Tag: Ghezel Hesar

Report on the Latest Status of Death-Row Prisoner Ehsan Afrashteh

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Ehsan Afrashteh, Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar, HRANA, Isfahan, احسان افرشته

HRANA – Ehsan Afrashteh, a prisoner sentenced to death, is currently being held in Evin Prison. His second request for retrial has been filed with the Supreme Court and referred to Branch 29 for review.

According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Mr. Afrashteh was sentenced to death in June 2025 by Judge Salavati, head of Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, on the charge of “espionage.” The sentence was upheld first by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court during the appeals stage and again by Branch 9 during the first retrial. His case is now under review in the second retrial phase, referred to Branch 29 of the Supreme Court.

Ehsan Afrashteh was arrested in 2024 after returning to Iran from Turkey. Following several months in solitary confinement, he was transferred to the public ward of Evin Prison in October 2024, and he is currently held in Ward 7.

A source close to Afrashteh’s family confirmed to HRANA:
“Recently, prison officials intended to transfer him to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, but several inmates tried to prevent it. In response, authorities summoned some of these prisoners to the ward’s administrative office and deprived them of family visits.”

The source added: “Ehsan Afrashteh has been accused of espionage for Israel and sentenced to death. Forced confessions were obtained from him, though the content remains undisclosed. According to the source, these confessions were fabricated, and Afrashteh has denied all charges. Additionally, some of his and his family’s assets have been seized, and his family remains under pressure and threats from security agencies.”

Ehsan Afrashteh, aged approximately 32, is a civil engineering graduate (MSc), an IT and network specialist, and a native of Isfahan who previously resided in Tehran.

More than Two Decades Behind Bars, Prisoner Profiles – No. 8: Afshin Baymani

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News, Prisoners
20years, Afshin Baymani, Evin, Ghezel Hesar, Rajai-Shahr, TwoDecadesBehindBars, افشین بایمانی

HRANA – Numerous political and religious prisoners in Iran have spent more than two decades in detention. To ensure their stories are not lost amid the constant churn of daily news, HRANA publishes a series of reports dedicated to them. Each report reviews the prisoner’s case history, prison conditions, access to basic rights, and urgent needs.

This report examines the current situation of Afshin Baymani after over two decades in prison.

Information Sheet

• Name: Afshin Baymani

• Year of Arrest: 2000 (1379 in the Iranian calendar)

• Stated Charge: “Moharebeh [enmity against God] through collaboration with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK)”

• Initial Sentence: Death penalty

• Current Sentence: Life imprisonment (commuted with one degree of reduction)

• Places of Detention:
After his conviction, Baymani spent years in various wards of Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj. In August 2023, he was transferred from there to Ward 10 (Section 8) of Evin Prison, without respect for the principle of separation of crimes. In September of the same year, again without separation of crimes and with violence, he was transferred from Evin to the security ward (Unit 3) of Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. In November 2023, he was granted medical furlough from Ghezel Hesar for treatment and care. However, after about one month—despite incomplete treatment—he was rearrested at his residence by police forces on the orders of the Head of Enforcement of Verdicts of Karaj Revolutionary Court and transferred to Asadabad Prison in Mobarakeh, Isfahan, where he was held in the health ward. In January 2024, he was once again transferred from Asadabad to Ghezel Hesar Prison, where he remains to this day.

• Leave / Access: No furlough has been reported in recent years; access to family and lawyer has been limited.

• Current Status: Still serving a life sentence despite legal changes that could allow for review or reduction.

Case Background and Judicial Process

Afshin Baymani was arrested on September 5, 2000, on charges of “Moharebeh through collaboration with the PMOI” and allegedly assisting his brother, Mehdi Baymani, a member of the PMOI, to escape. He was sentenced to death by the Tehran Revolutionary Court, and this ruling was upheld on appeal. After six years, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. While this change prevented his execution, it placed him in the category of indefinite imprisonment, which in practice can last for decades and significantly restricts access to review mechanisms.

Key Points in the Judicial Process

• Severe Security Charge: The “Moharebeh” charge is among the most serious in Iran’s political-security cases, with broad legal and practical consequences.

