Category: News

Protest Rapper Toomaj Salehi’s One-Year Sentence Upheld on Appeal

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Freedom of Expression, News
Amir Raisian, Iranian Rapper, Isfahan, Toomaj Salehi

The Appeals Court of Isfahan Province has upheld the one-year sentence for protest singer Toomaj Salehi, as reported by ILNA.

Amir Raisian, Salehi’s lawyer, revealed that the Court of Appeal dismissed their complaint against the initial verdict, rendering it final. Despite this setback, Raisian announced plans to pursue a retrial based on Article 477 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Salehi’s conviction for “propaganda against the regime” comes with additional consequences, including a two-year travel ban, the revocation of his passport, and mandatory participation in behavior management and knowledge skills programs.

Furthermore, Raisian clarified that this verdict is connected to a legal case initiated this year, stemming from the publication of a photo by Salehi.

He emphasized that Salehi faces an even greater challenge from a separate legal case dating back two years. On January 21, 2024, the Public and Revolutionary Courthouse of Isfahan indicted Salehi on multiple charges, including Baghi, an accusation of armed rebellion that carries the potential for severe punishment, including execution. In response, Raisian, expressed concerns about due process, labeling it as “unusual,” “illegal,” and “peculiar.” The Criminal Court has undertaken another part of this legal, adding more legal challenges to this protest rapper.

Journalist Nasrin Hassani’s One-Year Sentence Upheld on Appeal

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News, Prisoners
Bojnurd, Hossein Ghodrati, Nasrin Hassani, North Khorasan province, Siahat-e Shargh

The Appeals Court’s Branch 2 in North Khorasan Province has affirmed the one-year sentence for journalist Nasrin Hassani, a resident of Bojnurd.

Judge Hossein Ghodrati, presiding over the court, conveyed this verdict to Hassani. Initially, the Revolutionary Court in Bojnurd convicted her of “propaganda against the regime,” citing the publication of images and films on the Internet as an example of these charges.

Currently serving another sentence in Bojnurd Prison since February 4, Hassani was initially sentenced on November 11, 2023, by the Criminal Court of Bojnurd for “disseminating false information” and fined for alleged “non-compliance with Hijab in public.”

Nasrin Hassani, the managing editor of the weekly newspaper Siahat-e Shargh, is a single mother to a 13-year-old son.

It’s noteworthy that Hassani faced legal repercussions during the Mahsa Amini Protests in September 2022, having been arrested by security forces. She was subsequently released after a period of detention.

Execution of Iraqi National Inmate in Qom

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Executions, News
Abuzar Taher Arab, Iraq, Mosul, Qom prison

The Iran Human Rights Organization reported the execution of Abuzar Taher Arab, a 38-year-old Iraq-national inmate, in Qom prison on February 12.

Arab, hailing from Mosul, Iraq, had been convicted of murder three years ago.

As of the current writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets in the country have covered this execution. The absence of official information raises concerns regarding transparency and accountability in the execution process.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered the execution of  746 individuals. Out of these, 6 were carried out in public. Among the executed individuals whose genders were identified, 597 were male and 20 were female. Additionally, 2 juvenile offenders, defined as individuals under the age of 18 at the time of their alleged crimes, were also executed. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s annual report.

Appeals Court Confirms Six-Month Sentence against Political Prisoner Manoochehr Bakhtiari

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News, Prisoners
Manoochehr Bakhtiari, Manouchehr Bakhtiari, Pouya Bakhtiari, Qazvin, Qazvin prison

The Court of Appeal in Qazvin has upheld a six-month sentence against Manoochehr Bakhtiari, a political prisoner currently held in Qazvin Prison.

Judge Habibollah Amiri issued this verdict on February 13, 2024, citing “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran” as the grounds for the additional imprisonment.

The initial sentence was handed down by the Revolutionary Court of Qazvin on November 1, 2023.

Notably, as a punitive measure, Bakhtiari has been prohibited from making phone calls or receiving family visits since January 9.

