Seven Baha’i Citizens Now Imprisoned in Karaj Following Enforcement of Sentences

HRANA – Parsa Soroushian and Rouzbeh Naseri, two Baha’i citizens residing in Karaj, were transferred on Sunday, November 16, to the Central Penitentiary of Karaj to begin serving their prison sentences.

According to information received by HRANA, on November 16, these two Baha’i citizens were detained after appearing at the Enforcement Unit of the Karaj Revolutionary Court and were transferred to the Central Penitentiary of Karaj to begin serving their sentences.

In a separate report, HRANA had already announced the enforcement of the prison sentences for five other defendants in the same case: Naghmeh Mirza-Agha, Mahin Sa’adatmand, Mahshid Sefidi, Samar Masoudi, and Naser Rajab. Among them, Mr. Rajab was transferred to the Central Penitentiary of Karaj, while the four women were taken to Kachoui Prison. These citizens had been summoned to the Enforcement Unit of the Karaj Revolutionary Court in mid-Mehr for the execution of their sentences.

Following an appeals hearing on September 8, 2025, Branch 12 of the Alborz Province Court of Appeals reduced their sentences to five months in prison, two years of travel bans, and two years of bans on social activity. Previously, each had been sentenced by Branch 2 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court to ten months in prison along with additional penalties.

Naser Rajab has previously faced security-related persecution and arrest.

Over the past decade, the Iranian Bahá’í community has been disproportionately targeted by Iran’s security forces and judiciary, more than any other minority group. In the past three years, an average of 72 percent of the reports on religious rights violations collected by HRANA have documented the Iranian regime’s repression of the Bahá’í community.

Four Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

HRANA – Today, November 12, four prisoners previously sentenced to death on murder charges were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the executions took place early this morning. The prisoners had been arrested on murder charges and later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court. Further details, including the identities of those executed, are still under investigation by HRANA.

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

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year, a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

Execution of Three Prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison of Karaj

HRANA – On October 22, three prisoners were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison of Karaj. These individuals had previously been sentenced to death on murder charges.

HRANA has identified one of the executed prisoners as Sobhan Zamani, who was hanged at dawn on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.

According to information obtained by HRANA, all three prisoners had previously been arrested on murder charges and later sentenced to death by the Criminal Courts.

The state-run Hamshahri newspaper identified another of the executed prisoners as “Shahab” and reported that “this prisoner killed his friend on July 30, 2023, allegedly over an honor-related motive. He was arrested a few days later in one of the cities of Khorasan Razavi Province. During the trial, the defendant stated that the victim, his longtime friend and drug supplier, had entered his home a few days before the incident and attempted to assault his sister. The defendant later encountered him in the street, leading to a fight in which he killed him.”

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year, a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

Kowsar Dehbanzadeh Arrested and Transferred to Adelabad Prison in Shiraz

HRANA – On Saturday, October 11, 2025, Kowsar Dehbanzadeh, a political defendant, was arrested following a summons to the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz and transferred to Adelabad Prison in the same city.

A source close to the family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Kowsar Dehbanzadeh was arrested on Saturday, October 11, after being summoned to one of the branches of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz. The presiding judge set a bail of 10 billion tomans for her temporary release. Due to her inability to post bail, Ms. Dehbanzadeh was transferred to Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.”

According to information obtained by HRANA, Ms. Dehbanzadeh had received a court summons on Thursday, October 9, ordering her to appear before one of the branches of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court.

As of this report’s publication, the reasons for her arrest and the charges against her remain unknown.

Kowsar Dehbanzadeh, the sister of Meysam Dehbanzadeh, a political prisoner currently held in Ghezel Hesar Prison of Karaj, has previously been subjected to arrest and judicial harassment.

Nine Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

HRANA- On Wednesday, October 8, nine prisoners were executed by hanging in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, four of the executed individuals had been sentenced to death on drug-related charges, four on murder charges, and one on a charge of rape.

The identity of one of the prisoners has been confirmed as Ahmadi Mohammadi, who was convicted on drug-related charges. HRANA has also identified another prisoner as Mahmoud Valiollah, who had been arrested on a murder charge.

A close relative of Mr. Valiollah told HRANA: “Mahmoud was the father of a 16-year-old son and two daughters, aged 6 and 10. He had lived in Tehran for many years. In the summer of 2021, he shot and killed his wife. He was eventually arrested and sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.”

The Hamshahri daily reported that one of the other executed prisoners was a man who, in March 2024, killed the wife of one of his colleagues during a robbery. He was arrested, sentenced to death, and his sentence was carried out in prison.

