Category: Prisoners

Update on Khosro Sadeghi Boroujeni’s Condition in Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners

Writer and journalist Khosro Sadeghi Boroujeni is currently serving his five-year sentence in Evin Prison. Although one-third of the sentence term has passed, his request for release on probation is denied.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, writer and journalist Khosro Sadeghi Boroujeni was serving his five-year imprisonment in Evin Prison.

Boroujeni suffers from acute back pain and recently his request for an early release has been denied.

Sadeghi Boroujeni was arrested and interrogated after he was summoned to the Branch 2 of Evin’s prosecutor’s office on May 8, 2019. He was later temporarily released from Evin Prison on a bail amount of 300 million tomans.

Boroujeni’s trial was on July 28, 2019. According to the verdict ordered by the Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, which was presided over by judge Mohammad Moghiseh, Boroujeni was sentenced to five years imprisonment on a charge of “assembly and collusion with an intention to commit a crime against national security”, one year imprisonment for the charge of “propaganda against the regime”, and two years imprisonment on a charge of “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic”, adding up to a total of eight years. This sentence was later reduced to seven years after the charge of “propaganda against the regime” was dropped upon appeal.

Dutch National Arrested and Sentenced 

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Cécile Kohler, Dutch national, Jacques Paris, Kees Lunenburg, Maciej Walczak, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Olivier Vandecasteele, Polish scientist

HRANA has identified a European national who is jailed in Evin prison. Kees Lunenburg, a Dutch national, is currently serving his five-year sentence in Ward 8 of Evin Prison. Polish Maciej Walczak, who was sentenced to three years, is also housed in the same ward.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Dutch national Kees Lunenburg is currently jailed in Ward 8 of Evin Prison. HRANA has received variants of this individual’s last name and will update its database accordingly. 

The about-mentioned detained Dutch national was sentenced to five years imprisonment on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security.” HRANA is trying to find out new details about his case. 

Polish scientist Maciej Walczak is housed in the same ward. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland has confirmed his arrest.  Iran has claimed that Walczak and three others were arrested as they were collecting soil samples from a restricted site of a missile test. 

The spokesperson of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland, has stated that in September of 2021, Walczak and his two colleagues were arrested in Iran. Two university professors were released but Walczak was sentenced to three years in prison.

In recent weeks, Belgian national Olivier Vandecasteele, a 41-year-old aid worker, and two French individuals, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris were also arrested.

Mehran Farhadi Facing New Charges in Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Adel-Abad Prison, Mehran Farhadi, Nezam Prison, Shiraz

Judicial authorities have opened a new legal case against Mehran Farhadi who is currently serving his sentence in Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, political prisoner Mehran Farhadi is facing faced new charges.

On July 16, 2022, Farhadi will face indictment for the charges of “insulting the authorities” and “spreading falsehood on the Internet”. 

On September 27, 2020, Farhadi was arrested at his house in Tehran. He was held at a detention facility in Tehran for three months and later transferred to a notorious detention facility known as House No 100, in Shiraz. On March 3, 2021, Farhadiwas sent to Nezam Prison in Shiraz and on June 26, 2022, transferred to Adel-Abad Prison.

On May 2, 2021, the Shiraz Revolutionary Court sentenced Farhadi to three years and ten months in prison on the charges of “acting against national security through membership in anti-regime groups”, “offensive statements against the Supreme Leader”, and propaganda against the regime”. Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, two years and two months for one charge are enforceable.

Imprisoned Valeh Zamani’s Condition Raises Concern

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Urmia, Valeh Zamani, workers rights activist

Workers’ rights activist Valeh Zamani is still in detention in Ward 240 of Evin Prison after 43 days. Despite suffering from acute liver disease, he is denied the required medical treatment.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, workers’ rights activist Valeh Zamani is detained for over 40 days in Evin Prison.

An informed source told HRANA that Zamani suffers from hepatitis C and liver disfunction.  However, Zamani cannot receive medicine and undergoes hours of interrogation.

On May 30, 2022, intelligence agents arrested Zamani in Urmia and transferred him to Evin Prison.

The reason for his arrest is still unknown. 

Sunni prisoner Fereidoun Zakeri Nasab Went on Hunger Strike in Rajai Shahr Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Fereidoun Zakeri Nasab, Kermanshah province, Rajai Shahr Prison, ran’s Sunni community, Sarpol-e Zahab

Fereidoun Zakeri Nasab is on the third day of his hunger strike in Rajai Shahr Prison in protest against the Tehran Prosecutor-General’s insulting statements against Sunni prisoners.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 4, 2022, Sunni prisoner, Fereidoun Zakeri Nasab went on hunger strike.  

An informed source confirmed Zakeri Nasab’s hunger strike to HRANA.

Last Thursday, the Prosecutor-General of Tehran Ali Salehi made a visit to Rajai Shahr Prison. During the conversation with Sunni prisoners, he used insulting statements against the prisoners and Iran’s Sunni community. In protest, three Sunni prisoners, including Fereidoun Zakeri Nasab went on a hunger strike.

