Tag: Evin Prison

Gelareh Abbasi’s Prison Sentence Upheld by Appeals Court

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Gelareh Abbasi, HRANA, گلاره عباسی

The Tehran Province Appeals Court has upheld a prison sentence of three years and nine months for political defendant Gelareh Abbasi. Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, only the most severe charge will be enforced, meaning Abbasi must serve 33 months in prison.

The sentence, originally issued by Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, was for the charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” It has now been confirmed by Branch 36 of the Appeals Court, presided over by Judge Abbas-Ali Hozan.

A source familiar with the case told HRANA that Abbasi’s file has been forwarded to the sentence enforcement unit.

Abbasi was arrested on February 16, 2025, at her home in western Tehran by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and transferred to Evin Prison. She was released from Evin Prison on March 28, 2025, after posting a bail of one billion tomans.

Earlier, in a separate case, Abbasi had been sentenced by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, to two years and six months in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security.” After serving several months, she was released from Evin in February 2023.

Gelareh Abbasi, 48, is the mother of a young daughter and the head of her household.

Pedram Madani Executed

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Executions, News
Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar, Pedram Madani, پدرام مدنی

HRANA News Agency – On Wednesday, May 28, Mizan, Iranian Judiciary’s media center, announced the execution of Pedram Madani, a prisoner convicted of espionage. He had recently been transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

The Judiciary’s media outlet claimed that “Mr. Madani was arrested and prosecuted in 2020 on charges of espionage for the Zionist regime, under the accusations of ‘enmity against God’ (Moharebeh) and ‘spreading corruption on Earth.’ Following the completion of legal proceedings and the Supreme Court’s confirmation of the verdict, the execution was carried out.”

This claim comes despite a video released yesterday by Madani’s mother, in which she stated that her son had been sentenced to death without a fair trial.

Earlier this week, Pedram Madani was transferred from Ward 4 of Evin Prison to a solitary confinement cell in Ghezel Hesar Prison.

Pedram Madani was 41 years old and the father of one child.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Mahvash Seydal Begins Hunger Strike in Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Hunger Strike, Iman Afshari, Mahvash Seydal

HRANA News Agency – Mahvash (Sayeh) Seydal, a political prisoner and holder of a PhD in international law, has gone on hunger and medication strike in protest against inadequate medical care.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Seydal, currently held in Evin Prison, began her strike due to what she describes as the authorities’ failure to provide proper medical attention.

On March 10, 2025, Seydal was formally charged in Branch 3 of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office in connection with a new case opened during her incarceration, facing accusations of property damage and disturbing public order.

She had been granted furlough on February 3, 2025. During that time, she posted on Instagram that upon reporting to Branch 1 of the Sentence Enforcement Office at Evin Prosecutor’s Office, she was physically assaulted and insulted by a security officer for refusing to wear a chador. Seydal stated that when she attempted to file a complaint, the prosecutor refused to register it.

Seydal was first arrested on October 6, 2024, by security forces and transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison.

Following a new conviction, her previously suspended sentence was converted into an enforceable one. She was prosecuted in Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges including “spreading falsehoods” and was sentenced to two years in prison and paying a fine. One of the charges related to her reposting news about the wave of poisonings targeting schoolgirls.

In November 2023, the same court under Judge Iman Afshari had previously sentenced her to one year in prison and a fine for “spreading falsehoods with the intent to disturb public opinion,” though the prison sentence had been suspended for five years.

Seydal was initially arrested on June 21, 2023, along with several other Clubhouse activists in Tehran, reportedly due to her activity on the platform. She was released on bail from The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility (Ward 209 of Evin Prison) on July 23, 2023.

HRANA’s data from the past decade shows that during this ten-year period, over 2,050 political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Iran prisons have been forced to go on hunger strike in protest of various abuses—including prolonged detention, being held in legal limbo, unfair trials, poor prison conditions, and being held in solitary confinement or alongside inmates convicted of violent crimes.

Iranian-British national Nasrin Roshan Released from Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Nasrin Roshan, نسرین روشن

HRANA News Agency – Today, May 20, dual Iranian-British national Nasrin Roshan was conditionally released from Evin Prison.

HRANA has learned that her release took place earlier today under conditional terms from Evin Prison.

Ms. Roshan had previously been tried by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. She was sentenced to four years in prison for “assembly and collusion” and eight months for “propaganda against the regime.” Her total sentence was later reduced to three years after she accepted the verdict.

A source earlier told HRANA that the charges against Ms. Roshan, who had lived in the UK for many years, stemmed from her participation in overseas protests related to the death of Mahsa Amini.

