Ten Prisoners Transferred to Solitary Confinement for Execution in Ghezel Hesar Prison

HRANA News Agency – On April 7, seven more prisoners sentenced to death on murder charges were transferred to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj in preparation for the implementation of their sentences. Including the three prisoners who had previously been moved, the total number of individuals transferred for execution in the prison has now reached ten.

These prisoners had been sentenced to death on charges related to drug offenses and murder, and their transfer was carried out for the purpose of enforcing the sentences.

Further details, including the identities of the prisoners, are currently under investigation by HRANA.

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Hamideh Zeraei Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison and 178 Lashes

HRANA News Agency – Hamideh Zeraei, a former political prisoner, has been sentenced to one year and six months in prison and 178 lashes by Branch 104 of the Rasht Criminal Court, according to the Hyrcani news outlet.

The court, presided over by Judge Majid Shadpour, issued the verdict against Zeraei for refusing to comply with compulsory hijab regulations during a court appearance. She was sentenced to nine months in prison and 74 lashes on charges of “disturbing public order” and an additional nine months in prison for “defying law enforcement officers.” Furthermore, she received 74 lashes for “insulting an officer on duty” and 30 lashes for “causing minor physical harm.”

Zeraei was arrested in connection with this case on February 4, 2025, and released approximately one month later on bail from Lakan Prison in Rasht.

In a previous case, on November 16, 2023, the Revolutionary Court of Karaj—presided over by Judge Mousa Asif Al-Hosseini—had sentenced Zeraei to one year in prison, two years of exile to Rasht, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year ban on social media use. After accepting the verdict, her prison sentence was later reduced to nine months.

Zeraei was first arrested by security forces on May 29, 2023, at her home and transferred to Kachooei Prison in Karaj. She was released on February 22, 2024, after serving her sentence.

Previously, Hamideh (Shimin) Zeraei had also been arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests. She was released on February 7, 2023, from Kachooei Prison in Karaj following a general “pardon” directive.

Seven Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on February 19, 2025, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the execution of at least seven prisoners. Among them, one was convicted of drug-related offenses, two were sentenced for murder in separate cases, one was charged with moharebeh (enmity against God) through armed robbery, and three others were convicted of rape.

HRANA previously confirmed the identities of some of the executed prisoners: Reza Anzalichi, convicted on drug-related charges; Sasan Mirhadi, sentenced for moharebeh through armed robbery; and Behrouz Mohammadi, convicted of murder.

The identities of the remaining four are still under investigation. Three of them were executed on rape charges, and one was sentenced to death for murder. According to Hamshahri, two of these four executed individuals were Afghan nationals convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in western Tehran, a case dating back to October 2019.

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report

Baha’i Citizen Erfan Eshraghi Arrested in Karaj

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, February 18, 2025, Erfan Eshraghi, a Baha’i citizen residing in Golshahr, Karaj, was arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.

A source close to Mr. Eshraghi’s family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “On the morning of Tuesday, February 18, Mr. Eshraghi was arrested by security forces while leaving his home in Golshahr, Karaj. The agents then searched his residence and confiscated laptops, mobile phones, religious books, and photographs belonging to him and his family. This occurred despite the fact that Mr. Eshraghi was scheduled to undergo kidney surgery at the hospital that same day.”

As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding his whereabouts or the charges against him.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publications of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between January 1, 2024, and December 20, 2024, a total of 157 reports were recorded in the category of religious and faith-based minority rights. Among these, Baha’is accounted for 67.54% of the reports, ranking as the most observed group in human rights monitoring.

Mandatory Hijab Opponent Hamideh Zeraei Arrested

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, February 5, Hamideh Zeraei, a citizen protesting against compulsory hijab who is serving her exile sentence in Rasht, was arrested for refusing to comply with the hijab requirement in court. She was subsequently transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht.

A source close to her family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Ms. Zeraei is currently serving her exile sentence in Rasht. Yesterday, when she appeared in court for a mandatory check-in, she was arrested for not wearing a hijab and taken to Lakan Prison. The investigator at the Rasht Revolutionary Court has set her bail at one billion tomans (approximately $12,500).”

On November 16, 2023, Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mousa Asef-Hosseini, sentenced Zeraei to one year in prison, two years of exile in Rasht, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year prohibition from online activities. After accepting the ruling, her one-year prison sentence was reduced to nine months.

