Category: News

Five Christian Converts Sentenced to Prison

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News, Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Aida Najaflou, Evin Prison, Joseph Shahbazian, Lida Alek-Sani, Lida Aleksani, Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh

HRANA – Five Christian converts, four of whom have been identified as Aida Najaflou, Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, Joseph Shahbazian, and Lida Alek-Sani, have been sentenced by the Tehran Revolutionary Court to a total of 55 years in prison.

According to Article 18, Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh and Joseph Shahbazian were each sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Lida Alek-Sani received eight years. Aida Najaflou was sentenced to a total of 17 years by the same court.

Article 18 did not provide further details regarding the identity of the fifth Christian convert but stated that this individual has also been sentenced to 10 years in prison in this case.

The first hearing for the charges against Aida Najaflou, Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, and Joseph Shahbazian was held on September 6 at Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Abolghasem Salavati. These Christian converts defended themselves against the charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “acting against national security.” The second hearing took place on October 21 at the same branch.

The indictment for this case was issued on June 10, 2025 by the Evin Prosecutor’s Office. In the prosecutor’s final decision, activities such as establishing, operating, and leading a house church, holding evangelical Christian gatherings, and performing religious rites such as water baptism and communion were cited as examples of the alleged offenses.

On May 13 of this year, Lida Alek-Sani was released from Evin Prison on bail. She had been arrested in April at her home by Ministry of Intelligence agents.

On April 13 of this year, Aida Najaflou was transferred from The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison, to the women’s ward of the same prison, where she remains in custody. Her arrest took place on February 6, 2025, by security forces.

Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh and Joseph Shahbazian, who were arrested on the same date and transferred to Evin Prison, also remain detained there.

Both Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh and Joseph Shahbazian, Christian converts residing in Tehran, have previously been arrested and imprisoned for their religious activities.

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.

Two Kish Marathon Organizers Arrested Following Women’s Participation with Optional Hijab

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Cultural, Freedom of Expression, News, Women
Kish, Kish Marathon

HRANA – The Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Kish announced the arrest of two main organizers of the Kish Marathon.

According to Mehr News Agency, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Kish stated that two of the main organizers of the event were detained under legal orders in connection with the staging of the two Kish marathons. He added that one of the detainees is an official from the Kish Free Zone Authority, while the second is from the private company responsible for organizing the race. For both individuals, after the charges were formally communicated, bail orders were issued.

The Kish prosecutor continued: in addition to the bail orders, temporary judicial oversight orders were issued for the defendants under Article 247 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Under these orders, the government official is prohibited from employment in government offices, while the private-sector organizer is barred from involvement in sports management and organizing sports events.

On Friday, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Kish had announced the opening of a judicial case against the officials and organizers of the Kish Marathon, alleging “violations of regulations and law.”

On Friday morning, the Kish Island marathon was held with broad participation from women wearing optional hijab. Following the publication of videos and images from the race, media outlets aligned with security agencies reacted negatively.

Fars News Agency, which is close to security institutions, described the participation of women in the event as “non-compliance with Islamic norms” and “improper dress,” framing the marathon as an example of “immorality.” In its coverage, the agency used threatening language toward participating women and emphasized the need for judicial and administrative action.

Additionally, according to published reports, the Athletics Federation had attempted to prevent the event, citing “failure to observe religious standards,” but ultimately was unsuccessful in canceling it.

The identities of the arrested individuals have not been disclosed in this report.

Execution of Six Prisoners in Birjand

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Executions, News
and Ali Barahouei, Behzad Mezarzahi, Birjand, HRANA, Mirzakhan Basati, Ramazan Deldadeh

HRANA – Today, Tuesday, six prisoners were executed in Birjand Prison on charges related to drug offenses.

HRANA has confirmed the identities of three of them as Mirzakhan Basati, Behzad Mazarzahi, and Ali Barahouei. The identity of a fourth prisoner has been confirmed by Haal Vsh as Ramazan Deldadeh.

According to information received by HRANA, these prisoners had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts.

Further details, including the identities of the two other executed prisoners, are still under investigation by HRANA.

As of the time of this report, prison officials and relevant authorities have not announced these executions.

From the beginning of this year until the end of November, 2025, the Iranian regime has executed 1,594 people, marking an unprecedented increase compared to previous years.

Ahvaz: Two Citizens Arrested by Security Forces

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News, Other
ahvaz, HRANA, Mohammad Nisi, Reza Betarani

HRANA – Reza Betarani and Mohammad Nisi, two residents of Ahvaz, were arrested yesterday by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

Based on information received by HRANA, on Monday, December 8, plainclothes agents entered the homes of these citizens without presenting a judicial warrant and arrested them. Their homes were also searched by security forces.

As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the reasons for the arrests, their whereabouts, or the charges brought against Mr. Betarani and Mr. Nisi.