• Sentence Conversion: His initial death sentence and subsequent commutation to life highlight both the severity of the charge and later judicial interventions, though without resolving potential injustices in due process.

• Continued Imprisonment Despite Legal Changes: Legal reforms allowing retrials, sentence reductions, or conditional release in such cases have not been applied to Baymani.

Detention Conditions and Transfers

Throughout his imprisonment, Baymani has been repeatedly transferred between prisons and wards, including Rajai Shahr, Evin, Ghezel Hesar, and Asadabad Prison. Transfers were often violent and carried out without regard to the separation of crimes. He has repeatedly protested mistreatment, lack of medical care, and inhumane conditions, including hunger strikes in 2011 and 2018.

Observations on Prison Standards

• Frequent Transfers: Repeated relocations disrupted family contact, legal representation, and medical treatment.

• Solitary Confinement as Punishment: Baymani has been held in solitary on numerous occasions, sometimes for weeks, in violation of international standards that require solitary to be rare and tightly controlled.

• Violence in Prison: Reports document multiple instances of physical and verbal abuse by prison authorities, including beatings during transfers and threats during hunger strikes.

• Denial of Medical Care: Despite suffering from heart disease, blocked arteries, chest pain, hypertension, diabetes, kidney stones, and requiring angiography and mitral valve surgery, he has repeatedly been denied hospital access. This deliberate deprivation violates the right to health and, in some cases, the right to life, and is often used as a form of pressure.

Access to Family, Lawyer, and Leave

In recent years, Baymani has not been granted furlough. Reports indicate limited access to both family and lawyer, restricting not only his well-being but also his ability to pursue legal remedies.

Potential Legal Pathways (General Recommendations)

1. Retrial: Exploring new evidence or procedural flaws.

2. Sentence Reduction or Commutation: If legal grounds allow.

3. Conditional Release / Suspension of Sentence: Based on duration served, conduct, and medical condition.

4. Addressing Rights Violations: Including access to medical care, protection from abuse, family visits, and legal counsel.

5. International Documentation and Advocacy: If domestic channels remain blocked.

Timeline Summary

• 2000 (1379): Arrest; charged with Moharebeh through collaboration with the PMOI

• Initial Sentence: Death penalty commuted to life imprisonment

• 2000s–2020s: Years spent in Rajai Shahr Prison; repeated transfers

• 2011–2016: Several hunger strikes, solitary confinements, violent transfers reported

• 2018: 57-day hunger strike in protest of denial of medical leave and new case fabrication

• 2023–2024: Transfers between Evin, Ghezel Hesar, and Asadabad Prisons; medical furlough cut short; violent rearrest; chest injury during prison violence in February 2024

• Present: Serving life sentence in Ghezel Hesar, without medical access, furlough, or consistent family contact

Conclusion and Importance of Review

Despite legal changes enabling retrials, reductions, or release for those convicted of Moharebeh, Afshin Baymani remains in prison. His case highlights the broader plight of long-term political-security prisoners in Iran, underlining the need for both domestic and international mechanisms to review and reduce such sentences. His situation emphasizes denial of fundamental rights during imprisonment—furlough, visits, legal access—and the urgent necessity of sustained advocacy.

Urgent Needs:

• Regular, equal access to lawyer and family

• Independent medical evaluation, particularly after reports of violence and long-term health conditions

• Legal review for retrial, sentence reduction, or release under current laws

• Enforcement of prison regulations on visits, contact, and furlough

• Access to adequate healthcare and treatment

About this Series

This report is part of HRANA’s “More than Two Decades Behind Bars” series, aimed at continuously documenting long-term prisoner cases and reminding society of the collective responsibility to make their struggles visible and pursue their rights.

More than Two Decades Behind Bars, Prisoner Profiles – No. 5: Saeed Masouri

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News, Prisoners
ahvaz, Evin, Ghezel Hesar, HRANA, Rajai-Shahr, Saeed Masouri, TwoDecadesBehindBars, سعید ماسوری

HRANA – Many political and religious prisoners in Iran have endured over twenty years behind bars. To prevent their cases from fading from public memory in the flow of daily news, HRANA has launched a series of reports highlighting their situations. Each installment outlines the prisoner’s legal case, detention conditions, access to rights, and immediate needs.

