Elham Khalas, Baha’i Citizen, Arrested in Isfahan

HRANA – Elham Khalas, a Baha’i citizen residing in Isfahan, was arrested after appearing at the city’s Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office and transferred to Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan.

According to a report by IranWire, Elham Khalas was formally informed of the charges against her after appearing at the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Isfahan. At the conclusion of the session, she was arrested after being unable to secure the required bail and was transferred to Dowlatabad Prison in the city.

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the charges brought against Ms. Khalas.

Elham Khalas Ardestani, a Baha’i citizen residing in Baharestan, Isfahan, and the wife of Navid Tashakor, also a Baha’i citizen, has previously faced judicial action in connection with her activities.

Sarir Mowghen, a Baha’i Citizen, Arrested in Isfahan

HRANA – On Tuesday, August 25, Sarir Mowghen, a Baha’i citizen residing in Isfahan, was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents and transferred to Dowlatabad Prison in the city. At the same time, agents searched her family home and confiscated a number of personal and electronic belongings.

According to HRANA, Sarir Mowghen, a Baha’i citizen, was arrested in Isfahan.

According to information received by HRANA, at approximately 8 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, Ministry of Intelligence agents went to the home of Sarir Mowghen’s family in Isfahan and searched the premises. Following the search, agents arrested Ms. Mowghen and transferred her to Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan.

An informed source close to the family of the Baha’i citizen confirmed the incident to HRANA, stating: “During the search, agents confiscated all electronic devices in the home, as well as a large number of the family’s possessions, including cash, gold, and a piano.”

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for Ms. Mowghen’s arrest or the charges brought against her.

10 Prisoners Executed in Various Prisons

HRANA – The death sentences of 10 prisoners who had previously been sentenced to death on murder and drug-related charges were carried out in prisons in Borujerd, Mashhad, Karaj, Semnan, and Isfahan.

According to HRANA, citing Iran Human Rights Organization, eight prisoners were executed in Borujerd Prison, Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, Karaj Central Penitentiary, Semnan Central Prison, and Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan. Haalvsh also reported the executions of two additional prisoners in Isfahan Prison.

The prisoners have been identified as Sajjad Shirzadi, 34, married and from Kermanshah; Farshad Safari, approximately 40, married, father of one, and from Hashtgerd; Mahmoud Talebi, 44, from Torbat-e Heydarieh and father of one; Seyed Hossein Hesari, 35, from Mashhad; Lotfollah Ahmadvand, 38, from Aligudarz; Faramarz Baghbani, 46, father of two and from Borujerd; Hamed Emami, 39; and Mohammad Ali Kaffashi, 42.

According to the report, at dawn on Tuesday, August 25, Sajjad Shirzadi was executed at Karaj Central Penitentiary. He had been arrested approximately four years earlier on a murder charge and was subsequently sentenced to death by a judicial authority.

At dawn on Wednesday, August 19, Farshad Safari was also executed at Karaj Central Penitentiary. Safari had been arrested five years earlier on a murder charge and subsequently sentenced to death.

At dawn on Sunday, August 23, two prisoners, Mahmoud Talebi and Seyed Hossein Hesari, were executed at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

Talebi had been arrested four years earlier and Hesari five years earlier, in separate cases involving murder charges. Both were subsequently sentenced to death by judicial authorities. On Saturday, August 22, the two prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement at Vakilabad Prison in preparation for their executions.

Elsewhere, at dawn on Sunday, August 23, Hamed Emami and Mohammad Ali Kaffashi were executed at Semnan Central Prison. Emami and Kaffashi had been sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court two years earlier in a joint case involving drug-related charges.

Their executions were carried out without their families being notified and without allowing them a final family visit.

At dawn on Tuesday, August 18, Faramarz Baghbani was executed at Borujerd Prison. He had been arrested three years earlier on drug-related charges, including possession of nine kilograms of heroin, and was subsequently sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court.

At dawn on Wednesday, August 19, Lotfollah Ahmadvand was executed at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan. He had been sentenced to death three years earlier on drug-related charges.

Including Ahmadvand, the number of prisoners executed at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan on Wednesday, August 19, reached five. On the same day, four other prisoners, Mohsen Darabi, Abdolbaset Barahouei, Omidreza Ghanbarian, and Amir Farhadi, were also executed at the prison.

