Tag: Isfahan

Maryam Mehrabi Initiates Hunger Strike in Dolatabad Prison, Isfahan

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News, Prisoners, Women
Dolatabad Prison, HRANA, Isfahan, Mahmoud Mehrabi, Maryam Mehrabi, مریم مهرابی

Maryam Mehrabi, a teacher imprisoned in Dolatabad Prison, Isfahan, who is being held in solitary confinement, has gone on a hunger strike.

A source close to Mehrabi’s family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Family inquiries revealed that Ms. Mehrabi is being held in Dolatabad Women’s Prison in Isfahan. She was transferred to solitary confinement some time ago and has gone on a hunger strike to protest the psychological pressure, poor conditions, and separation from her children. She has been hospitalized in the prison infirmary several times. The inability to meet or contact her has increased her family’s concerns.”

This citizen was arrested by security forces in Isfahan on June 18.

Mehrabi was previously arrested in March 2023 while pursuing her brother Mahmoud Mehrabi’s case. She was detained by security forces at the Mobarakeh County Prosecutor’s Office and transferred to Dolatabad Prison in Isfahan. She was released on bail three days later. Last September, she was sentenced by Branch 102 of the Criminal Court Two of Mobarakeh City to seventy-four lashes and three months in prison, which was later converted to a fine.

Mehrabi’s brother, Mahmoud, a political prisoner, has been sentenced to death on charges of “spreading corruption on earth.” He is currently held at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

Baha’i Arash Nabavi Sentenced to Imprisonment and Additional Punishments

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News, Religious Minorities
Arash Nabavi, Bahais, Isfahan, آرش نبوی

Arash Nabavi, a Baha’i citizen residing in Isfahan, has been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of this city to ten years of imprisonment, a fine, confiscation of property, and other penalties.

Based on a verdict issued by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan, presided over by Mohammadreza Tavakoli, and communicated to Mr. Nabavi, he has been sentenced to five years of imprisonment and a fine for the charge of “membership in groups to disrupt national security.” Additionally, for the charge of “propaganda activities against Islamic law”, he has been sentenced to another five years of imprisonment. As supplementary punishment, he has also been sentenced to a two-year ban on online acitvities, prohibition from leaving the country, and confiscation of property.
Three mobile phones, three flash drives, two tablets, three SIM cards, and several books and materials related to the Baha’i Faith are among the items ordered to be confiscated in the verdict.

This Baha’i citizen was arrested on August 14, 2023, and released after two months on bail. During the arrest, the officers searched his house and seized some of Mr. Nabavi’s personal belongings.

Arash Nabavi, single and approximately thirty-eight years old, lives the “Imam Neighborhood” in Isfahan.

Baha’is are subjected to violations of their religious rights, comprising 82% of reports on infringements against religious minorities, according to HRA’s 2023 annual report.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence Against Protest Rapper Toomaj Salehi

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Executions, News
Amir Raisian, Isfahan, Toomaj Salehi

Amir Raisian, the lawyer for protest rapper Toomaj Salehi, announced that Branch 39 of the Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence against his client. The case will now be referred to another court branch for further review.

“In a precise verdict, the Supreme Court not only overturned the death sentence but also affirmed that even the previous sentence of six years and three months stands at odds with Article 131 and the rules of multiplicity of charges,” Raisian clarified.

In mid-May, Raisian announced the registration of his appeal to the Supreme Court, stating, “One day after this announcement about the initial verdict against my client, prison officials banned Salehi from making phone calls and even imposed restrictions on in-person visits.”

In April, the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan sentenced Salehi to death for “spreading corruption on earth.” At the time, Raisian commented on the ruling, stating, “Branch 1 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court issued an unprecedented verdict by disregarding the Supreme Court’s resolution from 2022, labeling it as an ‘advisory verdict,’ and upheld the initial death sentence for ‘spreading corruption on earth.’”

Salehi’s legal saga began in late October 2022 when he was initially detained by security forces during nationwide protests. Subsequently, the Isfahan Revolutionary Court sentenced him to six years and three months in prison, among other penalties. However, he secured release on bail after the Supreme Court overturned the verdict.