In this installment, HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, reviews the current situation of Saeed Masouri after more than two decades in prison.

Profile

• Name: Saeed Masouri

• Year of Arrest: 2000 (1379 in the Iranian calendar)

• Declared Charge: Moharebeh (enmity against God) through membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI)

• Initial Sentence: Death

• Current Sentence: Life imprisonment (commuted by one degree)

• Detention Locations:

◦ 14 months in solitary confinement at the Ahvaz Ministry of Intelligence detention facility

◦ Ward 209 of Evin Prison

◦ Several years in Rajai Shahr Prison (Karaj), including transfers between wards

◦ June 2015: moved to the IRGC-controlled ward of Rajai Shahr

◦ August 2017: forcibly transferred from Ward 12 to Ward 10 of Rajai Shahr

◦ August 2023: after Rajai Shahr’s closure, moved to Ward 8, Hall 10 of Evin Prison, then a month later to Ghezel Hesar Prison

◦ September 2023: transferred from the secure unit (Ward 3) of Ghezel Hesar to Dar al-Quran Hall (Ward 4), designated for drug-related prisoners

◦ August 2025: exiled from Ghezel Hesar to Zahedan Prison; after rejection there, secretly transferred and ultimately returned on August 5, 2025, to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar

• Furlough/Access: No furlough reported in recent years; limited access to family and lawyer

• Current Status: Serving life imprisonment despite legal changes that could allow review or sentence reduction

Case History

Dr. Saeed Masouri, born in 1965, lived in Norway for his studies. Upon returning to Iran, he was arrested in Dezful on January 8, 2001, on charges of membership in the PMOI. His family was informed in May 2001.

In 2002, the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced him to death on charges of moharebeh. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. While this prevented execution, it effectively placed him among those serving indefinite sentences, limiting opportunities for judicial review or relief.

Key points in the case:

• Severe security charges: Moharebeh is among the most serious charges in Iran’s political-security cases, carrying broad judicial and punitive consequences.

• Sentence commutation: The initial death sentence and its later reduction to life imprisonment demonstrate both the severity of the charge and the judiciary’s capacity for intervention, but do not necessarily address concerns over fairness of proceedings.

• Continued imprisonment despite legal reforms: Although recent legal changes allow retrial, sentence reductions, or conditional release, Masouri remains imprisoned.

Detention and Transfers

Throughout his imprisonment, Masouri has been repeatedly moved: from solitary confinement in Ahvaz, to Ward 209 of Evin, to Rajai Shahr, and later to Ghezel Hesar and Zahedan. These transfers have often involved violence, including beatings during moves in 2017, 2023, and 2025.

He has staged hunger strikes in protest, including after being beaten and transferred without warning in 2017. Following Zahedan Prison’s refusal to accept him in August 2025, he was held in an unknown location for several days before being returned to Ghezel Hesar.

Observations on Conditions

• Repeated transfers: Frequent relocations disrupt access to family, lawyer, and healthcare.

• Solitary confinement as punishment: He spent 14 months in solitary in Ahvaz, and has repeatedly been returned to solitary in later years, including in 2013, 2017, 2023, and 2025.

• Exposure to violence: Reports document physical and verbal abuse in Ahvaz, Rajai Shahr, Evin, Ghezel Hesar, and during forced transfers.

• Medical neglect: Despite suffering from chronic back pain, eye and dental problems, a broken ankle, urinary bleeding, and needing ultrasound examinations, prison authorities have systematically obstructed his access to specialized care. Denial of medical treatment is considered inhuman treatment and a violation of the right to health and even life.

Access to Family, Lawyer, and Furlough

In recent years, Masouri has been denied furlough. His access to family and his lawyer remains limited, negatively affecting both his mental well-being and his ability to pursue legal remedies.

Potential Legal Avenues (General Recommendations)

1. Retrial (Eda‘e Dadrasi): Based on new evidence or substantive/procedural flaws.

2. Sentence reduction or commutation: If legal grounds exist.

3. Conditional release/suspension: If requirements such as served time, conduct, or health conditions are met.

4. Remedying rights violations in detention: Including access to medical care, freedom from ill-treatment, and regular visitation rights.