Currently serving a three-year, six-month sentence in Qazvin Prison, Bakhtiari’s wife has raised concerns about his health, citing multiple ailments, and alleges that he is being denied access to medical treatment and furlough. She explained, “He endured a toothache for four months with infections spreading to his ears and eyes. Prison officials delayed his dispatch to a dentist every day until he had to extract his upper row teeth to alleviate the pain.”

Bakhtiari’s legal troubles began on April 29, 2021, when security forces forcibly arrested him at his residence in Tehran. Subsequently, the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to three years and six months in prison, along with a two-year, six-month exile and a two-year travel ban. Bakhtiari began serving this sentence in July 2021.

In a tragic and interconnected series of events, Bakhtiari’s son, Pouya, at the age of 27, was fatally shot by regime forces during the 2019 protests, also known as the Aban Protests, in Karaj. According to his sister and mother, Pouya succumbed to his injuries in the hospital after being shot in the head during the second day of the protest’s eruption.

Abdolrasoul Mortazavi Receives Two-Year Sentence in Prison for New Legal Case

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, Ayatollah Khamenei, Dastgerd Prison, Evin Prison, Rajai Shahr Prison

Political prisoner Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, currently serving an eleven-year sentence in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, has been handed an additional two-year sentence for a new legal case initiated while in prison.

Confirming the recent ruling, a source close to Mortazavi’s family informed HRANA that the Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced him to two years. The legal case was triggered by Mortazavi’s voice message titled “Joking with the world leader of the clowns,” recorded in Rajai Shahr Prison in April-May 2022.

In mid-August 2019, Mortazavi and 13 civil society activists penned an open letter urging Ayatollah Khamenei to step down, resulting in a 26-year prison sentence, with 11 years currently in effect. He is currently serving this sentence in Dastgerd Prison.

Additionally, Mortazavi was sentenced to an extra two years in absentia by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for alleged “propaganda against the regime and disturbing public order.”

An Iran-Iraq war-injured veteran, Mortazavi was initially incarcerated in Evin Prison. In March 2021, he was transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison and later, in the following year, exiled to Dastgerd Prison.

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Increased Pressure on University Professors; Identification of 95 Professors Barred from Teaching

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News, Students
Ahmad Shakarchi, Ahmad Soodagar, Ali Ahmadi, Ali Akbar Amini, Ali Sharifi Zarchi, Alireza Azad, Alireza Radmehr, Allameh Tabatabai University, Alzahra University, Ameneh Aali, Amir Maziar, Amirreza Rokn, Arash Bidollahkhani, Arash Raeisinejad, Arman Zakeri, Armita Seraj Zahedi, Azin Movahed, Aziz Nazarinejad, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Baharak Akhtardanesh, Bahonar University of Kerman, Behrouz Chaman Ara, Bijan Ghonchepour, Bijan Nayeri, Dariush Rahmanian, Dee Dokht Sadeghi, Elham Tavakoli, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Farshid Norouzi Roshanavand, Farzaneh Vahed Dehkordi, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Ghasem Azizi, Hamed Forouzani, Hamid Behrami Zadeh, Hamid Shans, Hamideh Khademi, Hasan Razmi, Hasan Taheri, Hossein Alaee, Hossein Heidar, Hossein Mosbahian, Hossein Tafazoli, Iman Emad, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Iran University of Science and Technology, Islamic Azad University of Parand in Tehran, Islamic Azad University of Qom, Islamic Azad University of Salmas, Islamic Azad University of Tehran, Javad Bashari, Karamollah Toolabi, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Keyhan Soleimannejad, Lili Azimi, Maham Miqani, Mahshid Gohari, Majid Zargham, Maqsoud Ranjbar, Masoud Alia, Mehdi Kalahi, Mehdi Khoie, Mehdi Motiee, Mehdi Shahabi, Mersedeh Eslami, Milad Azimi, Mina Matlab Nejad, Mohammad Ali Khosravi, Mohammad Ali Ranjkesh, Mohammad Bayat, Mohammad Dakhili, Mohammad Hossein, Mohammad Mehdi Oloumi, Mohammad Ragheb, Mohammad Rouhani, Mohammad Saadati, Mohammad Sadegh Ahmad Akhoundi, Mohammad Saeed Sheikh Rezaei, Mohammad Soltani, Mohammadreza Abazari, Mohammadreza Motamed, Mohammadreza Nazarinejad, Mohsen Baraheni, Mohsen Khalili, Mohsen Shahlaei, Morteza Kolahdooz, Mostafa Azarkhshi, Nader Haghighi, Navid Barzenje, Nayeresadat Mobinipour, Neda Toulai, Pantea Vaeznia, Pouya Arianpour, Rahleh Alimoradzadeh, Rasoul Akbarlou, Reham Afghani, Reza Omidi, Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri, Shahid Beheshti University, Shahram Abbasi, Shahram Kiaei, Shahriar Nafisi, Shamsi Abbas Alizadeh, Sharif University of Technology, Shirzad Azad, Somayeh Simet, Susan Safavardi, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran University of Art, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, University of Birjand, University of Gilan, University of Isfahan, University of Kurdistan, University of Mazandaran, University of Shiraz, University of Tehran, Vahid Eidgah, Zahra Ahmadi Nejad, Zahra Noei

