Category: Freedom of Expression

Azerbaijani-Turk Activist Salar Taher Afshar Sentenced to One-Year Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Salar Taher Afshar, Sharifeh Mohammadi, Varisheh Moradi

HRANA – Salar Taher Afshar, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist currently imprisoned in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court in connection with a new case opened against him during his incarceration.

Based on a verdict issued and served on December 20, 2025 by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, Mr. Taher Afshar was sentenced to one year of imprisonment on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

This case was opened following his signing of a statement protesting the issuance of death sentences against Sharifeh Mohammadi, Varisheh Moradi, and Pakhshan Azizi, as well as protesting the death of Somayeh Rashidi in Qarchak Prison in Varamin during her incarceration.

On February 18, 2025, this Azerbaijani-Turk activist was arrested by Intelligence Department forces in Urmia and transferred to the IRGC Intelligence detention facility in Tabriz. A few days later, Branch 36 of the Tehran Province Court of Appeal sentenced him to five years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.” He was ultimately released on bail from Tabriz Prison on March 2025.
On April 6, this Azerbaijani-Turk activist was arrested after appearing at the Enforcement of Judgments Branch of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office and was transferred to Evin Prison to serve his sentence.

Salar Taher Afshar, an Azerbaijani-Turk activist, has previously faced arrests and convictions due to his activities.

Mehdi Sadr Hafez Arrested in Mashhad

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Khosrow Alikordi, Mashhad, Seyed Mehdi Sadr Hafez

HRANA – Seyed Mehdi Sadr Hafez, a resident of Mashhad, was arrested by security forces on Tuesday, December 23, and transferred to Soroush Detention Center.

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Sadr Hafez was arrested yesterday by agents of the Mashhad Ministry of Intelligence and transferred to Soroush Detention Center. A source close to his family, confirming the arrest, told HRANA: “The arrest of this civil activist followed his participation in the seventh-day memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi. His case is open at Branch 905 of the Mashhad Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office. Mr. Sadr Hafez is facing charges including propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.”

Seyed Mehdi Sadr Hafez is a resident of Mashhad and the father of two children. Prior to his arrest, he was working in the taxi transportation sector. He has previously been arrested and served prison time due to his activities.

It is worth noting that the seventh-day memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi was held on December 12, at Ghadir Mosque in Mashhad with a large public turnout. Participants chanted protest slogans during the ceremony. Following the intervention of law enforcement forces, the gathering turned violent and multiple confrontations occurred with those present. On the same day, the Mashhad prosecutor stated that a total of 50 people were arrested in connection with the ceremony, adding that 19 of them have so far been released.

Kamal Ja’fari Yazdi Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison on Political Charges

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Freedom of Expression, News
Kamal Jafari Yazdi, Mashhad, Vakilabad

HRANA – Kamal Ja’fari Yazdi, a political defendant, has been sentenced by Branch Two of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court to a total of 18 years in prison.

On December 8, 2025, a verdict was issued by Branch Two of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Hassan Vaziri, and it was communicated to Mr. Ja’fari Yazdi today, December 24. Based on the ruling, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison on the charge of “forming a group with the intent to disrupt national security,” five years in prison for “membership in opposition groups,” two years in prison for “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

With the application of Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest punishment, 10 years of imprisonment, will be enforceable for this political defendant. The verdict is subject to appeal within 20 days of notification.

Mr. Ja’fari Yazdi was arrested on December 10, 2024, by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence in Mashhad and transferred to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. He was later released from Vakilabad Prison on November 15 of 2025, after posting bail.

Kamal Ja’fari Yazdi has previously faced arrest and judicial action due to his activities.

Yahya Landarani Arrested in Sabzevar

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Khosrow Alikordi, Sabzevar, Yahya Landarani

HRANA – Yesterday, Yahya Landarani, a resident of Sabzevar, was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence in the city and transferred to an unknown location.

A source close to this citizen’s family, confirming the news, told HRANA: “On Tuesday, December 23, Mr. Landarani was arrested at his workplace in Sabzevar by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and taken to an unknown location.”

Based on information received by HRANA, the arrest followed his participation in the seventh-day memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi.

As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding his place of detention, the reasons for his arrest, or the charges brought against Mr. Landarani.

