Tag: Evin Prison

Political Prisoner Mehdi Meskinnavaz Receives Additional Eleven-Year Sentence While in Prison

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Bandar-Anzali, Evin Prison, Mehdi Meskinnavaz, Tehran Revolutionary Court

In a new legal case opened against political prisoner Mehdi Meskinnavaz (Meskin-Navaz), the Tehran Revolutionary Court has handed him an additional eleven-year sentence while he continues to serve his previous seven-and-a-half-year sentence in Evin Prison.

The recent verdict includes ten years for the charge of “forming a group to act against national security” and an extra year for “propaganda against the regime.” If upheld on appeal, the ten-year sentence for the first charge will be implemented. HRANA previously reported on this new legal case.

Meskinnavaz’s ordeal began on May 5, 2019, when he was arrested by security forces in Bandar Anzali for allegedly “running a Telegram channel advocating the overthrow of the regime.”
In August 2019, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Meskinnavaz to 13 years for charges including “assembly and collusion to act against national security, insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran, and propaganda against the regime.” Moreover, he was stripped of political party and group membership rights and ordered to serve a two-year compulsory exile in Fahraj, Kerman. Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, he was liable to serve seven years and six months in prison for one of the charges.

Meskinnavaz, aged 43 and a father to a 17-year-old, continues to face an arduous journey within the judicial system.

Civil Rights Activist Majid Rezaie Arrested and Detained in Tehran

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Fariba Fereydooni, irgc, Khomeyn, Majid Rezaie, Markazi Province, Tehran

On July 15, civil rights activist Majid Rezaie was apprehended by security forces at his residence in Tehran and subsequently taken to Evin Prison.

According to a reliable source close to Rezaie, he is currently being held in the quarantine section of Evin Prison, where he will serve a nine-month sentence.

Previously, on May 22, Rezaie received a summons from the Judgement Enforcement Unit in Tehran to initiate his sentence.

The Tehran Revolutionary Court initially imposed a one-year sentence, which was later reduced to nine months after Rezaie entered a plea of no contest. Additionally, he has been sentenced to four hours of daily penal labor for the Tehran Municipality over a three-month period. Furthermore, he is required to attend a course conducted by the Institute of Psychology Ma’avaye e Qom, purportedly aimed at “enhancing emotional regulation.”

On July 23, 2020, Rezaie and his wife, Fariba Fereydooni, were arrested by agents of the IRGC in Khomeyn County, Markazi Province. He was released on bail after 21 days of detention.

Appeal Court Upholds Five-Year Sentence for Union Activist Davoud Razavi

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Davoud Razavi, Evin Prison, HRANA, Tehran bus workers’ syndicate

The Tehran Court of Appeals has recently upheld the five-year prison sentence against Davoud Razavi, a union activist and member of the Tehran bus workers’ syndicate.

Razavi’s conviction, handed down on July 2, 2023, stems from charges of “assembly and collusion against national security.” Initially, the Tehran Revolutionary Court had sentenced him to five years in prison and imposed a two-year ban on his online social activities and participation in political groups.

Concerns about Razavi’s well-being have emerged, as a reliable source informed HRANA that he has developed an eye infection due to the use of unsanitary blindfolds during his prolonged solitary confinement, leading to poor vision.

Razavi was arrested on September 27, 2023, and initially confined to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Subsequently, on December 18, he was transferred to the Great Tehran Penitentiary before being relocated back to Evin Prison on April 9, 2023.

It is important to note that this is not Razavi’s first encounter with the judicial system, as he has a history of prior arrests and convictions linked to his activism.

 

Fatemeh Mosanna and Hassan Sadeghi Released After Eight Years of Imprisonment

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Ali Khamenei, Evin Prison, Fatemeh Mosanna, Hassan Sadeghi, Rajai Shahr Prison

On July 12, 2023, political prisoners Fatemeh Mosanna and Hassan Sadeghi were finally released from Evin and Rajai Shahr Prison, marking the end of their grueling eight-year incarceration.

