Update on Iranian-German Nahid Taghavi’s Condition in Evin Prison

HRANA, Human Rights Activists News Agency – Nahid Taghavi, an Iranian-German citizen, is currently serving her sentence in Evin Prison, where her health condition continues to deteriorate. She is being denied access to essential medical care despite her urgent needs.

Renowned human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, who has had the opportunity to observe Taghavi’s condition, expressed her concerns, saying, “This is the second time I have seen 68-year-old Mrs Taghavi in prison. The pain is evident on her face. She rarely leaves her bed, except to visit the prison infirmary to receive a strong pain reliever injection.”
On October 16, 2020, security forces arrested Taghavi at her residence in Tehran, subsequently subjecting her to solitary confinement in IRGC’s Ward 2A of Evin Prison. After enduring five long months in isolation, she was eventually transferred to the Women’s Ward within Evin Prison. Out of her 220 days of incarceration, she has spent a staggering 200 days in solitary confinement.

Since her arrest, she has undergone eighty interrogations, totalling nearly one thousand hours of questioning.
Ultimately, the Tehran Revolutionary Court, under the jurisdiction of Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced her to ten years and eight months in prison on charges of “accomplice in running illegal groups and propaganda against the regime.”

Despite suffering from severe spinal injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome, Taghavi has consistently been denied adequate medical care and the ability to make phone calls to her family, further exacerbating her already dire situation.

Maryam Jalal Hosseini and Fatemeh Tadrisi Go on Hunger Strike, Demanding Improved Prison Conditions

HRANA, Human Rights Activists News Agency- Maryam Jalal Hosseini and Fatemeh (Mojgan) Tadrisi, who have endured more than 24 days of detention in Qarchak Prison, have resorted to a hunger strike in protest against the dismal conditions they face behind bars.

According to an informed source, these women are currently confined in Ward 5 of Qarchak Prison, located in Varamin. On Sunday, May 28, they commenced the hunger strike to draw attention to the inadequate conditions within the prison and the prison officials’ refusal to transfer them to Evin Prison.

Jalal Hosseini was apprehended by security forces during a teachers’ protest on May 9, 2023, while Tadrisi was arrested in Baharestan Square in Tehran on the same day. It is important to note that Tadrisi had previously been arrested twice during the 2022 nationwide protests, spending one month in Kachooie Prison and some time in Evin Prison.

The specific allegations against these women remain unknown.

Three Political Prisoners Beaten by Prison Officials in Great Tehran Penitentiary

On May 25, 2023, political prisoners Meysam Dehbanzadeh, Reza Nowrouzi and Majid Roshan-Nejad were beaten by prison officers at Great Tehran Penitentiary.

On May 25, 2023, Meysam Dehbanzadeh, Reza Nowrouzi, and Majid Roshan-Nejad, political prisoners at Great Tehran Penitentiary, were subjected to a violent beating by prison officials.

Their legal representative, Erfan Karam Veisi, reported, “Yesterday, at approximately 11 am, my clients were assaulted by six prison guards in Ward Type 5. Dehbanzadeh endured repeated strikes from batons on his head and body. He was then shackled to a bar for an entire day. Despite his injuries, the prison infirmary only provided him with a pill and refused proper medical attention. Currently, he is held in another ward.

On May 3, 2023, they were transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison to Great Tehran Penitentiary. These prisoners had previously faced an attack from a violent crime prisoner on May 10, 2023.

Nowrouzi is presently serving a five-year sentence and received an additional punishment of 74 lashes and a fine in August 2022, for “disturbing prison order.”

Bahai Citizen Payam Vali Sentenced to Nine Years and Nine Months in Prison

Bahai citizen Payam Vali has been sentenced to nine years and nine months in prison by the Alborz Court of Appeals, with six years to be served. Previously, he had received a 16-year prison sentence.

The verdict, issued on May 10, 2023, states that Vali was given six years for “collaboration with adversary countries,” three years and one month for “inciting people to commit violence,” and eight months for “propaganda against the regime.” The first count carries an enforceable six-year prison term under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.
Initially, in February 2023, Vali had been sentenced to ten, five, and one-year terms for the aforementioned charges, respectively.

On September 24, 2022, security forces arrested Vali at his house in Karaj, searched the house, and detained him in Rajai Shahr Prison.

According to HRANA annual report, from the full human rights reports regarding the violation of religious minorities’ rights, 64.63% belonged to the violation of the rights of Baha’is.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian Constitution recognizes only Islam as the official religion, in addition to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Bahai faith is not considered legitimate by the authorities, and the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

Freedom of religion is a breach of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations Covenant holds that every person has the right to practice religion freely, freedom of converting to a religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

 

Update on Health Condition of Political Prisoner Hamzeh Savari in Rajai Shahr Prison

HRANA, Human Rights Activists News Agency- Hamzeh Savari Laftah, a political prisoner serving a life sentence in Karaj’s Rajai Shahr Prison, continues to face health challenges as he battles lung disease while being denied adequate medical care.

According to a reliable source interviewed by HRANA, SSavari has not received the necessary medical attention for his lung disease during his imprisonment.

The source added, “Last year, prison officials denied his request for temporary release to attend his mother’s funeral.”

Arrested at the age of 16 on September 2, 2005, Savari was initially sentenced to death by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court on charges of “spreading corruption on earth, enmity against God (Moharebeh), and acting against national security.” However, the sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.

Throughout his time in prison, Savari has been coping with various health issues, including knee lumps, lumbar disc problems, spinal issues, and varicocele.