5. International documentation and advocacy: In case domestic legal remedies are blocked.

Timeline Summary

• 2000 (1379): Arrest on charges of moharebeh through PMOI membership

• 2002 (1381): Sentenced to death; commuted to life imprisonment

• 2000–2001: 14 months in solitary, Ahvaz Intelligence facility

• 2000s–2010s: Long-term detention in Rajai Shahr Prison

• 2013: Solitary confinement reported; beatings in Rajai Shahr

• 2015: Moved to IRGC ward in Rajai Shahr

• 2017: Beaten and transferred to Ward 10, Rajai Shahr

• 2023: Transferred from Rajai Shahr to Evin, then Ghezel Hesar; solitary confinement and beatings reported

• 2025: Violently exiled to Zahedan Prison; after refusal there, returned to Ghezel Hesar solitary

• Recent years: No furlough, inadequate medical care, restricted access to family/lawyer

• Present: Still serving life sentence

Conclusion

Despite legal reforms enabling retrial, sentence reduction, or release for those convicted of moharebeh, Saeed Masouri remains imprisoned. His case exemplifies the plight of long-term political-security prisoners in Iran. Reviewing such cases is a vital step toward securing their rights and release.

Urgent Needs

• Regular, unrestricted access to lawyer and family

• Independent medical evaluation, especially after reported abuse

• Judicial review of case in light of legal reforms

• Compliance with prison regulations on visits, furloughs, and communication

• Adequate medical treatment

About this Series

This report is part of the “Two Decades Behind Bars” series, which aims to document the cases of long-term prisoners and to highlight the collective responsibility to ensure their visibility and pursue their rights.

More than Two Decades Behind Bars, Introducing Prisoners – No. 2: Hamzeh Sawari

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News, Prisoners
20years, Ghezel Hesar, Hamzeh Savari, Hamzeh Sawari Laftah, HRANA, Karun Prison, Sheiban Prison, TwoDecadesBehindBars

HRANA – A large number of political prisoners and the prisoners of conscience have spent more than two decades of their lives in Iran’s prisons. To ensure their names are not forgotten amid daily news cycles, HRANA is publishing a series introducing these prisoners and their conditions. Each report reviews their judicial case, detention situation, access rights, and urgent needs.

In this report, HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, examines the latest situation of Hamzeh Sawari Laftah after two decades of imprisonment.

Information Summary

• Name: Hamzeh Savari Leftah

• Year of Arrest: 2005 (1384 SH)

• Charges Announced: “Corruption on Earth (efsad fel-arz), moharebeh (enmity against God), and acting against national security”

• Initial Sentence: Death penalty

• Current Sentence: Life imprisonment (reduced by one degree)

• Places of Detention: Three months in Sheiban Prison (Ahvaz), eight years in Karun Prison (Ahvaz), transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison (Karaj) until 2023, held in Ward 8 of Evin Prison in August 2023, transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison (Karaj) in September 2023 where he remains.

• Leave/Access: No furlough reported in recent years; limited access to family and lawyer.

• Current Status: Still serving a life sentence despite legal changes that could allow for review or reduction.

Case History and Judicial Process

On September 2, 2005, at the age of just sixteen, Hamzeh Sawari was arrested by security forces. He was sentenced to death by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court on charges of “corruption on Earth, moharebeh, and acting against national security.” The sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. While this change prevented the implementation of the death penalty, it placed him among those condemned to indefinite imprisonment – effectively a punishment that can last for decades and severely limits the possibility of judicial review.

Key points in the process:

• Heavy security charge: The label of “moharebeh” is among the most severe accusations in Iran’s political-security cases, carrying extensive judicial and executive consequences.

• Sentence reduction: The initial death penalty, later converted to life imprisonment, illustrates both the severity of the charges and the possibility of judicial intervention, but does not necessarily mean injustices in the process were remedied.

• Ongoing imprisonment despite legal changes: Although legal reforms could allow for retrial, reduced sentences, or conditional release, Sawari remains in prison.

Detention Conditions and Transfers

Throughout his imprisonment, Hamzeh Savari has been held in multiple prisons: eight years in Karun Prison (Ahvaz), three months in Sheiban Prison (Ahvaz), then transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison (Karaj). In 2014, he was held in Hall 12 of Rajai Shahr, and in 2017 he was violently moved to Ward 10 (Unit 4) of the same prison.

