Tag: Karaj

Political Prisoner Ali Zarei Sentenced to Death

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Executions, News
Ali Zarei, Ali Zarei Doozdarrehsi, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj, علی زارعی

HRANA – Ali Zarei Doozdarrehsi, a political prisoner and one of those injured during the 2022 nationwide protests who is currently held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, has been sentenced to death by Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on the charge of “corruption on earth.”

According to HRANA, Ali Zarei Doozdarrehsi, who is being held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, has been sentenced to death.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Zarei Doozdarrehsi to death on the charge of “corruption on earth through extensive engagement in political activities, creating the appearance of fabricated damages, producing false reports, propaganda against the regime, disrupting security, and illegally entering and exiting the country.” The sentence was communicated to him on August 23, 2026.

Zarei Doozdarrehsi, who had previously been residing in Germany, was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents on April 28, 2026, after entering Iran.

During the preliminary investigation stage, his case was reviewed by Branch 3 of the Prosecutor’s Office of District 33 in Tehran, also known as the Security Prosecutor’s Office.

He was ultimately transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj on June 30, 2026. He is currently being held in Unit 3, Ward 37 of the prison.

Ali Zarei Doozdarrehsi, approximately 27 years old and a resident of Tehran, suffered an injury to one of his eyes after being struck by pellet gunfire during the 2022 nationwide protests. He has previously faced arrest and judicial proceedings.

10 Prisoners Executed in Various Prisons

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Executions, News
Borujerd, HRANA, Isfahan, Karaj, Mashhad, Semnan

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.

Two Prisoners Executed at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj

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Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar, Hamid Najafi, Karaj, moharebeh, Saeed Najafi

HRANA – Yesterday, two prisoners who had previously been sentenced to death in a joint case on the charge of moharebeh (enmity against God) through armed robbery were executed at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, two prisoners were executed at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

HRANA has confirmed the identities of the two prisoners, who were hanged yesterday, Tuesday, August 25, as Saeed Najafi and Hamid Najafi, two brothers.

According to information received by HRANA, the two brothers were arrested two years ago. They were subsequently sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court in a joint case on the charge of moharebeh (enmity against God) through armed robbery.

As of the time of this report, the executions of these two 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.

Soheil Arabi Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ghezel Hesar prison, Karaj, Soheil Arabi, سهیل عربی

HRANA – Soheil Arabi has been sentenced by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to five years in prison and a two-year ban on employment involving social media activities.

According to HRANA, Soheil Arabi has been sentenced to imprisonment.

Based on a ruling issued on August 16 by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, Arabi was sentenced to five years of discretionary imprisonment, with time previously served in detention credited toward his sentence, on the charge of “assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security,” with the court taking into account provisions concerning repeat offenses. As a supplementary punishment, the court also barred him for two years from “engaging in a specific occupation, profession, or work related to the committed offense (social media activity).”

In part of the ruling, the court cited Arabi’s communications with individuals outside Iran, the contents of the case file, images documenting his social media activities, and reports by judicial officers among the evidence supporting the verdict.

A hearing on the charges against Arabi was held before the same branch on August 10. During the hearing, reports from a security agency, content he had published on social media, and his assistance to several people detained during the January protests were among the matters raised in the case. In his defense, Arabi stated that his support activities were not limited to prisoners or protesters, noting that of more than 200 families covered by the support network, over 100 had no history of arrest or political activity.

In March, Arabi was arrested by security forces and transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. He was released from the prison this spring.

Soheil Arabi has previously faced arrest and judicial proceedings in connection with his activities.

Arabi is a blogger and citizen journalist who received the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Prize in 2017. He has previously faced multiple prosecutions and convictions. In 2014, Branch 76 of the Tehran Province Criminal Court sentenced him to death on the charge of “insulting the Prophet of Islam” on Facebook. The death sentence was later overturned and replaced with other punishments.

More recently, Arabi wrote a letter describing detention conditions in Suite 35 of Unit 3 at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

Ghezel Hesar Prisoners End Strike Following Officials’ Promise to Halt Executions

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Executions, News, Prisoners
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj

HRANA – Yesterday, Tuesday, July 28, prisoners in Unit 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj ended their strike after prison officials and judicial authorities pledged to suspend the execution of death sentences for prisoners convicted in drug-related cases while their requests are under review. The strike had begun on July 13 in protest against the transfer of six death row prisoners in such cases to solitary confinement.

According to HRANA, prisoners held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj have ended their strike.

Information received by HRANA indicates that prisoners in Unit 2 ended their strike today after meeting with prison officials and judicial authorities. During the meeting, officials promised that executions in drug-related cases at the prison would be suspended until the prisoners’ requests are reviewed. The protesting prisoners stated that their decision to maintain the suspension of the strike depends on whether the authorities fulfill these commitments and honor their promises.

