Category: News

At Least 10 Sunni Citizens Arrested in Ahvaz

Posted on by . .
News, Religious Minorities
ahvaz, Ali Cheldavi, Ebrahim Hamdani, Hadi Beit Sheikh Ahmad, irgc, Jafar Cheldavi, Kamal Batrani, Khaled Gharbavi, Loghman Batrani, Mostafa Cheldavi, Reza Savari, Sunni Citizens

HRANA – On Thursday, September 10, at least 10 Sunni citizens were arrested by IRGC Intelligence forces in the village of Aboudeh in Ahvaz.

According to HRANA, on Thursday, September 10, at least 10 Arab Sunni citizens were arrested in Ahvaz.

According to information received by HRANA, these Sunni citizens had gathered at the home of one of their friends in the aforementioned village for a meeting and were arrested while performing congregational prayers. The arrests were accompanied by gunfire, violence, and beatings by security forces.

The identities of nine of those arrested have been confirmed as Mostafa Cheldavi, Ali Cheldavi, Jafar Cheldavi, Ebrahim Hamdani, Hadi Beit Sheikh Ahmad, Reza Savari, Khaled Gharbavi, Loghman Batrani, and Kamal Batrani. The identity of the tenth detainee is still being investigated.

These citizens are between 45 and 50 years old and reside in the Pardis and Shahrak areas of Ahvaz.

Among them, Jafar Cheldavi and Hadi Beit Sheikh Ahmad had previously been arrested and faced judicial proceedings in connection with their activities.

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the charges brought against them.

Nasimeh Eslamzahi Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Amanj Karvanchi, Arsalan Sheikhi, HRANA, Nasimeh Eslamzahi, نسیمه اسلام زهی

HRANA – Nasimeh Eslamzahi, a Sunni security-related prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, Nasimeh Eslamzahi, a Sunni security-related defendant, has been sentenced to imprisonment.

According to a verdict issued by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, and communicated to Ms. Eslamzehi earlier this week, she was sentenced to 25 years in prison on the charge of “complicity in the crime of baghi (armed rebellion).” Her husband, Arsalan Sheikhi, and Amanj Karvanchi, another defendant in the case, had previously been sentenced to death on the charge of “baghi through membership in ISIS,” and their sentences were carried out.

A source familiar with the case confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “During the proceedings in her case, Nasimeh appeared at three court sessions before the aforementioned branch, presided over by Judge Salavati. She denied all the charges brought against her and emphasized that she had never been a member of or cooperated with any group.”

The source also addressed Ms. Eslamzahi’s access to legal representation, stating that various attorneys had sought to represent her during this period, but Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court refused to accept them, and proceedings in her case were conducted with a court-appointed attorney.

Previously, some state-affiliated media outlets had reported that Nasimeh Eslamzahi and two other defendants in the case had been sentenced to death, and this claim was also reflected in subsequent reports.

It should be noted that Ms. Eslamzahi had previously been sentenced to three years and six months in prison by a criminal court in another part of her case.

Nasimeh Eslamzahi was arrested along with her husband, Arsalan Sheikhi, in September 2023. During the prosecutorial stage, the couple were charged on suspicion of membership in the militant group ISIS. According to a source familiar with the case who spoke to HRANA, Ms. Eslamzehi was merely Arsalan Sheikhi’s wife and was present at their home when security forces arrived to arrest her husband; she was also arrested at the scene.

Nasimeh Eslamzahi is approximately 42 years old and is the mother of two daughters. Ayesha, the couple’s daughter, who was approximately two years old at the time of the arrests, was separated from her mother during the arrest, and the family was informed that the child had been transferred to the state welfare organization. After following up on the matter, Eslamzehi’s family succeeded in obtaining custody of Ayesha.

In late April 2024, Nasimeh Eslamzahi gave birth to her second child, Tasnim, in Evin Prison. The mother and newborn were held for 40 days in a solitary confinement cell under inadequate conditions, without proper ventilation or sufficient light, and were subsequently transferred to the quarantine ward.

