HRANA – The Supreme Court of Iran has upheld the death sentence of Babak Shahbazi, a political prisoner currently held in Tehran’s Greater Prison. Shahbazi was previously arrested on charges of espionage and sentenced to death.
According to HRANA, citing BBC Persian, Shahbazi was accused of spying for Israel. The Supreme Court has now confirmed the verdict. Authorities have issued an order for his transfer to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.
BBC Persian, quoting informed sources, reports that Shahbazi denied all charges throughout the judicial process. One of the accusations reportedly used to support the espionage charge was that he had sent a message to the President of Ukraine.
Shahbazi was arrested in January 2024 and initially detained in Evin Prison. He was later transferred to Tehran’s Greater Prison along with other political prisoners after an Israeli airstrike targeted Evin.
HRANA – Craig Foreman and Lindsay Foreman, two British nationals detained on charges of “espionage,” are currently being held in Tehran’s Greater Prison and Qarchak Prison in Varamin. According to Ms. Foreman’s son, the couple has been denied any contact with their family since the time of their arrest.
Joe Bennet, Ms. Foreman’s son, told AFP that on Sunday, August 3, the UK Foreign Office informed the family that his mother and stepfather had been transferred to the two prisons. He noted that the complete lack of communication has deepened the family’s concerns about their safety and the conditions of their detention. Bennet has called on Iranian authorities to allow the couple to make contact with their loved ones.
The arrest took place in Kerman and was carried out by agents of the IRGC Intelligence Organization. A spokesperson for Iran’s judiciary previously announced that the pair had been detained on espionage charges. Following their initial arrest, they were transferred to Evin Prison.
Asghar Jahangir, a senior judicial official, later alleged that the detainees had entered Iran under the pretense of tourism and, while presenting themselves as researchers, had gathered information across several provinces.
Earlier, on February 13, 2025, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Kermanannounced that Hugo Shorter, the British Ambassador to Iran, had met with the detained individuals at the prosecutor’s office.
The couple, both in their early 50s, had entered Iran as part of a motorcycle world tour and had planned to continue their journey to Pakistan after a short stay.
In recent years, Iranian authorities have arrested multiple foreign nationals on charges of espionage or collaboration with hostile governments. While some have been released following political negotiations, human rights organizations and several Western governments have accused Iran of using such arrests as a means of political leverage—an allegation Iranian officials have consistently denied.
HRANA– Danial Moghaddam, a dissident singer, was once again arrested by security forces in Shiraz on Tuesday, July 29, and transferred to the Greater Tehran Prison. He had previously stated in a video that, during the early days of his recent detention in Evin Prison and amid an Israeli airstrike on the facility, he was evacuated due to the post-bombing conditions and never returned.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Danial Moghaddam, a dissident singer, has been re-arrested.
His arrest took place on Tuesday, July 29, in Shiraz, and he was subsequently transferred to Greater Tehran Prison. During his earlier detention in Evin Prison, Moghaddam released a video on his personal page describing the crisis inside the prison during the Israeli airstrike. In the video, he stated that following the shockwaves and emergency situation caused by the bombing, he unintentionally left the prison while in a disoriented and semi-conscious state and did not return.
In the same video, Moghaddam cited the reasons for his arrest as supporting the families of those killed during protests, calling for the release of political prisoners, and demonstrating in front of Evin Prison to oppose executions.
On June 25, 2025, Mohammad-Hadi Jafarpoor, Moghaddam’s attorney, announced in a post that his client had been detained by order of Branch 3 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court’s Prosecutor’s Office due to his inability to post bail.
Danial Moghaddam has previously been arrested and sentenced for his activism.
HRANA– On Sunday, July 27, the Judiciary’s Media Center announced the execution of Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou and Mehdi Hasani, two political prisoners accused of baghi (armed rebellion). Their death sentences had previously been upheld by the Supreme Court of Iran.
Mizan described them as “operational members” of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK) and claimed they were involved in activities such as “establishing a safe house in Tehran, building and launching mortars, attacking public places, promoting the MEK’s agenda, damaging public property, and transmitting information and images to the group’s overseas contacts.”