The strike began on Monday, July 13, after six prisoners sentenced to death in drug-related cases were transferred to solitary confinement. Since then, the protesters had refused prison food rations and staged a sit-in, demanding an end to executions. Several prisoners also sewed their lips shut as an act of protest.

The strike continued as, on July 22, Hossein Zolfaghari met with the head of Iran’s judiciary to discuss amendments to the Anti-Narcotics Law and existing legal shortcomings. According to reports from the meeting, discussions focused on the government’s proposed bill to amend the law and the need to review regulations concerning drug-related offenses. A significant number of the protesting prisoners in Unit 2 are on death row in drug-related cases, and one of their principal demands has been to halt executions until the law is revised.

The prisoners had resumed their strike despite similar assurances made in October 2025. At that time, following a seven-day collective hunger strike by prisoners in Unit 2, representatives of the head of the judiciary, the head of the Prisons Organization, and the director of Ghezel Hesar Prison met with the prisoners and promised that executions would be suspended for at least six months, that their cases would be reviewed, and that efforts would be made to amend the Anti-Narcotics Law. Based on those assurances, the prisoners ended their strike but emphasized that the agreement depended on the authorities implementing their commitments. The protesting prisoners now say that the resumption of executions and the current situation amount to a breach of those earlier promises.

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Ghezel Hesar Prisoners’ Strike Enters Its Fifteenth Day in Protest Against Death Sentences

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News, Prisoners
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Hunger Strike, Karaj, Qezel Hesar Prison

HRANA – Yesterday, July 27, 2026, prisoners held in Ward 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj continued their hunger strike and sit-in protest for the fifteenth consecutive day in opposition to the implementation of death sentences.

According to HRANA, prisoners in Ward 2 have continued refusing their prison food rations while maintaining their sit-in protest.

Based on information received by HRANA, the prisoners continued their strike for the fifteenth straight day on Monday, July 27, 2026. By gathering in the ward’s main hall, staging a sit-in, and refusing to accept prison food rations, the protesting prisoners reiterated their opposition to the implementation of death sentences, particularly in cases related to drug offenses.

Yesterday, on the fourteenth day of the strike, approximately 140 prisoners serving sentences other than death were transferred from Ward 2 to Hall 3 of Ward 1 in Ghezel Hesar Prison. Prison authorities have reportedly decided that only death-row prisoners will remain in Ward 2. Over the past week, hundreds of prisoners have been transferred from Ward 2 to other sections of the prison. However, prison officials have yet to provide any explanation regarding the reason for or manner in which these transfers have been carried out.

In recent days, several reports and images from inside Ghezel Hesar Prison have also been published, documenting parts of the prisoners’ hunger strike and sit-in protest.

The strike began on Monday, July 13, 2026, after six prisoners sentenced to death in drug-related cases were transferred to solitary confinement. Since then, the protesting prisoners have refused to accept prison food rations and have continued their sit-in, demanding an end to executions. As part of the protest, some prisoners have also sewn their lips shut.

The renewed protests come despite commitments made last October, when, following a seven-day collective hunger strike by Ward 2 prisoners, representatives of the Head of the Judiciary, the Head of the Prisons Organization, and the director of Ghezel Hesar Prison met with the prisoners. During that meeting, they reportedly promised that executions would be suspended for at least six months and that there would be an opportunity to review the cases of those sentenced to death, while also pursuing amendments to the Anti-Narcotics Law. Following those assurances, the prisoners ended their strike but stressed that continuation of the agreement depended on the authorities fulfilling their commitments. The protesting prisoners now say that the resumption of executions and the current conditions amount to a disregard for those earlier promises and commitments.

The protests also continue as, on July 22, 2026, Hossein Zolfaghari, the President’s representative and Secretary-General of the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, met with the Head of the Judiciary to discuss amendments to the Anti-Narcotics Law and existing legal shortcomings in this area. According to the published report of the meeting, the government’s proposed bill to amend the Anti-Narcotics Law and the need to review certain regulations concerning drug-related offenses were among the topics discussed. This is particularly significant given that a substantial number of the protesting prisoners in Ward 2 of Ghezel Hesar are on death row for drug-related offenses, and one of their principal demands is the suspension of executions until the law is revised.

Abolfazl Rahbar and Omid Rahbar Sentenced to a Combined 46 Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Abolfazl Rahbar, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj, Omid Rahbar

HRANA – Abolfazl Rahbar and his cousin, Omid Rahbar, political prisoners held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, have been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to 20 and 26 years in prison, respectively.

According to HRANA, Abolfazl Rahbar and Omid Rahbar have been sentenced to a combined total of 46 years in prison.

The Revolutionary Court tried Abolfazl Rahbar and his cousin, Omid Rahbar, on charges of alleged membership in an opposition group. Under the court’s ruling, Abolfazl Rahbar was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Omid Rahbar received a 26-year prison sentence. The verdict was communicated to them verbally.