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

Two Prisoners Executed in Isfahan

According to Haal Vsh, at dawn on Monday, August 24, two prisoners were executed at a prison in Isfahan.

The prisoners have been identified as Saleh Zeidabadi, approximately 42, and his nephew, Merat Zeidabadi, 31, both from and residing in Fahraj County, Kerman Province.

The two prisoners were arrested in Isfahan in 2021 on drug-related charges and were subsequently sentenced to death. In the days leading up to their executions, they were transferred to the prison’s quarantine section without prior notice to their families. They were executed at dawn on Monday without being allowed a final family visit.

Political Prisoner Masoumeh Sarban-Zadeh Held Without Furlough for Over a Year

HRANA – Masoumeh Sarban-Zadeh, a political prisoner, is serving her prison sentence in Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan. Last year, she was sentenced by the judiciary to five years in prison.

According to HRANA, Masoumeh Sarban-Zadeh is currently serving her sentence in Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan.

According to information received by HRANA, Ms. Sarban-Zadeh was arrested by security forces in Najafabad, Isfahan Province, in June-July 2025. She was subsequently sentenced by a judicial authority to five years in prison on charges including “forming a group with the aim of disrupting national security.”

An informed source close to the political prisoner’s family confirmed the report and told HRANA: “Ms. Sarban-Zadeh, who is the mother of two children, has not been granted furlough despite more than a year having passed since her arrest and imprisonment.”

Sarban-Zadeh was arrested along with one of her daughters in June-July 2025 by security forces in connection with the 12-day war. During the judicial proceedings, her daughter was cleared of the allegation against her, acquitted, and released.

HRANA’s investigation into details of the current case, including the court or judicial authority that issued the sentence, remains ongoing.

Masoumeh Sarban-Zadeh, approximately 50 years old and a resident of Najafabad, is the mother of two daughters, approximately 14 and 18 years old.

Execution of Three Prisoners in Isfahan and Two in Ilam

HRANA – On August 19, the death sentences of two prisoners, including a woman, who had previously been sentenced to death on murder charges in separate cases, were carried out in Ilam Prison.

According to HRANA, citing Iran Human Rights Organization, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, three prisoners were executed in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

According to the report, the three prisoners were identified as Abdolbaset Barahouei, 30, from Zahedan; Omidreza Ghanbarian, 40, from Tabriz and the father of one child; and Amir Farhadi, from Isfahan.

Abdolbaset Barahouei was arrested in Isfahan in 2018 on charges related to drug offenses and was subsequently sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court.

Mr. Ghanbarian was arrested five years ago, while Mr. Farhadi was arrested three years ago, both on charges related to drug offenses. They were subsequently sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts.

Execution of Two Prisoners in Ilam Prison

According to Kurdpa, on the same day, two prisoners, including a woman, were executed in Ilam Prison.

The two prisoners were identified as Donya Mohammadi (female) and Khodadad Mohammadi, residents of Eyvan-e Gharb County.

According to the report, the two prisoners were arrested approximately two years ago in separate cases on murder charges and were subsequently sentenced to death by criminal courts.

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


According to HRA’s Annual Report, in 2025 at least 2,063 citizens, including 61 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the sentences of 11 individuals were carried out in public. During the same period, 172 other individuals were sentenced to death.

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January 2026 Protests: Ghaem Hosseini Executed

HRANA – Today, August 20, Ghaem (Arian) Hosseini, arrested during the January 2026 protests in Isfahan, was executed. He had been tried in a case known as the “Isfahan Alikhani Square” case and sentenced to death.

According to HRANA, citing Mizan, the death sentence of Ghaem Hosseini, a foreign national and one of those arrested during the January 2026 protests in Isfahan, was carried out.

The Judiciary’s Media Center has claimed that four law enforcement officers were killed during the January 8, 2026 protests in Isfahan’s Alikhani Square. The institution further alleges that a number of protesters attacked law enforcement officers and damaged public property and facilities. The Judiciary has also alleged that, after attacking law enforcement personnel, the defendants in the case committed acts of violence, including setting fire to the bodies of those killed.