HRANA News Agency – Universities in Iran have witnessed significant changes in higher education policies. Since January 2022, a considerable number of university professors in various cities have been removed from teaching. HRANA has so far identified 95 of these professors who, during this period, have faced dismissal, suspension, non-renewal of contracts, and forced retirement. Additionally, reports have emerged about the removal of tens of thousands of part-time university professors from the Islamic Azad University and several other university professors, whose identities are currently under investigation by HRANA.

According to reports collected by HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists (in Iran), January/February 2022 to the present, the country’s universities have witnessed the dismissal, suspension, non-renewal of contracts, and forced retirement of a large number of their faculty members.

This report, examining the situation of university professors in various Iranian cities, confirms that at least 95 university professors have so far been deprived of their teaching activities for reasons including dismissal, suspension, non-renewal of contracts, and forced retirement. These events, some of which may be due to support for the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, indicate the increasing pressure being placed on the academic community in Iran.

Furthermore, reports have been received about the elimination of tens of thousands of part-time professors from the Islamic Azad University and several other university professors. These actions, whose exact identities are still under review, in addition to having direct effects on the professional lives of the professors, could have serious consequences on the quality of higher education and the scientific atmosphere of the country.

This wave of changes not only rings alarm bells for academic independence and freedom of expression in university environments but also calls for immediate attention and action by the international community. This report aims to expose these events, paving the way for further investigations and more effective actions in support of the rights of Iranian professors and students.

Below is a list of the names of professors who have been barred from teaching in the past two years, and whose identities have been verified.