A reliable source close to the families of the couple revealed to HRANA that they had been granted amnesty under the “pardon and commutation” directive, following the proposal made by the head of the Judiciary in February 2023. This initiative aimed to pardon or reduce the sentences of select prisoners, acting in accordance with Article 110, paragraph 11 of Iran’s constitution. The proposal received approval from Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader.

The couple’s arrest took place on January 28, 2013, during the funeral of Sadeghi’s father. Their daughter and underage son were also apprehended and interrogated, but were subsequently released.

Following their trial at Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, both Mosanna and Sadeghi were sentenced to 15 years in prison, with the additional penalty of having their personal property, business, and house seized. This verdict was upheld on appeal.

Mosanna’s own history with imprisonment dates back to 1980 when she was just 13 years old. Alongside her mother, she was arrested and imprisoned for three years. Tragically, during that time, her three brothers, Ali, Mostafa, and Morteza, as well as her brother’s wife, were executed in prison on charges of “enmity against God” and “advocating for The People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran.”

Sadeghi also faced imprisonment in 1981, enduring a six-year sentence. He suffered severe beatings at the hands of prison agents, which have had lasting effects on his health.

Concerns Mount Over Zohreh Sayadi’s Health Condition as Medical Treatment Denied in Evin Prison

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Tehran, Zohreh Sayadi

Zohreh Sayadi, a political prisoner, continues to serve her one-year sentence in Evin Prison, but her deteriorating health condition remains a cause for concern. Despite suffering from colon cancer, she has been denied essential medical treatment, raising serious questions about her well-being.

Reliable sources close to Sayadi’s family, who spoke to HRANA, revealed that the prison infirmary has provided her with only a minimal injection. The lack of ongoing treatment has exacerbated her illness, and her condition continues to worsen. Frustratingly, due to hindrances imposed by prison officials, she has not yet received a certificate of penal intolerance, further delaying potentially life-saving interventions.

In December 2019, security forces arrested her in Tehran. She was released on bail after a while.

Last year, she was handed down a one-year sentence which was upheld on appeal. On May 30, 2023, she was imprisoned in Evin Prison to commence serving her sentence.

Sayadi holds a degree in literature and is an activist dedicated to safeguarding the rights of children, mainly orphaned children, those affected by child labor or lacking proper documentation.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Two Years Imprisonment against Sepideh Gholian Uphled on Appeal

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Ameneh Sadat Zabih Pour Ahmadi, Evin Prison, Sepideh Gholian, Tehran Revolutionary Court

Civil rights activist Sepideh Gholian has had her two-year sentence and additional penalties affirmed by Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals.

Back in May 2023, Gholian was convicted by the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” resulting in a two-year sentence that included a period of custody. Along with the imprisonment, she was subjected to a ban on joining political or social groups, restrictions on cell phone usage, and a two-year prohibition from entering Tehran and adjacent provinces.

After her release from Evin Prison, Gholian was re-arrested on March 15, 2023, while traveling from Tehran to Dezful. Initially detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, she was later transferred to the Women’s Ward of the facility four days later.

Adding to her legal troubles, on July 19, 2023, Gholian received a summons to appear in criminal court. This came as a result of a complaint filed against her by Ameneh Sadat Zabih Pour Ahmadi, an IRIB reporter and security interrogator, accusing Gholian of “disturbing public opinion through the dissemination of false information” on the internet.

It is important to note that Gholian has a history of previous arrests and convictions linked to her activism.

 

Update on Arash Johari’s Health Condition in Evin Prison

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Arash Johari, Evin Prison, Iman Afshari

Arash Johari, a dedicated workers’ rights activist, is currently serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence in Ward 4 of Evin Prison. Concerningly, he has been deprived of adequate medical care, as prison officials continue to deny him access to a dentist required to complete his treatment.

Following the incident at Evin Prison on the evening of October 15, 2022, which led to escalated tensions, explosions, and fires within the facility, Johari and several other inmates were transferred to Rajai-Shahr Prison in Karaj. However, on May 1, 2023, he was returned to Evin Prison.

On October 6, 2020, Johari was arrested at his residence in Tehran by IRGC Intelligence agents and subsequently detained in Ward 2A of Evin Prison.

