Category: Prisoners

Sepideh Gholiyan Sent on Leave from Bushehr Prison

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News, Prisoners, Women
Bushehr prison, Evin, Evin Prison, Haft Tappeh, Mahboube Rezaei, Sepideh, Sepideh Goliyan, Tehran, Tehran Court of Appeals

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists (HRA), today, August 19, civil activist Sepideh Gholiyan was sent on a 7-day leave from Bushehr Prison.

In early August, Ms. Gholiyan’s Covid-19 test result came out positive.

Sepideh Gholiyan was first arrested in November 2018, along with at least 19 workers’ representatives and labor activists of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Co. at the Shush, and was released on bail on December of the same year.

Ms. Gholiyan was sentenced to 5 years in prison by the Tehran Court of Appeals in December 2019.

In June 2020, she was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison to endure her sentence. She was transferred from the women’s ward of Evin Prison to Bushehr Prison on March 2021, where Ms. Gholiyan and Mahboubeh Rezaei were severely beaten.

Reza Mehregan on a Hunger Strike in Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners
Ahmad Zargar, Evin, Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Judge Ahmad Zargar, Judge Haji Moradi, Judge Iman Afshari, Khorasan Province, Mehregan, Reza Mehregan, Tehran

On Saturday, August 14, civil activist Reza Mehregan went on a hunger strike in Evin Prison, where he is currently serving out a 5 year sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of  Human Rights Activists, Mehregan began the hunger strike to protest his transfer to quarantine despite having received a negative corona test result.

Mr. Mehregan was sent on a five-day leave of absence from Evin Prison on Saturday, August 7, and returned to prison at the end of his leave.

Mehregan suffers from heart disease and high blood pressure, and although previously he was  permitted to be sent on medical leave, he had remained in prison as he was not able to provide the required bail.

In December 2019, the Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Iman Afshari sentenced Mr. Mehregan to 5 years in prison on the charge of conspiracy against national security, to 1 year in prison on a charge of propaganda activities against the regime, to 1 year in prison and 74 lashes for disturbing public order, and to 2 years of compulsory reside in the Jafarabad district of Arian Shahr in South Khorasan Province.

The sentence was later reduced by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals, presided by Judge Ahmad Zargar, to six years in prison from which 5 years imprisonment is enforceable to Mr. Mehregan, after applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.

Reza Mehregan, along with Mohammad Abolhassani, another civil activist, was sent from Evin Prison to Branch 2 of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office, headed by Judge Haji Moradi, in December 2020, in connection with another case against them. The two civil activists were charged with holding a funeral of the victims of the November 2019 nationwide protests in prison.

Several Civil Activists Arrested During a Rally at Site of Pouya Bakhtiari’s Death in Karaj

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Activists arrested, Civil activists, Civil activists arrested, Khuzestan, Khuzestan province, Nahid Shirbisheh, Narges Mohammadi, Nazemi, Pouya Bakhtiari, Tehran

Today, Wednesday, August 18, during a gathering of civil activists at the site of Pouya Bakhtiari’s death in Karaj, several of those in attendance were arrested and then released an hour later.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Narges Mohammadi, Pouran Nazemi, and Nahid Shirbisheh were among the arrested.

Nahid Shirbisheh is the mother of Pouya Bakhtiari who was one of the victims of the November 2019 national protests in Iran.

Recently, a lawsuit was opened against Ms. Nazemi and Ms. Mohammadi charged in Branch 2 of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office, along with seven other civil activists.

These activists were arrested in Tehran on July 20, during a rally in support of the people of Khuzestan, and were released hours later.

 

Charo Ahmadi Arrested in Divandarreh in Kurdistan Province

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners, Women
Ahmadi, Charo (Jaleh) Ahmad, Charo Ahmadi, Divandarreh, Kurdish language teacher, Kurdistan, Kurdistan Province, Zagros

On Monday, August 16, Sanandaj resident Charo (Jaleh) Ahmadi was arrested and transferred to an unknown location by security forces in Divandarreh .

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Center of Democracy and Human Rights in Kurdistan, A day later, Ms. Ahmadi was released on bail from a security detention center on Tuesday, August 17.

The security forces searched Ms. Ahmadi’s house and confiscated some of her personal belongings at the time of the arrest.

Charo Ahmadi is a Kurdish language teacher. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Ms. Ahmadi is a member of the board of directors of the Zagros Socio-Cultural Institute in Divandere.

As of this writing, no information is available on the reasons for the arrest or the charges against her.

Athena Daemi Ends Hunger Strike in Lakan Prison in Rasht

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners, Women
Atena, Atena Daemi, Hunger Strike, hunger strike prisoner, Lakan, Lakan prison, prison hunger strike, prisoner hunger strike

Yesterday, August 17, imprisoned civil activist Atena Daemi  ended her hunger strike in Lakan Prison in Rasht.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ms. Daemi had been on a hunger strike since Thursday, August 12, in protest of repeated telephone cuts and prison mismanagement.

She has ended her strike following the fixation of telephone cuts, and the release of prisoners whose release was delayed for weeks.