Political Prisoner Souda Ebrahimi Shamsabadi Sentenced to Death

Posted on by . .
Executions, Freedom of Expression, News
Bandar-Abbas, Marzieh Ebrahimi, Souda Ebrahimi, سودا ابراهیمی شمس آبادی

HRANA – Souda (Marzieh) Ebrahimi Shamsabadi, a 32-year-old prisoner held in Bandar Abbas Prison who was arrested amid security developments related to the war, has been sentenced to death by the city’s Revolutionary Court on the charge of “corruption on earth.”

According to HRANA, Souda (Marzieh) Ebrahimi Shamsabadi, a political prisoner held in Bandar Abbas Prison who has multiple sclerosis (MS), has been sentenced to death.

According to information obtained by HRANA, the Bandar Abbas Revolutionary Court sentenced her to death on the charge of “corruption on earth,” in a case involving allegations including “insulting the Supreme Leader,” “media and propaganda activities against national security,” “intelligence and security activities on behalf of hostile governments,” and “photographing a military site and sending the images to Persian-language media outlets based outside Iran.” The court also ordered the confiscation of all her assets and barred her from government and public service.

Ms. Ebrahimi Shamsabadi, 32, was born in Arak, raised in Tehran, and resides in Bandar Abbas. She was arrested by security forces in April of this year amid security developments related to the war.

According to available information, authorities cited as evidence in her case that she had taken a photograph from a distance of the site where a missile had struck and sent the image to a Persian-language media outlet based outside Iran.

Marzieh Ebrahimi Shamsabadi also has several medical conditions. According to information obtained by HRANA, she has had MS for approximately six years and also suffers from psoriasis, narcolepsy, and gastric colic.

A source familiar with the prisoner’s situation told HRANA that Ms. Ebrahimi Shamsabadi is in poor physical condition and that her multiple concurrent illnesses have raised concerns about her health in prison.

Death-Row Political Prisoner Arghavan Fallahi’s Request for Retrial Rejected

Posted on by . .
Executions, News, Prisoners
Arghavan Fallahi, Evin Prison, HRANA, ارغوان فلاحی

HRANA – The Supreme Court has rejected a request for retrial filed by Arghavan Fallahi, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison who had previously been sentenced to death.

According to HRANA, citing Emtedad, the Supreme Court rejected the request for retrial filed by Arghavan Fallahi, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison.

According to the report, Ms. Fallahi’s request for retrial, which had been filed with one of the branches of the Supreme Court, was rejected by the judicial authority this week.

In July of this year, the political prisoner was sentenced to death on the charge of “baghi” (armed rebellion) by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, head of Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. In late August, her death sentence was upheld by Branch 41 of the Supreme Court.

Arghavan Fallahi, aged approximately 25, was arrested by security forces in late January 2025 and transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

Following the Israeli attack on Evin Prison in June 2025, she was first transferred to the Greater Tehran Prison and later to Qarchak Prison in Varamin. She was subsequently transferred back to Evin Prison.

Previously, a source familiar with the political defendant’s situation told HRANA: “Following her arrest, Ms. Fallahi spent some time detained in Wards 209 and 241 of Evin Prison under the supervision of the Judiciary’s Intelligence Protection Organization. During this period, she was subjected to severe psychological torture, and attempts were made to extract forced confessions from her in connection with the assassination of two judges, Mohammad Moghiseh and Ali Razini.”

Ms. Fallahi had previously been arrested along with her father by security forces in November 2022 and was later transferred to Evin Prison. She was subsequently sentenced to two years in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, on charges of “assembly and collusion” and “propaganda against the regime.” She was released from Evin Prison after completing her sentence.