Yahya Landarani is a resident of Sabzevar and the father of two children.

It is worth noting that on Friday, December 12, the seventh-day memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi, a lawyer and human rights defender, was held at Ghadir Mosque in Mashhad with a large public turnout. The ceremony was accompanied by protest chants from participants and ultimately turned violent following the intervention of law enforcement forces. During the incident, dozens of participants were arrested by security forces.

Mohsen Parish Sentenced to Prison and Additional Punishments

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
HRANA, Karaj Central Penitentiary, Mohsen Parish, محسن پریش

HRANA – Mohsen Parish, a political prisoner held in Karaj Central Penitentiary, has been sentenced by Branch Two of the Karaj Revolutionary Court to three years in prison along with additional punishments.

Based on the ruling issued by Branch Two of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, Mohsen Parish has been sentenced to a total of three years’ imprisonment. In addition, as supplementary punishments, he has been sentenced to a two-year travel ban, a two-year ban on membership in social groups and associations, and a two-year deprivation and dismissal from all government and public employment and services. This verdict was issued in connection with the charges of propaganda against the regime and insulting the Supreme Leader.

A court session addressing another part of the charges against Mohsen Parish was held on 20 December via video conference at Branch 103 of Criminal Court Two of Fardis County. Mr. Parish defended himself against the charges of insulting officers and disobeying law enforcement agents, and his defense lawyer was present at the hearing.

Mohsen Parish was arrested on October 21, by security forces in front of his home and transferred to Karaj Central Penitentiary. Following his arrest, officers prevented his family from being present at the prosecutor’s office. At the time of his transfer to prison, signs of injury to his elbow and neck were visible, and his mobile phone was confiscated by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence.

Mohsen Parish has previously faced arrest and judicial action due to his activities. He is among those injured during the November 2019 protests and was arrested in 2020. In a two-part case, he had been sentenced to imprisonment and flogging on charges including “insulting the Prophet, insulting religious sanctities, insulting the Supreme Leader, propaganda against the regime, and acting against national security through calling for demonstrations against the regime.” He was ultimately granted amnesty and released from prison in late 2022.

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Qarchak Prosecutor Announces Arrest by IRGC Intelligence Forces

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Qarchak

HRANA – The Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Qarchak County announced the arrest of an individual in the county by forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organization.

According to Mehr News Agency, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Qarchak, Tehran province, claimed that the detainee was among “destabilizing elements affiliated with overseas-based currents and groups” and had engaged in “anti-security actions” within the county.

He added that the identification and arrest of this individual were carried out by IRGC intelligence forces.

The report does not mention the identity of the arrested person or the exact time of the arrest. Additionally, no information is available regarding the detainee’s place of custody or whether they have access to a lawyer or contact with family members.

Senior Military Official: 2,000 Arrested on Espionage Charges

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
HRANA, Iran-Israel war

HRANA – The Cultural Deputy of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff announced that from several months before the start of the 12-day war with Israel until the end of the conflict, around 2,000 people in Iran were arrested on charges of espionage.

According to Daneshjoo News Agency, Abolfazl Shekarchi described the detainees as members of a “vast espionage network,” stating that from several months prior to the outbreak of the war between Israel and Iran until its conclusion, approximately 2,000 individuals linked to this network were apprehended.

He further claimed that “this extensive network was composed of spies and enemy agents, whose formation had taken years of effort. Significant resources were spent, and large sums of dollars were used to train and organize these individuals.”

The military official did not provide further details regarding the identities of those arrested, the time and place of the arrests, the detaining authority, or the judicial process related to the cases.

Meanwhile, following the end of the conflict, numerous reports have emerged indicating an increased use of the charge of “espionage” to arrest, convict, and even execute citizens in various parts of the country.

Although combating espionage is not in itself considered a human rights violation, given the Iranian government’s record of instrumentalizing this charge to target political opponents, such claims, especially in the absence of transparent details and due process—are consistently met with skepticism.

It is worth noting that in the early hours of June 13, 2025, a wave of Israeli airstrikes against Iranian territory began. According to previous field reports by HRANA, these attacks targeted not only military sites but also parts of civilian areas, resulting in the killing and injury of a significant number of civilians.

