According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Seyednejad is currently being held in solitary confinement in the Ministry of Intelligence Detention Center in Ward 209 of Evin Prison.
Recently, the labor activist’s 3 year sentence was confirmed by the Court of Appeals in the Khuzestan Province.
Seyednejad has not, as of yet, been allowed access to a lawyer.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rokna News, the prisoner was arrested for the murder of his wife and two of his wife’s relatives in Zahedan.
The Public Prosecutor of Sistan and Baluchestan Province said, “A death sentence has been issued for an angry groom who killed a number of his wife’s family members, and if approved by the Supreme Court, he will be executed soon.”
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (SWTSBC), Gerami has been sentenced to 5 years in prison, 74 lashes, and a fine almost equal to $100 on charges of “gathering and colluding with intent to commit a crime against national security”.
On May 10, the interrogation session of Esmail Gerami’s case was held in the second branch of the Evin interrogation office on charges such as “disturbing public order” and “participating in an illegal gathering”.
Iran is one of the few countries that still uses humiliating punishments, despite the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights’ explicit prohibition of the use of inhumane and degrading punishments such as flogging.
The labor activist was arrested on April 10 by security forces and then transferred to the Greater Tehran Prison, where he currently resides.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, per an informed source, several prisoners of disparate crimes severely insulted and beat Monfared with the sharp lid of a can of tuna after the instigation of a member of prison staff.
This is yet another case of the widespread practice of Iranian prison officials punitively orchestrating situations in which inmates sentenced for violent crimes assault political prisoners–particularly in women’s wards. This allows the prisons to effectively impose physical assault as punishment without officially claiming responsibility for the damage.
In January of this year, the joint court trial of Shakila Monfared, Arsham Rezaei, and Mohammad Abolhassani was held in Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. 27-year-old Monfared was sentenced to 6 years in prison and 4 months of probation work in the Agricultural Jihad on charges of “propaganda activities against the system and insulting the sanctities of Islam”.
Monfared was arrested by IRGC intelligence agents after the court hearing and was transferred to Bushehr prison. Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals later reduced the sentence to 4 years and two months in prison. She had previously been transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin from Bushehr Prison on May 12.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the Tehran Prisons Organization claims that the place of death was Firoozabadi Hospital in Tehran. However, an informed source stated that in reality, Niknafs’ body was taken to a hospital outside the prison after his death.
The political prisoner was suffering from myriad mental and physical health problems, such as diabetes, fatty liver, gastritis, high blood pressure, and severe depression. The Prisons Organization confirmed in its June 7 report that Niknafs had once attempted suicide.
By most definitions, Niknafs was unfit to serve time in prison, but his mother’s efforts to obtain a certificate of intolerance were unsuccessful until after his death. Moreover, despite the clear urgency of his condition, Prison officials significantly delayed sending Niknafs to a properly-equipped hospital outside the prison.
In the last two days, several political prisoners in the Greater Tehran Prison have been interrogated regarding Niknafs’ drug use. A statement issued by the Tehran General Directorate of Prisons says that drug use was the cause of Niknafs’ deteriorating condition, without mentioning the forensic report.
According to an informed source, prison officials are attempting to make the case that self-medicating was the cause of Niknafs’ death as they did for Behnam Mahjubi, a prisoner who died earlier this year under similarly mysterious conditions after being denied proper medical treatment.
In February, prison authorities declared that Sufi dervish activist Behnam Mahjubi died after what they say was poisoning due to self-medicating and medication consumption, despite evidence from forensic reports to the contrary. According to the forensic medical order, Niknafs needed to be under medical monitoring. Instead, the extent of his treatment was a prescription of 2 Largactil tablets (chlorpromazine hydrochloride) and 1 Clonazepam, daily, by the prison health center.
Reckless behavior among Greater Tehran Prison officials, especially regarding political prisoners, has long been a burden on the mental and physical health and safety of inmates. The news of Sasan Niknafs’ death due to the negligence of prison officials has once again raised concerns about other political prisoners being held in Greater Tehran Penitentiary.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, Paso-Pish was sentenced to three months in prison in December 2020.
Piranshahr Revolutionary Court sentenced the citizen on charges of “propaganda against the regime”. The sentence was later reduced to 45 days.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Pirzadeh has suffered from low blood pressure, digestive problems, and severe pain in his muscles, joints, and eyes as a result of the hunger strike.
Earlier this year, Pirzadeh went on a hunger strike following the failure of authorities to fulfill their promise to agree to parole. Pirzadeh ended his hunger strike in March after authorities promised that his demands would be met, but they did not follow through.
In May of 2019, the political prisoner was sentenced by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Mohammad Moghiseh, to 5 years in prison, and an additional 2 years for “insulting the leadership”. According to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, of the 7 total years, 5 can be enforced on Pirzadeh on the charge of “conspiracy and collusion”.
Khaled Pirzadeh underwent foot surgery in August 2020. His legs and spine were severely damaged during detention and required further surgery and physiotherapy. He was also barred from being hospitalized in December 2020 despite having a heart problem.
Prison officials have now asked Pirzadeh to end his strike and promised to address Mr. Pirzadeh’s demands, as before. Whether Pirzadeh accepts their offer given the dubious precedent they have set remains to be seen.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Mohammadi has been bedridden for the last several days.
Mohammadi had previously been arrested during the nationwide protests in July 2018 for his activities in cyberspace and was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison. He was freed on early release from Evin Prison in mid-July 2020.
At the time of writing, no information is available on Mohammadi’s whereabouts, the reason behind the arrest, or the charges against him.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, issued the sentence in the absence of both Nazifi and her lawyer.
Tehran resident Shahrzad Nazifi, daughter of Ali, was born in 1971. Nazifi and her daughter Nora Naraghi are among the pioneers of women’s motocross in Iran. In May 2019, HRANA reported that Shahrzad Nazifi, Mehrshad Naraghi, and their children, were all barred from entering and using motorcycling tracks without a court order.
Nazifi has been charged with “managing illegal groups and factions with the aim of disrupting the security of the country” and with “bad motives and internal desire to destroy the religious system”.
According to unofficial sources, more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian constitution recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Because their faith is not considered legitimate by authorities, the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.
This deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a violation 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 freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rokna News, Nosrati stated that during the police experts’ monitoring, an Instagram page with the “tense content about the elections” that could have “disrupted public opinion” was identified and its admin was arrested.
Nosrati said the accused claimed his “illegal” act occurred since he was unaware of what the election irregularities are.
