Sama Amooshahi Detained in Isfahan

On May 25, 2024, Sama (Samaneh) Amooshahi, aged 33, was taken into custody by security forces in Isfahan.

A report from HRANA highlights that she was apprehended at her home in Isfahan. Amooshahi, who is battling thyroid cancer, is in a precarious health situation due to limited access to necessary medications and treatment, causing significant concern among her family members.

Previously, on July 11, 2023, Amooshahi and 11 others were separately detained by security personnel in Isfahan. She was subsequently released on bail from a prison in Isfahan the following month. Given that her legal proceedings are still underway at the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Isfahan, her recent arrest appears to be connected to the ongoing case.

Two Baha’is Detained in Rasht

On May 28, 2024, IRGC Intelligence agents arrested Nazila Khanipour and her son Vesal Heravi, both Baha’i residents of Rasht, and took them to an undisclosed location.

A source close to the family confirmed the arrests to HRANA. The agents raided Khanipour’s home, searched the premises, confiscated personal items, and detained her without presenting an arrest warrant. Concurrently, Heravi was arrested at his workplace. He managed to make a brief phone call to his family.
Previously, Khanipour had been arrested, and Heravi was expelled from the university by order of intelligence agencies.

Baha’is are subjected to violations of their religious rights, comprising 82% of reports on infringements against religious minorities, according to HRA’s 2023 annual report.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both 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.

Political Prisoner Ali Maghsadjoo Denied Medical Care in Evin Prison

Ali Maghsadjoo, a political prisoner, is currently serving an 18-month sentence in Evin Prison and has been denied necessary medical care despite suffering from significant health issues.

According to a source close to his family, speaking to HRANA, Maghsadjoo requires treatment for back and knee problems that necessitate attention from a hospital outside the prison environment. However, prison authorities have consistently refused to allow him hospital access.

Maghsadjoo was initially detained by security forces on July 6, 2022, and held in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is managed by the Ministry of Intelligence. He was formally charged after three months and temporarily released on bail. Judge Abolghasem Salavati of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to two years on charges including “propaganda against the regime,” “assembly and collusion against national security,” and “collecting and leaking classified data.” This sentence was later reduced to 18 months following a plea of no contest.

The 48-year-old father of two began his incarceration at Evin Prison on June 24, 2023.

Widespread Arrests at Islamic Azad University Central Tehran for Alleged Hijab Non-Compliance

On May 26, multiple reports surfaced of the arrest of female students at Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch due to alleged non-compliance with hijab regulations.

According to Amir Kabir news channel, at least 100 students were forcibly detained by police armed with guns and batons at the university gates. The students were taken to two vans and were only released after signing a commitment letter to adhere to hijab rules, with some being allowed to leave only after changing their veil.

This incident is part of the broader enforcement under the “Noor” plan, initiated on April 13 to intensify the enforcement of mandatory hijab laws. This has led to several reports of violent incidents and arrests concerning hijab regulations across the country.

In September, HRANA issued a detailed review of Iran’s “Bill to Support the Family by Promoting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab.” This bill has raised international alarms over escalating restrictions on women’s rights and freedoms.

Three Inmates Executed for Drug Crimes in Salmas Prison

On May 18, 2024, three inmates convicted of drug-related offenses were executed at Salmas Prison in West Azerbaijan province. HRANA identified one of the executed as 47-year-old Asghar Hajizadeh, a father of three.

According to reports received by HRANA, Hajizadeh and the two other inmates, all from a village in Salmas County, faced separate trials and received death sentences for drug offenses.

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing. In 2023, 66% of HRANA’s reports on executions lacked official announcements by judicial authorities and went unreported by media inside Iran, highlighting a troubling lack of transparency in due process.

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

 

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Siamak Amini Sentenced to Imprisonment on Political Charges

The Revolutionary Court of Tehran has sentenced Siamak Amini to four years and three months in prison, along with a two-year travel ban and additional penalties.

