019 and December last year.

As of this writing, the reasons for the arrest, the charges against him, and the whereabouts of the citizen are unknown.

Mohammad Sadeghzadeh Executed in Ardabil Prison on Charge of Murder

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Ardabil, ardabil prison, Citizen executed, Citizen execution, Death Penalty, Death row, Death sentence, Mohammad Sadeghzadeh, Secret executions

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, 30-year-old Mohammad Sadeghzadeh was executed in Ardabil Prison on the morning of this Wednesday, September 1.

Sadeghzadeh, whose identity has been verified by HRANA, had previously been sentenced to death for murder.  Mr. Sadeghzadeh was arrested about four years ago and had since been held in Ardabil Prison.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death. According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

Mr. Sadeghzadeh’s execution has not been announced by Iranian media or official sources as of this writing.

Citizen Detained by IRGC intelligence in Ardabil Province

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Ardabil, Ardabil Province, Citizen arrested, Citizen arrests, freedom of expression, ILNA, intelligence forces of the Revolutionary Guards, irgc, judicial official

IRGC intelligence agents recently arrested a citizen in one of the cities of Ardabil Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting ILNA, the citizen was arrested for what is being called “insulting Islamic sanctities”, “disturbing the public mind”, and “publishing [disappointing] content to blacken [catastrophize] the situation in the country”.

The citizen was transferred to prison by order of a judicial official. The report does not mention the identity of the detainee, the name of the city he was detained in, or the prison where he is being held.

Alireza Nikzadeh Summoned to Endure his Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Alireza Nikzadeh, Alireza Nikzadeh Damavandi, due process, Gonabadi Darvishes, Gonabadi Dervish, Mohammad Nourizad, Semnan

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Alireza Nikzadeh Damavandi, a Gonabadi dervish, was summoned to the Second Branch of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Semnan to endure his sentence.

According to the notification issued on July 20, Mr. Nikzadeh was asked to appear in the aforementioned branch within 5 days to serve his 6-month prison sentence. He was summoned despite not having been informed that his prison sentence had been finalized, and he was not given a chance to file an appeal.

Regarding the latest situation of Mr. Nikzadeh, an informed source told HRANA, “Mr. Nikzadeh suffers from heart, kidney, and neurological diseases, and the doctors have issued a certificate stating that he is unable to bear the imprisonment. However, agents went to Mr. Nikzadeh’s home and asked him to show up for execution of the sentence.”

Alireza Nikzadeh, born in 1961, has a history of arrest and conviction. In 2018, the First Branch of the Semnan Revolutionary Court sentenced him to three years in prison on charges of propaganda activities against the regime and insulting the leadership. He was released from prison after serving part of the sentence.

Alireza Nikzadeh Damavandi was arrested by security forces on March 30 of this year while holding a poster demanding the release of Mohammad Nourizad, a political prisoner and Gonabadi dervish.