Tag: HRANA

Report on Yasin Jamalzadeh’s Murder during Nationwide Protests

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Other
HRANA, Mahsa Amini, Yasin Jamalzadeh

On September 21, 2022, Yasin Jamalzadeh was shot dead by the military during the protests in Rezvanshahr which was held after the death of Mahsa Amini. HRANA has obtained more details about this case.

Yasin Jamalzadeh, age 28, was a father of twin girls and a resident of Masal County, Gilan Province. He was shot in the chest and died on the spot.

An informed source told HRANA that Yasin Jamalzadeh’s family has been under pressure from the government to not speak about him with the media.

The video at the end of this report shows Jamalzadeh’s final moment.

On September 17, 2022, Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, died at a hospital after the Moral Police arrested her for improper hejab. Since September 23, demonstrations were held in at least 85 cities and 18 universities across 29 provinces, and are still ongoing, as many have been arrested, injured, or killed.

 

 

Thousands Arrested in Iran  While Nationwide Protests Continue for the Eleventh Day

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Mahsa Amini, University of Tabriz

On September 27, 2022, nationwide protests following Mahsa Amini’s death continued in several cities including Sanandaj, Tehran, Kermanshah, and Chabahar. Protestors chanted slogans such as “Woman, Life, Freedom”, and “Death to the Dictator.”

For the second consecutive day, the students of the College of Dentistry at the University of Tabriz went on strike and gathered on campus to protest the students’.

The global backlash against Mahsa Amini’s death and support for the Iranian protests is growing, while the hashtag Mahsa Amini (مهسا_امینی#) was used over 100 million times on Twitter.

It is estimated that thousands have been arrested. Although the exact numbers are still unknown, HRANA has identified 144 individuals so far.

An informed source told HRANA that several protestors in Tehran are kept in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Some of the women were transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin city and some men to Great Tehran Penitentiary.

According to Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 20 journalists have also been arrested since the beginning of the protests.

At least 450 individuals have been arrested in Sari, 180 in Gonbad-e Kavus, 155 in Semnan Province, and 180 in Ilam Province. HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, is still working on fact-checking and reviewing these reports independently.

Anti-riot police and security forces have fired directly at the crowd of protestors, according to eyewitnesses.

HRANA has obtained the identity of 54 individuals killed during the protests, of which several have been verified.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) has reported 41 deaths and Iran Human Rights Organization has reported 76 so far.

Large-scale internet and mobile phone disruptions and outages have been reported and platforms such as Whatsapp and Instagram are restricted.

Below is a link to the compilation of the videos gathered on the eleventh day of protests in Iran.

 

 

Shahriar Shams Arrested While on Furlough

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, HRANA, Shahriar Shams

On September 27, 2022, political prisoner Shahriar Shams was arrested while on furlough and was taken to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on September 27, 2022, security forces arrested Shahriar Shams at his house, while he was on furlough.

During the protests 2017–2018, Shams was arrested and released ten days later on bail.

Later, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced him to six years in prison. This verdict was reduced to four years and 45 days on appeal.

On July 5, 2020, Shams started his sentencing in Evin Prison.

Nationwide Protests in Iran Continues on Day Ten

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, IranProtests, Mahsa Amini

On September 27, ten days after the death of Mahsa Amini, widespread protests continued in several cities, including Qorveh, Sanandaj, Tehran, Kermanshah, and Yazd. There were demonstrations at the universities as well, including the College of Dentistry at the University of Tabriz and Tarbiat Modares University.

In the past ten days, at least 160 demonstrations in 93 cities across 30 provinces have taken place. Also, the students of 18 universities held protests numerous times.

As the protests occurred in Iran, more domestic and international public personalities reacted to Mahsa Amini’s death and expressed their support for the Iranian people. Despite the restricted access to the Internet, popular hashtags such as Mahsa Amini (مهسا_امینی#) broke twitter’s historical record, reaching over 100 million.

