Category: Prisoners

Nahid Shirpisheh Denied Family Visitations

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
irgc, Nahid Shirpisheh, Pouya Bakhtiari

Kachooie Prison has denied Nahid Shirpisheh the right to make phone calls or have family visitations. Shirpisheh, Pouya Bakhtiari’s mother, has been detained for the past two months.

An informed source told HRANA thatShirpisheh is held in the quarantine section and is not allowed to have visitors. 

On July 28, 2022, Shirpisheh was transferred to Kachooie Prison where she was held in the same ward of prisoners of violent crimes, where she has been mistreated. 

On July 11, 2022, security forces arrested the mothers of the individuals killed during nationwide protests in 2019 known as the Aban protests, including Shirpisheh. In a news article, IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency called these justice-seeking families “agitators and troublemakers”.

In November of 2019, an increase in fuel prices sparked a wave of protests in dozens of cities across the country. The spokesperson of the Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Seyed Hossein Taghavi, announced that 7000 people were arrested during these protests. According to reports from human rights organizations, hundreds were killed by the security apparatus.

 

Update on Naeb Askari’s Condition in Urmia Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Naeb Askari, Urmia prison

Naeb Askari is still in detention awaiting legal proceedings for more than 17 months in Urmia Prison. Despite suffering from neurological disorders, he is denied proper medical care.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Naeb Askari has been in pre-trial detention in Urmia Prison for more than 17 months.

According to an informed source, since Askari’s relocation along with other political prisoners to a new high-security ward in December 2021, he is denied medical care.  

In December 2021, Urmia Prison Officials relocated the political prisoners, including Askari, to a new high-security ward, after which the political prisoners went on a hunger strike.

On March 27, 2021, IRGC 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 jailed until now. He was also charged with “disrupting prison order.”

Inmate Executed in Khorramabad Prison; Twelve about to Be Executed in Karaj

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Karaj Central Penitentiary, Khorramabad Prison, Rajai Shahr Prison

On September 3, 2022, an inmate previously convicted of drug-related crimes was executed in Khorramabad Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on September 3, 2022, Korramabad Prison officials executed an unidentified inmate.

This execution has not been reported by official sources and media outlets inside Iran so far.

On August 31, nine death-row convicts were also sent to solitary confinement awaiting imminent execution in Rajai Shahr Prison. On September 4, in Karaj Central Penitentiary three death-row inmates were taken to solitary confinement as well. The identities and the charges against these inmates are still unknown.

 

Imprisoned Civil Rights Activist Behnam Moosivand Goes on Hunger Strike

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Behnam Moosivand, Evin Prison, Rajai Shahr Prison

On August 31, 2022, Behnam Moosivand who is imprisoned in Rajai-Shahr Prison went on hunger strike since he is kept in solitary confinement.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 31, 2022, Behnam Moosivand went on a hunger strike to protest against being held in solitary confinement.

An informed source close to Moosivand’s family told HRANA that he suffers from several diseases, but prison officials refuse to send him out of the prison to receive care. 

Moosivand had gone on hunger strike in April 2022 to protest assault by prison guards.

Moosivand is currently serving a five-year sentence. On June 14, 2020, he was taken to Evin Prison, but later was sent to Rajai-Shahr Prison in Karaj.

Ahmadreza Haeri Sentenced to Four Years

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Ahmadreza Haeri, Ramin Safarnia

The Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced former political prisoner Ahmadreza Haeri to four years and four months in prison.

Ramin Safarnia, Haeri’s lawyer, wrote on social media that Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court notified him of Haeri’s verdict. Haeri has been sentenced to three years and eight months on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security”, and eight months on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, three years and eight months for the first charge will be enforceable.

On June 27, 2022, security forces arrested Haeri in Tehran. In early August, he was released on a bail amount of one billion tomans. During the whole period of detention, he had been denied access to a lawyer.

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Forough Taghipour Denied Medical Care in Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Forough Taghipour, Nasim Jabbarian

Authorities at Evin Prison refused to send political prisoner Forough Taghipour to a hospital outside prison despite her urgent need for medical care.

 
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 30, 2022, political prisoner Forough Taghipour was denied access to medical care after she refused to be sent with handcuffs.