According to Mizan, Ghaem Hosseini was sentenced to death on charges including “moharebeh (enmity against God) through drawing a weapon and creating fear, terror, and insecurity; corruption on earth through actions against national security; disrupting public order and creating insecurity; destruction of public property; and collusion to act against national security,” as well as other related charges. The Judiciary further claims that after the sentence was issued, the case was reviewed by the Supreme Court and the ruling was upheld following Hosseini’s appeal. Ultimately, after the legal procedures were completed, Mr. Hosseini’s death sentence was carried out.

In describing the alleged conduct underlying the charges against Mr. Hosseini, Mizan claimed that he was present at the location where the law enforcement officers were killed and that he struck the body of one of them. The outlet also cited his alleged participation in setting fire to property belonging to a charitable center. According to the same report, Mr. Hosseini acknowledged being present at the protests in Alikhani Square. However, no independent information has been made public regarding the manner or circumstances in which these statements were obtained, whether he had access to a lawyer during interrogation, or whether the claims made by judicial authorities could be independently verified.

Ghaem Hosseini, known as “Arian,” was a foreign national. The report did not specify the exact location where his execution was carried out.

HRANA has so far been unable to independently verify the claims made by the Judiciary’s media outlet. Moreover, according to information received by HRANA, the proceedings in this case were subject to restrictions and irregularities, including the defense lawyer’s lack of effective access to the case file, court hearings conducted via videoconference, families being kept uninformed about the details of the sentences, and the court’s failure to consider defense evidence. Given the documented history of the Islamic Republic’s security and judicial institutions using coerced confessions, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment in security-related cases, there are serious concerns regarding compliance with fair-trial standards and the defendants’ rights in this case.

It should be noted that HRANA previously reported that the proceedings in the cases of Alireza and Abolfazl Sepahi were subject to restrictions including the defense lawyer’s lack of effective access to the case file, the inability to obtain a copy of the court ruling, hearings conducted via videoconference, and the court’s failure to consider defense evidence. According to a source close to the family, they also remain unaware of the details of the charges, the evidence relied upon by the court, and the full contents of the rulings issued.

On July 28, Abolfazl Sepahi and Amirhossein Safari, two other individuals sentenced to death in the case known as the “Isfahan Alikhani Square” case, were publicly executed. The death sentences of Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, two other defendants in the case, were carried out in Isfahan on July 19.

At the trial court level, 15 defendants in the case were sentenced to death. According to information provided by a lawyer, the sentence of one defendant was overturned by a higher judicial authority, while the death sentences of the other 14 defendants were upheld.

The identities of 12 of these individuals had been established as Alireza Sepahi, Abolfazl Sepahi, Erfan Esfandiari, Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, Amirhossein Safari, Ghaem Hosseini, Shervin Bagherian, Amirhossein Maleki, Ali Dashti, Abolfazl Ebrahimi, Alireza Raisi, and Amirhossein Ebrahimi Analoucheh.

Sepehr Amirzadeh, Detained During January Protests, Sentenced to Death

HRANA – Sepehr Amirzadeh, one of those arrested during the January 2026 protests and currently held in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court on the charge of “moharebeh” (enmity against God).

According to HRANA, Sepehr Amirzadeh, who was arrested during the January 2026 protests, has been sentenced to death.

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Amirzadeh was sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court on the charge of “moharebeh” (enmity against God). His case is currently under review by the Supreme Court.

Mr. Amirzadeh was arrested by security forces at his home in Isfahan on January 13, 2026, in connection with nationwide protests. After undergoing interrogation, he was transferred to Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, where he remains incarcerated.

HRANA’s investigation into the details of the case, including the specific acts underlying the charge brought against him, is ongoing.

Sepehr Amirzadeh, aged approximately 23, is originally from Ramhormoz, Khuzestan Province. He is an instructor and musician who plays the ney-anban, a traditional Iranian bagpipe, and resides in Isfahan.

Nasrin Kabiri Serving 10-Year Prison Sentence in Isfahan

HRANA – Nasrin (Zahra) Kabiri, a political prisoner, is currently serving her prison sentence in Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan. Last year, she was sentenced by the judiciary to 10 years in prison.

