Report on the Arrest of Baha’i Citizen Zhila Sadeghi in Isfahan

HRANA – Zhila Sadeghi (Moghen), a Baha’i citizen residing in Isfahan, was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. She is currently being held in solitary confinement at Dowlatabad Prison in the city.

According to HRANA, citing IranWire, Zhila Sadeghi, a Baha’i citizen, has been in detention for six days.

According to the report, Ms. Sadeghi was arrested at her home in Isfahan on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and transferred to Dowlatabad Prison in the city. She is currently being held in one of the prison’s solitary confinement cells.

The report further states that, in addition to arresting this Baha’i citizen, the agents confiscated her family’s vehicle.

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

Zhila Sadeghi (Moghen), a Baha’i citizen residing in Isfahan, is the mother of , another Baha’i citizen imprisoned at Dowlatabad Prison. Sarir Moghen has also been held in solitary confinement at Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan for more than a month and a half.

Over the past decade, the Baha’i community in Iran has been subjected to more security-related and judicial persecution than any other religious minority in the country. According to HRA’s annual reports, an average of 62.41% of all reported violations of the rights of religious minorities during the past calendar year involved violations of the rights of Baha’i citizens.

Two Prisoners Executed at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan

HRANA – On Monday, September 28, two prisoners were executed at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

The executed prisoners have been identified as Abdolghani Salarzahi and Reza Sheikhi. Both had been sentenced to death on charges related to drug offenses.

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.

Woman Executed at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan

HRANA – At dawn on Monday, September 14, a woman who had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges was executed at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

According to HRANA, a prisoner was executed at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan at dawn on Monday, September 14, 2026.

HRANA has identified the prisoner as Rezvan Asgharzadeh, a 45-year-old mother of six. On Sunday evening, one day before her execution, she was transferred from Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan to Dastgerd Prison.

According to information received by HRANA, Asgharzadeh was arrested approximately six years and six months ago in connection with drug-related offenses. About two years ago, Branch 5 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Hemmat-Nejad, sentenced her to death. The sentence was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court.

An informed source close to her family told HRANA: “During her imprisonment, Ms. Asgharzadeh memorized several sections of the Quran in hopes of qualifying for clemency, and until her final days she remained hopeful that her sentence would be commuted. Her name was initially included on the list of prisoners eligible for clemency. However, following a negative report submitted by Fatemeh Asgarian, the head of Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan, her name was removed from the list.”

Her husband has also been sentenced to death on a similar charge and is currently held at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

As of the time of this report, her execution has 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.

January 2026 Protests: Erfan Haj Bonyan Dehaghani Sentenced to Prison

HRANA – Erfan Haj Bonyan Dehaghani, one of those arrested in connection with the January 2026 protests in Isfahan, was sentenced by the city’s Revolutionary Court to one year in prison. In the same case, he was also sentenced to 10 years in prison on non-political charges.

According to HRANA, Erfan Haj Bonyan Dehaghani has been sentenced to prison.

According to a ruling issued on August 11 by Branch 5 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Vahid Hemmat-Nejad as an advisory judge, Haj Bonyan Dehaghani was sentenced to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda activity against the regime through participation in the January 8 gatherings, wearing distinctive clothing bearing writings against national interests, and activity on social media.”

He was also sentenced to 10 years in prison on non-political charges brought against him in the same case. These charges were brought following a search of his home and were based on claims by IRGC Intelligence agents that he possessed prohibited items (six grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms).

During his arrest and the search of his home, security forces confiscated many of his personal and valuable belongings, including digital devices, clothing, cash, and cryptocurrency-related assets.

He was arrested on March 6, 2026, and was released on bail on April 7, 2026.

Erfan Haj Bonyan Dehaghani, aged approximately 26, works in cryptocurrency trading, and resides in Isfahan.

Six Prisoners Executed in Prisons in Mashhad and Isfahan

HRANA – On Sunday, September 6, and Wednesday, September 9, six prisoners were hanged in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad and Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

According to HRANA, citing Iran Human Rights Organization, three prisoners were executed yesterday in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

The prisoners have been identified as Mohammad Yousef Issazahi (Rigi), 40, a father of five; Shahrokh Pour Esmaeili, 27; and Hossein Ghasemzadeh, 54, a father of three. Their death sentences were carried out at the prison.

According to the report, Issazahi was arrested approximately four years ago, Pour Esmaeili three years ago, and Ghasemzadeh approximately five years ago, in separate cases on charges related to drug offenses. They were subsequently sentenced to death by judicial authorities. The executions were carried out without their families being notified and without the prisoners being granted final visits.

The death sentences of three other prisoners, identified as Mohammadreza Mohammadparast, Fatemeh Jahangard, approximately 40 years old, and Mehrdad Mokhtari, 24, were also carried out at the prison.

According to Khorasan newspaper, in September 2022, following a dispute with his mother’s financial partner, Mohammadparast attacked the individual with a knife, a shovel, and a concrete block, resulting in the person’s death. Mohammadparast was arrested following the incident.

According to a report by Iran Human Rights Organization, Ms. Jahangard was arrested approximately five years ago on a charge of murdering her husband following a family dispute. Mehrdad Mokhtari was also arrested four years ago on a murder charge stemming from a fight. The two prisoners were subsequently sentenced to death by criminal courts.

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Hossein Afrasiab Sentenced to More Than Three Years and Nine Months in Prison

HRANA – The judiciary sentenced Hossein Afrasiab, a detained citizen currently held in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, to three years, nine months, and twenty days in prison.

According to HRANA, Hossein Afrasiab has been sentenced to imprisonment.

A social media page attributed to the prisoner wrote: “Hossein Afrasiab was initially sentenced by the judiciary to five years and one month in prison. In the final ruling, his sentence was reduced to three years, nine months, and twenty days.”

Without providing further details, including the charges against the prisoner or the judicial authority that issued the sentence, the page stated that possession of satellite internet equipment (Starlink) was among the alleged grounds for the charges brought against Mr. Afrasiab.

On March 14, 2026, Hossein Afrasiab was arrested by security forces in Shahin Shahr and subsequently transferred to Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

HRANA’s inquiries regarding the judicial authority that issued the sentence and the details of this prisoner’s case remain ongoing.

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.