Saba Sefidi, Baha’i Citizen, Arrested to Begin Prison Sentence

Posted on by . .
News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, HRANA, Saba Sefidi, Tehran, صبا سفیدی

HRANA – Saba Sefidi, a Baha’i citizen residing in Tehran, was arrested on Thursday, September 10, to begin serving her three-year-and-five-month prison sentence and was transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin.

According to HRANA,on Thursday, September 10, 2026, Saba Sefidi, a Baha’i citizen, was arrested by security forces outside her home in Tehran.

According to information obtained by HRANA, following her arrest, Ms. Sefidi was initially taken to the Jannat Abad Prosecutor’s Office and was subsequently transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin to serve her sentence.

A source familiar with the Baha’i citizen’s situation told HRANA that Ms. Sefidi was arrested despite having previously been granted a two-month period to report to authorities to begin serving her prison sentence.

In December 2023, Branch 36 of the Tehran Province Court of Appeals sentenced Ms. Sefidi to three years and five months in prison on the charge of “membership in groups opposed to the regime.” On appeal, she was acquitted of the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

At the initial trial stage, in November 2023, Ms. Sefidi had been sentenced to imprisonment by Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Ali Mazloum.

On January 11, 2022, Ms. Sefidi was arrested after appearing before Branch 2 of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office. She was released from Evin Prison on February 23, 2022, after posting bail of 1.5 billion tomans.

Over the past decade, Iran’s Baha’i community has faced more security and judicial actions than any other religious minority in the country. A review of HRA’s annual reports shows that, over the past year, an average of 62.41% of reports concerning religious minorities involved violations of the rights of Baha’i citizens.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Six Prisoners Executed in Prisons in Mashhad and Isfahan

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Dastgerd Prison, Fatemeh Jahangard, Hossein Ghasemzadeh, Isfahan, Mashhad, Mehrdad Mokhtari, Mohammad Yousef Issazahi, Mohammadreza Mohammadparast, Shahrokh Pour Esmaeili

HRANA – On Sunday, September 6, and Wednesday, September 9, six prisoners were hanged in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad and Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

According to HRANA, citing Iran Human Rights Organization, three prisoners were executed yesterday in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

The prisoners have been identified as Mohammad Yousef Issazahi (Rigi), 40, a father of five; Shahrokh Pour Esmaeili, 27; and Hossein Ghasemzadeh, 54, a father of three. Their death sentences were carried out at the prison.

According to the report, Issazahi was arrested approximately four years ago, Pour Esmaeili three years ago, and Ghasemzadeh approximately five years ago, in separate cases on charges related to drug offenses. They were subsequently sentenced to death by judicial authorities. The executions were carried out without their families being notified and without the prisoners being granted final visits.

The death sentences of three other prisoners, identified as Mohammadreza Mohammadparast, Fatemeh Jahangard, approximately 40 years old, and Mehrdad Mokhtari, 24, were also carried out at the prison.

According to Khorasan newspaper, in September 2022, following a dispute with his mother’s financial partner, Mohammadparast attacked the individual with a knife, a shovel, and a concrete block, resulting in the person’s death. Mohammadparast was arrested following the incident.

According to a report by Iran Human Rights Organization, Ms. Jahangard was arrested approximately five years ago on a charge of murdering her husband following a family dispute. Mehrdad Mokhtari was also arrested four years ago on a murder charge stemming from a fight. The two prisoners were subsequently sentenced to death by criminal courts.

Photojournalist Majid Saeedi Arrested by Security Forces

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Khoy Prison, Majid Saeedi, مجید سعیدی

HRANA – Security forces arrested photojournalist Majid Saeedi at his home in Tehran on Wednesday, September 9, and transferred him to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, security forces arrested Majid Saeedi in Tehran on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

Mehdi Saeedi, Majid Saeedi’s brother, announced in a post that his brother had been arrested at his home and that the family has no information about the reasons for his arrest or his whereabouts.