Also in May of this year, Zakeri Nasab started a hunger strike to protest against infringement in due process, which he later ended after receiving word from the authorities that the conditions would improve.

In 2017, Zakeri Nasab was arrested and sentenced to death on the charge of “spreading corruption on earth”. This verdict was revoked by the Supreme Court of Iran and he is currently facing the charge of “assisting in the armed assault”. 

Zakeri Nasab is a resident of Sarpol-e Zahab in Kermanshah Province.  

In Iran’s prisons, hunger strikes are common among prisoners despite their physical and mental impairments. Hunger strikes are used as a last resort for protesting unlawful detention without trials, violations of prisoners’ rights and infringement on due process.

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Trade Union Activist Reza Shahabi on Hunger Strike for over 20 Days

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners

Trade Union Activist Reza Shahabi is detained for over  50 days in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Since June 13, 2022, Shahabi has been on hunger strike to protest his prolonged detention.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, despite Shahabi’s poor health, he is on hunger strike. 

An informed source close to Shahabi’s family told HRANA that he is on hunger strike and is suffering, yet his family is not granted a visitation. 

On Thursday, May 12, 2022, security forces arrested Shahabi at his house in Tehran.

Shahabi is a board member of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company.

Update on Zeynab Jalalian’s Condition in Yazd Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
enmity against God, life imprisonment, Yazd Prison, Zeynab Jalalian

Political prisoner Zeynab Jalalian is spending the fifteenth year of her life sentence in exile, in Yazd Prison. During this period, she did not have any furlough and was denied medical treatment despite suffering from several diseases.

An informed source told HRANA, “despite the recommendation of physicians, prison officials refuse to dispatch  Jalalian to a hospital outside the prison and her treatment is restricted to non-specialist examinations in the infirmary.”

Zeynab Jalalian is held in a ward of inmates convicted of violent crimes. Due to the fact that she is kept in an exiled city, she rarely receives family visits.

In 2007, Zeynab Jalalian was arrested by an Iranian intelligence agency. Subsequently, the Revolutionary Court sentenced her to death on the charge of “enmity against God through membership in an anti-regime group.” The verdict was commuted to life imprisonment on appeal.

Zeynab Jalalian went on hunger strike several times. During the detention, she was tortured,  beaten, and received rape threats. 

French Tourist’s Sentence Upheld by Court of Appeals

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Benjamin Briere, French Tourist, Ukraine Flight 752, Vakilabad prison

Branch 7 of the Court of Appeals of Khorasan Razavi Province upheld the sentence of French Tourist Benjamin Briere. Initially, Briere was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the prison sentence against Benjamin Briere was upheld on appeal.

Confirming this sentence in an interview with HRANA, Briere’s lawyer, Saeed Dehghan commented that in this verdict, France was considered hostile to Iran and statements such as expressing condolences to the families of the victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, which was shot down by the IRGC, was presented as evidence for this conviction. Also, Briere’s information technology background and the possession of more than one hard drive and cell phone were considered by the court as evidence for the conviction.

In January of last year, Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad sentenced Briere to eight years and eight months in prison on the charges of “espionage” and “propaganda against the regime”. Two other charges of “spreading corruption on earth” and “drinking alcohol” were dismissed by the court.

In May 2020, Briere was arrested by security forces and has since been kept in Vakilabad Prison. He has been in pre-trial detention for more than 600 days.

Inmates in Women’s Ward of Qarchak Prison Held in Inhumane Conditions

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Iranian women prisoners, Qarchak Prison

Women imprisoned in Qarchak Prison in Varamin are being held in poor and inhumane conditions, deprived of a ventilation system and healthy drinking water, which results in skin diseases and other health issues.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, inmates of women’s wards in Qarchak Prison are deprived of basic human needs.

In recent days, the quality of tap water has intolerably worsened. According to an informed source, low-quality water has caused many diseases. Many women inmates cannot afford to buy water bottles from the food store in prison.

These harsh conditions have also increased tensions and quarrels among inmates.

The conditions in the women’s ward have caused criticism of the authorities, including  Heshmatollah Hayat, the head of the Tehran Prisons Organization.

Update on Prisoner Akbar Faraji in Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Akbar Faraji, Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary

Political prisoner Akbar Faraji (Farajim), age 41, is serving a five-year sentence in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

On October 8, 2021, Faraji and 13 other inmates were relocated to a locked-door ward. After being kept there for several months, the inmates in this ward are suffering from many issues such as frequent water cuts, overcrowding and the lack of a ventilation system.

On February 10, 2019, security forces arrested Akbar Faraji for his activities on social media. He was held at one IRGC detention facility in Tehran and after ten days of interrogation, transferred to Evin Prison. On February 24, 2019, Faraji was released on bail of 300 million Tomans.

On April 9, 2019, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Akbar Faraji to five years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security” and one year on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” This verdict was upheld on appeal. Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the five years sentence for the first charge is enforceable. On September 6, 2020, Faraji was jailed in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary to serve his sentence.