Category: News

Ongoing Detention of Mehdi Farahi Shandiz; Reports of Assault During Arrest

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Labor and Guilds, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Farahi Shandiz, Mehdi Farahi Shandiz

HRANA News Agency – Mehdi Farahi Shandiz, a former contract teacher, remains in legal limbo in Evin Prison more than two weeks after his arrest. He was reportedly beaten by security forces at the time of his detention for chanting protest slogans.

A source close to his family told HRANA: “During the arrest, inside the van, Farahi Shandiz was beaten by security agents for chanting protest slogans. One officer applied intense pressure by sitting on his abdomen, causing physical injury.”

Farahi Shandiz has now spent 16 days in Evin Prison without due process, and efforts to release him on bail have so far failed.

He was arrested on May 1, 2025, during a teachers’ protest held in Tehran, coinciding with International Workers’ Day. At the same protest, retired teacher Hossein Ebadian from Malayer (now residing in Shahriar) and Ahmad Heydari were also detained but were later released on bail.

As of the time of this report, no formal charges have been announced against these union activists.

Farahi Shandiz has previously served prison time for his activism.

Prisoner Executed in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad

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Executions, News
Mashhad, Mohammad Ebrahim Esfandiari, Vakilabad prison

HRANA News Agency – On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

Iran Human Rights has identified the hanged prisoner as Mohammad Ebrahim Esfandiari, a resident of Mashhad. According to the report, he was arrested four years ago on charges of murder and later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Four Months of Uncertainty: Christian Convert Aida Najaflou Held in Evin Prison

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News, Religious Minorities
Aida Najaflou, Evin Prison, آیدا نجفلو

HRANA News Agency – Aida Najaflou, a Christian convert, remains in legal limbo nearly four months after her arrest, currently held in Evin Prison under temporary detention.

A source close to her family told HRANA: “Ms. Najaflou has been held in Evin Prison without resolution for almost four months. A bail of 11 billion tomans (approximately 130,000 dollars) has been set for her temporary release, but her family is unable to afford it.”

The source added: “She is the mother of two children, one of whom is ill and facing serious care issues in her absence. Before her arrest, she underwent spinal disc surgery and suffers from ongoing spinal problems that require continuous medical attention. The lack of proper care in prison has worsened her condition.”

On April 13, 2025, Aida Najaflou was transferred from Ward 209—The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility—to the women’s ward of Evin Prison. She was initially arrested by security forces in February 2025.

As of this report, the reasons for her arrest and the charges against her remain unknown.

Based on about 180 reports compiled by HRANA over the past decade, 11% of all victims of religious minority rights violations by Iran’s security-judicial apparatus were Christians—particularly Christian converts. In 2024 alone, Christians made up over 9% of those targeted.

Bukan: Two Citizens Arrested by Security Forces

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News, Other
Aziz Abdollahzadeh, HRANA, Omid Abdollahzadeh

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, Aziz and Omid Abdollahzadeh, two brothers from Bukan, were arrested by security forces in this city.

According to HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, on Thursday, May 15, 2025, two citizens were arrested by security forces in Bukan. The identities of the detainees have been confirmed as Omid Abdollahzadeh, 35, and Aziz Abdollahzadeh, 33, both residents of a village in Bukan county.

According to the report, Aziz Abdollahzadeh was arrested at his workplace in Bukan, without the presentation of a judicial warrant, while Omid Abdollahzadeh was detained after being summoned to the local office of the Ministry of Intelligence.

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

Over Three Months in Legal Limbo: Arghavan Fallahi’s Case Still Unclear

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News, Prisoners
Arghavan Fallahi, Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, ارغوان فلاحی

HRANA News Agency – Arghavan Fallahi, a Tehran resident, remains in legal limbo in Evin Prison more than three months after her arrest.

A source close to her family confirmed to HRANA: “Ms. Fallahi has been held in Evin Prison for over three months without clarity on her case. She has been under interrogation during this time, and the charges against her remain unknown. She is allowed one phone call with her family per month and has not been granted in-person visits.”

Arghavan Fallahi 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.