According to HRANA, Nasrin Kabiri is currently incarcerated in Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan.

Based on information received by HRANA, Ms. Kabiri is serving her 10-year prison sentence in Ward 2 for convicted prisoners at Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan. Last year, the judiciary sentenced her to 10 years in prison on the charge of “espionage for Israel.”

An informed source close to the family of the political prisoner confirmed the matter to HRANA and said: “Ms. Kabiri, who is the mother of two young children, has not been granted furlough to date, despite having served approximately one year of her sentence.”

At the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the specific acts underlying the charge of “espionage for Israel,” on the basis of which Ms. Kabiri was handed a lengthy prison sentence. HRANA’s efforts to obtain further information in this regard are ongoing.

Ms. Kabiri was arrested by security forces in Isfahan in July 2025, in connection with the 12-day war.

Nasrin (Zahra) Kabiri is a resident of Isfahan and the mother of two children, approximately six and eight years old.

One Prisoner Executed in Isfahan Prison; Number of Executions in Zanjan Prison Rises to Two

HRANA – The death sentence of a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death on a murder charge was carried out on Tuesday, August 11, at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan. Additionally, with confirmation of the execution of another prisoner convicted of murder, the number of prisoners executed at Zanjan Prison on Saturday, August 8, has risen to two.

According to HRANA, citing Iran Human Rights Organization, the death sentence of a prisoner was carried out at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan on the morning of Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

The prisoner has been identified as Aref Karimian, 38, a resident of Khomeini Shahr and father of one child.

According to the report, Mr. Karimian was arrested four years ago on a murder charge involving an honor-related motive and was subsequently sentenced to death by a judicial authority.

Number of Prisoners Executed at Zanjan Prison Rises to Two

According to another report by Iran Human Rights Organization, another prisoner was executed at Zanjan Prison on the morning of Saturday, August 8, 2026.

The prisoner has been identified as Payam Pakzad, 41, a native of Bojnurd, father of four children, and resident of the Shahrak-e Shohada neighborhood in Zanjan.

According to the report, Mr. Pakzad, who worked as a construction worker, became involved in an altercation with another person three years ago while working on a construction project. Following the altercation, which resulted in the other person’s death, he was arrested on a murder charge and subsequently sentenced to death by a judicial authority.

The execution of another prisoner, Yousef Bagheri, which was carried out at the same prison on the same day, had previously been reported.

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

According to HRA’s Annual Report, in 2025 at least 2,063 citizens, including 61 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the sentences of 11 individuals were carried out in public. During the same period, 172 other individuals were sentenced to death.

Mahshad Keshani Arrested by Security Forces in Isfahan

HRANA – Mahshad Keshani, who was previously arrested during the January 2026 protests, was arrested again by security forces in Isfahan on the morning of Monday, August 3, and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, Mahshad Keshani has been arrested.

According to information received by HRANA, at around 7:00 a.m. on Monday, August 3, three plainclothes men and one plainclothes woman went to Ms. Keshani’s family home in Isfahan. After arresting her, they took her away without identifying the agency responsible for the arrest. According to her family, the officers stated that the arrest was related to a new judicial case against her.

A source close to her family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Ms. Keshani is facing charges in this new case including inciting people to wage war with the intent to disrupt national security, and disrupting public order and peace.”

The source further added: “Mahshad Keshani was first arrested on December 31, 2025, during the nationwide protests in Isfahan. At the same time that this new case was opened, she was transferred to Dolatabad Prison in Isfahan to serve a previous prison sentence. She was ultimately released in July 2026, after completing that sentence and posting bail in the case related to the protests.”

As of the time of this report, there is no information regarding her whereabouts or condition, and she has not been permitted to contact her family.

In 2024, in a joint case involving 21 other political defendants, Mahshad Keshani was sentenced by Branch 1 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mohammad Tavakkoli, to a total of six years in prison on charges of membership in groups or organizations with the intent to disrupt national security and propaganda against the state. Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, five years of the sentence became enforceable, although four years and six months of that term was suspended for 10 years. She was also sentenced to a two-year travel ban and a two-year ban on online activities.

Mahshad Keshani had previously been arrested by security forces on July 11, 2023, and was released some time later on bail.