Tag: Karaj Revolutionary Court

Nahid Behroozi, a Baha’i Citizen, Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, HRANA, Kachouei Prison, Karaj Revolutionary Court, Nahid Behroozi, ناهید بهروزی

HRANA – Nahid Behroozi (Forouhari), a Baha’i citizen residing in Karaj, has been sentenced to five years in prison and additional penalties by Branch 4 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court.

According to the verdict, which was recently issued and officially communicated to her on Monday, October 6, 2025 (14 Mehr 1403), Ms. Behroozi was sentenced to five years of imprisonment under Article 500 (repeated) of the Islamic Penal Code for “educational or proselytizing activities deemed deviant and contrary to or disruptive of the sacred religion of Islam.”

In addition to the prison term, the court imposed complementary punishments, including ten years’ deprivation of social rights and the confiscation of her seized belongings—such as electronic devices and religious books.

Ms. Behroozi was arrested on July 29, 2024, by agents of the Fardis branch of the Ministry of Intelligence while on a street in Karaj. Following her arrest, security agents searched her home. After completing interrogation at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, she was transferred to Kachouei Prison on August 15, 2024. She was released from Kachouei Prison on October 1, 2024, upon posting bail.

Political Prisoners Bakhtiari and Nasiri Begin Hunger Strike in Solitary

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News, Prisoners
Karaj Revolutionary Court, Mehrdad Bakhtiari, Nahid Shirpisheh, Pouya Bakhtiari, Siamak Nasiri

Mehrdad Bakhtiari and Siamak Nasiri, political prisoners held in Karaj Central Prison, have been transferred to solitary confinement as punishment. In protest, they have gone on a hunger strike.

A source close to the family of one of the prisoners confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Nasiri and Bakhtiari were placed in solitary confinement at noon on December 21 as a punitive measure. They began a hunger strike in protest against this decision.” The source added: “Nasiri suffers from kidney disease, and his confinement in solitary while on hunger strike has heightened the concerns of his family and relatives.”

Background on Siamak Nasiri:

Nasiri was arrested by IRGC intelligence agents in Karaj on August 28, 2023, and later transferred to Karaj Central Prison.

In late January 2024, he was sentenced by Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Mousa Asef Hosseini, to five years in prison for “inciting people to violence and waging war against national security.” He also received one year for “propaganda against the regime” and two years of exile to Ahvaz.

In early May 2024, the Alborz Appeals Court reduced his sentence to three years and one month in prison and upheld the two years of exile to Ahvaz.

Nasiri, aged around 36, was a Karaj resident and an employee of the gas company before his arrest.

Background on Mehrdad Bakhtiari:

Bakhtiari is the uncle of Pouya Bakhtiari, one of the victims of the November 2019 protests. He was arrested on July 11, 2022, after releasing a video about the arrest of Pouya’s mother, Nahid Shirpisheh, and images of a broken lock on their home’s door. He was initially held in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj and later released on bail on September 3, 2022.

In early March 2023, the Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced him to one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime,” five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” a two-year travel ban, and two years of exile to Shahrekord.

On August 7, 2024, he was arrested to serve his sentence and transferred to Ward 15 of Karaj Central Prison.

Context on Pouya Bakhtiari:

Pouya Bakhtiari, a 27-year-old protester, was killed during the November 2019 demonstrations in Mehrshahr, Karaj, after being shot in the head. According to his father, Pouya joined the protests on the second day with his mother and sister. He died before reaching the hospital. Pouya was one of the hundreds killed during the nationwide protests in 2019.

Appeals Court: Five Citizens Fined for Financial Aid to Mashallah Karami

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Vahabi, Karaj Revolutionary Court, Mahsa Vahabi, Mashallah Karami, Mohammad-Mehdi Karami, Mojdeh Bahrololum Tabatabai

Five citizens, including Ali Vahabi (an Iran-Iraq war veteran), Mojdeh Bahrololum Tabatabai, and Mahsa Vahabi, were each sentenced to pay a fine of 6 million tomans by the Alborz Province Appeals Court.

The recent verdict by Branch 12 of the Alborz Appeals Court found these five citizens, three of whom are family members—Ali Vahabi (a war veteran), Mojdeh Bahrololum Tabatabai, and Mahsa Vahabi—guilty of “aiding and abetting in assembly and collusion against national security” through financial support for Mashallah Karami. They were each fined 6 million tomans.

These five people had previously been sentenced by the Karaj Revolutionary Court to two years in prison and a fine of 24 million tomans on the same charges.

Payam Derafshan, a defense lawyer, revealed that they were also sentenced by the Nazarabad Criminal Court 2 to 91 days in prison for “aiding and abetting in illicit acquisition of wealth” in a separate case.

Derafshan added that he has filed an appeal and is awaiting the Alborz Appeals Court’s decision.

