Prisoner Executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj

On Wednesday, September 15, a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death for murder was executed in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj.

According to the HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activist, quoting Rokna, six years after the incident, this sentence was referred to the Judgment Execution Branch after being approved by the Supreme Court, and it was carried out last Wednesday.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death. According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

 

Inmate Executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj

A man named Jafar was recently executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the prisoner had previously been sentenced to death for murder, and the sentence was later upheld by the Supreme Court.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death. According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.

Mohammad Ali Mansouri Sent on Leave after Enduring 14 Years in Prison

On Thursday, September 9, Mohammad Ali (Piruz) Mansouri was sent on leave for the first time after serving 14 years in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Mansouri is a political prisoner in poor health who has been serving out his sentence in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.

Previously, on September 3, following a heart attack, Mr. Mansouri was transferred to a hospital in Karaj, where he was shackled to the bed despite his condition.

Mansouri was arrested in September 2007 after attending the 19th anniversary of the massacre of political prisoners in 1988. Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, sentenced Mr. Mansouri to 17 years in prison, transfer to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, and a fine of 150,000 tomans on a charge of “communicating and collaborating with the People’s Mujahedin Organization (MEK)”. The sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeals.

In May 2018, on the pretext of [conducting] “activities inside the prison” such as going on a hunger strike, inciting prisoners, and writing a statement in support of the Sunni prisoners, Mr. Mansouri was charged with “community and collusion against the regime” and sentenced to another five years in prison.

 

Christian Converts Amin Khaki, Milad Goodarzi, and Alireza Nourmohammadi Sentenced to a Total of 9 Years in Prison

On Sunday, August 22, Branch 12 of the Alborz Court of Appeals sentenced Amin Khaki, Milad Goodarzi, and Alireza Nourmohammadi, three Christian converts, to a total of nine years in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Mohabbat News, in their first trial in June this year, Amin Khaki, Milad Goodarzi, and Alireza Nourmohammadi were each sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and fined 40 million Tomans, by the Fourth Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj, on charges of propaganda and catechizing deviant against the holy Sharia of Islam.

Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Islamic law, the security services nevertheless pursue the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity and deal harshly with activists in this field.

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.

Revolutionary Court of Tehran Reverses Supreme Court’s Ruling and Sentences Davoodi to 30 Years Once Again

Although the supreme court overturned the sentence of 30-year imprisonment and 111 lashes issued by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran against lawyer-turned-defendant Amirsalar Davoodi, Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court later reaffirmed the previous verdict.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Davoodi’s defense attorney Amir Raisian has said he will appeal the verdict.

Raisian wrote in a note on his social media page, “Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, believing that the ruling of the Supreme Court was wrong, confirmed the original ruling (of Branch 15).”

Amirsalar Davoodi a lawyer, has represented many cases of prisoners and political defendants, including Soheil Arabi and Saeed Shirzad.

After applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, Davoodi could be sentenced to 15 years in prison.

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HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the Khuzestan Water Crisis once again dominated this week’s protests in Iran. Since their start on June 15, citizens in over 41 cities have held rallies in protest of the mismanagement from officials that has led to water shortages throughout the province and the drying of the Karun river. A number of labor protests took place as well, and in some areas the ongoing oil protests continued. Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company also continued their strike into a third week. Below is a recap of this week’s protests in Iran, along with footage from the demonstrations.

 

Saturday, July 24

A number of protests took place this Saturday, July 24. A group of farmers in Shoaibiyeh district of Shushtar protested in Ahvaz, several telecommunication workers of East Azerbaijan province, some telecommunication workers of Chaharmahal Bakhtiari province, and employees of Abadan Petrochemical Complex held protests. A group of workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company protested for the eleventh day in a row. A group of Shiraz city bus drivers went on strike and refused to work after their demands were not addressed. Citizens living in Tabriz also rallied and marched in support of the Khuzestan protests.

 

People of Tabriz:

 

Shiraz city bus drivers:

Farmers of Shoaibiyeh:

Telecommunication workers of East Azarbaijan:

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company:

 

 

Workers of Abadan’s Petrochemical Complex:

 

 

Sunday, July 25

A group of retirees of the Steel Companies of Isfahan and Khuzestan Provinces, several rural area telecom workers in the Hamadan region, and a group of workers from the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Co. for the thirteenth day in a row held protest rallies and called on their demands to be met.

 

Retirees of the Steel company in Isfahan and Khuzestan provinces:

 

 

Workers of rural area telecom in Hamadan:

 

 

Monday, July 26

A number of workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company for the fourteenth day in a row, several employees of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Karaj, a group of poultry farmers in Ilam, urban and rural water supply workers in Baghmalek and Izeh, a group of Isfahani citizens, a group of the retirees of IRIB in Tehran, and candidate students for the master’s degree entrance exam in Tehran all held protest rallies and called on their demands to be addressed. Also, in Tehran and Karaj people protested the current situation in the country by holding rallies and marches and chanting slogans.