Nevertheless, Salehi’s freedom was short-lived as he was re-arrested in Babol on November 30, just twelve days after being bailed out from Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan. The Judiciary spokesperson cited Salehi’s post-release statement as grounds for this subsequent arrest.

It’s worth noting that Salehi has a prior conviction from January 12, 2022, where he received a six-month prison term and a fine, with the imprisonment suspended for one year.

Isfahan: Sentencing of Two Bahai Citizens from Imprisonment to Confiscation of Property

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News, Religious Minorities
Arshia Rouhani, Bahais, Hamid Monzavi, Isfahan, ارشیا روحانی, حمید منزوی

Arshia Rouhani and Hamid Monzavi Joshaghani, Bahai citizens residing in Isfahan, were sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of this city to five years in prison each, fines, confiscation of property, and additional punishments.

Based on the verdict issued by Branch 1 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court, presided over by Mohammadreza Tavakoli, each of these Bahá’í citizens was sentenced to five years of imprisonment, a fifty million toman fine, and a two-year ban on social media activity and leaving the country. Additionally, several copy machines, laptops, mobile phones, external storage devices, and scanners previously seized from these citizens’ places of business were confiscated.

The charges against these citizens were “propaganda against the regime” and “membership in groups or associations formed within the country to undermine national security.”

In September of 2023, two business units belonging to these Bahá’í citizens in Isfahan were sealed by the Intelligence Ministry officers for one month. Simultaneously with the sealing of their business premises, several personal and work items of these citizens were seized by security forces. They were subsequently summoned and arrested on October 30, 2023, to the Isfahan Prosecutor’s Office and released after one day on a bail of three hundred million tomans (approximately 6,000 dollars).

Arshia Rouhani has previously faced judicial action due to his beliefs.

Baha’is are subjected to violations of their religious rights, comprising 82% of reports on infringements against religious minorities, according to HRA’s 2023 annual report.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Maryam Mehrabi Arrested by Security Forces in Isfahan

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Freedom of Expression, News
Dolatabad Prison, Isfahan, Mahmoud Mehrabi, Maryam Mehrabi, مریم مهرابی

Maryam Mehrabi, a teacher residing in Isfahan, was arrested by security forces today, June 18, and taken to an unknown location. Her brother, Mahmoud Mehrabi, a political prisoner, has been sentenced to death for political charges.

Mahan Mehrabi, Ms. Mehrabi’s brother, posted an update: “Today, my sister Maryam was arrested by security forces. Additionally, the security forces confiscated all electronic devices, including laptops and mobile phones.”
So far, there is no information on the reasons for her arrest or the whereabouts of Ms. Mehrabi and her children.

Mehrabi was previously arrested in March 2023 while pursuing her brother Mahmoud Mehrabi’s case. She was detained by security forces at the Mobarakeh County Prosecutor’s Office and transferred to Dolatabad Prison in Isfahan. This citizen was released on bail three days later. Last September, she was sentenced by Branch 102 of the Criminal Court Two of Mobarakeh City to seventy-four lashes and three months in prison, which was later converted to a fine.

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200 Citizens Facing Legal Charges in Isfahan Over Comments on Raeisi’s Death

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ebrahim Raeisi, Hossein amir-Abdollahian, Isfahan, Jolfa, Varzaqan

The Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Isfahan has announced the initiation of legal proceedings against 200 citizens for posting remarks concerning the helicopter crash that resulted in the death of Ebrahim Raeisi.

The prosecutor stated, “More than 200 individuals who spread false news and offensive remarks regarding the helicopter crash incident involving Ebrahim Raeisi have been identified.” Seyed Mohammad Mousavian elaborated that these individuals would face legal actions as per the directives of the country’s Prosecutor-General and the emphatic instructions of the head of Isfahan’s Judiciary.

The identities of these individuals have not been disclosed in the report.

The incident occurred on the afternoon of Sunday, May 19th, when a helicopter transporting President Raisi, along with several officials including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, crashed in the Dizmar forest between Varzaqan and Jolfa. Official media confirmed the deaths of Raisi and his companions the following morning after the crash site and wreckage were located. Numerous citizens have since been arrested or subjected to legal proceedings for expressing their opinions on the incident, which the authorities have deemed inappropriate.