Reza Betarani has previously faced judicial actions and served prison time due to his activities.

Arbitrary arrests, transferring detainees to undisclosed locations, and leaving families in the dark about the fate of their loved ones are routine practices of the Iranian regime’s security agencies, such as the Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC Intelligence Unit. This pattern of behavior stands in clear violation of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.

Arrest of Three Citizens in Bukan by Ministry of Intelligence Agents

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News, Other
Bukan, Ghader Koleh, Kaveh Koleh, Semko Yousefi, بوکان

On Monday, December 8, Kaveh Koleh, Ghader Koleh, and Semko Yousefi, three residents of Bukan, were arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to Kolbar News, the arrests of Kaveh Koleh and Ghader Koleh were carried out without a judicial warrant by agents of The Ministry of Intelligence at their homes. After being detained, they were transferred to an unknown location.

Additionally, according to Kurdpa, Mr. Yousefi was arrested with the use of force by Ministry of Intelligence agents on one of Bukan’s streets.

As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the reasons for their arrests, their whereabouts, or the charges brought against these three citizens.

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Dual National Accused of Espionage

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News, Other
Alborz, Espionage, HRANA

HRANA – The Chief Justice of Alborz Province announced that an indictment has been issued in the case of an Iranian citizen who also holds citizenship of a European country, stating that the case is now open at the Karaj Revolutionary Court.

According to Mizan, the Chief Justice of Alborz Province stated that this Iranian citizen, who also holds the nationality of a European country, is accused of espionage for Israel. The case is currently under review by Branch 2 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court.

Hossein Fazeli-Harikandi, without mentioning the accused person’s identity, claimed: “After two years of communication and training by Mossad officers in the capitals of several European countries and the occupied territories, the defendant entered the country via air about one month before the 12-day war to carry out a mission.”

According to the Chief Justice, the arrest was carried out by Alborz IRGC Intelligence agents on the fourth day of the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. Fazeli-Harikandi also claimed that “certain complex espionage equipment and items” were discovered at the time of arrest.

Although combating espionage is not considered a human rights violation in itself, the Iranian government’s history of using such accusations as a tool against political dissidents, and the lack of clarity regarding the details and judicial process, has led such claims to be viewed with consistent skepticism.

At Least 30 Executions Reported Across Iran from December 2 to 7

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News
Citizen executed, HRANA

HRANA – Over the past several days, from Tuesday, December 2, to Sunday, December 7, the execution of at least thirty prisoners in various prisons across Iran has been reported by HRANA and other human rights organizations. This report outlines the details of these executions:

Tuesday, December 2

HRANA reported the following executions on this date:

• Two prisoners executed on drug-related charges in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz. HRANA has confirmed the identity of one of them as Hamed Kazari.
• Esfandiar Zakipour, executed on drug-related charges in Quchan Prison.
• Amir Reza Shah-Mohammadi, executed on murder charges in Zanjan Prison.
• Farshid Karami, executed on murder charges in Damghan Prison.

Wednesday, December 3

• Artam Ghafoori, executed on murder charges in Mahabad Prison.

Iran Human Rights Organization also reported the execution of a woman, Rana Faraj-Oghli from Tabriz, on charges of murdering her husband. She had been forced into marriage at age 16.

Saturday, December 6

According to HRANA, two prisoners were hanged in Karaj Central Penitentiary. Both had been arrested on murder charges and later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court. HRANA has confirmed the identity of one of them as Farid Zarei.

HRANA also reported the following executions on this day:

• Golkaram Gholami, executed on murder charges in Khorramabad Prison.
• Mansour Akhlaqi, executed on murder charges in Dezful Prison.
• Amin Panahizadeh, executed on murder charges in Sanandaj Prison.
• Yahya Miri and Salar Rezaei, executed on murder charges in Dizelabad Prison in Kermanshah.
• Davoud Dolatshahi, executed on murder charges in Borujerd Prison.
• Shahram Torkashvand, executed on drug-related charges in Hamedan Prison.
• Three prisoners executed on drug-related charges in Qazvin Prison; HRANA has confirmed the identities of two of them as Alimorad Ansari and Hossein Kocharí.

Sunday, December 7

Mizan, the Judiciary’s official news agency, announced that the death sentence of Mohammad Ghaffari, the primary defendant in the economic corruption case of “Rezaayat Khodro Taravat Novin Company,” was carried out this morning.

HRANA also reported the following executions:

• Golmirza Nejatí in Aligudarz Prison.
• Abbas Hosseini in Gorgan Prison.
• Yavar Farhadi in Khorramabad Prison.
• Masoud Ehsani in Bandar Abbas Prison.
• Ali Ashraf Khodaei in Saveh Prison.

All five had been sentenced to death on murder charges.