In August 2023, he was transferred to Ward 8 of Evin Prison, but after one month, he was moved to the security unit (Ward 3) of Ghezel Hesar Prison (Karaj). He staged a hunger strike in protest of these transfers and spent some time in solitary confinement. He has remained in Ghezel Hesar since then.

Observations Related to Detention Standards

• Frequent transfers: Repeated relocations between wards and prisons disrupt access to family, legal counsel, and medical care.

• Solitary confinement as punishment: After arrest, Sawari spent nine months in solitary confinement in The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facilities in Ahvaz and Shiraz. He was repeatedly placed in solitary confinement during his years in Karun Prison. He was again sent to solitary in 2017 after protesting his transfer to Ward 10 of Rajai Shahr, in September 2023 after objecting to being moved from Evin to Ghezel Hesar, and once more in August 2025. Such practices conflict with international standards, where solitary confinement must be exceptional, limited, and supervised.

• Exposure to violence in prison: Reports document physical and verbal abuse during his eight years in Karun Prison. In August 2017, he was beaten after being moved from Hall 12 to Ward 10 of Rajai Shahr. In September 2023, he was subjected to violence during his forced transfer from Evin to Ghezel Hesar. In August 2025, following his protest against the transfer of political prisoner Saeed Masouri to Zahedan Prison and the executions of Behrouz Ehsani Eslamloo and Mehdi Hassani, he and several other prisoners were beaten by Ghezel Hesar’s special guard unit. These incidents underscore the need for independent documentation and legal follow-up.

• Deprivation of medical care: Despite suffering from heart disease, lung inflammation, a torn cruciate ligament in his right knee with severe Baker’s cyst, chronic stomach pain, cervical arthritis, and needing spinal surgery, Sawari has been consistently denied hospital transfers and specialist treatment. Denying prisoners access to medical care constitutes inhuman treatment and violates both the right to health and the right to life, often used as a tool of pressure and suppression.

Access to Family, Lawyer, and Leave

In recent years, Sawari has not been granted furlough, and his access to family and lawyer remains limited. These restrictions not only harm his social and psychological well-being but also undermine his ability to mount an effective defense and pursue retrial options.

Potential Legal Avenues (General Recommendations)

1. Retrial (E’adeye Dadrasi): Assessing new evidence or substantive/procedural flaws.

2. Sentence reduction/commutation: If legal grounds are available.

3. Conditional release/suspension: Evaluating eligibility based on time served, conduct, and health.

4. Pursuing rights violations during imprisonment: Including denial of medical care, exposure to violence, lack of visitation, and restricted access to legal counsel.

5. International documentation and advocacy: Turning to human rights mechanisms if domestic remedies are blocked.

Timeline Summary

• 2005 (1384): Arrested at age 16 on charges of “corruption on Earth, moharebeh, and acting against national security.”

• Initial Sentence: Death penalty, later commuted to life imprisonment.

• Post-conviction: Eight years in Karun Prison.

• 2014 (1393): Held in Hall 12 of Rajai Shahr Prison (Karaj).

• 2017 (1396): Beaten; transferred to Ward 10 of Rajai Shahr.

• August 2023 (Mordad 1402): Transferred to Ward 8 of Evin Prison.

• September 2023 (Shahrivar 1402): Violently transferred to Ghezel Hesar; solitary confinement.

• August 2025 (Mordad 1404): Beaten and placed in solitary again in Ghezel Hesar.

• Recent years: No furlough, denied medical care, restricted family and lawyer visits.

• Current status: Life sentence continues despite legal reforms that could allow for review.

Conclusion and Importance of Review

Despite legal changes enabling retrial, reduced sentences, or conditional release for those convicted of moharebeh, Hamzeh Sowari remains imprisoned. His case exemplifies the situation of long-term political-security prisoners in Iran whose cases require urgent review.

It highlights both the denial of fundamental rights during imprisonment (furlough, visits, legal counsel) and the necessity of using all possible domestic and international legal mechanisms to reduce sentences and secure release.

Urgent Needs

• Regular and non-discriminatory access to family and lawyer.