So far, it is estimated that thousands have been arrested, as 450 arrests were reported only in the city of Sari. However, HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, is still working on fact-checking and reviewing the reports independently. HRANA has identified 79 individuals arrested so far.

During the protests, hundreds of protestors have been killed or injured. 

The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported 41 deaths, of which HRANA has identified 40 so far. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), 76 protestors and security forces have been injured.

HRANA has collected and archived over 332 video footages of protests in 85 cities.
Below is a link to the compilation of the videos gathered on the tenth day of protests in Iran.

 

More than 300 Christians Express Solidarity with Iranian Protestors

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Religious Minorities
HRANA, Iranian Christians, KHMA, Mahsa Amini

Iranian Christians released an open statement announcing their solidarity with the nationwide protests in Iran and condemned the police brutality.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, based on the initiative of KHMA (The Church Is the Right of Christians, more than 300 Iranian Christians issued an open statement supporting the nationwide protests after the death of Mahsa Amini.

According to the statement, Iranian Christians showed support regardless of their location, stating their solidarity with the people. 

The signatories also stated that showing sympathy and verbal consolation is not enough, stressing that people should take action against the Islamic Republic’s43-year oppression.

KHMA has been active since 2018 and strives for the Christians’ freedom of association through establishing the church as a necessary means to protect these individuals against violence.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Azerbaijani Turk Activists Meysam and Mohammad Julani Arrested 

Posted on by . .
Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Ardabil, Asgar Akbarzadeh, Azerbaijani Turk activists, HRANA, Meysam Julani, Mohammad Julani, Saeed Sadeghifar

On September 22, security forces arrested Azerbaijani Turk activists Meysam Julani and Mohammad Julani and transferred them to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on September 22, two Turk activists Meysam Julani and Mohammad  Julani were arrested in Ardabil.

Their whereabouts and the charges against these individuals are still unknown.

HRANA has also reported the arrest of two other Azerbaijani Turk activists Asgar Akbarzadeh and Saeed Sadeghifar in Ardabil on the same day.

Nationwide Protests Continue after Mahsa Amini’s Death Sixth Day 

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Hananeh Kia, HRANA, IRIB, Mahsa Amini, Mehrdad Behnam, Minoo Majidi, Pedram Azarnoosh, Reza Lotfi

On September 22, 2022, nationwide protests following Mahsa Amini’s death continued in cities across Iran despite heavy police presence in the streets. Protests started in Tehran and the Kurdistan region and spread.

The security forces fired teargas, pellet guns and shotguns to scatter the crowds in several cities and internet and mobile services were disrupted or shot down as the Supreme National Security Council of Iran ordered to restrict people’s access to Instagram and WhatsApp.

During the protests in the past six days, several individuals have been killed or injured and many were arrested. 

The government-affiliated media has started broadcasting coerced confessions as the international criticisms of the government’s actions continue.

On the sixth day of the nationwide protests,   demonstrations continued in Tehran, Oshnavieh, Golshahr, Kashmar, Malekan, Behbahan, Dehdasht, Shirvan, Shahrood, Neyshabur, Tabriz, and Bandar-Anzali, with slogans such as  “death to Khamenei” and “death to the dictator”, as eyewitnesses reported the presence of riot police and plainclothes security agents.

Over 25 are estimated to have been killed so far. HRANA has obtained the following list, of which HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, can verify 10. HRANA is reviewing and fact-checking the following list:

