Category: Ethnic Minorities

Appeals Court; Alireza Farshi Sentenced to Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Alireza Farshi, Marand, علیرضا فرشی

HRANA News Agency – Branch 36 of the Tehran Province Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of Alireza Farshi, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, confirming the eight-month prison sentence previously issued by Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

According to the verdict, Mr. Farshi was convicted of “propaganda against the regime,” with his social media activity cited as evidence supporting the charge. The initial ruling was handed down in March 2025.

The appellate hearing took place on April 19, 2025. Notably, the court proceedings on March 1, 2025, were conducted in Mr. Farshi’s absence, though his legal counsel was present.

The legal proceedings against Mr. Farshi began earlier in the year. In February 2025, Branch 1 of the Prosecutor’s Office in Baharestan County issued an indictment against him. Subsequently, in April 2025, Branch 4 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Marand County, acting on behalf of Baharestan authorities, conducted an interrogation session.

Alireza Farshi Yekanli, a resident of Marand County, has a history of arrests and judicial confrontations related to his activism on behalf of the Azerbaijani-Turk community.

Milad Mokhtari Arrested by Security Forces in Urmia

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Azerbaijani Turk activist, Milad Mokhtari, Urmia

HRANA News Agency – Today, Monday, March 24, 2025, Milad Mokhtari, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, was arrested by security forces in Urmia and taken to an undisclosed location.

His arrest took place today, Monday, March 24, 2025, in the city of Urmia. As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the reasons for his arrest, his whereabouts, or the charges brought against him.

Milad Mokhtari has previously faced security-related actions due to his activism.

In 2024, HRA documented the arrests of 262 individuals from ethnic minority groups or those advocating for ethnic minority rights, including Azerbaijani-Turk activists.

Amir Ebrahimlou and Soheil Daeiri Arrested by Security Forces

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Amir Ebrahimlou, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Soheil Daeiri

HRANA News Agency – Today, Amir Ebrahimlou and Soheil Daeiri, two Azerbaijani-Turk activists, were arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, their arrest took place today, Monday, March 24, 2025, by security forces. As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the reasons for their arrest, their whereabouts, or the charges brought against them.

Amir Ebrahimlou has previously faced security-related actions due to his activism.

In 2024, HRA documented the arrests of 262 individuals from ethnic minority groups or those advocating for ethnic minority rights, including Azerbaijani-Turk activists.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Alireza Farshi Sentenced to 8 Months in Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Alireza Farshi, Marand, Mohammad Taghi Taghizadeh, علی رضا فرشی

HRANA News Agency – Azerbaijani-Turk activist Alireza Farshi has been sentenced to eight months in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced this Azerbaijani-Turk activist to eight months in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime.” The verdict was issued on March 2, 2025, by Judge Mohammad-Taghi Taghizadeh and was officially communicated to Mr. Farshi today.

The charges against Mr. Farshi include publishing content on social media. The ruling is subject to appeal in the Tehran Court of Appeals within 20 days of its issuance.
The court session addressing Ali Reza Farshi’s charges was held on March 1, 2025, in his absence.

Ali Reza Farshi Yekanli, a resident of Marand, has a history of previous arrests and legal confrontations due to his activism.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Amin Taghizadeh Arrested

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Amin Taghizadeh, Amin Taqizadeh, Saman Bidar, امین تقی زاده

HRANA News Agency – On Saturday, March 1, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Amin Taghizadeh was arrested after appearing at Branch 10 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Tabriz.

The reasons for his summons and arrest remain unknown, and there is no information about his current whereabouts or any charges against him.

Notably, on the same day, another Azerbaijani-Turk activist, Saman Bidar, was arrested in Ardabil by IRGC Intelligence agents.

Taghizadeh has previously faced judicial actions due to his activism.

In 2024, HRA documented the arrests of 262 individuals from ethnic minority groups or those advocating for ethnic minority rights, including Azerbaijani-Turk activists.

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Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Saman Bidar Arrested by Security Forces in Ardabil

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Ardabil, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Saman Bidar, سامان بیدار

HRANA News Agency – Saman Bidar, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents in Ardabil on Saturday, March 1, and transferred to an undisclosed location.

Despite four days having passed since his arrest, his family’s efforts to obtain information from judicial and security authorities about his whereabouts and condition have been unsuccessful.

The reasons for his arrest and any charges against him remain unknown.

Saman Bidar has previously been arrested and sentenced due to his activism.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Ebrahim Asemani Sentenced to Prison and Flogging

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Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Azerbaijani Turk, Ebrahim Asemani, Tabriz, Zohreh Sa’adati Vafaie

HRANA News Agency – Azerbaijani-Turk activist Ebrahim Asemani has been sentenced to three months in prison and 30 lashes by Branch 118 of the Tabriz Criminal Court.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Asemani was convicted on charges of “disrupting public order through unconventional attire and creating commotion during the funeral of Zohreh Sa’adati Vafaie.” The verdict, issued on February 15, 2025, sentenced him to three months and one day of imprisonment and 30 lashes.

This verdict was issued in absentia and can be appealed within 20 days of notification, with an additional 20-day window for appeal in the Court of Appeals.

Asemani was arrested on September 23, 2024, during the funeral of Sa’adati Vafaie at a Cemetery in Tabriz for wearing traditional clothing featuring specific inscriptions. He was released on bail after eight days.

Asmani, aged approximately 60, is a married Azerbaijani-Turk activist from Tabriz. He has previously faced summonses, arrests, and judicial sentences due to his activism.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) strictly prohibits inhumane and degrading punishments such as flogging and amputation. However, in 2024, HRANA documented at least three cases where flogging sentences were carried out, totaling 106 lashes. Additionally, at least 131 individuals were sentenced to a combined 9,957 lashes by the Iranian judiciary.