1- Professor’s name: Mersedeh Eslami – Educational institution: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
2- Professor’s name: Mohsen Khalili – Educational institution: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
3- Professor’s name: Shahram Abbasi – Educational institution: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
4- Professor’s name: Mehdi Kalahi – Educational institution: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
5- Professor’s name: Alireza Azad – Educational institution: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
6- Professor’s name: Mahshid Gohari – Educational institution: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
7- Professor’s name: Arash Bidollahkhani – Educational institution: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
8- Professor’s name: Shirzad Azad – Educational institution: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
9- Professor’s name: Reza Omidi – Educational institution: University of Tehran
10- Professor’s name: Arash Raeisinejad – Educational institution: University of Tehran
11- Professor’s name: Hossein Alaee – Educational institution: University of Tehran
12- Professor’s name: Maham Miqani – Educational institution: University of Tehran
13- Professor’s name: Mohsen Baraheni – Educational institution: University of Tehran
14- Professor’s name: Dariush Rahmanian – Educational institution: University of Tehran
15- Professor’s name: Vahid Eidgah – Educational institution: University of Tehran
16- Professor’s name: Javad Bashari – Educational institution: University of Tehran
17- Professor’s name: Milad Azimi – Educational institution: University of Tehran
18- Professor’s name: Lili Azimi – Educational institution: University of Tehran
19- Professor’s name: Ghasem Azizi – Educational institution: University of Tehran
20- Professor’s name: Hossein Mosbahian – Educational institution: University of Tehran
21- Professor’s name: Azin Movahed – Educational institution: University of Tehran
22- Professor’s name: Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Tehran
23- Professor’s name: Susan Safavardi – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Tehran
24- Professor’s name: Ali Akbar Amini – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Tehran
25- Professor’s name: Alireza Radmehr – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Tehran
26- Professor’s name: Hossein Tafazoli – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Tehran
27- Professor’s name: Dee Dokht Sadeghi – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Tehran
28- Professor’s name: Mohammad Ali Khosravi – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Tehran
29- Professor’s name: Bijan Nayeri – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Tehran
30- Professor’s name: [First name unknown] Sajedi – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Tehran
31- Professor’s name: Farshid Norouzi Roshanavand – Educational institution: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran
32- Professor’s name: Hamid Behrami Zadeh – Educational institution: Allameh Tabataba’i University
33- Professor’s name: Zahra Noei – Educational institution: Allameh Tabataba’i University
34- Professor’s name: Elham Tavakoli – Educational institution: Allameh Tabataba’i University
35- Professor’s name: Ali Ahmadi – Educational institution: Allameh Tabataba’i University
36- Professor’s name: Mehdi Khoie – Educational institution: Allameh Tabataba’i University
37- Professor’s name: Mina Matlab Nejad – Educational institution: Babol University of Medical Sciences
38- Professor’s name: Hasan Taheri – Educational institution: Babol University of Medical Sciences
39- Professor’s name: Mohsen Shahlaei – Educational institution: Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences
40- Professor’s name: Mehdi Shahabi – Educational institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
41- Professor’s name: Shahriar Nafisi – Educational institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
42- Professor’s name: Hasan Razmi – Educational institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
43- Professor’s name: Hossein Heidar – Educational institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
44- Professor’s name: Mohammad Saeed Sheikh Rezaei – Educational institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
45- Professor’s name: Ahmad Soodagar – Educational institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
46- Professor’s name: Mohammad Sadegh Ahmad Akhoundi – Educational institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
47- Professor’s name: Amirreza Rokn – Educational institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
48- Professor’s name: Mohammad Bayat – Educational institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
49- Professor’s name: Karamollah Toolabi – Educational institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
50- Professor’s name: Zahra Ahmadi Nejad – Educational institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
51- Professor’s name: Mohammadreza Motamed – Educational institution: Iran University of Medical Sciences
52- Professor’s name: Morteza Kolahdooz – Educational institution: Iran University of Medical Sciences
53- Professor’s name: Mohammad Rouhani – Educational institution: Iran University of Medical Sciences
54- Professor’s name: Rahleh Alimoradzadeh – Educational institution: Iran University of Medical Sciences
55- Professor’s name: Mohammadreza Abazari – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Qom
56- Professor’s name: Maqsoud Ranjbar – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Qom
57- Professor’s name: Hamed Forouzani – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Qom
58- Professor’s name: Nayeresadat Mobinipour – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Qom
59- Professor’s name: Farzaneh Vahed Dehkordi – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Qom
60- Professor’s name: Nader Haghighi – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Qom
61- Professor’s name: Mohammad Ali Ranjkesh – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Qom
62- Professor’s name: Mohammad Dakhili – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Qom
63- Professor’s name: Majid Zargham – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Qom
64- Professor’s name: Shahram Kiaei – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Qom
65- Professor’s name: Bijan Ghonchepour – Educational institution: Tehran University of Art
66- Professor’s name: Rasoul Akbarlou – Educational institution: Tehran University of Art
67- Professor’s name: Pouya Arianpour – Educational institution: Tehran University of Art
68- Professor’s name: Hamid Shans – Educational institution: Tehran University of Art
69- Professor’s name: Mohammad Hossein – Educational institution: Tehran University of Art
70- Professor’s name: Iman Emad – Educational institution: Tehran University of Art
71- Professor’s name: Masoud Alia – Educational institution: Tehran University of Art
72- Professor’s name: Amir Maziar – Educational institution: Tehran University of Art
73- Professor’s name: Arman Zakeri – Educational institution: Tarbiat Modares University
74- Professor’s name: Somayeh Simet – Educational institution: Tarbiat Modares University
75- Professor’s name: Navid Barzenje – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Parand in Tehran
76- Professor’s name: Ahmad Shakarchi – Educational institution: Shahid Beheshti University
77- Professor’s name: Mostafa Azarkhshi – Educational institution: Shahid Beheshti University
78- Professor’s name: Mohammad Ragheb – Educational institution: Shahid Beheshti University
79- Professor’s name: Ameneh Aali – Educational institution: Shahid Beheshti University
80- Professor’s name: Hamideh Khademi – Educational institution: Shahid Beheshti University
81- Professor’s name: Pantea Vaeznia – Educational institution: Alzahra University
82- Professor’s name: Neda Toulai – Educational institution: Alzahra University
83- Professor’s name: Reham Afghani – Educational institution: Sharif University of Technology
84- Professor’s name: Ali Sharifi Zarchi – Educational institution: Sharif University of Technology
85- Professor’s name: Shamsi Abbas Alizadeh – Educational institution: Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
86- Professor’s name: Keyhan Soleimannejad – Educational institution: Islamic Azad University of Salmas
87- Professor’s name: Behrouz Chaman Ara – Educational institution: University of Kurdistan
88- Professor’s name: Armita Seraj Zahedi – Educational institution: Iran University of Science and Technology
89- Professor’s name: Mohammad Saadati – Educational institution: University of Birjand
90- Professor’s name: Mohammadreza Nazarinejad – Educational institution: University of Gilan
91- Professor’s name: Aziz Nazarinejad – Educational institution: University of Shiraz
92- Professor’s name: Baharak Akhtardanesh – Educational institution: Bahonar University of Kerman
93- Professor’s name: Mohammad Mehdi Oloumi – Educational institution: Bahonar University of Kerman
94- Professor’s name: Mehdi Motiee – Educational institution: Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, University of Isfahan
95- Professor’s name: Mohammad Soltani – Educational institution: Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, University of Isfahan

