Category: Freedom of Expression

Vahideh Haghparast Sentenced to Prison by Mashhad Revolutionary Court

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Khosrow Alikordi, Noura Haghi, Vahideh Haghparast, وحیده حق پرست

HRANA – Vahideh Haghparast (Noura Haghi), one of those arrested at the seventh-day memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi, was sentenced by Branch 1 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court to a total of four years and four months in prison.

According to HRANA, Vahideh Haghparast has been sentenced to prison.

Under a ruling issued by Branch 1 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, Ms. Haghparast was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security” and nine months on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

An informed source told HRANA that the hearing on the charges against Ms. Haghparast was held on September 1, 2026, in the absence of both her and her defense attorney. The source said that Haghparast was unable to attend the court session due to illness and had filed a formal request to reschedule the hearing.

Haghparast was arrested on December 12, 2025, during the seventh-day memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi in Mashhad. She was released one month later after posting bail.

Vahideh Haghparast, also known as Noura Haghi, holds a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine.

Khosrow Alikordi, an attorney and human rights defender from Sabzevar who resided in Mashhad, died on the evening of Friday, December 5, 2025. His funeral was held in Sabzevar on Sunday, December 7, during which attendees chanted protest slogans, including “Woman, Life, Freedom” and “Long Live Iran.” On Friday, December 12, his seventh-day memorial ceremony was held at Ghadir Mosque in Mashhad with a large number of citizens in attendance. Participants chanted protest slogans during the ceremony. Following the intervention of law enforcement forces, the gathering turned violent. At least 27 people were arrested.

Alborz Court of Appeals Upholds Manouchehr Bakhtiari’s 18-Year Prison Sentence

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
HRANA, Manouchehr Bakhtiari, منوچهر بختیاری

HRANA – Branch 1 of the Alborz Province Court of Appeals, after reviewing Manouchehr Bakhtiari’s appeal in a case dating back to 2020 on Kish Island, upheld his sentence totaling 18 years in prison.

According to HRANA, the sentence totaling 18 years in prison for Manouchehr Bakhtiari, who is currently incarcerated in Bandar Abbas Prison, has been upheld.

In a ruling issued on September 16, 2026, by Branch 1 of the Alborz Province Court of Appeals, Mr. Bakhtiari’s appeal was rejected, and his sentence totaling 18 years in prison was upheld, with modifications to the charges and penalties. The sentence of 74 lashes previously imposed on him was removed from the ruling.

According to the ruling, Mr. Bakhtiari was sentenced to 10 years in prison on the charge of forming and managing an online group with the aim of disrupting national security; five years on the charge of assembly and collusion with the intent to commit crimes against national security through cooperation with an opposition group; two years on the charge of publishing falsehoods with the intent to disturb public opinion; and one year on the charge of propaganda against the regime.

The case dates back to events on Kish Island in 2020. A source close to Mr. Bakhtiari’s family told HRANA that the case was opened after he raised a flag on the island. According to the source, he was acquitted during proceedings in a Kish court, and the Supreme Court also reviewed the case twice, with outcomes in Mr. Bakhtiari’s favor.

In January 2024, Mr. Bakhtiari had previously been sentenced in the same case to a total of 18 years in prison and 74 lashes by Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Mousa Asef al-Hosseini. Following an appeal, Branch 1 of the Alborz Province Court of Appeals issued a ruling on April 20, 2024, overturning the judgment due to the trial court’s lack of jurisdiction and referring the case to the Kish Revolutionary Court for retrial.

On January 19, 2026, while serving his period of exile in Bandar Abbas, he was arrested and transferred to the city’s prison. He subsequently faced a new case. In late August 2026, Branch 1 of the Bandar Abbas Revolutionary Court sentenced him to an additional total of 10 years in prison.

Bakhtiari had previously been arrested by security forces at his home in Tehran on April 29, 2021, and was ultimately sentenced to three years and six months in prison, two years and six months of exile, and a two-year travel ban. After serving more than four years in prison, he was released from Choobindar Prison in Qazvin in October 2025 and transferred to Bandar Abbas to serve his exile sentence.

During his imprisonment, additional cases were also opened against Bakhtiari. In one case, he was sentenced to six months in prison. In another, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison and 74 lashes. The latter sentence was overturned on appeal, and the case was sent back to the Revolutionary Court for retrial.

Manouchehr Bakhtiari, the father of Pouya Bakhtiari, has stated that his 27-year-old son was shot and killed in Phase 4 of Mehrshahr, Karaj, during the November 2019 protests. According to Bakhtiari, Pouya, along with his mother and sister, joined protesters on the second day of demonstrations against the increase in gasoline prices. He was shot in the head and died before reaching the hospital.

Pouya Bakhtiari (born September 10, 1992; died November 16, 2019, in Mehrshahr, Karaj) was among those killed during Iran’s nationwide protests of 2019.

Revolutionary Court Sentences Amir Gerousi to 10 Years in Prison

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Amir Gerousi, HRANA, Seyed Ali Mazloum

HRANA – Amir Gerousi, a 60-year-old political prisoner currently held in Greater Tehran Prison, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, tAmir Gerousi has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Ali Mazloum, sentenced Mr. Gerousi to 10 years in prison on suspicion of “sending photos and videos to media outlets outside Iran.” The political prisoner is currently being held in Greater Tehran Prison.

