Mohammad Sultani Arrested by IRGC Intelligence in Arak

HRANA News Agency – On Friday, February 21, Mohammad Sultani (Soltani), a resident of Arak, was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents in the city. He is currently being held in one of the agency’s detention centers.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Sultani was detained by IRGC Intelligence agents on a street in Arak. A day after his arrest, he contacted his family by phone and informed them of his transfer to the agency’s detention facility.

As of the time of this report, the reasons for his arrest and any charges against him remain unknown.

Sultani had previously been arrested on August 5, 2023, after attending a memorial ceremony at the gravesite of Mehrshad Shahidi, one of those killed during the 2022 nationwide protests. Following his arrest by security forces in Arak, he was transferred to the city’s prison.

In September 2023, he and seven others were tried in a joint case by Branch 2 of the Arak Criminal Court. He was ultimately sentenced to six years in prison and 74 lashes.

On October 1, 2023, Sultani was released from Arak Prison on bail.

67-Year-Old Political Prisoner Asadollah Hadi Denied Medical Care in Evin Prison

HRANA News Agency – Despite severe health issues and a forensic medical report confirming his inability to endure imprisonment, 67-year-old political prisoner Asadollah Hadi remains incarcerated in Evin Prison. He has been denied specialized medical treatment, phone calls, and family visits.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Asadollah Hadi continues to serve his sentence in Evin Prison without access to proper medical care.

A source close to Hadi’s family told HRANA: “Mr. Hadi suffers from cardiovascular diseases, herniated cervical and lumbar discs (which required surgery and metal implants), knee problems, hearing loss, kidney stones, and a brain condition that causes headaches and fainting. Nine years ago, the Social Security Organization confirmed that he is 63% disabled. Despite medical professionals acknowledging the severity of his condition, the forensic medical examiner ruled him unfit to endure imprisonment. However, higher authorities ordered the closure of his medical case, preventing his family from pursuing further action. He remains in urgent need of specialized treatment.”

The source added that since his arrest, Hadi has only been transferred to the hospital twice. In recent months, he has been denied family visits and phone calls. Last week, his family was once again barred from seeing him.

Hadi has previously undergone three angiographies and one open-heart surgery. In 2015, while serving a prior prison sentence, he underwent spinal surgery due to herniated cervical and lumbar discs that had affected his spinal cord, resulting in the implantation of metal screws and plates.

Asadollah Hadi was arrested on September 29, 2022, during the nationwide protests. He was initially held in Ward 209 of Evin Prison for repeated interrogations before being transferred to the Greater Tehran Prison after 45 days. Six months later, he was moved back to Evin Prison.

Without access to legal representation, Hadi was sentenced by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, to a total of seven years and seven months in prison on charges of “acting against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” His sentence was later reduced to five years by the Tehran Court of Appeals.

Hadi, a former political prisoner from the 1980s, has a history of previous arrests and convictions.

Prisoner Executed in Bushehr Prison

HRANA News Agency – At dawn yesterday, February 20, the execution of a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death on murder charges was carried out in Bushehr Prison.

Based on information received by HRANA, the prisoner, approximately 35 years old, had committed murder during a dispute in the city of Borazjan and was subsequently sentenced to death by a criminal court.

A knowledgeable source told HRANA: “The victim was one of the managers of a private addiction treatment camp in Borazjan and a resident of the same city. About a year ago, while trying to break up a street fight, he was killed. The murder case was processed swiftly, reaching the execution stage within approximately 18 months. Today, after the victim’s family refused to grant clemency, the convicted individual was executed in prison.”

Further details, including the identity of the prisoner, are still under investigation by HRANA.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant officials have not publicly announced the execution.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

Gelareh Abbasi Arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence and Transferred to Evin Prison

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, February 19, Gelareh Abbasi, a political defendant, was arrested in Tehran by Ministry of Intelligence forces and transferred to Evin Prison.

A source close to Abbasi’s family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “On the morning of February 19, Ms. Abbasi was arrested at her private residence in western Tehran by Ministry of Intelligence agents. During the arrest, the agents searched her home and confiscated her electronic devices and mobile phone. Ms. Abbasi suffers from a heart condition.”

Abbasi had previously been sentenced to two years and six months in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

After serving several months in prison, she was released from Evin Prison in February 2023.

Gelareh Abbasi, 48, is a former political prisoner, a mother to a young daughter, and the sole breadwinner of her household.

Update: Number of Executions in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, Rises to Six

HRANA News Agency – With the identification of two additional prisoners executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, the total number of executions carried out yesterday in this facility has risen to six.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, at dawn on Monday, February 17, six prisoners were executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan.

