Majid Khademi Sentenced to Prison and Lashes

Political prisoner Majid Khademi has received a sentence of four years and four months in addition to 45 lashes from the Criminal Court of Behbahan. Khademi is currently serving a prior sentence in Behbahan Prison.

As per the verdict, Khademi has been given a three-year and six-month sentence for “arson,” along with ten months for “disturbing public order,” bringing the total to four years and four months, coupled with 45 lashes. Of this sentence, two years have been suspended for five years.

For another part of his legal case, Khademi was initially sentenced to ten years and one month by Mahshahr Revolutionary Court. However, following a plea of no contest, for one charge, the sentence was reduced to five years and five months for “assembly and collusion against national security,” down from six years and three months. His convictions of two years and six months for “propaganda against the regime” and one year and four months for “membership in anti-regime groups” remain unchanged. For these sentences, five years and five months have been enforced.

Khademi commenced serving his sentence in Behbahan Prison on August 22.

He was arrested by IRGC Intelligence on January 18, 2020, and subsequently held in a detention facility in Behbahan City for one month of interrogation before being transferred to Behbahan Prison. On June 15, 2021, Khademi was released on bail of 2.5 billion tomans pending the conclusion of legal proceedings.

Mahmood Mehrabi Arraigned on Charge of “Spreading Corruption on Earth”

Mahmood Mehrabi, who is presently held in detention at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, has been officially indicted on charges of “spreading corruption on earth” by the Mobarakeh Public and Revolutionary Courthouse.

Mehrabi faces a multitude of allegations, including “spreading corruption on earth through the dissemination of false information, propagating anti-regime content on the Internet, inciting military and police personnel to abandon their duties, and encouraging acts of aggression, as well as insulting both the former and current Supreme Leader of Iran.”

On February 1, 2023, security forces apprehended Mehrabi in Isfahan. Although he was temporarily released on bail on March 16, 2023, he was re-arrested shortly thereafter at his residence, reportedly in connection with his social media posts that voiced dissent.

It is noteworthy that Mehrabi has a history of prior arrests and convictions stemming from his activism.

 

Four Teacher Union Activists Sentenced to Prison Terms and Additional Penalties

In recent developments, four members of the Teachers’ Trade Association in Bushehr, namely Mohsen Omrani, Mohmood Melaki, Asghar Hajat, and Abdolreza Amanifar, have received sentences totaling four years and eight months, along with additional penalties.

As reported by the Teachers Union Telegram channel, Melaki and Omrani have each been sentenced to two years of imprisonment, with the additional penalty of having some of their assets confiscated, and a three-year ban from engaging in the educational profession. Meanwhile, Hajat and Amanifar have each received four-month prison sentences, coupled with the seizure of certain belongings.

These activists had initially been detained on May 1, 2022, during nationwide protests organized by working and retired teachers. They were subsequently released on bail over the following weeks, pending the conclusion of legal proceedings.

It’s worth noting that Melaki faced another arrest by security forces on December 17, 2022, amidst nationwide protests. Although he was released on bail in late February, he was later permanently dismissed from his service.

These individuals were reportedly convicted on charges related to “actions against national security, disruption of public order and peace, and resisting on-duty officers.”

Kianoosh Mahdavi Arrested in Yasuj

On Monday, September 25, Kianoosh Mahdavi was apprehended by security forces in Yasuj and subsequently taken to an undisclosed location.

A source with close ties to Mahdavi’s family reached out to HRANA, confirming his arrest on the evening of September 25 in Yasuj.

As of now, the reasons for Mahdavi’s arrest, the location of his detention, and the specific allegations against him remain unknown. This marks another instance of legal action against Mahdavi, who had previously been detained and faced legal proceedings due to his activism during the nationwide protests of 2022.

Arrest of Five Individuals in Zahedan Raises Concerns

Security forces in Zahedan have apprehended five individuals and subsequently transported them to an undisclosed facility, as reported by Haal Vsh.

One of the detainees has been identified as Nour-Ahmad Shikardag, aged 20.

The report suggests that military and security forces were involved in the arrest of these individuals in Zahedan.

