Tag: HRANA

Revolutionary Court Sentences Student Activist Leila Hosseinzadeh to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News, Students
Gonabadi Dervish, HRANA, Leila Hosseinzadeh, Mohammad Sharifi Moghadam, لیلا حسن زاده

Leila Hosseinzadeh, a student activist, has been sentenced in absentia to prison by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. The charges stem from her appearing unveiled at the University of Tehran during her thesis defense.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Hosseinzadeh was convicted on charges of appearing in public without a hijab and “propaganda against the regime.” In a personal statement, she revealed that she was sentenced without prior notice and is unaware of the details. She added, “I have no expectations of appeal or any legal process. I’ll wait for the case to be referred to the enforcement office.”
Hosseinzadeh has faced several legal cases over the years. Most recently, a forensic medical commission confirmed her permanent inability to endure incarceration. As a result, her remaining five-year prison sentence from a 2019 case was converted to a fine of 100 million tomans, which she paid to conclude the case.
Leila Hosseinzadeh was first arrested during the 2017–2018 Iranian protests, detained for 16 days, and released on bail. On June 24, 2019, Branch 36 of Tehran’s Court of Appeals sentenced her to 30 months in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” and an additional year for “propaganda against the regime,” along with a two-year travel ban. Charges included attending a birthday gathering for Mohammad Sharifi Moghadam, a Gonabadi Dervish imprisoned near Sharif University, and singing protest songs.

On July 28, 2019, she began serving her sentence but was released early due to a judicial directive.

In a separate case, Hosseinzadeh was sentenced in February 2021 to five years in prison and a two-year ban from online activities for “assembly and collusion with intent to act against national security” by Branch 28 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court. The sentence was upheld by Branch 36 of the Appeals Court in December 2021.

She was arrested again on August 20, 2022, after being beaten by security forces outside her home. She was released on bail from Evin Prison on January 9, 2023.

Political Prisoners Mehran Hassan Zadeh and Hamid Abdollah Zadeh Sentenced to Death

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Executions, News
Hamid Abdollah Zadeh, HRANA, Mehran Hassan Zadeh, Oshnavieh, Urmia prison, حمید عبدلله زاده, مهران حسن زاده

Mehran Hassan Zadeh and Hamid Abdollah Zadeh, political prisoners detained in Urmia Prison, have been sentenced to death in separate cases by Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court in Urmia.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Mehran Hassan Zadeh was convicted on charges of baghi (armed rebellion), while Hamid Abdollah Zadeh was sentenced to death on suspicion of membership in an opposition party.

A source close to their cases confirmed to HRANA: “In Mehran’s case, the authorities accused him of involvement in the killing of a Basij member, which led to the baghi charge and the issuance of a death sentence. He was notified of the verdict a month ago. Regarding Hamid Abdollah Zadeh, his death sentence was issued two months ago.”

Mehran Hassan Zadeh, a resident of Oshnavieh, was initially arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests. After a period in detention, he was released on bail. In a separate part of his case, Branch 101 of the Oshnavieh Criminal Court sentenced him to nine months in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security.” He was subsequently re-arrested and transferred to Urmia Prison.

Hamid Abdollah Zadeh, a resident of Urmia, was arrested by security forces in the fall of 2022 and has remained in Urmia Prison since his detention.

Both individuals are currently held in the political ward of Urmia Prison.

Fereydoun Soltani Arrested in Takab

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News, Other
Fereydoun Soltani, HRANA, Takab

Today, November 22, 2024, Fereydoun Soltani was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence in the city of Takab, West Azerbaijan province, and transferred to an undisclosed location.

A source close to Soltani’s family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Mr. Soltani was arrested today following his summons to the Ministry of Intelligence office in Takab and has been transferred to an unknown location.”

As of this report, no information has been disclosed about the reasons for his arrest or the charges against him.

Fereydoun Soltani, a native of Takab, resides in Tehran.

Three Prisoners Executed in Hamedan Prison for Drug-Related Charges

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Executions, News
Amir Hossein Rostami, Arslan Habibi, Hamedan prison, HRANA, Jabbar Keyfari

On November 21, three prisoners who had previously been sentenced to death for drug-related charges were executed in Hamedan Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the identities of the prisoners hanged at dawn on Thursday, November 21, 2024, have been confirmed as Arslan Habibi, Jabbar Keyfari, and Amir-Hossein Rostami.

HRANA’s information indicates that the three prisoners had been arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

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

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.

Two Prisoners Executed in Gonbad-e Kavus Prison

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Executions, News
executions in iran, Gonbad-e Kavus Prison, HRANA, Safa Hosseini, Soleiman Vaziri

At dawn on Tuesday, November 19, the death sentences of two prisoners previously convicted of murder were carried out in Gonbad-e Kavus Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, the identities of the prisoners executed on the morning of Tuesday were confirmed as Safa Hosseini from Gorgan and Soleiman Vaziri.

Both individuals had been arrested on murder charges and subsequently sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been publicly announced by prison officials or the responsible institutions.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

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Appeals Court Upholds Sentences for Four Defendants in Evin Prison Fire Case

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison fire, HRANA, Loqman Aminpour, Meysam Dehbanzadeh

The Tehran Provincial Appeals Court has upheld the sentences of Loqman Aminpour, Meysam Dehbanzadeh, Majid Roshannejad, and Reza Salmanzadeh, four defendants in the so-called Evin Prison fire case. Previously, Branch 1148 of the Tehran Criminal Court sentenced the group to a total of 33 years in prison and 518 lashes.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the sentences were confirmed by the Appeals Court without a proper review of the case.

