Tag: Rasht

Jalil Kheirkhah Arrested and Transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Jalil Kheirkhah, Lakan prison, Rasht, Shaft County, جلیل خیرخواه

On Sunday, January 5, 2025, security forces arrested Jalil Kheirkhah, a resident of Shaft County in Gilan Province, at his home. Following his arrest, he was transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht.

HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, reported that a source close to Mr. Kheirkhah’s family confirmed the arrest. “Security forces detained him at his residence this morning and later took him to Lakan Prison in Rasht,” the source stated.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Kheirkhah faces charges of “propaganda against the regime.”

This is not the first time Mr. Kheirkhah has been targeted by authorities. He has previously been arrested for his activities, highlighting a pattern of ongoing pressure on him.

Fariborz Sebghatollahi’s Detention Exceeds Five Months Without Trial

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News, Prisoners
Fariborz Sebghatollahi, Lakan prison, Rasht

Fariborz Sebghatollahi, a political defendant from Astara, remains held in Lakan Prison in Rasht. Mr. Sebghatollahi has been in detention for over five months without trial or judicial resolution.

A source close to his family confirmed to HRANA, “It has been over 165 days since Mr. Sebghatollahi’s arrest. He was charged in the Rasht Prosecutor’s Office with alleged membership in an opposition group. However, his case remains in limbo, and no court session has been held to address his charges.”

Sebghatollahi was arrested on July 17, 2024, by Astara Intelligence Ministry agents. He was initially detained at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Astara for two days before being transferred to the Ministry’s detention center in Rasht. After interrogation, he was moved to Lakan Prison.

Previously, a source informed HRANA: “Sebghatollahi was repeatedly subjected to interrogations, psychological torture, threats against his family, and humiliation while in detention at the Ministry of Intelligence facility in Rasht. During his arrest, his daughter, daughter-in-law, ex-wife, and several friends were also detained but later released.”

Sebghatollahi, approximately 50 years old, resides in Astara.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA recorded significant violations of detainees’ rights, including 81 cases of failure to process lawsuits, 305 instances of prolonged legal uncertainty, and 921 cases of indefinite detention.

19-Year-Old Ehsan Khodayari Imprisoned for Political Charges in Lakan Prison

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News, Prisoners
Ehsan Khodayari, HRANA, Rasht, zanjan, احسان خدایاری

Ehsan Khodayari, a 19-year-old political prisoner, is serving a one-year sentence in Lakan Prison, Rasht, following a conviction by the Revolutionary Court of this city. Another portion of his case remains under review in the Criminal Court of Rasht.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Mr. Khodayari was arrested by security forces in Rasht and, after two months in detention at Rasht Prison’s Ward 2, was transferred to Lakan Prison in mid-December.

Khodayari faced charges in a case divided into two parts. The Revolutionary Court sentenced him to one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime.”

A source close to his family confirmed to HRANA: “Ehsan’s case was initiated for issuing a call to action on the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death on September 15. Another charge related to possession of incendiary materials is under review by the Criminal Court, with a trial expected soon.”

Ehsan Khodayari, 19, is a resident of Rasht originally from Zanjan.

Prisoner Executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht, for Drug-Related Offenses

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Executions, News
Hassan Sa'adati, Lakan prison, Rasht, حسن سعادتی

At dawn today, December 3, a prisoner previously sentenced to death on charges related to drug offenses was executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

HRANA has identified the prisoner as Hassan Sa’adati. He was previously arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing. In 2023, 66% of HRANA’s reports on executions lacked official announcements by judicial authorities and went unreported by media inside Iran, highlighting a troubling lack of transparency in due process.

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Three Prisoners Executed in Qom, Rasht, and Shahrekord

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Executions, News
Citizens executed, Qom, Rasht, Shahrekord

Three prisoners previously sentenced to death for drug-related charges and murder were executed in the prisons of Qom, Lakan Rasht, and Shahrekord.

According to HRANA, on Wednesday, November 20, Ali Torkashvand, 54, from Sahneh, Kermanshah, was hanged in Lakan Prison, Rasht. He had been arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

According to Iran Human Rights Organization, another prisoner, Seyed Davood Rajabi, 30, was executed in Qom Prison at dawn on Wednesday, November 27. Rajabi had been in detention for four years on murder charges and was subsequently sentenced to death.

