Category: Freedom of Expression

Twelve Citizens Arrested for Attending a Nowruz Celebration at Kurdistan Province 

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Nowruz, Sanandaj

On Monday, March 21, 2022, in Sanandaj city, the security forces raided a gathering and arrested twelve citizens. The gathering was held to celebrate Nowruz, the spring celebration and the Iranian New Year. 

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Monday, March 21, 2022, twelve citizens were arrested by security forces during a gathering for the celebration of Nowruz.

The arrestees have been identified as Sohrab Jalali, Jamal Asadi, Foad Enayati, Abed Khorshidi, Keyvan Zand-Karimi, Sahand Barzanji, Arash Shkeiba, Khaled Hosseini, Jamshid Farzi, Fardin Peymnankar, Keyhan Kakeh-Khani and Keyvan Mahmoodi. 

 It is still unknown where these arrestees have been detained.

Earlier, in October of 2019, Foad Enayati was arrested during a protest along with two other citizens, Faramarz Shariati and Mobin Khosravi. They were released on bail of 300 million tomans after the interrogation.

Subsequently, Branch 104 of the Criminal Court of Sanandaj, headed by Judge Omidi, sentenced Foad Enayati to 10 months imprisonment and 74 lashes. This prison sentence was changed to two years suspended prison on appeal. On July 27, 2020, the flagellation was carried out.

On March 7, 2021, Jamal Asadi had been summoned and interrogated by the Public Security and Intelligence Police of Sanandaj.

Two Citizens Arrested in Mariwan and Piranshahr

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Bahman Chashteh, Borhan Derakhshani, Nowruz

Last Saturday, March 19, 2022, security forces arrested two citizens in Mariwan and Piranshahr cities.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa News Agency, last Saturday, March 19, 2022, one citizen identified as Bahman Chashteh, age 48, was arrested by security forces in Piranshahr city of West Azerbaijan Province.

Reportedly, they arrested Mr Chashteh without presenting an arrest warrant.

On the same day, IRGC’s Intelligence Organization summoned a citizen identified as Borhan Derakhshani and arrested him upon appearance. Mr. Derakhshanie had been summoned on another occasion and interrogated three times. He is a resident of Nay village located in Mariwan County.

The reason for these arrests and the charges are still unknown. An informed source, however, in the report stated that they arrested Mr Derakhshani in an effort to prevent the gathering to celebrate Nowruz in Nay village.

Two Iranian-British Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori Freed and Reunited with Their Families 

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Anoosheh Ashoori, Iranian-British Citizen, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, two Iranian-British Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori left Iran and returned to the UK. 

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, once the ban on leaving the country was lifted and she received her passport from the regime’s authorities, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe returned to the UK and reunited with her family.

 Iranian British citizen Anoosheh Ashoori who had been released from jail on that day was allowed to leave Iran with Mrs. Zaghari-Ratcliffe. 

In April of 2016, Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe was arrested at Imam Khomeini International Airport by IRGC’s agents prior to boarding a plane back to the U.K. In September 2016, she was sentenced to five years imprisonment. On March 17, 2020, she was released on furlough with an electronic tag. In March of 2021, after serving the full term of five years sentencing, she was released from jail.

In May of 2021, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran opened a new case, sentencing Ms. Zaghari-Ratcliffe to another year in prison and banning from leaving Iran.  In October of 2021, this verdict was upheld on appeal. 

Anooshe Ashoori is a 67 years old Iranian-British citizen and an aeronautical engineer who was arrested in 2017 when he traveled to Iran to visit his mother. According to the Spokesman of the Judiciary, he was charged with spying for Israel and the acquisition of illegitimate property and thereafter sentenced to 12 years in prison and was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of 33000 euros.

 

Arezoo Rahimkhani and Ramin Biranvand Sentenced Each to One Year In Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Arezoo Rahimkhani, Ramin Biranvand

Last Sunday, Arezoo Rahimkhani, the professor who had been fired from her job earlier at the Islamic Azad University of Andimeshk, and her husband, Ramin Biranvand were sentenced each to one year in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Sunday, March 13, 2022, based on Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Dezful sentenced Arezoo Rahimkhani and her husband, Ramin Biranvand each to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” The court session had been held on March 9, 2022.

On June 29, 2021, the agents of the Security Base Abolfazl Al-Abbas arrested these citizens at their house in Andimeshk city and transferred them to an unidentified location. At the time of the arrest, they searched their house and confiscated some of their personal belongings such as computers and cell phones. These citizens were accused of “propaganda against the regime” due to visiting and leaving flowers on the burial places of the political prisoners who were executed in the 1980s by the Iranian regime. On July 27, 2021, They were released on bail.

Prior to the arrest, Arezoo Rahimkhani was fired from the university.  An informed source told HRANA, “Last month, they notified her verbally that she had been fired. After several inquiries, she was still not handed any termination letter due to the confidentiality of the matter. However, her salary had been cut since last summer.”

Student Activist Hasti Amiri Sentenced to One Year in Prison and Additional Punishments

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Students
Hasti Amiri, International Women's Day, Student activist

Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Hasti Amiri, the law student at Allameh Tabataba’i University, to one year in prison and additional punishments.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Emtedad News, Hasti Amiri was sentenced to one year in prison for the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” 

In addition, her cell phone was confiscated, and she was told that she was prohibited from membership in political and civil rights groups, including such activities on the internet, and she was banned from attending student gatherings for two years. 

