A reliable source close to Naghavi’s family confirmed to HRANA that the arrest took place at one of his friends’ residences in Karaj. The reasons behind his arrest, the location of his confinement, and the charges against him are currently unknown.
In October 2020, Branch 102 of the Criminal Court of Behbahan, under the jurisdiction of Judge Rasoul Asadpour, sentenced Fathi to ten years for “destruction and arson of banks and public property.” He also received an additional one-year prison term and 74 lashes for “disturbing public order.” The verdict, featuring a ten-year enforceable prison term, was affirmed on appeal by the Khuzestan Court of Appeal.
The November 2019 protests were triggered by a surge in fuel prices, leading to demonstrations in numerous cities across the country. Seyed Hossein Taghavi, the spokesperson for the Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, stated that approximately 7,000 individuals were arrested during these protests. Reports from human rights organizations indicate that hundreds of people lost their lives as a result of the actions carried out by the security apparatus.
On February 7, the couple was officially informed of the verdict, which mandates four years for Fakhimi and two years for Khanpour on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security,” in addition to one year each for “propaganda against the regime.” This totals eight years of imprisonment for the couple.
The Ministry of Intelligence conducted a raid on their residence on July 11, 2023, seizing belongings during an extensive search. Subsequently, Fakhimi and Khanpour were summoned to Evin Courthouse to face legal proceedings.
After the second inquiry session at Evin Courthouse on November 5, 2023, the couple was released on bail amounting to one billion tomans, approximately 20,000 dollars.
According to the verdict, Hooshmand has been convicted of “acting against national security.” During the court session held on November 14, 2023, Hooshmand’s social media and internet posts were cited as evidence supporting the charge.
Sources close to his family revealed to HRANA that the case has now been forwarded to the Executive Unit.
Having been arrested on October 25, 2023, Hooshmand spent 16 days in detention before being released on bail.
This isn’t Hooshmand’s first encounter with legal troubles, as the 29-year-old activist had previously faced arrest and conviction for his involvement in activism.
The arrest reportedly took place on January 31, with the reasons for Afshar Nik’s detention, the whereabouts of his confinement, and the charges against him currently remaining unknown.
Afshar Nik, known for his work with Etemad and Shargh newspaper, has a history of legal challenges in his career as a journalist.
His brother, Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, a worker’s rights advocate, disclosed the arrest, citing the Ministry of Intelligence’s involvement at Isa’s residence.
As of now, the exact location where he is being held and the charges against him remain unknown.
Ebrahimzadeh has encountered previous arrests and legal confrontations. On November 21, 2022, he was detained by security forces in connection with the nationwide protests of 2022. Subsequently, on January 12, 2023, he secured his release on bail of 500 million tomans (approximately 10,000 dollars) from Oshnavieh Prison.
A source close to Hassani’s family confirmed the news, stating that on February 4, she was placed in Bojnurd Prison to serve her sentence following her appearance in the Judgment Enforcement unit. The Criminal Court of Bojnurd had sentenced her on November 11, 2023, for “disseminating false information,” accompanied by a fine for alleged “non-compliance with Hijab in public.”
In a parallel development within this legal case, the Revolutionary Court of the city had previously sentenced her to one year, pending appeal.
Nasrin Hassani, the managing editor of the weekly newspaper Siahat-e Shargh, is a single mother to a 13-year-old son.
It’s worth noting that Hassani faced legal repercussions during the Mahsa Amini Protests in September 2022, having been arrested by security forces. She was subsequently released after a period of detention.
Presently serving his sentence at Evin Prison, Nourizad revealed the additional imprisonment through a voice message from behind bars. The recent court session addressing the new charges against Nourizad took place at the Shahid Kechooie judicial complex in Tehran. Unfortunately, he was unable to defend himself as he was not present during the proceedings.
Details regarding the charges leveled against Nourizad remain undisclosed at this time.
On August 9, 2023, Nourizad faced punitive measures and was relocated to solitary confinement due to his protest against the restriction of prisoners’ telephone cards, impeding their ability to make phone calls.
In a separate legal development from July 2023, Nourizad received an additional two-year prison sentence from the Tehran Revolutionary Court. This sentence stemmed from yet another legal case initiated while he was already in prison.
Nourizad’s legal ordeal began on August 11, 2019, when he was arrested by security forces for participating in the drafting of an open letter with 13 other civil rights activists, calling for the Supreme Leader of Iran to step down. In the initial case, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, three years of exile in Izeh, and a two-year travel ban. Although the prison sentence was upheld on appeal, the duration of exile and travel ban were reduced to two years.
In late April 2020, Nourizad received an additional one-year imprisonment for expressing support for Baha’i citizens in Eyvanki, Semnan Province.
Concerning the second part of his legal case, the Mashhad Criminal Court sentenced Nourizad to 8 months in prison and 74 lashes, along with exile to Tabas, for “disturbance of public order.” He also received an additional 74 lashes for “spreading falsehood.” This verdict was upheld on appeal as well.
Nourizad was released from Evin Prison on November 17, 2021, based on an early release order. However, on January 23, 2022, he was summoned and re-incarcerated in Evin Prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.
Nourizad has a history of arrests and convictions linked to his peaceful activism. He is a prominent filmmaker, writer, director, and journalist from Iran. While previously known as an outspoken religious journalist, he has become an active critic of the Islamic Republic in recent years.
IRGC Intelligence is said to be responsible for his arrest, notifying Shirani’s family of his demise via a phone call. As of now, his body has not been handed over to his family.
The agents cited the publication of critical social media posts as the reason for Shirani’s arrest.
The Baloch Activists Campaign, a human rights monitor in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, has reported that Shirani died under torture while in custody.
Notably, recent years have seen numerous cases of suspicious deaths or murders of citizens within police detention centers, security, and judicial institutions. In most instances, investigations have failed to definitively identify perpetrators or hold authorities accountable.
The agents had reportedly mentioned publishing criticizing posts on social media as the reason for Shirani’s arrest.
According to HRA’s annual report for 2023, a total of 1,386 violations of prisoners’ rights were documented. These include 27 cases of physical assault on prisoners, 1,390 instances of denial or neglect of medical care, 342 illegal transfers to solitary confinement, 114 attempted hunger strikes, 415 cases of forced transfer or exile of prisoners, 4,140 instances of threats and pressure on prisoners, 66 cases of denying prisoner visitation rights, 34 cases of psychological and physical torture, 7 deaths due to illness, 12 suicides, 1 case of self-immolation, 4 murders of prisoners, 208 instances of lack of access to legal counsel, 4,197 reports of prisoners being kept in unsuitable conditions, 80 cases of forced confession, 290 instances of non-segregation of crimes, 78 denials of medical leave, and 101 denials of the right to contact.
Homayoun Soleimani, confirming his brother’s detention, revealed, “Hamoon was summoned to Evin Courthouse and subsequently held in custody. Approximately one hour after his apprehension, he managed to make a phone call, notifying our family of his relocation to Ward 1 of Evin Prison.”
As of now, the specific grounds for Soleimani’s arrest and the charges against him remain undisclosed.