A source close to the political prisoner’s family confirmed the matter to HRANA and said that Mr. Gerousi has appealed the sentence issued by the Tehran Revolutionary Court and is awaiting a ruling from the Court of Appeals.

Amir Gerousi, a 60-year-old political prisoner, was arrested in March/April 2026.

New Case Filed Against Political Prisoner Mostafa Tajzadeh

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Mostafa Tajzadeh, مصطفی تاجزاده

HRANA – Mostafa Tajzadeh, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, is facing a new case on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” The filing of this case during his imprisonment has halted the process of granting him furlough.

According to HRANA, citing Emtedad, a new case has been filed against Mostafa Tajzadeh while he is in prison.

Fakhrossadat Mohtashamipour, Tajzadeh’s wife, stated that after his furlough was approved and the administrative procedures were completed, the process of sending him on furlough was halted at the final stage. Follow-up inquiries revealed that a new case had been opened against him on the charge of “propaganda against the regime,” with bail set at 500 million tomans.

According to his wife, the case dates back to August of this year and must be resolved by the branch handling the case.

Mostafa Tajzadeh was arrested by security forces on July 8, 2022, and subsequently transferred to Evin Prison.

Tajzadeh has faced several judicial cases in recent years.

He was initially sentenced in 2022 to eight years in prison, five years of which were enforceable. In 2024, he was sentenced in another case to a total of six years in prison. In July 2025, he was also sentenced to an aggregate five-year prison term in a case opened against him while he was incarcerated. Following the issuance of this new ruling, Houshang Pourbabai, Tajzadeh’s attorney, stated that his client’s cumulative prison sentences had reached 17 years at that time. In February 2026, Tajzadeh was sentenced to an additional 14 months in prison in another case that had been opened against him during his incarceration.

Tajzadeh, who is serving his sentence in Evin Prison, has previously faced judicial action and imprisonment in connection with his activities.

Hossein Molaei Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Greater Tehran Prison, Hossein Molaei, HRANA, حسین مولایی

HRANA  – Hossein Molaei, a 50-year-old political prisoner held in Greater Tehran Prison, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, Hossein Molaei has been sentenced to imprisonment.

Based on information received by HRANA, Molaei, who is currently held in Greater Tehran Prison, was sentenced by Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to 15 years in prison on the charge of “supporting Israel.”

An informed source familiar with his situation told HRANA: “Mr. Molaei is in a difficult financial situation and cannot afford the cost of an attorney. Accordingly, he needs access to legal counsel to pursue the judicial proceedings in his case and appeal the sentence issued against him.”

Hossein Molaei, 50, was arrested by security forces in March 2026 and transferred to Greater Tehran Prison.

HRANA is reviewing details regarding the specific acts underlying the charge brought against him.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Merchants and Shopkeepers Strike in Several Cities on Fourth Anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s Death

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Baneh, Bukan, Divandarreh, ermanshah, HRANA, Jina Amini, Kamyaran, Mahabad, Mahsa Amini, Marivan, Oshnavieh, Piranshahr, Qorveh, Sanandaj, Saqqez, Urmia

HRANA – Yesterday, Wednesday, September 16, marking the fourth anniversary of the death of Mahsa (Jina) Amini, merchants and shopkeepers in several cities across the country refrained from their daily business activities and went on strike. Meanwhile, a heavy presence of security forces created a heightened security atmosphere in Saqqez. Security forces also blocked routes leading to the city’s Aichi Cemetery, preventing Mahsa Amini’s family and other citizens from visiting her grave.

According to HRANA, yesterdam, September 16, 2026, merchants and shopkeepers in Sanandaj, Saqqez, Mahabad, Baneh, Bukan, Divandarreh, Oshnavieh, Piranshahr, and Qorveh went on strike.

Kurdpa, which covers human rights violations in Kurdish regions, also reported strikes by merchants and shopkeepers in Kermanshah, Urmia, Kamyaran, and Marivan.

Reports received by HRANA indicate that security forces established a heavy presence throughout Saqqez, creating a heightened security atmosphere. By blocking the main and secondary roads leading to Aichi Cemetery, they prevented Amini’s family and other citizens from visiting her grave.

Baneh, Sanandaj, Bukan

Qorveh, Piranshahr

Oshnavieh

Saqqez, Divandarreh

Despite four years having passed since Mahsa Amini’s death, there has yet to be effective judicial accountability regarding the circumstances of her death or the responsibility of the individuals and institutions involved, and no reports have been published to date of anyone being tried or punished in connection with her death. Iranian authorities have from the outset denied that her death was linked to violence or physical mistreatment by officers. The United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, however, concluded after reviewing evidence that Amini was subjected to physical violence while in custody that led to her death, and that the Iranian state bears responsibility for her unlawful death.