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

In 2024 alone, HRANA published 938 reports of prolonged detention of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience by the Iranian regime’s security and judicial apparatus. These extended detentions are often marked by solitary confinement, withholding information from families about the detainees’ whereabouts and condition, lengthy interrogation periods, and unclear charges and judicial procedures—forming a pattern of systematic abuse and due process violations.

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Appeals Court Upholds One-Year Prison Sentence for Fereshteh Souri

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Jahanian, Fereshteh Soori, Fereshteh Souri, Hamadan province, Hamedan, Nahavand

HRANA News Agency – The Court of Appeals in Hamedan Province has upheld a one-year prison sentence for Fereshteh Souri.

As stated in the verdict issued by Branch 11 of the Hamedan Province Court of Appeals, which was delivered to Ms. Souri, she has been sentenced to one year of imprisonment on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

In the preliminary stage, Souri and her husband, Ali Jahanian, were tried and convicted in March 2025 by Branch 1 of the Nahavand Revolutionary Court. Each was sentenced to one year in prison in Nahavand. After Ali Jahanian accepted the ruling, the judge reduced his sentence by only 18 days.

The couple was released on bail on November 11, 2024, after spending 64 days in detention.

A source close to the family told HRANA that “during her interrogation at the Ministry of Intelligence, Ms. Souri was subjected to verbal abuse and physical assault.”

Ali Jahanian, a poet and political activist based in Nahavand, has previously been arrested for his activism.

Prisoner Executed in Malayer Prison on Murder Charges

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Executions, News
HRANA, Malayer Prison, Mohammadreza Sabzi, ملایر

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Tuesday, May 13, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out in Malayer Prison, Hamadan province.

HRANA has identified the individual as Mohammadreza Sabzi. According to information received by HRANA, the prisoner had been arrested on murder charges and was later sentenced to death by a criminal court.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially confirmed by prison authorities or responsible institutions.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Prisoner Executed in Khorramabad Prison

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Executions, News
Behrouz Baharvand, HRANA, Khorramabad Prison

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Tuesday, May 13, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out in Khorramabad Prison.

HRANA has identified the individual as Behrouz Baharvand.

According to information received by HRANA, the prisoner had been arrested on murder charges and later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Fatemeh Sepehri Transferred from Vakilabad Prison to Hospital

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News, Prisoners
Hossein Sepehri, Mashhad, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, Vakilabad prison, فاطمه سپهری

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, Fatemeh Sepehri, a political prisoner, was transferred from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad to a hospital in the city due to poor physical health.

Ali Sepehri, Fatemeh Sepehri’s brother, stated that his sister was transferred to Shariati Hospital on Wednesday, May 14. According to him, the transfer was made due to severe heart palpitations, chest pain, and low blood pressure.

Mr. Sepehri added that Fatemeh Sepehri had also been transferred to a hospital some time ago by order of the prison infirmary. She was returned to prison just one day later after undergoing an echocardiogram.

In June of 2024, Sepehri and her brothers, Mohammad-Hossein Sepehri and Hossein Sepehri, were sentenced to a total of 18 years and six months in prison. The charges against her included “assembly and collusion against national security,” “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and “propaganda against the regime,” as well as an additional charge of “supporting a hostile government (Israel).”

Sepehri is currently serving a sentence from a prior case in Vakilabad Prison. She was temporarily released on medical leave on October 16, 2023, but was re-arrested at her home in Mashhad just three days later, and returned to prison.

In February 2023, the Mashhad Criminal Court sentenced her to an additional one year of imprisonment and a fine of 20 million tomans for “spreading falsehoods and disturbing public opinion.” She was also arrested on September 21 of that year at her home and transferred to Vakilabad Prison.

Fatemeh Sepehri is one of the signatories of a letter calling for the resignation of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In the initial trial, Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced her to five years of imprisonment, later reduced to three years and six months on appeal. In May, 2023, this sentence was conditionally suspended for five years, leading to her temporary release.

Prisoner Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

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Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar prison, Karaj, Reza Miri

HRANA News Agency – Today, Wednesday, May 14, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted on drug-related charges was carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

The individual hanged at dawn today has been identified by HRANA as Reza Miri.

According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Miri had been arrested on drug-related charges and was later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year — a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.