 

Protesting people in Tehran:

 

 

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company:

 

 

Poultry farmers in Ilam:

 

 

Workers of rural water supply in Baghmalek and Izeh:

 

 

Students in Tehran:

 

 

Tuesday, July 27

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company protested for the 15th consecutive day this Tuesday. Additionally, a group of workers of Rudbar municipality in Gilan province, a number of cattle breeders of Yazd and Isfahan cities, several workers of natural gas fuel gas stations in Urmia, and many people in Abdanan in Ilam province held protest rallies. Also, a group of retirees in Tehran and Karaj rallied in support of the protests of the people of Khuzestan.

 

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company:

 

 

Workers of Rudbar Municipality:

 

 

Cattle breeders of Yazd and Isfahan:

 

 

Workers of gas stations in Urmia:

 

Citizens of Abdanan:

Retirees in Tehran and Karaj:

Wednesday, July 28

For the 16th day in a row, workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company protested. A group of workers from the Varamin Railway, a group of workers from the Rudbar Municipality for the second day in a row, and a number of truck drivers in Ahvaz all went on strike and called on their demands to be addressed.

 

 

Truck drivers in Ahvaz:

Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Co:

 

Workers from the Varamin Railway:

Workers of the Rudbar Municipality:

Thursday, July 29

On their 17th day of protesting, a group of workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company in the yard of the company and another group near the site’s alcohol factory called on their demands be addressed in protest rallies.

 

Friday, July 30

Workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company continued their strike for an 18th day in a row and gathered on the company’s site. The Haft Tappeh workers stated that their main demands are the payment of arrears, the return of fired colleagues, and access to Covid-19 vaccines. They also chanted slogans protesting the Islamic Parliament’s decision to block the Internet in Iran. Also, A number of mothers of those killed during the nationwide protest in November 2019 protests held a protest rally in Tehran’s Azadi Square.

 

Workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company:

Gathering in Tehran of mothers of those killed in the protests of November 2019:

 

Christian Convert Hamed Ashouri Sent to Karaj Central Prison

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.

Meysam Gholami is Still in Detention in the Greater Tehran Prison 5 Months After his Arrest

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Meysam Gholami was arrested by security forces in March and transferred to the Greater Tehran Prison after a week in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.

Regarding the same case, Mehran Azari and Fariba Asadi were arrested by the agents of the Ministry of Intelligence in February and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, and later to the Greater Tehran, and Qarchak Varamin prisons, until they finally were released on bails of 400 and 500 million tomans.

Ms. Asadi is said to have been beaten at the time of the arrest.

The case of these citizens has been transferred to Branch 2 of the Shahriar Revolutionary Court on charges such as “propaganda against the regime through printing and distribution of banners and leaflets, gathering and colluding against national security, membership in opposition groups.”

Meysam Gholami, a native of Tehran, is currently being held in Ward 9 of Section 2 in Greater Tehran Prison.

 

Widespread Protests Continue in Iran, Rallies Held in Tehran and Karaj

On Monday, July 26, citizens in Tehran and Karaj held protest rallies in which protesters chanted slogans against the current situation in the country. According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, today’s protests fall on the first day after a week-long holiday in Tehran,  Iran’s capital, and Alborz Province.

Hamidreza Goodarzi, the deputy security director of Tehran Province, said that the situation has returned to normal and attributed the protests only to the power outage in a cellphone market center in Tehran. Tehran Governor Anoushirvan Mohseni Band-Pey has threatened to identify the protests’ organizers.

During these rallies, protesters chanted slogans such as “From Karaj to Khuzestan, unity, unity”, “Death to the dictator”, “Shame on Khamenei, leave the power”, “Iranians will die but won’t accept humiliation”, “The mullah must go away”, “Do not be afraid, do not be afraid, we are all together,” “Zealous Iranians, support, support” and “Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, I give my life for Iran.”

The gathering of Tehran citizens faced a large presence of police forces and efforts to disperse the people.

A source familiar with the Tehran protest rally told HRANA, “First, a rally started in the streets in Tehran with anti-government slogans; then, shop holders in the cell phone market chanted against the government after the power outage.”

Despite the release of videos of marches and protests by hundreds of Tehranians, Fars News Agency, the media close to the IRGC, released a short video of these rallies and said the number of attendees is only about 50 shop holders and the reason for the protest is only the two hours power outage.

From the night of Thursday, July 15th, public rallies in protest of water shortage and mismanagement of officials began in Khuzestan province and spread to more than 30 cities. On Saturday, July 24, citizens of Tabriz showed their support for the protests in Khuzestan by holding street protests and marches. Many were arrested during the protests in Tabriz.

Two Prisoners Executed in Rajai Shahr Prison

At dawn on Wednesday, July 14, two prisoners were executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Iran Human Rights (IHR), the prisoners have been identified as Afshin Gheydar and Mohammad Abdol Rahim.

Iran ranks first in the world in citizen executions per capita, according to international organizations. The Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) reported that between January 1 and December 20 of 2020, at least 236 citizens were executed.

One of these citizens was executed publicly, and two were juvenile offenders. An additional 95 citizens were sentenced to death.

According to the same report, more than 72% of executions in Iran are not reported by the government or the judiciary, which human rights organizations call “secret” executions.