  1.     Minoo Majidi (Kermanshah)
  2.     Reza Lotfi (Dehgolan)
  3.     Mohsen Mohammadi (Divandarreh)
  4.     Foad Ghadimi (Divandarreh)
  5.     Zakaria Khial (Piranshahr)
  6.     Freydoon Mahmoodi (Saqqez)
  7.     Mohsen Gheisari (Ilam)
  8.     Abbas Khaleghi (Qazvin)
  9.     Amir Nowruzi (Bandar-Anzali)
  10.   Abdollah Mahmoodpour (Balo Village, Urmia )
  11.   Farjad Darvish (Balo Village, Urmia)
  12.   Danesh Rahnama (Balo Village,  Urmia County)
  13.   Fardin Bakhtiari (Sanandaj)
  14.   Amin Maarefat (Oshnavieh)
  15.   Sadredin Litiani (Oshnavieh)
  16.   Milan Haghighi (Oshnavieh)
  17.   Roozbeh Khademi (Karaj)
  18.   Pedram Azarnoosh (Dehdasht)
  19.   Mehrdad Behnam (Dehdasht)
  20.   Hananeh Kia (Nowshahr)

 

There were additional reports on unconfirmed deaths. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting  (IRIB) has officially announced the death of 17 people during the nationwide protests. Kermanshah prosecutor has also said that two people were killed and 25 were injured. Iran Human Rights Organization reported that in Amol, 11 people have been killed.

Mahsa Amini was arrested by Tehran Morality Police at a train station for improper hejab. She fell into a coma after head trauma and later died at a hospital in Tehran.

Melika Gharagozlou Sentenced 

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News, Women
Allameh Tabatabaei University, HRANA, Melika Gharagozlou

The Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Melika Gharagozlou, a student of journalism at Allameh Tabatabaei University, to four years and four months in prison and additional penalties.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Melika Gharagozlou was sentenced to four years and four months in prison.

According to this verdict, Gharagozlou was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion”, eight months on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”, and pay a fine of 8 million tomans. If the verdict is upheld on appeal, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, three years and eight months for the first charge will be enforceable to her.

As additional punishment, the court has also banned Gharagozlou from leaving the country and membership in political groups.

On July 13, 2022, security forces arrested Gharagozlou after she published a video of herself without a headscarf.

Gharagozlou faced arrests and convictions for her civil activities in 2019.

Fatemeh Ziai Azad Arrested in Tehran

Posted on by . .
Freedom of Expression, News
Evin Prison, Fatemeh Ziai Azad, HRANA

On September 17, 2022, security forces arrested former political prisoner, Fatemeh Ziai Azad at her house in Tehran and transferred her to Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on September 17, 2022, Fatemeh Ziai Azad was arrested in Tehran.

An informed source told HRANA that during the arrest, the agents confiscated Ziai Azad’s mobile. After arrest, in a short phone call, she informed her family that she had been taken to Ward 209 of Evin Prison and had not yet been notified about the charges.

Ziai suffers from Multiple sclerosis (MS) but is denied access to medical care.

Sepideh Gholian Hospitalized Following Hunger Strike

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Bushehr prison, Esmail Bakhshi, Haft Tappeh, HRANA, Sepideh Gholian, Shush city

On September 13, 2022, imprisoned civil rights activist Sepideh Gholian was hospitalised following a hunger strike. Gholian went on hunger strike on September 10 as a protest against her imprisonment in exile and away from her city. Today, on September 15, she ended her hunger strike after prison officials promised to address her request for relocation.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, following Gholian’s hunger strike, she was sent to a hospital outside Evin Prison.

An informed source told HRANA that Gholian started a hunger strike when the prison officials refused her requests for relocation to Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz. Gholian has been separated from her family through a long distance between the cities. 

On November 18, 2018, Sepideh Gholian was arrested along with at least 19 others, including members of the Assembly of Representatives of Haft-Tappeh workers, and several workers’ activists by security police in Shush city. She was released on bail on December 18, 2018.

After broadcasting her forced confession as well as some other workers’ activists, including Esmail Bakhshi on state TV, they announced that the “confessions” were extracted under duress. Soon after this announcement, the security police arrested them.

On October 26, 2019, Gholian was released on bail until the end of legal proceedings. On December 14, 2019, she was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment by Tehran Appellate Court.

On June 21, 2020, Gholian began serving her prison term in Evin prison. On March 10, 2021, she was exiled to Bushehr Prison, where she was held until she was granted leave.