Category: News

Prisoner Executed in Kerman Prison

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Kerman prison, Saeed Shokoohi

HRANA News Agency – On Sunday, May 4, a prisoner previously sentenced to death on a murder charge was executed in Kerman Prison.

The identity of the prisoner has been identified by Iran Human Rights as Saeed Shokoohi. According to the report, Mr. Shokoohi had previously been arrested on charges of murder and sentenced to death by the judicial authorities.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison officials 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.

Akbar Danesh Sararoudi Sentenced to Prison and Additional Punishments

Posted on by . .
News
Akbar Danesh Sararoudi, Isfahan, Mohammad Reza Tavakkoli

HRANA – Branch 1 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court has sentenced political activist Akbar Danesh Sararoudi to three years in prison and additional penalties. The prison sentence has been suspended for four years.

According to HRANA, the verdict was issued on April 29, 2025, by Judge Mohammad Reza Tavakkoli and officially delivered to Mr. Danesh Sararoudi today, Wednesday, May 7. He was sentenced to one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime” for calling for a protest on February 13, and two years in prison for “insulting the Supreme Leader.” His additional penalties include a ban on media activity, a travel ban, and the confiscation of his mobile phone.

If the current verdict becomes final, a previously suspended three-year sentence from a separate case involving similar charges may also be enforced.

Akbar Danesh Sararoudi was released from Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan on February 19, 2025, after posting bail. He had been arrested earlier that month in connection with a call to protest on February 13, marking opposition to the continued house arrest of three prominent political figures.

Sararoudi, a political and media activist based in Isfahan, has previously faced arrest and legal action over his activism.

Drug-Related Offenses: Prisoner Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar prison, Karaj, Ruhollah Moradiani

HRANA – At dawn today, Wednesday, May 7, a prisoner previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges was executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

HRANA has confirmed the identity of the executed prisoner as Ruhollah Moradiani. He had been arrested on charges related to drug offenses and later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and responsible institutions have not officially announced the execution.

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, over 52 percent of executed prisoners had been convicted on drug-related charges. Over the past ten years, individuals convicted of drug trafficking have accounted for 40 percent of all executions. Unfortunately, HRANA’s statistics show no progress in reducing executions for drug-related offenses.

Appeals Court Upholds Prison and Exile Sentence for Mehrdad Moghiseh

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Darmian, Mehrdad Moghiseh, Razavi Khorasan Province, Sabzevar

HRANA – The Appeals Court of Razavi Khorasan Province has upheld the sentence of Mehrdad Moghiseh, confirming seven months and 15 days in prison and one year of exile.

According to information obtained by HRANA, the ruling—originally issued by Branch 1 of the Sabzevar Revolutionary Court—convicted Moghiseh of “propaganda against the regime” and sentenced him to imprisonment and exile to the town of Darmian. The appeals court affirmed the verdict without modification. His trial took place on March 11, 2025.

Mehrdad Moghiseh was among those arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests in Sabzevar. He has previously faced arrest and conviction related to his activism.

Execution of Three Prisoners in Shiraz, Arak, and Zanjan

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Arak, Hossein Rafieinia, HRANA, Mehdi Khani, Mohsen Raisi, Shiraz, zanjan

HRANA News Agency – On May 6, two prisoners were executed in the prisons of Zanjan and Arak on charges of murder and rape, respectively. Additionally, on Sunday, May 4, a prisoner was executed in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz on murder charges.

HRANA has identified the individual executed on Sunday as Mohsen Raisi. According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Raisi had previously been sentenced to death by the criminal court for murder.

Yesterday, Mehdi Khani, 21, was hanged in Arak Prison. Based on HRANA’s information, Mr. Khani had earlier been arrested on charges of rape and sentenced to death by the criminal court.

On the same day, the execution of a prisoner named Hossein Rafieinia was carried out in Zanjan Prison. According to HRANA’s findings, Mr. Rafieinia had previously been arrested for murder and sentenced to death by the criminal court.

As of the time of this report’s publication, none of these executions have been officially announced by prison officials or relevant authorities.

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.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Rasht Revolutionary Court Sentences Poet Peyman Farah-Avar to Death

Posted on by . .
Executions, News, Prisoners
Ahmad Darvish Goftar, Amin Farahavar, Baghi, HRANA, Lakan prison, moharebeh, Peyman Farah-Avar, Peyman Farahavar

HRANA News Agency – Peyman (Amin) Farah-Avar (Farahavar), a poet from Gilan currently held in Lakan Prison in Rasht, has been sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the sentence was issued by Judge Ahmad Darvish Goftar and is based on charges of “baghi” (armed rebellion against the state) and “moharebeh” (enmity against God).

A source close to Farahavar’s family confirmed the ruling and told HRANA: “The charges are based on his poetry and protest-related activities focused on social justice and civil rights. His trial was held behind closed doors, without access to a chosen lawyer, and the verdict was issued without due process or transparency.”

The court session took place on May 1, 2025, at the mentioned branch. Specific evidence cited in the charges has not been made public.

Farah-Avar was arrested by security forces in September 2024 and taken to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility. He was later transferred to Lakan Prison following the interrogation phase.

A father of a 10-year-old boy, Peyman (Amin) Farah-Avar has previously been detained for his activism.