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Saqqez Citizen Khaled Karimnia Sentenced to 7 Months in Prison

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Prisoners
irgc, Javad Mostafaei, Karimnia, Khaled Karimnia, Kurdistan, Kurdistan Province, Saqqez, Saqqez city

Saqqez citizen Khaled Karimnia was recently sentenced by the Saqqez Revolutionary Court to 7 months in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, Mr. Karimonia was summoned to the IRGC on June 8, 2010 and was released on bail after being interrogated.

Khalid Karimnia, a citizen of Saqqez, was sentenced to imprisonment by the First Branch of the Revolutionary Court of this city, headed by Judge Javad Mostafaei.

According to the report, the First Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Saqqez, headed by Judge Javad Mostafaei, sentenced this citizen to 7 months in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime”.

This citizen has a history of interrogation by security agencies. Mr. Karimonia was summoned to the IRGC on June 8, 1400, and after completing his interrogation, he was released on bail until the end of the trial.

He has appealed against the verdict and his case has been referred to the court of appeals for review.

Citizen Arrested in North Khorasan for Publishing Images in Cyberspace

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
censorship, FATA, FATA police, freedom of expression, North Khorasan, North Khorasan province, Shakeri, Yousef Shakeri

A citizen was recently arrested in North Khorasan Province for publishing images that were deemed “immoral” by authorities.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rokna News, the citizen was arrested after posting advertising images for a makeup salon online.

Yousef Shakeri, the head of FATA police in North Khorasan province, commented on the arrest.

“Following the news that immoral images were published for makeup advertisements in cyberspace,” Shakeri said, “the issue was placed on the police’s agenda and the person was identified and arrested with the coordination of a judicial official.”

The report does not mention the identity of the detainee.

Prison Sentence and Ban on Leaving the Country Upheld for Environmental Activist Samko Maroufi

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Environment, Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Bukan, Bukan County, Court of appeals, Maroufi, Samko MAroufi, West Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan Province

The conviction of Bukan native Samko Maroufi was recently upheld by the Court of Appeals of West Azerbaijan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Center of Democracy and Human Rights in Kurdistan, Samko Maroufi is an environmental activist and member of the Valat Environmental Association. He has previously been arrested and convicted for his activities.

In May of this year, Branch 104 of Bukan County Criminal Court sentenced Mr. Maroufi to one year in prison and a two-year ban from leaving the country on charges of propaganda against the regime.

He was arrested by security forces in Bukan on March 2021 and was released on bail on April 2021.

 

Aras Amiri Larijani Acquitted after Enduring 3 Years in Evin Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners, Women
Abolghasem Salvati, Amiri, Aras Amiri Larijani, Emtedad, Kingston, Kingston University, Larijani, Supreme Court

After serving out 3 years of a 10 year sentence in Evin Prison, Iranian cultural activist Aras Amiri Larijani was acquitted by the Supreme Court of the charges against her.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Emtedad, Amiri is a student at Kingston University and former employee of the British Cultural Council.

Aras Amiri has been acquitted after enduring three years of her ten-year prison sentence. Ms. Amiri had previously been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran and the sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeals.

She was arrested by security forces in September 2018 after being summoned to the Evin Courthouse, and was transferred to the women’s ward of the prison two days later.

In May 2019, Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Abolghasem Salavati, sentenced Ms. Amiri to 10 years in prison and two years of social deprivation, including bans from work and leaving the country after serving ten years in prison.

The accusation was labeled “espionage” by a spokesman for the judiciary in the public media. This sentence was upheld by the Tehran Court of Appeals in August 2019 in absentia and without the presence of a lawyer.

A grad student in Philosophy of Art, Amiri had been in organizing joint art exhibitions and festivals between Iranian and British artists and had collaborated with the British Council.

Amiri’s family member had previously told the media that Aras Amiri’s cultural interactions were coordinated and supervised by various deputies of the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

Court of Appeals Sentences Keyvan Samimi to 2 Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Ahmad Zargar, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, Court of appeals, Ensaf News, Iman Afshari, Iran-e-Farda, Keyvan Samimi, Samimi, Supreme Court, Tehran

Iranian journalist Keyvan Samimi has been sentenced to two years in prison after a court of appeals overturned the Supreme Court’s  decision to resume Samimi’s case.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Ensaf News, Samimi is the editor of Iran-e- Farda newspaper and a member of the Iranian Writers’ Association.

Mr. Samimi had previously endured six years in prison in 2009 for questioning the 2009 presidential election, participating in protests, and writing articles critical of the Islamic Regime. He is currently being held in Evin Prison, where he has been imprisoned since his arrest on International Workers’ Day in 2019.

Samimi was sentenced by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Iman Afshari, to three years in prison on charges of conspiracy to act against the security of the country. This verdict was upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals, presided over by Judge Ahmad Zargar.

Mahmoud Behzadi-Rad, Samimi’s lawyer, said that the Supreme Court accepted the resumption of Mr. Samimi’s trial, but when his case was sent to the Branch 54 of the Court of Appeals, the decision was reversed.

“The judge did not accept the opinion of the Supreme Court,” Behzadi-Rad said, “and they only reduced the three-year imprisonment sentence to two years.”