Family Members of Killed Protester Detained in Bukan

In a recent development reported by Kolbar News, on September 5, 2023, authorities from the Ministry of Intelligence in Bukan took into custody Ahmad Hassanzadeh (56) and Solmaz Hassanzadeh (29), the father and sister of the late Mohammad Hassanzadeh.  Mohammad tragically was killed by regime forces during the nationwide protests in 2022.

They were reportedly arrested following an appearance at the Ministry of Intelligence office.

Mohammad Hassanzadeh, 28 years old at the time, met a fatal end when he was shot by government forces during the protests in Bukan on November 16, 2022.

In a related development, with the anniversary of the Mahsa Amini protests drawing near, security institutions have intensified their pressure on the families of victims, resulting in the detention of many.

Background on the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hijab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. Protesters came to the streets with the central slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in protest against the performance, laws, and structure of the regime. During the nationwide protests, thousands of people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students, and civil rights activists, were arrested.

 

Six Inmates Executed in Rasht, Urmia and Khorramabad

According to reports from the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on May 4, 2023, six inmates were executed in three different prisons in Iran. Four of the inmates were executed in Lakan prison in Rasht, while one was executed in Urmia and another in Khorramabad prison.

HRANA has identified one of the inmates executed in Rasht as Jalaledin Rahimian Azar, a 23-year-old resident of Mahabad who was convicted of murder. The other three inmates executed in Rasht were convicted of drug-related crimes.

Additionally, on the same day, Faramarz Shakhsi, a resident of Bukan, was executed in Urmia Prison. Also, Khorramabad Prison officials executed an inmate identified as Hamid Emami, convicted of murder.

In addition to these executions, on the same day, Faramarz Shakhsi, a resident of Bukan, was executed in Urmia prison and Hamid Emami, who had been convicted of murder, was executed in Khorramabad prison.

In recent days, the number of executions has surged in various prisons across the country, adding to the growing concern about the use of the death penalty in Iran’s justice system.

None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions at the time of writing.

In 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered 457 reports related to the death penalty. This included 92 death sentences, including the conviction of 6 people to public execution and 565 execution sentences were carried out, 2 of which have been carried out in public. Based on the announced identifications of some of the executed individuals, 501 were male and 11 were female. In addition, 5 juvenile offenders were executed in 2022, meaning they were under the age of 18 at the time they committed the crime.

 

Ebrahim Janeh-Fard Sentenced to Two Years in Prison

The Bukan Criminal Court sentenced Ebrahim Janeh-Fard to two years in prison for political charges.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, Ebrahim Janeh-Fard, a resident of Bukan, was sentenced to two years in prison.

The Branch 110 of the Bukan Criminal Court reportedly notified Janeh-Fard that he has been convicted of “collaborating with an anti-regime political party.”

Janeh Fard was detained by security forces three years ago upon returning to Iran, and after completing the interrogation process, he was released on bail.

 

Two Individuals Arrested in Bukan

Security forces recently arrested Alan Daghdar and Siamak Hayasi in Bukan and took them to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on April 18, 2023, Alan Daghdar was arrested in Bukan.

On April 19, Siamak Hayasi was also arrested in this city.

During the arrests, the agents reportedly did not show any arrest warrant. They also searched Hayasi’s house and seized some of his belongings.

The reason for these arrests, the location of their detention and the allegations are currently unknown.

 

 

Brothers Fattah and Mani Boland Gerami Arrested in Bukan.

On March 1, 2023, security forces arrested two brothers, Fattah and Mani Boland Gerami, in Bukan and took them to a detention facility in Urmia.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurpda, brothers Fattah and Mani Boland Gerami were arrested in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province.

Security forces reportedly arrested these brothers without showing any arrest warrant.
The allegations against them are still unknown.

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Four Individuals Arrested in Bukan

The Chief Justice of West Azerbaijan Province announced that four individuals were arrested in relation to killing Amir Sahabi, a Basij militia force in Bukan, amid recent nationwide protests.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, four individuals were arrested in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province.

Without disclosing their identities, this judicial official accused the detainees of “killing Amir Sahabi, a Basij militia force in Bukan”, during “unrest” in last November.

“There is sufficient evidence for their arrests as these four people have admitted that they were on spot at the time,” he claimed.

This report did not mention the detainees’ whereabouts and the allegations.

Journalist Siamand Mohtadi Arrested

On February 11, 2023, security forces arrested journalist Siamand Mohtadi, a resident of Bukan, and took him to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on February 11, 2023, Siamand Mohtadi was arrested by security forces.

He was reportedly arrested at his home. His whereabouts and the allegations are still unknown.