According to HRANA, more than five citizens were sentenced to prison by the Nazarabad Criminal Court 2 in this case.

Mashallah Karami, the father of Mohammad Mehdi Karami, an executed protester, was arrested by security forces on August 22, 2023. He was transferred from The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility to Karaj Central Prison on October 28 of the same year.

On May 21, 2024, Karami was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to five years in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.”

In a separate part of his case, Karami was sentenced by Branch 102 of the Nazarabad Criminal Court 2 to eight years and ten months in prison, along with a 1.9 billion toman fine and confiscation of assets, on charges of “money laundering and illicit acquisition of wealth.”

Notably, on the morning of Saturday, January 7, 2023, Mohammad Mehdi Karami, a protester arrested during the nationwide protests and implicated in the case known as the “murder of Basij member Rouhollah Ajamian,” was executed.

Journalist Omid Faraghat Sentenced to Six Months in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Karaj, Karaj Revolutionary Court, Musa Asif al-Hosseini, Omid Faraghat

Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court has sentenced journalist Omid Faraghat to six months in prison.

The ruling, issued by Judge Seyed Musa Asif Al-Hosseini of Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, was communicated to Mr. Faraghat on Saturday, August 10. He has been sentenced to six months of imprisonment on charges of “propaganda against the regime.”

According to information received by HRANA, the ruling was communicated by requiring the defendant to transcribe the verdict. Judicial authorities have not provided specific details of the charges against Mr. Faraghat and have not recorded the ruling in the relevant electronic system.

The hearings for Mr. Faraghat’s charges were held on two occasions, May 13 and August 6, 2024.

Omid Faraghat is a journalist and media activist focused on political issues. In April 2024, he was also sentenced by Branch 7 of the Karaj Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office to a two-year ban from online activities.

Sereen Curtis Sentenced to Over 9 Years in Prison and Additional Penalties

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Freedom of Expression, News
Iranian-New Zealand citizen, Karaj Revolutionary Court, New Zealand, Sereen Badiei, Sereen Curtis

Sereen Curtis (Badiei), known as “Shahzadeh Sereen,” a dual Iranian-New Zealand citizen, has been sentenced by Branch 3 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court to 9 years, 1 month, and 16 days in prison, according to Emtedad. He also received a two-year ban on leaving the country and engaging in social media activities.

His lawyer, Ali Sharifzadeh Ardakani, stated that Mr. Curtis was sentenced to 66 months in prison for the charge of “provoking impurity and indecency,” 36 months for “insulting religious sanctities,” and 7 months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime,” totaling 109 months and 16 days in prison. Additionally, he was sentenced to a two-year ban on leaving the country and engaging in social media activities as supplementary penalties.

Sharifzadeh Ardakani announced in late July that Mr. Curtis’s court session for the mentioned charges was held in Branch 3 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court. He added that Sereen Curtis brought several assets, including jewelry and cash (dollars), to Iran, which have been confiscated. As a result, his client has faced financial difficulties while in prison, a situation they have reported to some of his acquaintances and the New Zealand Embassy.

Noting that the New Zealand Embassy is aware of his client’s case, Sharifzadeh Ardakani emphasized that his client was hospitalized for two weeks at Roozbeh Hospital in Tehran and is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. They requested that he be re-evaluated by a three-member forensic medical commission, given his bipolar disorder, which is considered a type of schizophrenia and occasionally causes sudden insanity.

Sharifzadeh Ardakani expressed hope that considering these points to prove his client’s mental instability, the issued sentence will be thoroughly reviewed by the judges in the Karaj Court of Appeal.

Sareen Curtis (Badiei), a 51-year-old dual Iranian-New Zealand citizen who also holds US residency, was arrested by security forces in Karaj on March 25 of this year. Shortly after his arrest, he was transferred to a solitary cell in Ward 12 of the Central Prison of Karaj and eventually moved to Ward 15 of the same prison in June.

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Political Prisoner Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb Sentenced to Imprisonment and Exile

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj Revolutionary Court, Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb, زرتشت احمدی راغب

Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb, a political prisoner held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, has been sentenced to one year in prison and two years in exile in connection with a new case opened against him during his imprisonment.

Based on a verdict issued in absentia by Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Musa Asef Al-Hosseini, and recently communicated to Mr. Ahmadi Ragheb in Ghezel Hesar Prison, he has been sentenced to one year in prison and two years of exile in Qeydar, located in Zanjan province, on charges of “propaganda against the regime.”
A source close to the family of this political prisoner confirmed to HRANA: “Mr. Ahmadi Ragheb was recently transferred to solitary confinement and, upon returning to the public ward last week, was notified of the new sentence. This case was initiated during his imprisonment following a complaint by Ghezel Hesar Prison officials against him.”

