Category: Freedom of Expression

Protest Rapper Vafa Ahmadpour Sentenced to One Year in Prison

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Iranian Rapper, Vafa Ahmadpour, Vafadar, وفا احمدپور

Vafa Ahmadpour, also known as Vafadar, has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Revolutionary Court.

Ahmadpour announced the conviction on social media, stating that he was found guilty of “spreading propaganda against the regime.” His case has been handed over to the judgment enforcement unit.

Ahmadpour’s trial took place on April 14, 2024.

In late March of this year, Ahmadpour was arraigned at the Evin Courthouse for “propaganda against the regime,” “disseminating false information,” and “disturbing public opinion.” The court dismissed the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security” due to insufficient evidence.

He was arrested on February 4, 2024, by security forces at his residence and detained for over 15 days before being released on bail from Evin Prison.

During his detention, PEN America issued a statement condemning Ahmadpour’s arrest and called for his immediate release.

Update on Christian Convert Mina Khajavi in Evin Prison

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
HRANA, Iman Afshari, Imprisoner Christian Convert, Mina Khajavi, Tehran, مینا خواجوی

60-year-old Christian convert Mina Khajavi Ghomi is currently serving her sentence in Evin Prison, where she faces health challenges due to her age and related issues.

A source close to her family told HRANA that Khajavi struggles with her incarceration given her age, suffering from back, knee, and joint pains that make walking difficult. Despite these challenges, she has been denied access to specialized medical care in prison.

Khajavi was arrested by security forces in June 2020 and released on bail the same month.

In June 2022, she was tried alongside other Christian converts in a case overseen by Judge Iman Afshari at Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. Khajavi was sentenced to six years in prison for “acting against national security through proselytizing Christianity and establishing a home church.”

According to reports obtained by HRANA, Khajavi began her prison term on January 8, 2024, and has spent time in solitary confinement in Ward 209, undergoing interrogations.

Rapper Saman Seydi Sentenced to Five Years in Exile

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar prison, Hossein Sartipi, moharebeh, Rajai Shahr Prison, Saman Seydi, Saman Yasin, سامان یاسین

Saman Seydi, known as Yasin, was arrested during nationwide protests in 2022 and has been sentenced to five years of exile in a city in Kerman Province.

Seydi’s lawyer, Hossein Sartipi, announced that according to a verdict issued by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, his client will serve five years in exile. Sartipi plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that Seydi has already been detained for over 18 months, suggesting he has effectively served his time.

In mid-April 2024, Seydi was taken from Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj to a hospital for one day for nasal surgery, following an injury sustained during his incarceration.

Seydi was arrested on October 2, 2023, in Tehran during the protests and subsequently transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison.

On November 8, 2023, Seydi was convicted on charges including “enmity against God” (Moharebeh) and “assembly and collusion against national security,” and was initially sentenced to death. However, the Supreme Court overturned the death sentence, leading to the transfer of his case to another court branch for retrial.

On August 2, 2023, Seydi, along with six other political prisoners, was moved from Rajai Shahr Prison to Evin Prison. On September 3, 2023, he was transferred again with 12 inmates to Ghezel Hesar without prior notice and was held in a ward with prisoners convicted of drug offenses, violating regulations that require political prisoners to be housed separately.

Seven Women Arrested in Bushehr Province for Social Media Modeling

Posted on by . .
Cultural, Freedom of Expression, News, Women
Bushehr, compulsory hijab

Authorities in Bushehr Province have arrested seven women for sharing social media content related to modeling, according to Rokna. Their Instagram posts were removed, and electronic devices were confiscated.

The arrests occurred as part of a police initiative called “Nour,” according to the police commander of Bushehr province. The seven women were reportedly involved in operating businesses: one woman worked as a model, four others were involved in creating media content, and two others served as photographers.

The police official stated that, following orders from judicial authorities, the eight social media pages associated with these women were taken down. The report did not specify the identities of the detainees or their current location.

Since April 13, 2024, Iran’s police have increased enforcement of hijab regulations as part of the national action plan “Nour.” Reports suggest instances of arrests and use of force against women deemed to be improperly dressed.

Sister of Killed Protester Nika Shakarami Arrested for Hijab Non-Compliance

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Aida Shakarami, Nasrin Shakarmi, Nika Shakarami, آیدا شاکرمی, نیکا شاکرمی

Nasrin Shakarmi, mother of Nika Shakarami, who was killed at the hands of regime forces during the 2022 nationwide protests, has disclosed that her other daughter, Aida, was detained by Tehran’s Morality Police for non-compliance with hijab regulations.