The court exonerated her from the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security.”

According to Ms. Amiri’s lawyer, a published photo showing her in a student gathering for the celebration of Women’s Day on March 8 of last year, as well as her statements on social media against capital punishment have been used as evidence for the above-mentioned charges.

The legal case was opened against her last year, but the security and judicial officials did not take action until January 3 of 2022, when the NAJA Public Security Police raided her house to arrest her. Since she was not at home, they told her family that she has to appear at Branch 2 of Evin Courthouse.

Ms. Amiri was arrested on the day of the court appearance and spent one day in detention. One day after, she was released on bail of 500 million tomans.

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Former Political Prisoner Mehrdad Mohammadnejad Arrested in Shahriar City

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
#detained_Iranian_student, #freedom_of_expression, Mehrdad Mohammadnejad

On Saturday, March 12, 2022, the security forces arrested former political prisoner Mehrdad Mohammadnejad at his house in Shahriar city and transferred him to an unidentified location. The agents also searched the house and confiscated some of his personal belongings.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, On Saturday, March 12, 2022, former political prisoner Mehrdad Mohammadnejad was arrested by security forces in Shahriar city.

Confirming the arrest, his parent told HRANA, “ten agents took him without stating any reasons or charges against him. At the time of arrest, they searched the house and confiscated some of his belongings, including his cell phone and tablet.”

“After an inquiry from the judicial authorities in Shahriar city, we were told that we have to go to the Evin courthouse. During his imprisonment, Mehrdad got cervical disc issues and since then he has had sleeping problems. Spending time in detention makes it worse for him”, according to Mohammadnejad’s parents.

The reason for the arrest, the charges and his whereabouts are still unknown.

Earlier on October 21, 2018, Mohammadnejad was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) agents at his house in Shahriar and transferred to Evin prison. Then, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to two years on the charge of “offensive statements against the regime officials and authorities,” and one year for the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” This verdict was upheld by Branch 36 of Tehran’s Court of Appeals. On January 22, 2020, he was sent from Evin prison to the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary to start this sentencing. On May 2, 2020, he was granted early release while he was on furlough.

Mehrdad Mohammadnejad is 26 years old and an economics student at the Islamic Azad University of Central Tehran.

 

Forty One Citizens Summoned By the Ministry of Intelligence of Marivan City

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Other

In recent days, 41 residents of the village Ney in Marivan County, Kurdistan Province were summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence. They have been threatened and told not to hold gatherings to celebrate Nowruz, the day of the Iranian New Year.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, intelligence agents summoned them via phone and interrogated them for hours.

Several Citizens Arrested During the Memorial for Samad Shabani

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Alireza Saghafi, Elham Salehi, Haleh Safarzadeh, Saha Mortezaie, Samad Shabani, Samaneh Moradi

On March 11, during the memorial for Samad Shabani, the writer and poet in Karaj, at least 20 attendees were arrested by Karaj’s Security Police of NAJA. Saha Mortezaie, Alireza Saghafi, Haleh Safarzadeh, Elham Salehi and Samaneh Moradi were transferred to an unidentified location and the rest was released a few hours later after signing a commitment letter.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, during the memorial ceremony which was attended a number of citizens, civil and worker’s rights activists, police raided and arrested 20 attendees. The police released some arrestees after taking photos for them and forcing them to sign a commitment letter. They transferred the rest to an unidentified location.

Samad Shabani is a playwright and poet who passed away from disease on March 1.

Amir Abbas Azarmvand Sent From Detention to Evin Prison to Serve His Sentence

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Amir Abbas Azarmvand, International Women's Day

Journalist and workers’ rights activist Amir Abbas Azarmvand was sent to Evin Prison to serve his sentence after his arrest by Security Police in Tehran on March 8 during an International Women’s Day celebration. He was jailed without receiving summons.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Azarmvand was sent to the Quarantine Section of Evin Prison. Last Tuesday, he was violently arrested by security forces at a gathering held by a number of civil activists to mark Women’s Day and protest against honor killings and other forms of violence against women. In a break with routine, he was sent to Evin Prison to endure his sentence without summons.

On September 1, 2021, security forces arrested Azarmvand at his home.

In January of this year, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to four years and three months imprisonment, a two-year ban from leaving the country and a two year prohibition from membership in civil and political groups. Since he has refused to appeal the sentence and asked for commutation, the sentence is enforceable per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.

Amir Abbas Azarmvand Arrested in a Gathering to Mark Women’s Day

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Amir Abbas Azarmvand, International Women's Day

On March 8, journalist and workers’ rights activist Amir Abbas Azarmvand was arrested by security forces during a gathering to celebrate International Women’s Day.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, an informed source stated that, Azarmvand’s father went to the police station where he was told that his son has been detained by Security Police.

On that day, holding pictures of the victims in their hands, a number of civil activists in Tehran protested against honor killings and violence against women.

Azarmvand has faced other arrests and convictions due to his civil activities. In the last case, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to four years and three months imprisonment, a two year ban from leaving the country and two years prohibition from membership in civil and political groups.