Instagram Page Administrators Arrested in Isfahan for Promoting Western Lifestyles

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Freedom of Expression, News
Instagram admin arrested, Isfahan, modelling

The head of Isfahan’s cyber police announced the blocking of 35 Instagram pages and the arrest of their administrators for promoting what has been described as “Western lifestyles and the dissemination of modeling content and vulgar material on Instagram.”

The chief of Isfahan’s cyber police stated: “Cyber police experts in the province identified and arrested the administrators of 35 Instagram pages for promoting Western lifestyles and modeling advertisements with inappropriate, vulgar content.”

Mostafa Mortazavi added that, following the removal and blocking of the content of the posts produced on the said Instagram pages, these individuals were handed over to the judicial authorities with cases filed against them.

The report does not disclose the detainees’ identities, their places of detention, or the specific charges against these citizens.

In 2023, data from the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA revealed a sevenfold increase in the arbitrary arrests of citizens by police and security forces, infringing upon citizens’ privacy and lifestyle compared to the previous year.

Sama Amooshahi Detained in Isfahan

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News, Prisoners
HRANA, Isfahan, Sama Amooshahi, Samaneh Amooshahi, سما عموشاهی

On May 25, 2024, Sama (Samaneh) Amooshahi, aged 33, was taken into custody by security forces in Isfahan.

A report from HRANA highlights that she was apprehended at her home in Isfahan. Amooshahi, who is battling thyroid cancer, is in a precarious health situation due to limited access to necessary medications and treatment, causing significant concern among her family members.

Previously, on July 11, 2023, Amooshahi and 11 others were separately detained by security personnel in Isfahan. She was subsequently released on bail from a prison in Isfahan the following month. Given that her legal proceedings are still underway at the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Isfahan, her recent arrest appears to be connected to the ongoing case.

Four Convicts Executed at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan

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Executions, News
Dastgerd Prison, Ghasem Salehi, Isfahan, Jafar Hosseinzadeh, Majid Rezaie, Masoud Estaki, Mostafa Ahgh-Mohammadi

On May 12, 2024, Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan was the site of the execution of four inmates, all convicted of a murder committed a decade ago.

According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the individuals executed were Masoud Estaki, Jafar Hosseinzadeh, Majid Rezaie, and Mostafa Ahgh-Mohammadi.

These men, along with Ghasem Salehi, were involved in a group altercation that resulted in the death of an individual identified only by the initials Sh.K. They were collectively sentenced to death in the ensuing legal proceedings. However, Ghasem Salehi was able to avoid execution by agreeing to pay 5 billion tomans in blood money to the family of the deceased.

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing. In 2023, 66% of HRANA’s reports on executions lacked official announcements by judicial authorities and went unreported by media inside Iran, highlighting a troubling lack of transparency in due process.

In 2023, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran registered the execution of 767 individuals. Out of these, 7 were carried out in public. Among the executed individuals whose genders were identified, 21 were female. Additionally, 2 juvenile offenders, defined as individuals under the age of 18 at the time of their alleged crimes, were also executed. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s annual report.

Mahmood Mehrabi, a Political Prisoner, Receives Death Sentence

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Executions, News
Babak Eslami Farsani, Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, Mahmood Mehrabi, Mahmoud Mehrabi, revolutionary court, محمود مهرابی

Mahmood (Mahmoud) Mehrabi has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan on charges of “spreading corruption on earth.” He is currently held at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

Babak Eslami Farsani, Mehrabi’s legal representative, relayed that Branch 5 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court issued the death sentence. Farsani highlighted that they were only informed of the decision at court, with no written verdict provided. He expressed hope that the Supreme Court would address the perceived shortcomings in the ruling. The court justified the sentence by accusing Mehrabi of “widespread dissemination of false information on Instagram.”

Mehrabi was first detained by security forces on February 1, 2023, in Isfahan, and was temporarily released on bail on March 16, 2023, only to be rearrested at his home shortly after.

In September 2023, Mehrabi faced a series of additional charges, including propaganda against the regime, incitement of police and military forces to disobedience, incitement to war, crimes against national security, and insulting the founder and Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In January of this year, he was further charged with publishing confidential information and committing acts of blasphemy, including insulting Shia Imams.

Mehrabi has a history of arrests and convictions linked to his activism.