“Yesterday, Tehran’s Morality Police arrested my daughter, Aida, for not adhering to compulsory hijab. She remains in custody,” Nasrin Shakarmi stated.

The location of Aida Shakarami’s detention and the specific allegations against her are currently undisclosed.
Nika Shakarami, aged sixteen and from Khorramabad, was tragically killed on September 21, 2022, during protests in Tehran.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

IRGC Detains Two Individuals in Miandoab After Nowruz Celebration

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
irgc, Miandoab, Mohsen Ghader-Rash, Nowruz, Omid Ghader-Nejad

According to Kurdpa, on April 17, 2024, Mohsen Ghader-Rash and Omid Ghader-Nejad were arrested after being summoned to the IRGC Intelligence office in Miandoab and subsequently transferred to the city’s prison.

Ghader-Rash, 30, and Ghader-Nejad, 28, were allegedly summoned and detained for participating in the Nowruz celebration gathering.

Security Forces Detain Three Individuals in Sarvabad, Kurdistan Province

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Ali Hosseini, Kurdistan Province, Omar Hosseini, Omid Shahdad, Sarvabad

According to Kurdpa, security forces apprehended Omid Shahdad, Omar Hosseini, and Ali Hosseini in Sarvabad, Kurdistan province, on April 18, 2024, and subsequently transferred them to an undisclosed location.

Aged 37, 30, and 26 respectively, Shahdad, Omar, and Ali Hosseini hail from a village in Sarvabad County. The arrests were conducted at their residence without the presentation of any arrest warrant.

Details regarding the cause of their detention, their current whereabouts, and the specific allegations against them remain unknown at this juncture.

According to data collected by the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA in 2023, Kurdistan Province accounted for 8.3% of reported human rights violations, including instances of arbitrary detentions.

Reza Ramezanzadeh Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Spreading False Information

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Revolutionary Court of Tehran, Reza Ramezanzadeh

Branch 24 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran has handed down a one-year prison sentence to Reza Ramezanzadeh.

Issued on April 17, the verdict finds Ramezanzadeh guilty of “disseminating false information,” specifically related to “informing the public about the prisoners’ conditions.”

Confirming this development, a close associate of Ramezanzadeh informed HRANA that he was acquitted of “propaganda against the regime.”

Ramezanzadeh was arrested in late February 2024 following his appearance at the Evin Courthouse and was subsequently released on bail after three days.

This is not the first time Ramezanzadeh has faced arrests and convictions due to his activism.

 

Family of Fallahi Faces Eleven-Year Sentence on Political Charges

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Ardavan Fallahi, Arghavan Fallahi, Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Nasrollah Fallahi, Parvin Mirasan, Tehran, پروین میرآسان, نصرالله فلاحی

In a recent verdict from the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Parvin Mirasan and Nasrollah Fallahi, alongside their children, Ardavan and Arghavan, have been collectively sentenced to 11 years in prison on political charges.

Presiding over Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, Judge Iman Afshari delivered the verdict, condemning Parvin Mirasan and Nasrollah Fallahi to four years each for charges including “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” Meanwhile, Arghavan received a two-year sentence and Ardavan, one year.

According to a source close to the family, Parvin Mirasan and Nasrollah Fallahi are currently held in Evin Prison, while their children, who had previously been released on bail, have already served their terms, factoring in their detention period.

Reports obtained by HRANA indicate that this legal case involves 12 defendants, yet their identities and specifics remain undisclosed.

Ardavan Fallahi was apprehended in Isfahan on November 3, 2022, followed by the arrest of a family member the subsequent day. On February 12, 2023, they were transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran. Ardavan and Arghavan were granted release on bail pending legal proceedings, on January 3, 2024, and March 12, 2024, respectively.

Reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA in 2023 indicate a total of 193 cases in which Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, has been involved in issuing verdicts that infringe upon the human rights of defendants.

Journalist Dina Ghalibaf Arrested

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Dina Ghalibaf, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, دینا قالیباف

Dina Ghalibaf, a journalist and student at Shahid Beheshti University, was arrested by security forces on April 16 and transported to an undisclosed facility.

The arrest took place at Ghalibaf’s residence, with the responsible security institution currently unidentified.
However, Ghalibaf revealed on social media yesterday that she had been apprehended by the police at a metro station in Tehran, where she was taken to a room, subjected to electric shocks, and sexually assaulted.

Previously, Ghalibaf had been summoned by the university’s disciplinary committee for her involvement in a protest against the execution of several individuals in the “House of Isfahan” legal case.

Ghalibaf has contributed to various news agencies, including ISNA and Eghtesad Online.