The two political prisoners were transferred from Fashafouyeh Prison to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj in late April 2026. They are currently being held in Suite 37 of Ghezel Hesar Prison.

Abolfazl Rahbar, 23, a building painter, and Omid Rahbar, 24, a laborer, were arrested by security forces in January 2026.

Death Toll from Executions at Ghezel Hesar Prison Rises to Five

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Executions, News
Abbas Nesari, Aref Khoshkar, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj

HRANA – Yesterday, alongside the execution of political prisoner Aref Khoshkar, who had been sentenced to death on charges including murder, four other prisoners who had also been sentenced to death in separate murder cases were executed at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, five prisoners were executed at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj in the early hours of Wednesday, July 15.

In addition to the execution of Aref Khoshkar, which HRANA reported earlier, four other prisoners were hanged at the prison. HRANA has identified one of them as Abbas Nesari, who had previously been sentenced to death on murder charges.

The remaining details regarding the four prisoners’ cases were published by the Hamshahri newspaper and are summarized below:

The first prisoner had been arrested in May 2022 on charges of fatally shooting a teenage boy with a Kalashnikov rifle. He was subsequently sentenced to death by a criminal court. After the sentence was upheld by Branch 20 of the Supreme Court, it was carried out on Tuesday.

The second prisoner had been arrested in 2021 on charges of murdering his stepson. He was sentenced to death by a criminal court, and the ruling was later upheld by Branch 7 of the Supreme Court before being carried out.

The third prisoner had been arrested in March 2024 on charges of murdering both his former wife’s daughter and his former wife. He was later sentenced to death by a criminal court.

The fourth case stemmed from the reported disappearance of a middle-aged man in December 2020. The investigation ultimately led to a confession by the victim’s wife.

According to the case file, the woman, with the assistance of a man identified as Behzad, gave her husband sleeping pills to facilitate the murder. Behzad then entered the house, fatally shot the victim, and together they transported the body to the Saveh road, where they set it on fire.

After reviewing the evidence, the criminal court found Behzad to be the principal perpetrator of the murder and sentenced him to death. His execution was carried out on Tuesday morning. The victim’s wife was sentenced to prison for complicity in the murder.

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.

2022 Protests: Aref Khoshkar Executed at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj

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Executions, News
Aref Khoshkar, Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj, moharebeh

HRANA – The death sentence of Aref Khoshkar, one of those arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests, was carried out at dawn today, July 15, 2026, at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the execution of Aref Khoshkar, a detainee from the 2022 nationwide protests, was carried out at dawn on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

A source close to the family of the political prisoner told HRANA that Khoshkar’s family was informed of his execution at approximately 8:00 a.m. today. Prison authorities refused to hand over his body to the family and transferred it to the Behesht Zahra morgue in Tehran at around 11:00 a.m. The family was also instructed to go to Behesht Zahra at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2026, to identify and receive his body.

The source added that Aref Khoshkar had been transferred to Suite 35 of Ghezel Hesar Prison on Saturday, July 11, 2026, and his family had their final visit with him on Sunday, July 12, 2026. His family had sought a one-month postponement of the execution and requested a meeting aimed at obtaining the consent of the victim’s family in an effort to halt the sentence. However, these efforts were unsuccessful. Despite assurances that such a meeting would be held, the relevant authorities ultimately took no action to arrange it.

Aref Khoshkar had been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court on the charge of moharebeh (enmity against God) through carrying and using a weapon, as well as the killing of a Basij member. His lawyer had previously pointed to significant ambiguities in the case, stating that the location of the killing cited by the court was not covered by surveillance cameras and that there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the charges.

Aref Khoshkar was arrested on November 11, 2022, during the nationwide protests in Tehran’s Fallah neighborhood. His indictment, which included charges of moharebeh through carrying and using a weapon, assembly and collusion against national security, and the killing of a Basij member, was referred to the Revolutionary Court.

Ghezel Hesar Inmates Protest Transfer of Six Death Row Prisoners for Execution

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Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar prison, HRANA, Karaj

HRANA – Today, July 13, 2026, prisoners held in Unit 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj refused to accept their food rations in protest against the transfer of six death row prisoners to solitary confinement for the implementation of their death sentences.

According to HRANA, prisoners in Unit 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj have gone on strike.

Based on information received by HRANA, prisoners in Unit 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison began their protest today, Monday, July 13, 2026, after six prisoners sentenced to death were transferred to solitary confinement ahead of their executions. As part of the protest, the inmates refused to receive the prison’s food rations and launched a strike.

Earlier today, the six prisoners, who had been sentenced to death on charges related to drug offenses, were moved to solitary confinement in preparation for the implementation of their death sentences.

It is worth noting that last year, HRANA also reported on strikes by a number of prisoners at Ghezel Hesar Prison protesting the implementation of execution sentences.