The original verdicts were issued on June 19, 2024, a day after the trial presided over by Judge Jabbar Javadi Rami. Aminpour, Dehbanzadeh, and Roshannejad were each sentenced to six years in prison and 74 lashes for “destruction of property,” an additional 16 months and 74 lashes for “disrupting prison order,” and another 16 months for “disobedience and resisting prison officials.” Salmanzadeh received five years in prison and 74 lashes for “destruction of property,” one year for “disrupting prison order,” and one year for “disobedience and resisting prison officials.”

A source close to one of the families told HRANA: “Despite objections filed by the defendants, neither they nor their lawyers were notified about the appeals process. The defense submissions prepared by their lawyers were ignored, and the sentences were upheld without any review in the Appeals Court.”

In addition to these four individuals, 36 other defendants in the Evin Prison fire case have also received prison sentences. HRANA is investigating the status of their appeals.

The prisoners are currently serving sentences from unrelated cases in the Greater Tehran and Ghezel Hesar prisons.

Following the fire on the night of Saturday, October 15, 2022, at Evin Prison, a case was opened against these prisoners based on a complaint from the Prisons Organization.

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.

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence of Shahab Nadali Jouzani; Retrial Scheduled for December 3

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Evin Prison, Hamedan, HRANA, Iman Afshari, Shahab Nadali Jouzani, شهاب نادعلی

The death sentence of Shahab Nadali Jouzani, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been overturned by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court. His case has been referred to a parallel court for retrial, which is scheduled for December 3, 2024.

A source close to the family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Branch 39 of the Supreme Court recently overturned the death sentence. The case has been referred to a parallel branch for review, and a retrial is set for December 3.”

In February 2024, Nadali was sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, on charges of “rebellion (Baghi) through membership in opposition groups (the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization).” Additionally, he received a five-year prison sentence for “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security,” with his time in pretrial detention credited towards the sentence.

Shahab Nadali Jouzani was arrested on June 6, 2023, by Intelligence Ministry agents in Hamedan and has been detained in Ward 4 of Evin Prison ever since.

Now 42 years old, Nadali is married and the father of a 13-year-old daughter. Before his arrest, he worked as a laborer and resided in Hamedan.

Iraj Jamshidi Detained for Six Days Amid Uncertainty in Tabriz

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News, Prisoners
HRANA, Iraj Jamshidi, Malekan, Tabriz, ایرج جمشیدی

Iraj Jamshidi has been detained for six days by security forces in Malekan and transferred to a security detention facility in Tabriz.

A source close to the family confirmed to HRANA: “Mr. Jamshidi was arrested by Intelligence Ministry agents at his home in Malekan on Thursday, November 14, 2024, and was transferred to a security detention facility in Tabriz.” The source added: “Despite the family’s efforts to obtain information from security and judicial authorities in Tabriz, officials have refused to provide any clear answers regarding Iraj Jamshidi’s situation, increasing the family’s concerns.”

As of the time of this report, no information is available about the charges against him.

Iraj Jamshidi, 55, is unmarried and resides in Malekan.

Yashar Tabrizi Arrested by IRGC Intelligence in Tabriz

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Freedom of Expression, News
aKBAR gHOLIZADEH, HRANA, Tabriz, Yashar Tabrizi, یاشار تبریزی

On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Yashar Tabrizi, a civil activist, was arrested today after appearing at the News Office of the IRGC Intelligence in Tabriz.

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Tabrizi appeared at the News Office of the IRGC Intelligence in Tabriz at 8:00 AM. His family later learned of his arrest, and his wife’s mobile phone was also confiscated. So far, the reasons behind his arrest remain unclear.

On November 12, 2024, IRGC Intelligence forces searched the home of this civil activist in Tabriz. During the search, authorities instructed him to report to the News Office to answer a few questions posed by the prosecutor.

On September 13, 2023, Tabrizi was previously arrested by security forces in Tabriz. Shortly after, he was transferred from The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, also known as Ward 240 of Evin Prison, to Ward 4 of the same prison. He was eventually released on bail on April 25, 2024.

In August 2023, Mr. Tabrizi was sentenced to one year in prison by the Shahriar Revolutionary Court on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

Akbar Gholizadeh (also known as Yashar Tabrizi), a civil activist, has a history of previous arrests and convictions related to his activities.

 

Political Prisoner Saeed Gharibi Self-Immolates in Protest of Prison Conditions and Harsh Sentence

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News, Prisoners
Adelabad Prison, HRANA, Saeed Gharibi, Shiraz

Saeed Gharibi, a political prisoner in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz, set himself on fire on Saturday, November 16, 2024, to protest the prison’s dire conditions and the heavy sentences issued against him.

Sentenced to 15 years in prison and 15 years of exile, Gharibi sustained severe burns to his back and hands. Despite his critical condition, prison authorities have denied him transfer to a hospital or access to necessary medical treatment.

According to HRANA, a source close to Gharibi’s family confirmed the incident and reported that prison officials refused even basic medical care despite the severity of his injuries.

Before the incident, Gharibi had been suffering from significant mental distress due to the harsh conditions in Adelabad Prison. He is held in a ward shared with individuals affiliated with ISIS, and his outdoor recreation time is limited to less than an hour per week, adding to his psychological and emotional strain.

Gharibi, approximately 30 years old, was arrested last year by security forces. Branch 1 of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Sadati, convicted him on charges of “propaganda against the regime,” “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and “membership in opposition groups.” His sentence includes 15 years of imprisonment and 15 years of exile to Tabas, with the most severe punishment enforceable.

Despite attempts to appeal his conviction, Gharibi’s case has not yet been registered with the Supreme Court.

This incident highlights the ongoing mistreatment of political prisoners in Iran, with detainees frequently subjected to inadequate medical care, harsh detention conditions, and psychological pressure.