An informed source told HRANA that despite the physicians’ approval, prison officials refused to send Taghipour out without handcuffs.

On February 24, 2020, security forces arrested Taghipour and her mother, Nasim Jabbarian, in Tehran and transferred them to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Taghipour’s mother was released on bail, but she was relocated to Qarchak prison in Varamin.

The Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Taghipour and her mother to five and three years respectively on the charges of “membership in an anti-regime party (the Mujahedin-e-Khalq)”, “assembly and collusion against national security”, and “propaganda against the regime”. Jabaraian was exonerated from all charges on appeal but Taghipourr’s verdict was upheld.

In an open statement, Taghipour and two other political prisoners, Zahra Safai and Marzieh Farsi, informed the public that they faced a new case and were sentenced each to one year and three months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”.

Update on Arash Ganji’s Condition in Evin Prison 

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Arash Ganji, Evin Prison, Iranian Writers Association

Writer, translator and a member of the Iranian Writers Association (IWA), Arash Ganji is currently serving a five-year sentence in Evin Prison. He has been imprisoned since October 2022.

On December 22, 2019,  security forces raided Gaji’s home, arrested and transferred him to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. 

Ganji was released in January 2019 on the bail amount of 450 million tomans.

During the first court session on June 14, 2020, the judge increased the bail to 3 billion tomans, and he was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison and was later released on bail on June 21, 2020.

In December 2020, the court, headed by judge Mohammad-Reza Amoozad, sentenced Gangi to five years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security”, one year on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”, and five years on the charge of “membership and collaboration with one of the anti-regime groups”.In February 2021, this verdict was upheld by the court of appeals of Tehran for 11 years imprisonment.

Update on Alireza Saghafi’s Condition in Kachooie Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Alireza Saghafi, HRANA, Kachooie Prison

Workers’ rights activist Alireza Saghafi is serving his one-year sentence in Kachooie Prison in the same ward as the prisoners of violent crimes. Despite his poor health condition, he is denied medical furlough.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, workers’ rights activist Alireza Saghafi is held in the same ward as the prisoners of violent crimes in violation of prison rules.

An informed source told HRANA that Sagahafi suffers from high blood pressure. He also suffers from backache and walks with a cane.

Despite two times requests from the prison infirmary, Saghafi has not received proper medical treatment.

Saghafi was arrested in September 2019 and sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Karaj City on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”.

Imprisoned Mohammad Abolhasani Faces New Charges

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Arsham Rezai, Mohammad Abolhasani, Shakila Monfared

Judicial authorities have indicted civil rights activist Mohammad Abolhasani on the charges of “propaganda against the regime,” and “association with anti-regime media”. Abolhasani is currently serving his sentence in Evin Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 24, 2022, the Evin prosecutor’s office indicted imprisoned civil rights activist Mohammad Abolhasani. This is the second time that he faces a new legal case during incarceration.

An informed source close to Abolhasani’s family told HRANA that there is concern that this new case has been opened to deter his release.  

On June 13, 2019, security forces arrested Abolhasani. Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced him to two years on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security”. This verdict was later reduced to 18 months. For the charge of “spreading falsehood”, he was banned from leaving the country for two years and additional punishments. 

While Abolhasani was serving his sentence, judicial authorities opened a new case against him and two other civil rights activists Arsham Rezai and Shakila Monfared. He was then sentenced to 15 months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. In April 2021, he served his sentence and was released from Evin Prison. However, he had to provide bail for the new charge. Presently, as he is approaching the end of his prison sentence, he is facing new charges again.

Trade Union Activist Reza Shahabi still in Detention

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Reza Shahabi, Trade Union Activist

Trade Union Activist Reza Shahabi had been detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison for the past 100 days. Shahabi is a board member of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Trade Union Activist Reza Shahabi is still in detention for the past 105 days, awaiting processing.

An informed source told HRANA that Shahabi suffers from several illnesses, but the prison officials have not provided proper medical care.

On May 12, 2022, security forces arrested Shahabi at his house in Tehran and transferred him to Evin Prison.

On June 13, Shahabi started his hunger strike in protest against his prolonged detention, which he has ended.