In addition to the executions of Ezzat Hosseini Duraki, Ali Eshaghi, Mohammad Shamseddin, and another prisoner whose identity is still under investigation by HRANA, the sentences of Borhan Wasim-Zahi, an Afghan national, and Heydar Babaei were also carried out. Both had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

It is worth noting that Duraki, Eshaghi, and Shamseddin had also been sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant institutions have not officially announced these executions.

In 2024, HRA reported 53 executions in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, making it the fourth-highest among prisons in terms of execution numbers.
According to data compiled by HRANA, 52.69% of all executions in Iran in 2024 were related to drug-related charges. Notably, only 6% of the executions were officially announced, highlighting a significant lack of transparency. For a detailed analysis of these executions and the associated statistics, see HRANA’s full report.

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Prisoner Executed in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Tuesday, February 18, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death on murder charges was carried out in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the executed prisoner has been identified as Mahdi Iranian.

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Iranian had been sentenced to death by a criminal court on murder charges.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant institutions have not officially announced his execution.

According to HRANA’s data, Adelabad Prison in Shiraz carried out 85 executions in 2024, marking a 73% increase compared to the previous year. This places it as the second most active prison for executions in Iran. For a detailed analysis and full statistics on executions across the country, refer to HRANA’s report.

Detained British Nationals, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, Accused of “Espionage”

HRANA News Agency – The spokesperson for Iran’s judiciary has announced that Craig Foreman and Lindsay Foreman, two British nationals recently arrested in Kerman, have been charged with “espionage.”

According to HRANA, quoting Mizan, the judiciary’s official news outlet, the spokesperson confirmed the charges against the detained individuals. Asghar Jahangir, the judiciary spokesperson, stated that the arrests were carried out by the IRGC’s Intelligence Unit and that the couple is accused of gathering intelligence under the cover of tourism. He further alleged:

“The arrested individuals entered Iran under the guise of tourists. They gathered information in multiple provinces while pretending to conduct research and academic studies.”

On February 15, 2025, the Foreman family released a statement confirming the identities of the detainees. Expressing deep concern for their safety, they stated that they are working with the British government to secure their release.

Earlier, on February 13, 2025, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Kerman announced 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.

Updated Report: Number of Executions in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, Rises to Four

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Monday, February 17, 2025, the execution of three more prisoners in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, brought the total number of executions carried out in the prison today to four.

In addition to the execution of Ezzat Hosseini Duraki, who had been sentenced to death on drug-related charges, three other prisoners were also executed. HRANA has confirmed the identities of two of them as Ali Eshaghi and Mohammad Shamseddin. Both had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

HRANA is still investigating further details, including the identity of the fourth executed prisoner.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant institutions have not publicly announced these executions.

In 2024, HRA reported 53 executions in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, making it the fourth-highest among prisons in terms of execution numbers.
According to data compiled by HRANA, 52.69% of all executions in Iran in 2024 were related to drug-related charges. Notably, only 6% of the executions were officially announced, highlighting a significant lack of transparency. For a detailed analysis of these executions and the associated statistics, see HRANA’s full report.

A Prisoner Executed in Dastgerd Prison on Drug-Related Charges

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Monday, February 17, 2025, a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges was executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the identity of the prisoner has been confirmed as Ezzat Hosseini Duraki.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Hosseini Duraki had been arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary. He had spent more than ten years in prison before his execution.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant institutions have not publicly announced the execution.

In 2024, HRA reported 53 executions in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, making it the fourth-highest among prisons in terms of execution numbers.
According to data compiled by HRANA, 52.69% of all executions in Iran in 2024 were related to drug-related charges. Notably, only 6% of the executions were officially announced, highlighting a significant lack of transparency. For a detailed analysis of these executions and the associated statistics, see HRANA’s full report.

Report on the Arrest of Christian Convert Somayeh Rajabi in Babol

HRANA News Agency – On the evening of Thursday, February 6, 2025, security forces raided a gathering of dozens of Christian converts in Gatab, a town in Babol County, and arrested Somayeh Rajabi, a Christian convert, transferring her to prison.

According to HRANA, citing Mohabat News, agents from the IRGC Intelligence in Babol stormed the gathering, where around 80 Christian converts were present.

Rajabi was arrested during the raid and, one day later, informed her family in a brief phone call that she had been transferred to a prison in Sari.

Reports indicate that security forces treated the attendees harshly and confiscated all religious books, musical instruments, and digital devices.

No information is currently available regarding the charges against Rajabi.

Notably, while Christianity is officially recognized as a minority religion in Iran, security agencies view the conversion of Muslims to Christianity as a highly sensitive matter and respond with severe crackdowns on those involved in religious activism.

The persecution of Christian converts in Iran persists despite Article 18 of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which affirm every individual’s right to freedom of religion, including the right to change their faith and to practice it openly or privately, alone or in community with others.