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French Citizen Benjamin Briere Released from Iranian Prison

French citizen Benjamin Briere has been released from prison in Iran. Catherine Colonna, the French foreign minister, attributed the freedom of Briere to diplomatic negotiations between Iran and France.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting ISNA News Agency, French citizen Benjamin Briere was released from prison.

Today, Irish-French citizen Bernard Phelan was also released from prison. In a separate statement, Colonna revealed that she spoke with Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian about their release, and Brier and Phelan are on their way back to France.

In May 2020, Briere was arrested by security forces. According to Figaro, he was arrested for flying a small drone in a deserted area in Iran.

On January 25, 2022, after being detained for over 600 days in detention at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad City, Briere was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison for “espionage and propaganda against the regime” by Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad. Two other charges of “spreading corruption on earth” and “alcohol drinking” was dismissed by the court. In July of the last year, this verdict was upheld on appeal.

Three Members of Family Still Detained for over Six Months

HRANA, Human Rights Activists news agency- Nasrollah Fallahi, along with his son Ardavan and daughter Arghavan, has been detained in Evin Prison for over six months, with no clear indication of the charges they are facing or when legal proceedings may take place.

Attorney Erfan Karam-Veisi stated that his clients, Nasrollah Fallahi and his son Ardavan, are being held in Ward 4 of Evin Prison, while Arghavan is detained in the Women’s Ward. They were arrested amid the 2022 nationwide protests.

According to Karam-Veisi, the charges are still unknown. However, earlier, he had mentioned his clients’ charges as “enmity against God (Moharebeh),” “spreading corruption on earth through widespread actions against the country” and “assembly and collusion to commit a crime.”

The Investigation Office has held two sessions thus far, but the family has not been formally indicted.

Ardavan Fallahi, who is 24 years old, was arrested in Isfahan on November 3, 2022, followed by the arrest of his father, who is 66 years old, and his 22-year-old sister in Shiraz the next day. On February 12, 2023, they were transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran.

About the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. During the nationwide protests, about 19600 people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.

 

 

Mohammad-Reza Morad Behroozi Goes on Hunger Strike in Protest against New Charges

Mohammad-Reza Morad Behroozi, who is currently serving his sentence in Qazvin Prison, has recently started a hunger strike to protest against new charges brought against him while in prison. He is also being denied phone calls and family visitation.

In this new legal case, Branch 102 of the Criminal Court of Mohammadiyeh has sentenced Morad Behroozi to ten months for “disturbing public opinions” and eight months and ten days for “inciting people to act against public modesty.” He has also been banned from leaving the country for two years, and his cell phone has been confiscated.

His wife, Soori Babai Chegini, has also been sentenced to one month for “demonstrating a Haram act” and six months for “inciting people to act against public modesty,” and her cell phone has been confiscated as well.

The charges against them stem from publishing pictures without wearing Hijab on their personal pages on social media.

If these verdicts are upheld on appeal, Morad Behroozi will serve ten months in prison, while Babai Chegini will serve six months, in accordance with Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.

According to an informed source, Behroozi is facing a charge of “propaganda against the regime” in the second part of his legal case. He has also been charged with spreading falsehoods due to the dissemination of his voice recording from prison. This same source stated that Behroozi had been beaten by prison officials.

In protest against these new charges, Behroozi started a hunger strike.

Behroozi was arrested on August 21, 2021, at his house after posting a video on social media in which he criticized the Supreme Leader for banning Covid-19 vaccines from other countries.
In a trial held in absentia, Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Qazvin, headed by Judge Esmail Amini, sentenced Behroozi to one year in prison on the charge of “offensive statements against the Supreme Leader of Iran.”

 

 

Inmate Dies in Urmia Prison Due to Lack of Medical Care

On April 15, 2023, an inmate lost his life due to being denied medical treatment in Urmia Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on April 15, 2023, an inmate, identified by HRANA as Abdollah Badavi, died in Urmia prison due to inadequate medical care.

An informed source told HRANA that, suffering from heart and blood sugar diseases, Badavi asked many times for parole or medical furlough, refused every time by prison officials. Ultimately, he died from a stroke in prison.

“In two separate cases, Badavi was sentenced to death for drug-related crimes and two years for collaboration with anti-regime groups. After a while, his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment,” the source added.

Badavi was imprisoned for eight years.

The Department of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran in 2022 registered 4322 reports on deprivation of medical care and 20 deaths in prison due to illness.

Political Prisoner Nayeb Askari Sentenced to Death for Enmity Against God

The Branch 2 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court sentenced Nayeb Askari to death for “enmity against God (Moharebeh).”

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on April 15, 2023, Urmia judicial officials informed Nayeb Askari’s lawyer that his client had received a death sentence for the charge of “enmity against God (Moharebeh).”

Membership in a Kurdish opposition party was cited as an example of this charge.

On March 27, 2021, IRGC intelligence agents arrested Askari in Urmia and transferred him to a detention facility. On June 17, 2021, he was transferred to Urmia Prison, where he has been detained since.

According to sources close to his family, Askari has reportedly been in poor health during his detention. In February or January 2022, he suffered from a convulsion but was denied proper medical care. The prison infirmary was reportedly ill-equipped and in such cases suffices to the arbitrary prescription of a non-specific pill.

On July 12, 2021, a new case was opened against him following the complaint of the head of Urmia Prison. For this case, he was sentenced to three months more imprisonment and 50 lashes for the charge of “disrupting prison order”.