In January 2021, Judge Iman Afshari of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Johari to five years for “organizing illegal groups to undermine national security,” five years for “collusion and assembly,” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.” Following a plea of no contest, the sentence was reduced to seven years and six months.

Civil Rights Activist Mohammad Nourizad Sentenced to Two Years in Prison

Posted on by . .
News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Eyvanki, Mohammad Nourizad, Semnan, Tehran Revolutionary Court

Imprisoned civil rights activist Mohammad Nourizad has been handed a two-year prison sentence by the Tehran Revolutionary Court, following a new legal case opened against him while in prison. As per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, one year of the sentence will be enforceable.

Judge Mohammadrezza Amoozad issued the verdict, sentencing Nourizad to one year for “propaganda against the regime” and another year for “destruction of property within the prison head’s office.” The court session pertaining to these charges took place on June 14, 2023.

The court session pertaining to these charges took place on June 14, 2023.

Nourizad’s legal ordeal began on August 11, 2019, when he was arrested by security forces for participating in the drafting of an open letter with 13 other civil rights activists, calling for the Supreme Leader of Iran to step down. In the initial case, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, three years of exile in Izeh, and a two-year travel ban. Although the prison sentence was upheld on appeal, the duration of exile and travel ban were reduced to two years.

In late April 2020, Nourizad received an additional one-year imprisonment for expressing support for Baha’i citizens in Eyvanki, Semnan Province.

Concerning the second part of his legal case, the Mashhad Criminal Court sentenced Nourizad to 8 months in prison and 74 lashes, along with exile to Tabas, for “disturbance of public order.” He also received an additional 74 lashes for “spreading falsehood.” This verdict was upheld on appeal as well.

Nourizad was released from Evin Prison on November 17, 2021, based on an early release order. However, on January 23, 2022, he was summoned and re-incarcerated in Evin Prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Nourizad has a history of arrests and convictions linked to his peaceful activism. He is a prominent filmmaker, writer, director, and journalist from Iran. While previously known as an outspoken religious journalist, he has become an active critic of the Islamic Republic in recent years.

Four Baha’i Citizens Sentenced Each to Five Years in Prison

Posted on by . .
News, Religious Minorities
Ataollah Zafar, Bahais, Evin Prison, HRANA, Mansour Amini, Shadi Shahidzadeh, Valiollah Ghadamian, Ward 209 of Evin Prison

In a ruling by the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Shadi Shahidzadeh, Mansour Amini, Valiollah Ghadamian, and Ataollah Zafar, four Baha’i citizens, have each been sentenced to five years in prison.

Judge Iman Afshar, presiding over the court, issued these sentences based on the charge of “membership in illegal groups to disrupt national security.” The court session took place on May 31, 2023.
According to a reliable source close to their families, who spoke to HRANA, despite starting their trial, they are still under interrogation as they are jailed in Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

These Bahais were arrested by security forces on May 1, 2023, and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

According to HRANA annual report, from the total human rights reports regarding the violation of religious minorities’ rights, 64.63% belonged to the violation of the rights of Baha’is.

The deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a breach 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.

Golrokh Iraee’s Sentence Reduced to Five Years on Appeal

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, golrokh iraee, Tehran

Golrokh Iraee, a former political prisoner, has had her sentence reduced to five years by the Tehran Court of Appeals. Initially, she had been sentenced to seven years in prison.

The court handed down this verdict in response to charges of “assembly and collusion against national security,” “propaganda against the regime,” and “disturbing public order.” In addition to the prison term, Iraee has also been prohibited from joining political and civil groups, restricted from staying in Tehran, barred from leaving the country for two years, and had her cell phone confiscated.

The court session took place on June 18, 2023.

Iraee was violently arrested by security forces at her residence in Tehran on September 26, 2022. After being held in multiple detention facilities, she was eventually imprisoned in Evin Prison on October 30, 2022. In April 2023, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to seven years and additional punishments.

It is noteworthy that Iraee has faced previous arrests and convictions on multiple occasions.