Additionally, at dawn on Thursday, November 21, the execution of a prisoner identified as Majid Jafari, 38, was carried out in Shahrekord Prison. Jafari had been arrested three and a half years ago for drug trafficking near Shahrekord and later sentenced to death.

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

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

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Prisoner Executed in Lakan Prison for Drug-Related Charges

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Executions, News
HRANA, Lakan prison, Rasht

At dawn on Saturday, November 16, 2024, a prisoner convicted of drug-related charges was executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the prisoner has been identified as Mehdi Gilani.

Mr. Gilani had been arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant officials have not announced the execution.

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Two Prisoners Executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht

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Executions, News
HRANA, Lakan prison, Majid Jamali, Rasht

On November 7, 2024, the death sentences of two prisoners convicted of drug-related charges were carried out in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

One of the executed prisoners has been identified as Majid Jamali. The identity of the other prisoner, a woman, is still under investigation.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, the prisoners had been arrested on drug-related charges and sentenced to death by the judiciary.

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

According to latest HRANA’s annual report over between October 10, 2023, and October 8, 2024, at least 811 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, rising to 23.06% compared to the same period last year. Of these executions, four were carried out in public. Many of the defendants were denied a fair trial.

Vadood Asadi Sentenced to Five Years and Six Months in Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Rasht, Salar Taher Afshar, Vadood Asadi

After his appeal was accepted and a retrial held, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Vadood Asadi has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison by Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht.

Asadi was originally sentenced in absentia by the same court. He had received a one-year sentence for “propaganda against the regime,” three years and six months for “membership in opposition groups,” and an additional one year for “insulting the Supreme Leader.” Following Asadi’s appeal, the court reconvened on Sunday, October 27, ultimately reissuing a verdict of five years and six months in prison.

In a separate case, Asadi was recently sentenced to four years in prison by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, following a hearing held on May 21, 2024.

Asadi’s recent detainment history began in February 2024, when he was arrested by security forces in Rasht. He was transferred to Evin Prison in March, where he remained briefly before being released on bail.

Asadi has faced previous legal action due to his activism, adding to a history of judicial confrontations related to his advocacy work.

Yashar Nikroo Sentenced to One Year in Prison Following Appeal

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ahmad Gourabi, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Rasht, Rasht Revolutionary Court, Yashar Nikroo

After the acceptance of his appeal and a retrial, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Yashar Nikroo has been sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 3 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court.

Nikroo’s initial trial was held in absentia earlier this year, resulting in a one-year prison sentence for “propaganda against the regime.” On September 10, a new hearing was held in the same court to reconsider the charges. Despite the appeal, the court reaffirmed the one-year prison sentence during a subsequent session on October 9.

Yashar Nikroo, also known as Ahmad Gourabi, is a well-known Azerbaijani-Turk activist residing in Rasht. He had previously faced similar charges in the Rasht Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office.

Mahsa Jalal Badiei Transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht to Serve Her Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Lakan prison, Mahsa Jalal Badiei, Rasht

Mahsa Jalal Badiei, a resident of Rasht, was arrested and transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht on Sunday, October 13, to serve her prison sentence.

A source close to the family confirmed to HRANA that “Ms. Badiei was arrested on Sunday, October 13, after reporting to branch 5 of the Enforcement Office of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht and was transferred to prison.” She had previously been summoned to this branch via a court notification.

On May 13 of this year, Ms. Badiei was arrested by security forces and released six days later after posting bail.

She was later sentenced by the Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht, presided over by Judge Mehdi Rasekhi, to seven months and 16 days in prison for “propaganda against the regime” and to three years and six months in prison for “conducting educational and promotional activities against Islamic Shaira.” Additionally, she was deprived of her social rights for 10 years.

Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the most severe punishment—three years and six months in prison—will be enforced.

According to information obtained by HRANA, her conviction stemmed from online activities including converting banned books into audio files and distributing them, supporting political figures, and participating in nationwide protests in 2022.

Badiei, born in 1985, is a mother of one child.