Mehdi Hasani’s requests for retrial were rejected multiple times by the Supreme Court — the fourth and final rejection came recently. His third and second retrial requests were also denied earlier in the spring of 2025, with the first rejection occurring on February 23, 2025.
Similarly, Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou’s retrial request was also rejected by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court in February 2025.
On January 26, 2025, Hasani and Ehsani Eslamlou, both sentenced to death, were transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj under the pretext of medical treatment. Their executions were temporarily halted after their retrial requests were submitted and accepted for review by the Supreme Court.
In late September 2024, both men were tried at Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. They were convicted of charges including baghi, moharebeh (enmity against God), efsad-e-fel-arz (corruption on Earth), collecting classified information, and collusion against national security. The court sentenced them to death, and the verdicts were later upheld by Iran’s highest judicial authority and communicated to their lawyers.
Their membership in the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization was one of the primary bases for the charges.
Mehdi Hasani, aged around 48, was married and the father of two. He was arrested on September 9, 2022, while attempting to leave the country through Zanjan Province and was later transferred to Evin Prison. Behrooz Ehsani Eslamlou, 64 years old and a resident of Tehran, was arrested in December 2022 and also taken to Evin Prison.
HRANA – Abolfazl Ghadiani, an 80-year-old political prisoner, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison over a new case opened against him while in custody.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Ghadiani was convicted of “propaganda against the regime” in connection with this new case. The news was announced by his son, Ahmad Ghadiani, via social media.
Following an Israeli attack on Evin Prison on June 23, Ghadiani and several other prisoners were transferred to Greater Tehran Prison.
On September 30, 2024, he had been arrested by security forces in Tehran to begin serving a previous sentence of three years and six months. He was subsequently transferred to Ward 6 of Evin Prison. Charges against him included “insulting the Supreme Leader” and “propaganda against the regime.”
Ghadiani faces multiple legal cases. In July 2023, Branch 28 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court had sentenced him to 10 months for “propaganda against the regime” and summoned him to Branch 1 of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office to enforce the sentence.
He has also faced another case in Branch 1025 of Tehran’s Government Employees Court on the charge of “spreading falsehoods online.”
Abolfazl Ghadiani, 80, has a history of arrest and imprisonment due to his political activities.
HRANA – More than 170 days after the arrest of Bijan Kazemi, a resident of Kuhdasht, he remains in detention with no clear legal status. He was recently transferred from the Greater Tehran Prison to an undisclosed location and has had no contact with his family or relatives for the past 10 days.
Yesterday, Kazemi’s mother, Shahnaz Khosravi, posted an update stating that her son has been denied visitation with both his family and legal counsel for 176 days. She said he was recently transferred from Greater Tehran Prison to one of the Ministry of Intelligence’s so-called “safe houses” and has not made any contact in the past 10 days. The family’s growing concern is fueled by this prolonged silence.
Kazemi was previously transferred to Greater Tehran Prison alongside ten other detainees following an Israeli military strike on Evin Prison.
He was first arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents in Kuhdasht on January 19, 2025, and was subsequently transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison—a detention facility operated by the Ministry of Intelligence—on January 22.
As of this report, no information has been made available regarding the reasons for his arrest or the charges against him.
Bijan Kazemi has previously faced legal action due to his activism.
HRANA – Seventeen days after his arrest, Hossein Mirbahari, founder of the Society for the Protection of Working and Street Children, remains in detention with no information available about his whereabouts, health condition, or the reasons behind his arrest.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Mirbahari—a long-standing children’s rights advocate who founded the Society in 2003 to combat child exploitation and promote children’s welfare—was arrested on Saturday evening, June 21, at his home in Pardis by security forces.
A source close to his family told HRANA that Mirbahari was initially held in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. However, following a recent airstrike on the facility, all contact with him was lost. “The family has no idea where he is being held. He was allowed only one brief phone call since the arrest, during which he said he didn’t know his location,” the source added. No charges or legal justification for his detention have been disclosed.