Ms. Roshan, aged around 62, was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison on January 1, 2024, after being held in Ward 209—the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility—for interrogation.

Security forces arrested her on November 16, 2023, at Imam Khomeini Airport while she was attempting to leave the country.

According to HRANA’s 2024 report, Iman Afshari, the presiding judge of Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, tops the list of human rights–violating judges in Iran, having issued at least 84 verdicts that constitute clear instances of human rights violations.

Majid Roshannejad in Prison: Details of His Current Situation

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News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, HRANA, Majid Roshannejad

HRANA News Agency – Political prisoner Majid Roshannejad (Roshan-Nejad) is serving his sentence in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary without being held separately from inmates convicted of violent crimes, in violation of the principle of separation of prisoners based on their charges. He was previously sentenced to six years in prison and 74 lashes in connection with the case known as the Evin Prison fire.

A source close to the prisoner’s family confirmed to HRANA: “Mr. Roshannejad is serving his sentence related to the Evin Prison fire case. On the night of the incident, he was shot in the knee. He was then held in solitary confinement for two months, before being transferred to a hospital. However, he was returned to prison the next day without receiving adequate medical treatment.”

On June 19, 2024, verdicts were issued for the defendants in the Evin Prison fire case, just one day after the court session was held. The trial took place in Branch 1148 of Tehran’s Criminal Court No. 2.

In this case, Roshannejad was sentenced to six years in prison and 74 lashes for “destruction of property.” He also received 16 months in prison and 74 lashes for “disrupting prison order,” and an additional 16 months for “disobeying officers’ orders.” The verdict was later upheld in full by the Tehran Provincial Court of Appeals.

It is worth noting that this case, initiated by the Prisons Organization, resulted in prison sentences for 39 other defendants in addition to Roshannejad. A separate lawsuit has also been filed by the General Directorate of Prisons, seeking damages related to the fire.

On May 3, 2023, Roshannejad was transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary.

On the night of October 15, 2022, after tensions rose in Evin Prison, fire was seen above the prison, and sounds of gunfire and explosions were heard. Despite officials claiming to have controlled the fire and clashes, gunfire continued for several hours. As a result, several prisoners were injured and killed, and some were transferred out of the prison.

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Taher Haji Ghorbani Sentenced to Over 14 Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, Taher Haji Ghorbani, Tehran

HRANA News Agency – Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court has sentenced Taher Haji Ghorbani, a resident of Tehran, to 14 years and 2 months in prison, a monetary fine, and additional restrictions. Judge Iman Afshari presided over the case.

According to information obtained by HRANA, the court convicted Ghorbani on the following charges:

5 years and 6 months for “assembly and collusion to commit a crime against internal and external security,”
6 years for “blasphemy,”
8 months for “propaganda against the regime,”
2 years for “spreading falsehoods,”
and imposed a fine of 500 million rials (50 million tomans).

The court also handed down supplementary punishments, barring him for two years from living in Tehran Province and adjacent regions, traveling abroad, and joining political or social groups.

Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, only the severest sentence—six years in prison—will be enforceable.

Authorities cited Ghorbani’s online activities as grounds for the charges. The court issued the verdict on May 2, 2025, and delivered it to him in prison. His trial had taken place earlier that month in the same court.

In February 2025, the court set bail at 3.5 billion tomans, but judicial officials refused to accept it, effectively blocking his release.

Security forces arrested Ghorbani at his Tehran residence on February 2, 2025, and transferred him to Evin Prison.

Ongoing Detention of Mehdi Farahi Shandiz; Reports of Assault During Arrest

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Labor and Guilds, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Farahi Shandiz, Mehdi Farahi Shandiz

HRANA News Agency – Mehdi Farahi Shandiz, a former contract teacher, remains in legal limbo in Evin Prison more than two weeks after his arrest. He was reportedly beaten by security forces at the time of his detention for chanting protest slogans.

A source close to his family told HRANA: “During the arrest, inside the van, Farahi Shandiz was beaten by security agents for chanting protest slogans. One officer applied intense pressure by sitting on his abdomen, causing physical injury.”

Farahi Shandiz has now spent 16 days in Evin Prison without due process, and efforts to release him on bail have so far failed.

He was arrested on May 1, 2025, during a teachers’ protest held in Tehran, coinciding with International Workers’ Day. At the same protest, retired teacher Hossein Ebadian from Malayer (now residing in Shahriar) and Ahmad Heydari were also detained but were later released on bail.

As of the time of this report, no formal charges have been announced against these union activists.

Farahi Shandiz has previously served prison time for his activism.