 

Soroush Moeinifar Sentenced to Imprisonment and Flogging

The Bukan Criminal Court sentenced Soroush Moeinifar to three years and 40 lashes.

According to this verdict issued by Branch 110 of the Bukan Criminal Court, Moeinifar was sentenced to three years and 40 lashes on the charges of “propaganda against the regime,” “disturbing public order,” and “spreading falsehood.”

Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, one year for one count will be enforceable.

On November 2, 2022, security forces arrested Moeinifar in Bukan, took him to a detention facility and, after two days, jailed him in Bukan prison. He was released on bail after 24 days.

Since the beginning of nationwide protests, about 19560 people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, have been arrested. So far, over protests, at least 756 people have been sentenced to a total of about 13128 months imprisonment.

 

Nationwide Protests Continue into Fourth Week

The nationwide protests after the death of Mahsa Amini continued on October 8 and 9, 2022. People in the streets and university students marched and chanted slogans against the regime. In many cities, traders and shopkeepers went on a general strike and closed their shops. People’s access to the global internet is still restricted.  Hacktivists increased their cyberattacks against their regime.

On Saturday, October 8, people took to the streets and demonstrated in several cities, including Tehran, Sanandaj, Aak, Isfahan, Karaj, Mashhad, Hamedan and Javanrud.

Moreover, the students gathered and protested on at least 17 universities campus. The students chanted slogans against the regime, such as “We will fight, We will take Iran back,” “Student! Shout out for your rights,” “Death to the dictator,” and “They took Nika and gave back her body” (referring to Nika Shakarami, a teenage girl who was killed by the security forces during the protest).”

In Tehran, Mashhad and Sanandaj, bloody street clashes erupted between the protestors and the police. In some videos, sounds of gunshots are heard.

In several cities, including Tehran, Shiraz, Marivan, Bukan, Sanandaj and Saqqez, traders and shopkeepers went on strike and closed their shops in protest.

Iran-State TV broadcasted more coerced confessions extracted from people arrested during the protest.

So far, thousands of protestors have been arrested, and the number is increasing daily. On Saturday alone, HRANA identified 26 arrests.

HRANA has identified more than 200 people killed during the protests. HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, is still working on fact-checking and reviewing the reports independently.

Below is the compilation of the videos from the protests on Saturday, October 8.

Nationwide Protests in Iran Continue on Day Sixteen

On October 1, 2022, despite the heavy presence of riot police and plainclothes security agents, Iranian people held demonstrations in many cities including Mashhad, Rasht, Dehgolan, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tehran, Shahrekord, Shahin Shahr, Arak, Bukan, Babol, Karaj. Moreover, on at least 27 universities campus, the students held protests. These protests continued in Tehran, Isfahan, Bushehr and at least 25 universities on the following day, October 2.

The map below shows the geographical distribution of protests across Iran during the last 48 hours.

In most cases, peaceful student protests turned violent by the police as dozens of students were arrested by the security forces. On the University of Isfahan campus, the security agents or the police fired tear gas at the crowd of protesting students.

Last night, the police and security forces surrounded the Sharif University of Technology, chasing and arresting violently the students who left the campus. The police fired tear gas and pellet guns, leading to several students’ injuries. 

According to Iran’s Student Union, several protesting students were trapped in a university building by university security agents and then arrested by the police.

The students chanted slogans such as “Death to the dictator”, “don’t call it protests, it is now a revolution”, and “jailed students should be freed.” They also chanted slogans against the Supreme Leader, Khamenei.

On October 2, in Isfahan and Piranshahr, traders and shopkeepers joined the general strike and closed their shops.

Meanwhile, in recent days, the record-breaking hashtag Mahsa Amini (مهسا_امینی#) reached over 200 million times on Twitter.

Like the previous days, most parts of the country, especially Kurdistan, faced internet and mobile phone disruptions and outages.

Last Friday, September 30, in Zahedan, in Sistan and Baluchistan province, the security forces opened fire at the crowd of protestors coming from the Friday prayer. According to Iranian Sunni cleric Molavi Abdul Hamid, at least 40 people were killed in this incident.

The number of people arrested is increasing day on day. HRANA identified 31 arrests alone for yesterday.

Kurdistan police chief claimed that more than 150 people arrested during the “unrest” have been released.

It is estimated that 30 to 40 students at the Sharif University of Technology were arrested.

Anti-riot police and security forces use live ammunition against the protestors. HRANA has identified 150 death tolls, of which some have been verified by HRANA after fact-checking.

Below is the compilation of the videos from the protests in the past 24 hours.