Mirbahari’s family is deeply concerned for his health. He has a history of major stomach surgery and suffers from multiple chronic conditions that require a strict diet and regular medication. The lack of access to the essential medications and proper nutrition has caused growing alarm among his family and colleagues.
Another informed source, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, told HRANA: “The family has no information about his medical care or nutrition in detention. This uncertainty is taking a serious emotional toll on them.”
As of this report, authorities have not released any details regarding the charges or the legal basis for Mirbahari’s arrest.
HRANA News Agency – On June 23, Israeli military strikes targeted multiple locations in Tehran, including Evin Prison, which sustained several direct hits. A week after the attack, the fate of prisoners held in the facility’s high-security wards remains unknown, fueling growing alarm among their families.
On June 29, without addressing the condition or whereabouts of these detainees, the judiciary spokesperson announced that at least 71 people were killed in the attacks. HRANA has so far verified the identities of 47 of the deceased.
Following the strike, approximately 120 political prisoners were transferred from Evin to other prisons in Tehran Province. However, no information has emerged regarding those held in the prison’s high-security sections—Ward 209 (The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility), Ward 2-A (IRGC Intelligence detention facility), and units operated by the Judiciary’s security apparatus. Neither government officials nor state-affiliated media have offered any transparent updates, intensifying the anxiety of families.
Human rights organizations have little to no information about the identities and status of detainees in these high-security wards, where the total population is estimated to exceed 300. These wards operate outside the oversight of Iran’s prison organization, and the lack of accessible records has made it nearly impossible to trace the fate of those detained there.
Footage released by judiciary-affiliated media shows extensive damage to Ward 209 but provides no details regarding its detainees.
Most post-strike reports have focused on the prison’s general wards. According to accounts from those areas, heavily armed special forces stormed the prison in the early hours following the attack. Using force, they removed political prisoners without explaining the reason or destination. Detainees were violently and inhumanely restrained—handcuffed, shackled, and marched into the prison yard in groups—before being loaded onto buses, some of which were damaged and barely operable due to the blasts. As the sounds of missile strikes and air defense continued, prisoners were held for hours under the sun before being transferred under tight security later that night to Greater Tehran Prison. Several detainees likened the transfer to being used as “human shields.”
Beyond structural damage, the attack on Evin Prison resulted in the deaths of multiple inmates and staff. The judiciary spokesperson confirmed that at least 71 people were killed but did not disclose the number of wounded. Among the dead, he said, were prison personnel, military conscripts, detainees, and civilians—family members who had come to visit or follow up on cases at the Evin courthouse.
Below is a list of 47 individuals confirmed dead by HRANA so far:
Evin Prison Staff:
1. Ali Ghanatkar, head of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office and Deputy Security Prosecutor of Tehran;
2. Davood Shirvani Boroujeni, a prison physician;
3. Atefeh Ba’ajzadeh, a counselor and social worker;
4, 5. Zahra Ebadi, an employee of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office enforcement division, along with her 9-year-old child.
Fourteen additional staff members whose identities have been verified include:
6. Mehrad Kheiri
7. Vahid Vahidpour
8. Hassan Shojaei
9. Bahareh Lotfi
10. Hamid Saeedi
11. Hassan Salehi
12. Hassan Nazari Kalur
13. Hossein Ali Ahmadi
14. Rouhollah Tavassoli
15. Pourandokht Sa’adatnejad
16. Mohammad Mir
17. Akram Mohammad Salimi
18. Mahnaz Khosh Kerdar
19. Zohrehsadat (surname unknown).
Other confirmed fatalities whose identities have been verified by HRANA, but whose classifications (such as prisoner, staff member, conscript, or visitor) are still under investigation:
Hajar Mohammadi, the niece of Azizollah Mohammadi, former head of Iran’s Soccer Premier League Organization, and Mehrangiz Imanpour, a painter and former wife of Reza Khandan Mahabadi, a member of the Iranian Writers Association, were also killed.