Mehdi Tavakoli Zaniani Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison and Flogging Following Sentence Consolidation

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
HRANA, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Mehdi Tavakoli Zaniani, Shahr-e Kord, مهدی توکلی زانیانی

HRANA News Agency – Mehdi Tavakoli Zaniani, a political prisoner held in Shahr-e Kord Prison, has been sentenced to eight years in prison and 74 lashes following the consolidation of his sentences.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the sentence was issued by Branch 1 of the Criminal Court One of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province.

A source close to Tavakoli’s family confirmed to HRANA that the verdict was issued on charges of insulting the Prophet of Islam (Sab al-Nabi), insulting the Supreme Leader, insulting sacred beliefs, and propaganda against the regime. He received:

5 years for insulting sacred beliefs
2 years for insulting the Supreme Leader
1 year for propaganda against the regime
74 lashes for insulting the Prophet

Previously, in two separate rulings—both later overturned by the case judge—Tavakoli had been sentenced by Revolutionary and Criminal Courts to 3 years and 10 months in prison and 29 lashes on the same charges.

Tavakoli was arrested on December 20, 2023, by IRGC Intelligence agents in Shahr-e Kord.

He is a specialist in painting and insulation for oil and gas projects.

Judicial Cases Filed Against Five Members of Adinezadeh Family

Posted on by . .
News
Abolfazl Adinezadeh, Ali Adinezadeh, HRANA, Marziyeh Adinezadeh, ابوالفضل آدینه زاده

HRANA News Agency – Judicial cases have been opened against Ali Adinezadeh, the father of Abolfazl Adinezadeh—a teenager killed during the 2022 nationwide protests—and four other members of his family.

In a public statement, Marziyeh Adinezadeh, daughter of Ali Adinezadeh, revealed that cases have been filed against herself, her parents—Ali Adinezadeh and Goldasteh Hosseini-Jahanabad—and two of her uncles. The charges include disturbing public order, spreading false information, causing public anxiety, intentional assault, and resisting law enforcement.

Marziyeh also shared an image of a court summons issued to her father, requesting his presence at Branch 118 of Mashhad Criminal Court II to respond to the allegations today.

Ali Adinezadeh had previously been summoned by the same judicial authority for a hearing related to the case in March 2025. He was released from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad in September 2024 on bail. His arrest had taken place in July 2024 after appearing before Branch 1 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Quchan.

Ali Adinezadeh, father of slain protester Abolfazl Adinezadeh, has previously faced judicial action. His wife Goldasteh Hosseini-Jahanabad and daughter Marziyeh Adinezadeh have also been previously detained in connection with security-related cases.

Background on the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The protests in Iran were triggered by the arrest of Mahsa Amini by the Tehran Morality Police for her improper hijab and her subsequent suspicious death on September 16. The demonstrations quickly spread across the country, with participants rallying against the performance, laws, and structure of the regime. Thousands of people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students, and civil rights activists, were arrested during the nationwide protests.

Azerbaijani-Turk Activists Kazem Safabakhsh and Saman Bidar Arrested in Qazvin

Posted on by . .
Ethnic Minorities, News
Azerbaijani Turk activists, irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Kazem Safabakhsh, Saman Bidar, Tabriz Prison

HRANA News Agency –On Friday, May 2, Azerbaijani-Turk activists Kazem Safabakhsh and Saman Bidar were arrested in Qazvin and transferred to the city’s prison.

A source close to the families confirmed the arrests and told HRANA, “The two were detained by IRGC Intelligence agents in connection with their support for the Tractor football team during a recent match. Following their arrest, both Safabakhsh and Bidar were transferred to Qazvin Prison.”

Saman Bidar had previously been released on bail from Tabriz Prison on March 13, 2025, after being arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents on March 1 of the same year.

Both activists have a history of prior arrests and convictions related to their activism.

In 2024, HRANA reported the arrest of 262 ethnic activists. Although the specific charges and reasons for these arrests remain unclear in many cases, given the security agencies’ longstanding pattern of conduct, it is believed that most were detained due to their advocacy for ethnic rights. At least 109 of these arrests were carried out without a warrant.

Special Clerical Court in Urmia Sentences Two Sunni Clerics to Prison

Posted on by . .
News, Religious Minorities
Hassan Khezri, HRANA, Salam Mahmoudian, Sardasht

HRANA News Agency –Hassan Khezri and Salam Mahmoudian, two Sunni clerics from Sardasht, have each been sentenced to two years in prison and a monetary fine by the Special Clerical Court in Urmia. The prison sentences were suspended.

According to a report by HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, the Special Clerical Court in Urmia issued the verdicts against the two clerics, sentencing each to two years in prison and paying a fine. The prison terms have been suspended.

The report does not specify the charges brought against Khezri and Mahmoudian.

Salam Mahmoudian is the Friday prayer leader of Boyuran-e Sofla (lower Boyuran) village, and Hassan Khezri is the Friday prayer leader of Boyuran-e Olya (upper Boyuran), both located in Sardasht County. The two were previously summoned to the Urmia Special Clerical Court in July of 2024.

HRANA’s compiled reports show that in 2024 alone, the Iranian regime’s judiciary sentenced 82 members of religious minorities to nearly 400 years in prison on charges solely related to their religious beliefs and sharing those beliefs. This alarming figure highlights the regime’s relentless persecution of religious communities through its judicial system.