The verdict, issued on May 8, 2024, by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, sentences 63-year-old Amini to three years and seven months for “assembly and collusion to undermine national security” and eight months for “spreading propaganda against the regime.” The detention period will be subtracted from his prison term. Additionally, Amini is banned from leaving the country, joining civil/political groups, and using smartphones for two years.

His support of the nationwide protests in 2022 on social media and association with anti-regime groups have been cited as the basis for these charges.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, according to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code—which dictates that in cases of multiple charges, the harshest punishment shall be enforced—he will spend three years and seven months in prison.

Confirming Amini’s conviction, a source close to his family informed HRANA that at the beginning of last winter, IRGC intelligence agents raided his residence, conducted a search, and confiscated some of his personal items. He was then interrogated three times and ultimately released on bail of 500 million tomans, approximately $10,000. Amini suffers from an inflammatory disorder known as Behcet’s syndrome, which makes incarceration particularly challenging for him.

Siamak Amini, a resident of Tehran, is married and was previously incarcerated for five years in the 1980s as a political prisoner.

Execution of Four Death-Row Inmates Along with Khosrow Besharat

On May 15, 2024, along with Sunni prisoner Khosrow Besharat, four other inmates convicted of murder and drug offenses, were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

The inmates have been identified by HRANA as Mohammad-Reza Rahimpour, Sirus Hayatbini, Mohammad-Karim Fazeli, and an unidentified Afghan national. The first three were convicted of drug-related crimes, while the Afghan national was sentenced to death for murder.

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered the execution of 767 individuals. Out of these, 7 were carried out in public. Among the executed individuals whose genders were identified, 21 were female. Additionally, 2 juvenile offenders, defined as individuals under the age of 18 at the time of their alleged crimes, were also executed. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s annual report.

Security Forces Arrest Mother and Daughter in Malekan

On May 12, 2024, security forces in Malekan, East Azerbaijan province, arrested Farangis Fathi and her daughter, Akram Kookhian. The arrests occurred at their home, from where they were taken to an undisclosed location.

A source close to the family confirmed to HRANA that the operation involved several agents who forcibly entered the residence, breaking a window and conducting an extensive search. During the raid, their car and various personal items were seized.

Additional reports obtained by HRANA indicate that the security team, consisting of five agents, used pepper spray against Fathi and Kookhian during a confrontation sparked by the latter’s protest. The agents returned a few hours later to conduct a second search of the property.

The reasons for the arrests, the current location of the detained individuals, and any charges filed remain undisclosed at this time.

Four Death-Row Inmates Facing Imminent Execution for Drug Offenses in Urmia Prison

Today, May 7, 2024, officials at Urmia Prison moved four inmates, all convicted on drug-related charges, into solitary confinement, signaling that their executions may be imminent. Efforts are underway by HRANA to confirm their identities.

Additionally, two death-row inmates at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, sentenced for murder and drug-related offenses, have been similarly placed in solitary confinement.

According to HRANA, in 2023, approximately 66% of execution reports were neither officially announced by judicial authorities nor covered by domestic media in Iran, underscoring a significant transparency issue in the judicial process.

Political Prisoner Siamak Nasiri Sentenced to Imprisonment and Exile

The Appellate Court of Alborz province has reduced political prisoner Siamak Nasiri’s sentence from six years to three years and one month.

Branch 12 of the Appellate Court of Alborz province issued the verdict, sentencing Nasiri to three years and one month in prison, plus two years of exile in Ahvaz County, following his appeal.

Initially, the Karaj Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Musa Asef Al-Hosseini, had sentenced Nasiri to five years in prison for “inciting people to violence and waging war against national security,” along with an additional year for “propaganda against the regime.” He was also required to reside in Ahvaz for two years.

Nasiri was arrested by IRGC Intelligence in Karaj on August 28, 2023, and is currently being held in the Central Prison of Karaj.

Previously, a source informed HRANA that Nasiri was detained in December 2022 in Karaj, where he was held in the Ministry of Intelligence’s facility. He was later transferred to the Central Prison of Karaj and subsequently released under a general pardon and commutation directive.