• Independent medical evaluation in cases of alleged abuse or long-term conditions.

• Examination of the possibility of retrial or other mechanisms for reducing/suspending the sentence under updated laws.

• Enforcement of prison regulations regarding contact, visitation, and furlough.

• Access to adequate medical care and treatment.

About this Series

This report is part of the “More than Two Decades behind Bars” series, which aims to document the cases of long-term prisoners and to highlight the collective responsibility to ensure their visibility and pursue their rights.

Two Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison on Drug-Related Charges

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Executions, News
Akbar Emami, Ghezel Hesar, Karaj, Masoud Okhtizadeh

HRANA – At dawn today, Tuesday, September 16, the death sentences of two prisoners previously convicted on drug-related charges were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

HRANA has identified the executed prisoners as Masoud Okhtizadeh, from Kuhdasht, and Akbar Emami, from Nourabad.

Information obtained by HRANA indicates that both men had been arrested on charges related to narcotics offenses and later sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been officially announced by prison authorities or other responsible institutions.

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year – a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

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Evin Prison Evacuated After Airstrikes: Detainees Transferred Amid Inhumane Conditions and Family Blackout

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News, Prisoners
Anisha Asadollahi, Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar, great tehran penitentiary, HRANA, Keyvan Mohtadi, Mostafa Mehraeen, Qarchak Varamin, Raheleh Rahemipour, Varisheh Moradi

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.

Death Row Inmate Aydin Shari’atmadar Killed During Escape Attempt

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News, Prisoners
Aydin Shari’atmadar, Ghezel Hesar, HRANA, آیدین شریعتمدار

HRANA – Aydin Shari’atmadar, a death row prisoner held for nearly two decades in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, was fatally shot by police on Saturday, June 7, during an attempted escape from Imam Ali Hospital.

According to the HRANA, Shari’atmadar had been transferred to the hospital due to internal bleeding. While hospitalized, he reportedly overpowered the accompanying officers with the help of armed individuals believed to be his relatives and attempted to flee. Police opened fire after issuing a warning, killing him at the scene.

News of Shari’atmadar’s death sparked protests among inmates at Ghezel Hesar. Dozens of prisoners reportedly chanted slogans such as “Freedom or death,” and for several hours, they prevented the prison yard gates from being closed.

The protest prompted a heightened security presence inside the facility. Unconfirmed reports also suggest limited clashes between inmates and prison guards, though no official statements have been released regarding the incident.

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.

Two Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison

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Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar, Halim Brahouei, HRANA, Jahanshah Afshari, Karaj

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Wednesday, May 21, two prisoners previously sentenced to death on charges related to drug trafficking and murder were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

HRANA has identified the executed individuals as Halim Brahouei (Brahui), 67, originally from Zahedan and residing in Karaj, and Jahanshah Afshari.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Brahouei had been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court for transporting 145 kilograms of narcotics into Tehran. Mr. Afshari had received a death sentence in connection with a murder charge.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been officially confirmed by prison authorities or relevant state institutions.

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year — a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

Report on the Latest Status of Akbar Bagheri in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

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News, Prisoners
Akbar Bagheri, Ghezel Hesar, Iman Afshari

HRANA News Agency – Akbar Bagheri, a political detainee, remains in custody at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj more than 177 days after his arrest, with his legal status still unresolved.

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Bagheri has been imprisoned for nearly six months. He remains in a state of legal uncertainty at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. His court hearing will be held on May 13, 2025, at Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. He is charged with “assembly and collusion to disrupt national security through cooperation with opposition groups.”

Bagheri was transferred from Evin Prison to Ghezel Hesar in mid-February 2024. He is currently held in Ward 4 of the facility.

Mr. Bagheri, who suffers from blood-related hemoglobin disorders, intestinal and liver issues, and hemorrhoids, was arrested by security forces in Tehran on November 10, 2023.

He was previously arrested in 2017 by security forces in Tehran and taken to Evin Prison. In the summer of 2018, Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Salavati, sentenced him to nine years in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion.” This sentence was later upheld in the appeals court. Following the events at Evin Prison in October 2022, he was transferred along with several others to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj. He was eventually released on May 8, 2023, under a general pardon directive.