Four Months of Uncertainty: Christian Convert Aida Najaflou Held in Evin Prison

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News, Religious Minorities
Aida Najaflou, Evin Prison, آیدا نجفلو

HRANA News Agency – Aida Najaflou, a Christian convert, remains in legal limbo nearly four months after her arrest, currently held in Evin Prison under temporary detention.

A source close to her family told HRANA: “Ms. Najaflou has been held in Evin Prison without resolution for almost four months. A bail of 11 billion tomans (approximately 130,000 dollars) has been set for her temporary release, but her family is unable to afford it.”

The source added: “She is the mother of two children, one of whom is ill and facing serious care issues in her absence. Before her arrest, she underwent spinal disc surgery and suffers from ongoing spinal problems that require continuous medical attention. The lack of proper care in prison has worsened her condition.”

On April 13, 2025, Aida Najaflou was transferred from Ward 209—The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility—to the women’s ward of Evin Prison. She was initially arrested by security forces in February 2025.

As of this report, the reasons for her arrest and the charges against her remain unknown.

Based on about 180 reports compiled by HRANA over the past decade, 11% of all victims of religious minority rights violations by Iran’s security-judicial apparatus were Christians—particularly Christian converts. In 2024 alone, Christians made up over 9% of those targeted.

Over Three Months in Legal Limbo: Arghavan Fallahi’s Case Still Unclear

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News, Prisoners
Arghavan Fallahi, Evin Prison, Iman Afshari, ارغوان فلاحی

HRANA News Agency – Arghavan Fallahi, a Tehran resident, remains in legal limbo in Evin Prison more than three months after her arrest.

A source close to her family confirmed to HRANA: “Ms. Fallahi has been held in Evin Prison for over three months without clarity on her case. She has been under interrogation during this time, and the charges against her remain unknown. She is allowed one phone call with her family per month and has not been granted in-person visits.”

Arghavan Fallahi was arrested by security forces in late January 2025 and transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

Fallahi had previously been arrested in November 2022 alongside her father by security forces and later transferred to Evin Prison. She was sentenced by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, to two years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion” and “propaganda against the regime.” She was released after serving her sentence.

In 2024 alone, HRANA published 938 reports of prolonged detention of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience by the Iranian regime’s security and judicial apparatus. These extended detentions are often marked by solitary confinement, withholding information from families about the detainees’ whereabouts and condition, lengthy interrogation periods, and unclear charges and judicial procedures—forming a pattern of systematic abuse and due process violations.

Mir-Yousef Younesi Goes on Hunger Strike in Evin Prison

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News, Prisoners
Aida Younesi, Ali Younesi, Evin Prison, Mir-Yousef Younesi, Shahrud

HRANA News Agency – Mir-Yousef Younesi began a hunger strike yesterday, May 13, in protest of his transfer to Ward 7 of Evin Prison.

His daughter, Aida Younesi, shared in a statement: “My father began a hunger strike today, Tuesday, May 13, in protest of new pressures, his unlawful transfer to Ward 7, and the inhumane conditions in that ward. A week has passed since his transfer, and despite protests, letters, and promises from prison officials to return him to Ward 4, nothing has changed. He was arrested on political charges, which are not compatible with placement in Ward 7. He is deprived of basic facilities, and his access to fresh air and phone calls has been severely restricted. Even the officials of Ward 7 said from the start that this ward is not suitable for my father, an elderly and ill man, and that the transfer would last only two to three days.”

Mr. Younesi had previously been sentenced in January 2024 to five years in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

His trial was held on December 31, 2023. According to his daughter, Aida, he was not brought to the courtroom for refusing to wear a prison uniform, and the judge did not allow the lawyers to defend him.

One of Mr. Younesi’s children stated that he lost hearing in one ear during his detention, and the other ear has also become impaired, while he has consistently been denied proper medical care.

Younesi was arrested in Shahrud on December 28, 2022. After 107 days of solitary confinement in Wards 240 and 209, and later being held in closed multi-person cells in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, he was transferred to the general ward of Evin.

Mir-Yousef Younesi is the father of Ali Younesi, a student currently imprisoned in Evin. Ali Younesi won a silver medal in Iran’s National Astronomy Olympiad in 2016 and a gold medal in 2017. He also earned first place by winning a gold medal at the 12th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics held in China. He and another detained student from the same university, Amirhossein Moradi, are currently serving their prison sentences in Evin.

HRANA’s data from the past decade shows that during this ten-year period, over 2,050 political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Iran prisons have been forced to go on hunger strike in protest of various abuses—including prolonged detention, being held in legal limbo, unfair trials, poor prison conditions, and being held in solitary confinement or alongside inmates convicted of violent crimes.