Among the professors listed, Navid Barzenje, who held a Ph.D. in Art Philosophy and was a former professor at the Islamic Azad University of Parand in Tehran, committed suicide and died in Dey of this year (Dec 22 – Jan 20) after being dismissed from the university. To better understand the number of professors who have been barred from teaching at various universities, see the statistical chart below, which represents the statistics of education deprivation by institution.

Recent reports published by official Iranian media indicate that the Islamic Azad University has seen a widespread removal of part-time professors from its faculty. Etemad newspaper reported in the current month of Aban that in just twenty days, more than 32,000 part-time professors had been removed from their positions at this university, which has prompted widespread reactions. These actions have been taken in the wake of last year’s protests and amidst a backdrop of political and social tensions. The Ministry of Interior of Iran has accused the dismissed professors of “politicization,” while the Ministry of Science has attributed the dismissal of some of these individuals to “negative responses from inquiries to security institutions and bodies.” Analyses suggest that criticisms and protests against government policies could be among the main reasons for these dismissals.

Reactions to the widespread dismissal of professors extend beyond public opinion and the media to include officials, institutions, and the academic community. Various organizations and entities, including the Iranian Writers’ Association, student syndicates, and university professors’ syndicates, as well as prominent political figures, have condemned these actions and interpreted them as a sign of the intensification of a repressive atmosphere in universities. HRANA news agency, on the eve of the anniversary of the nationwide protests of 1401, had also drawn attention to the increasing pressures on the academic community in Iran by publishing a statistical report.

These reports and reactions raise deep concerns about the trend of dismissal and suspension of university professors in Iran and re-emphasize the importance of supporting academic freedoms and expression in university environments. These events, which have a significant impact on the country’s academic community, necessitate immediate attention and action by the international community to support educational standards and human rights in Iran.

 

For more information please contact Skylar Thompson, Director of Global Advocacy and Accountability at Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) skylar[at]hramail.com

 

Khoda-Karami Brothers Receive Combined 12-Year Prison Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, HRANA, Khoda-Karami, Mehdi Khoda-Karami, Mohammad Khoda-Karami, Mujahedin-e-Khalq

Mohammad and Mehdi Khoda-Karami have been sentenced by the Khorramabad Revolutionary Court.