According to the same source, another executed prisoner was a man named Pedram, who three years earlier had killed the woman he was romantically interested in in order to steal her Tiggo car and buried her body in the Taleqan desert. He was arrested, tried, sentenced to death, and executed at dawn on Wednesday.

Hamshahri also reported that another of those executed was a man who had been arrested about seven years ago on charges of killing a young woman over a financial dispute. Her body was later found along the Tehran–Qom highway. The man was executed early Wednesday morning following his trial and sentencing.

In addition, Hamshahri reported that one of the executed prisoners had been arrested on charges of raping one of his relatives.

Since the beginning of this year, 183 people have been executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison alone, a figure unprecedented in comparison to previous years.

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Civil Rights Activist Sajjad Haeri Sentenced to Prison and Additional Punishments

HRANA – Civil activist Sajjad Haeri, the brother of political prisoner Ahmadreza Haeri, has been sentenced by the Damavand Revolutionary Court to two years and six months in prison, along with supplementary punishments.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the court issued this ruling against Haeri on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “spreading falsehoods with intent to disturb public opinion.”

A social media page attributed to Ahmadreza Haeri reported that, in addition to imprisonment, Sajjad Haeri was given a two-year ban on membership in political and social parties, groups, and associations. The ruling also includes the suspension of any media outlet or institution allegedly involved in the charges.

He was initially arrested on July 12 by security forces at his father’s residence in Damavand and was later released on bail pending trial.

Sajjad Haeri is the brother of political prisoner Ahmadreza Haeri, who is currently serving his sentence in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

Four Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison on Drug-Related Charges

HRANA – At dawn yesterday, Wednesday, October 1, four prisoners previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

HRANA has confirmed the identities of three of the prisoners as Ali Geravand, Javad Sargazi, and Hamid-Reza Maleki.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, these prisoners had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts.

At the time of this report, the executions have not been announced by prison authorities or other responsible institutions.

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year — a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

Judiciary Announces Execution of Babak Shahbazi

HRANA – This morning, Wednesday, the Judiciary’s Media Center announced the execution of Babak Shahbazi on charges of “espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel.” Shahbazi had been transferred to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj yesterday.

The Judiciary’s Media Center stated that the execution took place this morning, Wednesday, September 17, 2025, after the Supreme Court upheld the ruling. The report claimed that “Babak Shahbazi worked as a contractor in the design and installation of industrial cooling systems with companies affiliated with telecommunications, military, and security institutions. He was accused of intelligence and security cooperation with Israel and of exchanging information with individuals affiliated with that country. Ultimately, he was sentenced to death on charges of corruption on earth through moharebeh (enmity against God).”

The Judiciary’s news agency also named Esmail Fekri as one of Shahbazi’s associates. He was arrested on similar “espionage” charges and was executed in the same prison on June 16, 2025.

Yesterday, Shahbazi’s brother announced that the political prisoner had been transferred to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison. He added that the family, along with relatives, staged a sit-in outside the prison.

Shahbazi’s request for a retrial was recently rejected by the Supreme Court for the third time. His brother had earlier reported that the Ninth Branch of the Supreme Court, presided over by Judge Ghasem Mazinani, had also denied the second retrial request.

On August 19, after 12 days during which his family had no information about his whereabouts, Shahbazi was transferred to the public ward of Ghezel Hesar Prison. His relatives had previously expressed deep concern over being left in the dark about his condition.

BBC Persian had earlier reported that Shahbazi’s death sentence had been confirmed by the Supreme Court for the first time.

Shahbazi was arrested on charges of espionage and sentenced to death. One of the accusations against him included sending a message to the President of Ukraine.

He was detained in January 2024 and initially held in Evin Prison. Following an Israeli airstrike on Evin, he, along with other political prisoners, was transferred to the Greater Tehran Prison before being moved again to Ghezel Hesar.

Two Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison on Drug-Related Charges

HRANA – At dawn today, Tuesday, September 16, the death sentences of two prisoners previously convicted on drug-related charges were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

HRANA has identified the executed prisoners as Masoud Okhtizadeh, from Kuhdasht, and Akbar Emami, from Nourabad.

Information obtained by HRANA indicates that both men had been arrested on charges related to narcotics offenses and later sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts.

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

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year – a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

Three Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison

HRANA – At dawn today, September 3, the death sentences of three prisoners were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison. These prisoners had previously been sentenced to death in separate cases on charges related to drug offenses.

HRANA has identified one of the executed prisoners as 42-year-old Sajad Sadeghi from Kuhdasht.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, these prisoners had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. Yesterday, HRANA also reported that four death-row prisoners were executed in this facility.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been announced by prison authorities or official institutions.

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year – a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.