Mr. Khandan Mahabadi stated: “On Tuesday, June 23, Mehrangiz left her home on Evin Street for a walk. About 40 minutes later, she died in the explosion caused by the attack on Evin Prison. When she didn’t return, we assumed she was injured and began searching for her. Despite visiting several hospitals, we received no information. Other families were also searching for their loved ones. Eventually, on Tuesday, June 24, we discovered at Behesht Zahra Cemetery and the Kahrizak Forensic Center that Mehrangiz had died.”
Read HRANA’s report on the plight of prisoners transferred to other prisons here.
HRANA News Agency – Following the mass transfer of political and security prisoners from Evin Prison to facilities such as Qarchak Varamin, the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, and Ghezel Hesar in Karaj, reports indicate that these relocations were conducted without regard for fundamental standards — including separation based on offense type, adequate living conditions, access to basic services, and the right to contact family members. These abrupt and forced transfers were made without transparent communication from the responsible authorities, sparking serious concern among the prisoners’ families.
A photo showing damage to Ward 209, the bakery, and the medical clinic at Evin Prison.
In addition to causing infrastructural damage, the attack on Evin Prison has led to psychological distress and serious concerns for the families of prisoners. As of the time of this report, officials have not provided clear information about the status and conditions of the transferred prisoners.
Overcrowding
According to information obtained by HRANA, following the mass transfer of male political prisoners from Evin Prison, more than 70 individuals were relocated to Quarantine Unit 3 at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. These prisoners are enduring severe shortages of basic necessities and face tight restrictions on communicating with their families.
Female political prisoners who were abruptly and forcibly transferred to Qarchak Varamin Prison were initially confined in a cramped, unsanitary quarantine ward. They were later moved to a gymnasium lacking even the most basic facilities, including beds, and equipped with only a few restrooms. Eventually, they were returned to the quarantine ward, where they continue to be held in conditions that disregard crime-based classification and fail to meet minimum living standards.
At Greater Tehran Prison, inmates housed in Halls 3 and 4 of Ward 2 are being held in rooms that far exceed their intended capacity of 20 people. This extreme overcrowding has led to widespread floor-sleeping, heightened tensions among inmates, and a serious deterioration in sanitary conditions.
Poor Sanitation and Living Conditions
Sanitary conditions in Qarchak and Greater Tehran prisons have been reported as extremely poor. A family member of one of the women transferred to Qarchak told HRANA that in the prison’s gym and quarantine ward, there are only two toilets and one shower for dozens of inmates. The quarantine space is very small and unhygienic, and in the hot summer weather, access to outdoor areas is practically impossible. Reports speak of infestations of insects and pests such as mice, and even snakes in prisoners’ sleeping quarters.
According to HRANA, similar conditions exist in Greater Tehran Prison, where 70 to 80 inmates must share one toilet, one sink, and one shower. This lack of sanitary facilities significantly raises the risk of infectious and skin diseases, endangering prisoners’ health.
Limited Access to Food and Drinking Water
The food and clean water situation in Qarchak and Greater Tehran prisons is described as critical. In Qarchak, the tap water is salty and contaminated, making it undrinkable, and many prisoners must pay for bottled water. The prison has only one central kitchen that provides low-quality, insufficient food. Dinner is distributed at 4 p.m., and prisoners are forced to eat cold, tasteless meals at any later time. There is a fast food outlet in the prison, but prices are high and unaffordable for most inmates.
In Greater Tehran Penitentiary, the increase in prisoner numbers has seriously disrupted food distribution. According to a prisoner’s family, some inmates receive meals late or receive incomplete portions. Drinking water is also undrinkable due to its poor quality and high salinity, with no suitable alternatives available. Combined with the lack of hygiene facilities, this has created serious physical problems for prisoners.
Lack of Medical Services
Female prisoners in Qarchak and many of the inmates transferred to Greater Tehran Prison have been denied access to medical services. According to a relative of one prisoner, Qarchak provides no medical care or basic health facilities for women, who are held in security conditions without sanitary support. Greater Tehran Prison faces similar issues; for example, Morteza Seydi, who was injured during the Israeli airstrike, has been denied even the most basic treatment despite having a severe hand infection.