According to a reliable source close to HRANA, the Revolutionary Court has handed down sentences of eight years for Mohammad and four years for Mehdi. The charges include “membership in an anti-regime group (The People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran, or the Mujahedin-e-Khalq)” and “assembly and collusion to act against national security.”

Originally arrested in Tehran last year, these Khorramabad residents were initially held in Evin Prison before being transferred to Khorramabad Prison.

Reports obtained by HRANA reveal that the Khoda-Karami brothers were subjected to physical assault during the interrogation. Additionally, throughout their detention, they were denied access to medical care despite suffering from multiple diseases.

Sunni Cleric Mohammad Khezr-Nejad Receives Death Sentence

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Executions, Freedom of Expression, News
Asa'ad Rahimi, Bukan, Kurdpa, Mohammad Khezr-Nejad, Mohammad Khezrnejad, Urmia, West Azerbaijan Province

In a recent development, Sunni cleric Mohammad Khezr-Nejad has been sentenced to death by Branch 3 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court. The charges against him include “spreading corruption on earth” and “acting against national security,” as reported by Kurdpa.

Judge Reza Najafzadeh issued the ruling, finding Khezr-Nejad guilty of various offenses, such as “spreading corruption on earth,” “acting against national security through threatening the integrity or independence of the country,” and “propaganda against the regime.” Consequently, he has been handed a death sentence along with 16 years of imprisonment. Throughout the trial, Khezr-Nejad has consistently dismissed these charges as baseless.

The verdict was reached based on coerced confessions obtained from the defendant during interrogation, where he purportedly admitted to “leading protests in Bukan and association with anti-regime groups.” Khezr-Nejad has contested the authenticity of these confessions.

In response to the sentencing, Khezr-Nejad has reportedly filed an appeal with the Court of Appeal of West Azerbaijan province.

The cleric and his son were arrested on November 19, 2022, by security forces in Bukan and subsequently detained in Urmia Prison. The arrest occurred after Khezr-Nejad delivered a speech during the funeral of Asa’ad Rahimi, who lost his life during protests at the hands of regime forces. The arrest involved physical assault against Khezr-Nejad.

It’s worth noting that Khezr-Nejad has faced previous arrests and convictions due to his activism.

Safa Aeli, Mahsa Amini’s Uncle, Sentenced to Imprisonment and Additional Penalties

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Freedom of Expression, News
Javad Mostafaie, Mahsa Amini, Safa Aeli, Saleh Nikbakht, Saqqez

Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Saqqez handed down a five-year, six-month prison term and additional penalties to Safa Aeli, maternal uncle of Mahsa Amini.

Aeli received a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence for charges related to “assisting in assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” In addition, he has been prohibited from leaving the country for two years and mandated to write an article focusing on the topic of the deceased police and military forces.

Confirming this news, Aeli’s lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht informed HRANA that three years and six months of this sentence is enforceable. On September 5, 2023, security forces arrested Safa Aeli. He was released on bail from Saqqez Prison on October 17, 2023. He was denied access to a lawyer and family visits during his detention.

Background on the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hijab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. Protesters came to the streets with the central slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in protest against the performance, laws, and structure of the regime. During the nationwide protests, thousands of people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students, and civil rights activists, were arrested. Additional understanding can be acquired by examining the report provided by HRANA.

 

Mohammad Narui Receives 12-Year Prison Sentence for Alleged Membership in Anti-Regime Groups

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Mohammad Narooie, Mohammad Narui, Zahedan

The Revolutionary Court of Zahedan has sentenced Mohammad Narui (Narooie) to twelve years in prison, as reported by Haal Vsh.

Narui received this verdict on the grounds of alleged “membership in anti-regime groups,” although the specific actions leading to this charge remain undisclosed.

Narui, aged 22, a resident of Zahedan, was apprehended by the Ministry of Intelligence on April 8, 2023. During his detention in the Ministry’s facility, he was denied access to legal representation.

After Narui’s arrest, security-affiliated media released a video featuring his coerced confession. While the circumstances surrounding the video remain unclear, Narui is portrayed as a member of a militia group. However, the group promptly dismissed the regime’s claim, labeling it as baseless and untrue.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) documented 80 cases of forced confessions, highlighting violations of prisoners’ rights by security and judicial authorities.