It is worth noting that, as the anniversary of the “Bloody Friday of Zahedan” approaches, the incident when security and military forces opened fire at the prayer site in the Great Mosalla of Zahedan last year, several residents in Zahedan have been subject to arrests and summonses.

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Mehrnaz Khorrami Arrested in Nowshahr

Mehrnaz Khorrami was apprehended at her residence in Nowshahr on the 22nd of September by security forces. She was later transferred to the detention facility operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Sari.

A source with connections to her family shared with HRANA the news of Khorrami’s arrest by IRGC authorities in Nowshahr, located in Mazandaran province. Presently, the motive behind her detention and the specific charges levied against her remain undisclosed.

Court of Appeals Upholds Verdicts Against Director and Producer of “Leila’s Brothers”

The Tehran Court of Appeals has upheld the verdict against the renowned filmmaker and screenwriter Saeed Roustayi and producer Javad Nowruzbeigi.

Babak Paknia, their legal representative, confirmed that Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals has upheld the original verdict related to their work on the movie “Leila’s Brothers,” which was showcased at the Cannes Film Festival.

Initially, the Tehran Revolutionary Court had sentenced both individuals to six months in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime,” accompanied by additional penalties. Approximately nine days of this prison term will be served, while the remaining sentence has been suspended for a five-year period.

In addition to the prison sentence, Roustayi and Nowruzbeigi have faced various career-limiting restrictions as filmmakers, including limitations on their interactions with fellow professionals in the industry. Furthermore, they have been directed to complete a 24-hour filmmaking course at IRIB University in Qom.

This verdict has deemed the creation of the film “Leila’s Brothers” as an act of spreading propaganda against the regime, in alignment with anti-regime media.

The 2022 drama film “Leila’s Brothers” garnered significant attention, earning a place in the competition for the Palme d’Or at the prestigious 2022 Cannes Film Festival and notably winning the International Federation of Film Critics prize.

Ahmad Alikhani Arrested in Khorramabad

Ahmad Alikhani, a resident of Khorramabad and a disabled veteran of the Iran-Iraq War, has been apprehended by security forces within the city and subsequently taken to an undisclosed location.

According to a source closely connected to Alikhani’s family, he was detained last week, and despite the passage of several days, his family still lacks information about his current whereabouts and well-being.

This source disclosed that Alikhani, also an environmental activist, was arrested shortly after posting on social media. However, the specific charges against him are currently unknown.

Javad Heidari’s Family Members Detained in Choobindar Prison

Ali Panah Heidari, Ruhollah Heidari, and Morteza Heidari, the father and two brothers of Javad Heidari (Heydari), who tragically lost his life during the 2022 nationwide protests, have been transferred to Choobindar Prison in Qazvin. Last week, they were forcefully arrested by special forces during a raid on their residence.

Fatemeh Heidari, Javad Heidary’s sister, confirmed that her father and brothers have been incarcerated in Choobindar Prison, Qazvin. She also revealed that her brother Morteza has been on a hunger strike for three days, despite his diabetes condition.

Last week, Fatemeh Heidari shared two videos on social media, exposing the use of air shooting and tear gas by special guard forces during the raid on her family’s home, which took place on the anniversary of her brother’s tragic death. Her father and brothers were arrested following a confrontation with the agents. She further stated that during the incident, some of her relatives, including a two-year-old child named Delvan (last name unknown), sustained injuries.

The charges against these detainees remain undisclosed.

On September 22, 2022, Javad Heidari, aged 36, was fatally shot by regime forces during protests in Qazvin. Since then, his family has faced multiple arrests and confrontations with the security and judicial authorities.

Teacher Mehdi Sheibani Arrested in Mashhad

Teacher Mehdi Sheibani was apprehended in Mashhad and subsequently transported to an undisclosed location, according to the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations.

Sheibani had been the educator of Abolfazl Adinezadeh, a minor student who tragically lost his life during the 2022 nationwide protests.

Reports suggest that Sheibani’s arrest followed his attendance at a commemorative event on Adinezadeh’s birthday. The exact cause of Sheibani’s whereabouts, and the specific allegations against him remain shrouded in uncertainty.

Abolfazl Adinezadeh, who was a minor at the time, was fatally shot, reportedly sustaining “25 bullets to his chest and abdomen,” during the 2022 nationwide protest.