Restricted Contact with Families
Prisoners transferred to Qarchak and Ghezel Hesar are facing severe restrictions on contact with their families. At Qarchak, political prisoners held in the quarantine ward have been almost completely cut off from the outside world. According to a relative of one incarcerated woman, phone calls were still prohibited as of yesterday, with only a single malfunctioning phone available—enabling some prisoners to place short calls lasting just two to five minutes. Meanwhile, political and security detainees sent to Ghezel Hesar are being held under strict security conditions and have been entirely denied access to phone communication with their families.
On social media, relatives and friends of political prisoners transferred to Greater Tehran and Qarchak prisons have shared posts raising concerns about their conditions. Keyvan Mohtadi stated that his wife Anisha Asadollahi, along with Raheleh Rahemipour and Kobra Beiki, were transferred to Qarchak. He reported a lack of basic facilities, overcrowding, and that prisoners’ belongings were left behind in Evin. He emphasized that the situation is even harder for elderly inmates like Rahemipour and Beiki.
A social media page associated with Varisheh Moradi expressed concern about her health in Qarchak, stating that the transfer has disrupted access to medical care for ill prisoners.
Another page associated with Mostafa Mehraeen, who was arrested on June 15, reported that he was transferred to Greater Tehran Penitentiary but remains in solitary confinement and has so far had only one brief phone call with his family.
It is important to note that on Monday, June 23, amid Israeli airstrikes on Tehran, Evin Prison was directly hit. Multiple sections of the facility were damaged, including the main entrance gate, the on-site courthouse, the medical clinic, Ward 209, the bakery, and the visitation hall. The attack resulted in the death or injury of several conscripted soldiers, while dozens of prison staff and inmate laborers—some of whom were gardening at the time—were also reported wounded. In the aftermath, the Prisons Organization announced the transfer of Evin’s inmates to various detention facilities across Tehran Province.
HRANA News Agency – Following Israeli airstrikes on June 23 that directly targeted Evin Prison, Iranian authorities have initiated the mass transfer of inmates to other prisons across Tehran Province. Most political prisoners from Ward 4 of Evin have been moved to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, where they now face harsh and deteriorating conditions, including extreme overcrowding, lack of access to clean drinking water, and the absence of separation between inmates by the nature of their charges.
A source close to Taher Naghavi reported that he is being held in a hall with at least 120 inmates—despite the space being designed for no more than 40 people—and is not separated from those convicted of non-political offenses.
Additional reports highlight the facility’s inadequate water supply. Inmates have described the available water as too salty to drink. According to a source close to Morteza Parvin, he and Mahmoud Ojaghlou were moved late Monday night without being allowed to bring any of their personal belongings.
Family members have also confirmed these developments. Ahmad Ghadiani and Alireza Bakhtiar, sons of Abolfazl Ghadiani and Mohammad Bagher Bakhtiar, respectively, shared on social media that their fathers had been transferred. Alireza noted that many inmates now sleep on the floor and that only one bottle of mineral water is provided for every four political prisoners.
Fatemeh Alvandi, the mother of Mehdi Mahmoudian, told Emtedad News Agency that the detention conditions are extremely poor. She reported overcrowded quarters, unsanitary facilities, and a lack of basic necessities. According to her, her son and others lacked even food containers upon arrival, and the lack of hygiene products is now threatening inmates’ health.
Abbas Shanbehzadeh confirmed that his brother, Hossein, was also among those moved from Ward 4 of Evin to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary.
UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, Mai Sato, has expressed concern about the treatment of these transferred inmates. She also noted receiving reports of arbitrary arrests and expedited trials lacking due process, particularly since the onset of the Israeli strikes.
The June 23 airstrikes struck Evin’s entrance gate and the judiciary building within the prison compound. Several conscripted soldiers were reportedly killed or injured, along with some prison staff and inmate workers who were gardening at the time. Following the attack, Iran’s Prisons Organization confirmed the transfer of Evin inmates to other facilities in the province.