For more information, readers are encouraged to consult the comprehensive report on the 12-day war between Iran and Israel.

Bahrooz Alikordi Arrested in Mashhad

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Freedom of Expression, News
Bahrooz Alikrdi, Khosrow Alikordi, Mashhad, Sabzevar

HRANA – Bahrooz Alikrdi, a relative of Khosrow Alikordi, was arrested yesterday by security forces in Mashhad and transferred to Soroush Detention Center in the city.

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Alikordi was arrested today, Monday, November 22, 2025, by security forces at his workplace in Mashhad. Following the issuance of a temporary detention order, he was transferred to Soroush Detention Center. So far, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for his arrest or the charges brought against him.

Bahrooz Alikordi is the cousin of Khosrow Alikordi, a lawyer and human rights defender from Sabzevar who resided in Mashhad and passed away on the evening of December 5, 2025. His burial ceremony was held on December 7 in Sabzevar and was accompanied by protest chants from attendees, including “Woman, Life, Freedom” and “Long Live Iran.”

On December 12, the seventh-day memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi was held at Ghadir Mosque in Mashhad with a large turnout of citizens. The ceremony was marked by protest chants from participants and ultimately turned violent following the intervention of law enforcement forces. Dozens of attendees were arrested by security forces. On Saturday, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Mashhad announced the arrest of 39 individuals in connection with the ceremony, stating that they were detained due to what he described as “norm-breaking actions and behavior.” He also claimed that two law enforcement officers were injured during the event.

On December 17, HRANA published a report on the continued legal uncertainty of dozens of those arrested at the ceremony and the release of some on bail. The report provided further details, including the charges against individuals, transfers to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, and the release of some detainees under judicial guarantees.

Earlier this week, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Razavi Khorasan Province announced that out of the 39 individuals arrested in connection with the ceremony, nine have been released after posting appropriate bail.

Appeals Court Upholds One-Year Prison Sentence for Faramarz Se-Dehi

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Freedom of Expression, News
Behbahan, Faramarz Se-Dehi, فرامرز سه دهی

HRANA – The conviction of Faramarz Se-Dehi, a poet and member of the Iranian Writers’ Association, has been fully upheld by Branch 14 of the Khuzestan Province Appeals Court. He had previously been sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 104 of Criminal Court No. 2 in Behbahan.

The ruling was issued on December 16, 2025, by Branch 14 of the Khuzestan Appeals Court. According to the judge’s decision, the appeal was rejected, and Mr. Sehdehi was sentenced to one year of discretionary imprisonment on the charge of “insulting sacred beliefs via Instagram and Telegram messaging platforms.”

This sentence had previously been issued at the preliminary stage by Branch 104 of Criminal Court No. 2 in Behbahan, where a hearing on the charges against Faramarz Se-Dehi had been held.

In April 2025, in a separate case, Faramarz Se-Dehi was sentenced to more than 22 months in prison by Branch One of the Mahshahr Revolutionary Court.

On February 17, 2025, Mr. Se-Dehi was formally charged at Branch Two of the Behbahan Prosecutor’s Office and was released on bail.

Faramarz Se-Dehi is a Khuzestani poet and a member of the Iranian Writers’ Association. He has previously faced convictions due to his activities.

Ehsan Khodayari Arrested in Rasht

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Freedom of Expression, News
Armin Khodayari, Ehsan Khodayari, Lakan prison, Rasht, احسان خدایاری

HRANA – On December 20, Ehsan (Armin) Khodayari, a citizen from Zanjan, was arrested by security forces in Rasht and transferred to an undisclosed location.

A source familiar with the case told HRANA:
“After completing his sentence at Lakan Prison in Rasht, Ehsan was working at a bakery in Tehran. During his previous imprisonment, his mobile phone had been confiscated by security agencies. Some time ago, he was summoned by phone by the same agency to retrieve his phone. On Friday evening, he traveled to Rasht. After security agents became aware of his presence in the city, they contacted him again. Due to his failure to report, he was questioned and ultimately arrested.”

As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding his place of detention, the reasons for his arrest, or the charges brought against him.

Ehsan Khodayari, 20 years old and originally from Zanjan, has previously faced arrest and judicial confrontations due to his activities.