Furthermore, four individuals had their hand amputation sentences executed, while four others were sentenced to amputation.
For detailed statistics and further insights, read HRANA’s 2024 Annual Report.

Increased Pressure on Baluch and Arab Communities: 49 Citizens Arrested in Khuzestan and Sistan-Baluchestan

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Ethnic Minorities, News, Religious Minorities
Arab citizen, Baluch, ethnic rights, Khuzestan, Sistan & Baluchestan

HRANA News Agency – In recent days, Iranian security forces have conducted widespread, simultaneous arrests of dozens of Baluch and Arab citizens in the Khuzestan and Sistan & Baluchestan provinces, long regarded as hotspots of human rights tensions and repression. These mass arrests signal escalating pressures on the residents of these regions, once again underscoring the systemic violations of the rights of ethnic and religious minorities in Iran.

To date, the identities of 49 detainees have been verified, but the reasons for their arrests and the whereabouts of many remain unknown. This report aims to shed light on the scale of these incidents and the condition of those detained.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the arrests took place in areas predominantly inhabited by diverse ethnic and religious groups, who continue to face significant human rights challenges. Local sources report increasing restrictions and intensifying pressures on Baluch and Arab citizens, further complicating daily life for these communities.

Arrests in Sistan-Baluchestan

The identities of 19 detainees in this province have been confirmed:

. Mir Khan Naroui
. Iman Naroui
. Milad Naroui (two individuals with the same name)
. Mehrshad Naroui
. Mohammad Naroui
. Fazl-Ahmad Naroui
. Farshid Naroui
. Safar Naroui
. Abdolhakim Bandour
. Abdolhamid Bandour
. Iman Dahmardeh
. Yasin Naroui
. Mehdi Naroui
. Azin Naroui
. Aminollah Naroui
. Mohsen Naroui
. Musa Naroui
. Majid Naroui

Arrests in Khuzestan

HRANA has identified 30 detainees in this province:

. Saeed Esmail Mazraeh
. Ahlam Abeyyat (Bandar)
. Ayoub Gheibipour
. Reza Heidari
. Javad Heidari
. Ali Savari
. Foad Mousavi
. Javad Afri
. Yasin Silavi
. Ali Koroushat
. Mohammad Naseri
. Younes Ghorbavi
. Reza Zahiri
. Hashem Mousavi
. Khaled Amouri
. Ali Amouri
. Mohammad Amouri
. Milad Bahri
. Sadegh Mansouri
. Mansour Jassemi
. Ahmad Jalali
. Hossein Saeidi
. Saeed Fallahi
. Ahmad Khaledi
. Ayoub Tarafi
. Yousef Saeedi
. Mohammad Ayashi
. Ali Savari
. Mohammad Shakhitipour (Abeyyat)
. Saeed Doraghi

The reasons for these arrests and the current whereabouts of many detainees remain unclear. Local sources suggest that the actual number of arrests may exceed official reports, and efforts to identify additional detainees are ongoing.

The mass arrests of Baluch and Arab citizens in Khuzestan and Sistan-Baluchestan reflect an intensification of repression against these communities. These actions not only violate fundamental human rights but also exacerbate the challenges faced by people in these regions. This situation underscores the urgent need for international human rights organizations and the global community to address these violations. Given the gravity of the situation, legal and diplomatic pressure to prevent the continuation of such actions is more critical than ever.

According to data from the Department of Statistics and Publications of HRA in 2024, Khuzestan Province ranked second in reported human rights violations by Iran’s regime, trailing only Tehran Province. Despite being sixteenth in population, Sistan and Baluchestan Province ranked fifth in this grim tally, underscoring the disproportionate level of violations in the region.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Sayyad Mohammadian Arrested in Karaj

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Ethnic Minorities, News
Karaj, Miandoab, Sayyad Mohammadian

On Monday, November 25, 2024, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Sayyad Mohammadian was arrested by security forces at his home in Karaj and transferred to Kachooie Prison.

A source close to his family confirmed the arrest, stating: “Sayyad Mohammadian was detained by security forces at his residence in Karaj. Following inquiries by his family, they were informed that he was arrested to begin serving his six-month sentence.”

Mohammadian was previously arrested in Karaj by security forces on May 15, 2024, and later released on bail on June 15, 2024, from Karaj Central Prison.

He was convicted by the Karaj Revolutionary Court of “propaganda against the regime” and sentenced to six months in prison. The sentence was upheld by the Alborz Province Court of Appeals.

Sayyad (Ovchu) Mohammadian, from Miandoab, currently resides in a village near Karaj. He has previously faced arrest and interrogation for his activism.

Ardabil Street Vendor Detained for 12 Days on Charges of “Disturbing Public Opinion”

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Ethnic Minorities, News, Prisoners
ardabil prison, Azerbaijani Turk activist, HRANA, Yousef Kari

Yousef Kari, a street vendor and Azerbaijani-Turk activist from Ardabil, has been held in Ardabil Prison for 12 days following his arrest on charges of “disturbing public opinion.”

A source close to his family confirmed to HRANA: “Mr. Kari was violently detained by police while working as a street vendor on October 29, 2024. Despite being charged by the Ardabil Prosecutor’s Office and the setting of a 5 billion rial bail, the presiding judge has refused to grant his release, leaving him in legal limbo.”

The source added, “During his arrest, Mr. Kari was subjected to physical violence, which he protested. In retaliation, security forces took him to a forensic medical examiner and pressured a psychiatrist to label him mentally unstable.”

Yousef Kari, previously dismissed from his job under security pressure, now earns a living as a street vendor in Ardabil. He has faced repeated harassment in the past due to his activism.