Majid Saeedi was previously arrested by security forces on August 25, 2021, while reporting on the situation of Afghan refugees in the border areas of Khoy County. At the time, he was accused of “photographing a border outpost.” He was ultimately released from Khoy Prison on September 12 of that year.

Mr. Saeedi began his professional career in photojournalism in 1990 and has previously worked with Shargh newspaper. He also received the Lucas Dolega Award for his photo series “Life in War,” which documented the lives of people in Afghanistan.

January 2026 Protests: Narges Heydari, a Resident of Izeh, Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
ahvaz, Izeh, January 2026 Protests, Narges Heydari, Sepidar Prison, ایذه, نرگس حیدری

HRANA – The Ahvaz Revolutionary Court sentenced Narges Heydari, a resident of Izeh who was arrested in connection with the January 2026 protests and is currently held in Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz, to five years in prison and additional punishment.

According to HRANA, Narges Heydari has been sentenced to imprisonment.

Under a ruling issued by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court and communicated to Heydari, she was sentenced to five years in prison on the charge of “acting against national security.” As an additional punishment, the court also ordered her to perform “enjoining good” for one year.

On January 19, 2026, Narges Heydari was arrested in Izeh by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Intelligence Organization in connection with nationwide protests.

Heydari, 38, is currently held in Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz.

Hossein Afrasiab Sentenced to More Than Three Years and Nine Months in Prison

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Dastgerd Prison, Hossein Afrasiab, HRANA, Isfahan, حسین افراسیاب

HRANA – The judiciary sentenced Hossein Afrasiab, a detained citizen currently held in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, to three years, nine months, and twenty days in prison.

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

A social media page attributed to the prisoner wrote: “Hossein Afrasiab was initially sentenced by the judiciary to five years and one month in prison. In the final ruling, his sentence was reduced to three years, nine months, and twenty days.”

Without providing further details, including the charges against the prisoner or the judicial authority that issued the sentence, the page stated that possession of satellite internet equipment (Starlink) was among the alleged grounds for the charges brought against Mr. Afrasiab.

On March 14, 2026, Hossein Afrasiab was arrested by security forces in Shahin Shahr and subsequently transferred to Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

HRANA’s inquiries regarding the judicial authority that issued the sentence and the details of this prisoner’s case remain ongoing.

January 2026 Protests: Report on the Latest Status of Aref Assar in Torbat-e Heydarieh Prison

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
HRANA, January 2026 Protests, Khaf, Torbat-e Heydarieh Prison, عارف حصار

HRANA – Aref Assar, a resident of Khaf and one of those arrested during the January 2026 protests, is currently serving his sentence in Torbat-e Heydarieh Prison. He had previously been sentenced at the initial stage to five years and one day in prison, which was reduced on appeal to two years and six months.

According to HRANA, Aref Assar is serving his sentence in Torbat-e Heydarieh Prison.

According to information received by HRANA, on August 8, 2026, Mr. Assar reported to Torbat-e Heydarieh Prison to begin serving his two-year-and-six-month prison sentence.

At the initial stage, he was sentenced by the Khaf Revolutionary Court to five years and one day of imprisonment. After the case was referred to the Court of Appeals, the sentence was reduced to two years and six months of imprisonment. During the proceedings, he faced multiple charges, including “propaganda against the regime,” “cooperation with hostile countries,” “espionage,” “disrupting public security,” “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and “links with opposition groups.”

An informed source close to his family told HRANA that no specific evidence against Mr. Assar was presented in his case and that a significant portion of the allegations against him was based on statements made by individuals who had reported him. The source added: “Mr. Assar was subjected to mistreatment and torture while in detention, which resulted in a dislocated shoulder. The injury has so far required him to undergo several surgeries on his shoulder.”

Aref Assar, 22, is a resident of Khaf County. He was arrested on January 8, 2026, during nationwide protests and transferred to Torbat-e Heydarieh Prison. He was released approximately one week later after posting bail of 500 million tomans.