According to HRANA, the following individuals were also executed on drug-related charges:

• Nour-ol-Din Asgari in Arak Prison.
• Milad Mirzakhani in Semnan Prison.
• Khosro Ne’mati in Qom Prison.

Additionally, Hyrcani News reported that Farshid Jafarzadeh, 32, and Mehdi Rajabali-Zadeh, 26, were executed on murder charges in Lakan Prison in Rasht.

Except for the execution of Mohammad Ghaffari, the remaining executions have not been announced by prison officials or the responsible authorities.

From the beginning of this year until the end of November, 2025, the Iranian regime has executed 1,594 people, marking an unprecedented increase compared to previous years.

Three Additional Citizens Detained in Oshnavieh, Bringing Total to Five

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News, Other
Esmail Seyed-Mahmoudian, Hassan Shadikhah, Hirash Parnia, Oshnavieh, Showane Ebrahimi, Shuresh Sarruti, اشنویه

HRANA – With the addition of three more citizens identified as Esmail Seyed-Mahmoudian, Shuresh Sarruti, and Hirash Parnia, the number of people detained in recent days in Oshnavieh has risen to five. On December 4, Hassan Shadikhah and Showane Ebrahimi were also arrested in the city.

KolbarNews has reported the identities of the three newly detained individuals as follows:
Esmail Seyed-Mahmoudian, 45, an employee of the Agricultural Jihad organization and father of three; and Hirash Parnia and Shuresh Sarruti, both 28 and residents of Neliwan village, located in the Oshnavieh district.

According to the report, Hirash Parnia and Shuresh Sarruti were detained by security forces on Thursday, December 4, while Esmail Seyed-Mahmoudian was arrested a day earlier, on Wednesday, December 3, before being transferred to an undisclosed location. On December 4, authorities also arrested Hassan Shadikhah and Showane Ebrahimi in Oshnavieh.

As of this writing, no information has been made available regarding the reasons for these arrests or the detainees’ current whereabouts.

Arrest of Three Citizens Followed by Broadcast of Coerced Confessions on IRIB

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News, Other
HRANA, IRIB, orced confession

HRANA – IRIB News, in a newly released video report, announced the arrest of at least three citizens by forces of the Ministry of Intelligence, claiming they were members of an Iranian opposition group. The report also included footage of the individuals’ confessions, though the conditions under which these recordings were obtained remain unclear.

IRIB asserted that the three citizens had been in contact with an Iranian opposition group and were allegedly planning acts of sabotage inside the country.

The broadcast later aired a video showing the individuals confessing. In the footage, they state that they had been in communication with a member of an opposition group abroad who was allegedly preparing to send them weapons and ammunition. However, it is unknown under what circumstances these confessions were recorded or to what extent they were made freely and voluntarily.

The report provided no information regarding the identities, location of arrest, or current status of the three citizens.

In 2024, HRANA documented 28 cases of forced confessions extracted from prisoners. The practice of obtaining and broadcasting coerced confessions from political dissidents and protesters by the Iranian regime’s security apparatus is as old as the regime itself. In 2022, amid nationwide protests, the number of such forced confessions surged to 391 cases.

Iran Executes at Least 12 Prisoners Over Three Days Amid Surge in Executions

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Executions, News
Birjand, Bojnourd, Borazjan Prison, Bushehr, Iran, Kashan, Kashmar, Mahshahr, Malayer, Neyshabur, Shahr-e Kord

HRANA – Amid an unprecedented rise in executions in recent months in Iran, at least 12 prisoners have been executed over the past three days on charges of murder or drug-related offenses in various prisons across the country.

Tuesday, December 2
HRANA reported the executions of Fariborz Niazi on a murder charge in Malayer Prison; Mohammad Javad Aminpour on a murder charge in Ardabil Prison; Aziz Sheikhi on drug-related charges in Ferdows Prison; and Malek Gerayi on a murder charge in Ilam Prison.

Wednesday, December 3
According to HRANA, on this date the following executions were carried out:
Manouchehr Ahmadi, on a murder charge in Borazjan Prison
Mehran Chaboksavar, on a murder charge in Neyshabur Prison
Amin Mahdavi, on a murder charge in Mahshahr Prison
Majid Namjou, on a murder charge in Bushehr Prison
Siavash Khosravi, on drug-related charges in Kashan Prison
Saber Zahedi, on drug-related charges in Shahr-e Kord Prison
Karam Khoda Sepehri, on drug-related charges in Bojnourd Prison

Thursday, December 4
On this day, HRANA reported the executions of Rahim Mansouri, on a murder charge in Kashmar Prison, and Hossein Ali Yeganeh, on drug-related charges in Birjand Prison.

From the beginning of this year until the end of November, 2025, the Iranian regime has executed 1,594 people, marking an unprecedented increase compared to previous years.