Mahsa (Jina) Amini, a 22-year-old woman from Saqqez who had traveled to Tehran, was arrested by morality police officers at Tehran’s Haqqani Metro Station on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, over what authorities deemed improper hijab. Hours after her arrest, she was transferred in critical condition to the intensive care unit at Kasra Hospital after falling into a coma with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3. She later died at the hospital. The explanations provided by Iran’s Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA) in defense of its conduct regarding Amini’s death, together with the police force’s record and widespread public dissatisfaction with the institution known as the morality police, led to months of widespread protests across many parts of the country.

Nasser Bahmanyari Arrested in Karaj

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Nasser Bahmanyari, ناصر بهمنیاری

HRANA – Nasser Bahmanyari, a 67-year-old resident of Karaj, was arrested by agents of the IRGC Intelligence Organization on Tuesday, September 15, and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, Nasser Bahmanyari was arrested in Karaj.

According to information received by HRANA, the arrest took place on Tuesday, September 15, when agents of the IRGC Intelligence Organization apprehended him at his private residence in Karaj.

An informed source close to his family confirmed the news to HRANA and said: “Mr. Bahmanyari was arrested due to his activities and positions of protest.”

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

Nasser Bahmanyari, 67, has previously faced judicial action due to his activities. Following his arrest in Yasuj in 1999, he was dismissed from his teaching position with the Ministry of Education.

Amin Shirafkan and Alireza Hajatmand Arrested in Gorgan

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Alireza Hajatmand, Amin Shirafkan, Gorgan, HRANA, امین شیرافکن, علیرضا حاجتمند

HRANA – Yesterday, September 16, Amin (Mazdak) Shirafkan, a former political prisoner, and Alireza Hajatmand, a resident of Gorgan, were arrested by security forces in the city and transferred to a detention facility operated by the Gorgan Criminal Investigation Police.

According to HRANA, Amin (Mazdak) Shirafkan and Alireza Hajatmand were arrested in Gorgan.

An informed source close to the families of the two individuals confirmed the news to HRANA and said: “On Wednesday, September 16, officers from the Public Security and Intelligence Police went to Mr. Shirafkan’s workplace, located in the Shirangi Passage in Gorgan, and arrested him along with his shop assistant, identified as Alireza Hajatmand. They were subsequently transferred to a detention facility operated by the Criminal Investigation Police.”

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for their arrests or the charges brought against them.

Amin Shirafkan is 48 years old, while Alireza Hajatmand is 20 and is from the city of Aq Qala. Of the two, Amin (Mazdak) Shirafkan has previously been arrested and received judicial convictions in connection with his activities.

Rahim Molaeian Sentenced to Prison by Revolutionary Court

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Babol, HRANA, Rahim Molaeian, رحیم مولاییان

HRANA – Rahim Molaeian, a painter and sculptor residing in Babol, has been sentenced to six months in prison by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in the city.

According to HRANA, Rahim Molaeian has been sentenced to prison.

Under a ruling issued on Sunday, September 13, by Branch 1 of the Babol Revolutionary Court, Mr. Molaeian was sentenced to six months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

According to information received by HRANA, Molaeian’s paintings and posts he shared as Instagram Stories were cited as evidence supporting the charge against him.

A hearing on the charge was held before the same branch on September 6 of this year.

In April-May of this year, his office, studio, and residence were searched by 12 security agents, and 28 of Molaeian’s paintings were confiscated for 48 hours. In connection with the case, Mr. Molaeian was also interrogated by security agencies on three occasions, with each session lasting four hours.

Rahim Molaeian, 66, is a painter and sculptor from Babol, where he currently resides. He is married and the father of three children.

Teachers’ Union Activist Masoud Farhikhteh Sentenced to Additional Prison Term in New Case

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
HRANA, Karaj, Masoud Farhikhteh, Ramin Safarnia, Teachers union activist, مسعود فرهیخته

HRANA – Masoud Farhikhteh, a teachers’ union activist who is serving his prison sentence at Karaj Central Penitentiary, has been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court in Karaj to one year in prison and additional punishments in connection with a new case opened against him during his incarceration.

According to HRANA, citing the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Masoud Farhikhteh has been sentenced to prison and additional punishments.

According to the report, Ramin Safarnia, Mr. Farhikhteh’s attorney, stated that the teachers’ union activist was sentenced to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” As additional punishments, he was also sentenced to a two-year ban on leaving the country, a two-year ban on membership in political and social parties, groups, and organizations, and dismissal from government and public service.

The report states that the ruling was based on a report by judicial officers at Karaj Central Penitentiary.

In this new case, which was opened against Mr. Farhikhteh during his incarceration, he was summoned to the Karaj Revolutionary Court after the completion of the interrogation stage.

In July of this year, Masoud Farhikhteh was transferred from Ward 16 of Karaj Central Penitentiary to solitary confinement. He was also deprived of telephone calls and visits with his family after publishing statements concerning prisoners’ demands.

Masoud Farhikhteh was arrested on September 16, 2025, and was subsequently transferred to Karaj Central Penitentiary. He had previously been sentenced by Branch 2 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court to six years in prison and additional punishments. In August 2025, Branch 12 of the Alborz Province Court of Appeals reduced the sentence to four years, one month, and 17 days in prison.