Ahmadi Ragheb’s arrest took place in March 2023, leading to his incarceration in Evin Prison. In May 2023, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran imposed a five-year and eight-month prison sentence along with additional penalties. Notably, five years of this term are currently enforceable.

In September of the same year, he, along with several other political prisoners, was transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison. Ahmadi Ragheb has a history of previous convictions and imprisonments due to his commitment to peaceful activism.

Iran Protests: Poet Reza Keshvari Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
iran protests, Karaj Revolutionary Court, Reza Keshvari

The Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced poet and painter Reza Keshvari to five years in prison, of which he will be imprisoned in exile for two years. He is also banned from leaving the country for two years.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Reza Keshvari was sentenced to five years in prison and social deprivations.

On October 15, 2022, Keshvari was arrested during nationwide protests in Karaj, following a protest against the arrest of several teenagers. He was jailed in the Central Prison of Karaj.

The charges are still unknown.

Keshvari is a poet and painter, the father of a five-year-old child.

Since the outbreak of nationwide protests, over 19200 people, including journalists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, have been arrested. So far, about 670 people were convicted over protests. For more details and statistics on the nationwide protest across Iran, read HRANA’s comprehensive report here.

 

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

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Labor and Guilds, News
Ghezel Hesar prison, Karaj Central Penitentiary, Karaj Revolutionary Court, Kian Tire, Marivan

On Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at least seven protests and one labour strike took place in Iran.

A group of families of prisoners presently on death row gathered in front of the Karaj Revolutionary Court to demand the end of executions. Three inmates were executed in Karaj Central Penitentiary and six are at risk of imminent execution in Ghezel Hesar Prison.

A group of Women Rights Activists protested at the Justice Building in Marivan, Kurdistan Province. The protestors demanded security for women, following a recent incident.

 

For the third consecutive day, the workers of Kian Tire Manufacturing Company went on strike and assembled at their workplace to protest unpaid wages and job uncertainty.

A group of contract teachers gathered before the Governorate Building in Arak to demand official recruitment by the Ministry of Education.

The residents of the Morgmalek village in Shahrekord County held a protest against slow court proceedings in handling a lawsuit in regard to their lands.

A number of school service workers held a protest in Mahabad and Kermanshah.

The workers of Ardestan Cement Factory gathered before the Ministry of Labour in Ardestan, Isfahan Province.

Christian Convert Hamed Ashouri Sent to Karaj Central Prison

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Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Ashouri, Christian convert, Freedom of religion, Ghezel Hesar prison, Hamed Ashouri, Karaj, Karaj Central Prison, Karaj Revolutionary Court, Religious Minorities, Religious persecution

On Tuesday, July 27, Christian convert Hamed Ashouri was sent to Karaj Central Prison to endure his sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the website Article 18, the Court of Appeals upheld Ashouri’s ten-month prison sentence the previous day.

Hamed Ashouri had been arrested by security forces in Fardis city in Karaj, in March 2017, and transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj for interrogation. He was temporarily released after ten days. It is alleged that security forces raided Mr. Ashouri’s home while he was in custody.

A hearing on the charges against this citizen was held in February 2020 in Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj. Finally, in April of this year, Mr. Ashouri was sentenced to 10 months in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime.

Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Iranian law, security forces nevertheless pursue the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity.

The Iranian regime targets Christian converts despite Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which state that every individual has the right to freedom of religion and belief and freedom to express it openly or secretly.

Christian Convert Reza Zaeemi’s Prison Sentence Reduced to Nine Months by Appeal Court

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Christianity, Karaj, Karaj Revolutionary Court, Religious persecution, Reza Zaeemi

The sentence of Reza Zaeemi, a Christian convert, was reduced by the Alborz Court of Appeals to 9 months in prison and a two-year ban from leaving the country. 40-year-old Zaeemi was sentenced by the Karaj Revolutionary Court to one year and six months in prison and a two-year ban from leaving the country in early February.

According to the HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Article 18, Reza Zaeemi was sentenced by the Alborz province court of appeals to nine months in prison and a two-year ban from leaving the country, a significant reduction from his previous sentence.

In January 2021, Mr. Zaeemi was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and a two-year prohibition of leaving the country by Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj, presided by Judge Shabani. Mr. Zaeemi was charged with propaganda against the regime through propagation of evangelical Christianity.

Zaeemi was arrested in November 2020 by undercover forces near his residence  in Karaj. He was transferred to an IRGC intelligence detention center from an unknown location, four hours later, and denied access to a phone for the eight day duration of his detention, during which time his home was searched by security forces.

After ten days, Zaeemi was transferred from the IRGC Intelligence Detention Center to Ghezel Hesar Penitentiary by the order of the Judge of the Revolutionary Public Prosecutor’s Office in Karaj and was released on bail of 60 million Tomans after one week.

Reza Zaeemi is a Christian convert from Karaj.