Zeraei was first arrested by security forces at her home on May 29, 2023, and transferred to Kachooei Prison in Karaj. She was eventually released on February 22, 2024, after completing her sentence.

In June 2024, she was summoned to Branch 13 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court to provide further explanations. After appearing in court, she was arrested and transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht but was later released on bail.

Zeraei had previously been arrested in connection with the 2022 nationwide protests. She was released from Kachooei Prison in Karaj on February 7, 2023, following the issuance of the so-called “pardon and commutation” directive.

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Three Prisoners Moved to Solitary in Ghezel Hesar Prison for Execution

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, January 26, three prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, who had previously been sentenced to death on murder charges, were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their execution.

The transfer of these prisoners was carried out as part of the process to implement their death sentences. Further details, including the identities of these individuals, are under investigation by HRANA.

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Journalist Azhdar Piri Sentenced to One Year in Prison

HRANA News Agency – Azhdar (Ajdar) Piri Sarmanlou, editor-in-chief of the Pazhuhesh-e Melal monthly magazine, has been sentenced by Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj to one year in prison and a two-year ban on online activities.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Mr. Piri was convicted of ‘propaganda against the regime’ and ‘insulting officials and agents.’ The verdict, issued in January by the Revolutionary Court of Karaj, also imposes a two-year prohibition on membership and activity on social media as additional penalties.

Earlier, on October 21, 2024, Mr. Piri was arrested at his residence in Karaj by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence. He was transferred to one of the city’s security detention facilities, where he was denied access to legal counsel throughout his detention. After 21 days, Mr. Piri was moved to Karaj Central Prison upon the completion of interrogations. He was released three days later on a bail of 200 million tomans (approximately 3,300 dollars).

Azhdar Piri Sarmanlou, 36, originally from Urmia and currently residing in Karaj, serves as the editor-in-chief of Pazhuhesh-e Melal magazine.

Execution of Three Prisoners Carried Out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

HRANA News Agency – Early this morning, January 22, 2025, three prisoners previously sentenced to death on charges of murder were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

The identities of two of the prisoners have been confirmed by HRANA as Omid Besharatlou, a resident of Tehran, and Javad Jaberi, a resident of Bumehen. Both were arrested on murder charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

Previously, HRANA had reported on the transfer of these prisoners to solitary confinement in preparation for the execution of their sentences.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant institutions have not officially announced the executions.

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Teacher Union Activist Masoud Farhikhteh Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison and Additional Punishments

Masoud Farhikhteh, a teacher and union activist, has been sentenced by Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court in Karaj to six years in prison, a two-year travel ban, and additional penalties, including a prohibition on membership in social groups and gatherings, as well as restrictions on movement in the provinces of Alborz, Tehran, Qazvin, Lorestan, and Kurdistan.

According to HRANA, quoting the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Masoud Farhikhteh’s sentence was recently issued and communicated to him. Based on the ruling, Farikhteh received:

  • One year in prison for the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”
  • Five years in prison for “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security.”
  • Two-year travel ban, prohibition of membership in social groups, and restrictions on movement in specified provinces as supplementary punishments.

The charges were based on allegations including “active participation in illegal gatherings as a leader, organizing riots, publishing statements alongside opponents of the Islamic Republic, and inciting opposition groups nationwide to organize protests.”

Earlier this year, in a separate case, Farhikhteh was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj to three months of imprisonment for “propaganda against the regime,” which was later converted into an 8 million toman fine. He was acquitted of this charge in August following an appeal in the Kurdistan Appeals Court.

Masoud Farhikhteh, a member of the board of directors of the Islamshahr Teachers’ Union, was arrested on May 1, 2023, by security forces at his home in Karaj and transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison. He was eventually released on bail in May of the same year.

Execution of Five Prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison

Yesterday, January 8, five prisoners were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

HRANA has identified three of them as Salman Bozorgmehr, Reza Azizian, and Ashkan Pirian. Bozorgmehr and Azizian had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and were subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

According to HRANA’s information, Ashkan Pirian was arrested on charges of murdering a friend during a dispute and was also sentenced to death by the judiciary.

The other two executed prisoners were Afghan nationals, both sentenced to death for murder by Iranian judicial authorities.

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

Reza Azizian

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.