Tag: Rasht

Execution Carried Out in Rasht’s Lakan Prison for Drug Offenses

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Executions, News
Ketabi, Lakan prison, Rasht

On October 17, 2023, Rasht’s Lakan Prison witnessed the execution of an inmate found guilty of drug-related offenses.

HRANA has identified the executed prisoner as Ketabi; however, his first name remains unknown.

At the time of writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have reported on this execution.

According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Concerningly, many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.

Inmate Executed for Drug-Related Offenses in Rasht

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Executions, News
Bukan County, Hossein Mohammadi, Lakan prison, Rasht

On Thursday, October 12, an inmate convicted of drug-related crimes was executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

The individual who met this unfortunate end has been identified as Hossein Mohammadi, a 52-year-old resident of Bukan County.

Hossein Mohammadi had been incarcerated for 15 years prior to his execution.

At the time of writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have reported on these executions.

According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Concerningly, many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.

 

Children’s Rights Advocate Fereshteh Sedigh-Sefat Detained in Rasht

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Freedom of Expression, News
Fereshteh Sedigh-Sefat, HRANA, Rasht

Rasht, September 18 – Fereshteh Sedigh-Sefat (Seddigh-Sefat), a dedicated children’s rights activist, was taken into custody on Monday at her residence in Rasht by security forces.

A source close to her family alerted HRANA to her arrest at her home. According to the source, in a short phone call, she informed her family about her transfer to a detention facility a few hours after her arrest.

Details regarding the grounds for Sedigh-Sefat’s arrest, the specific facility where she is being held, and the allegations against her remain undisclosed at this time.

Fereshteh Sedigh-Sefat, a resident of Rasht, has been actively engaged in advocating for children’s rights and facilitating community initiatives.

Baha’i Citizen Susan Badavam Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, irgc, Rasht, Susan Badavam, Susan Farhangi

The Rasht Revolutionary Court has handed down a verdict against Susan Badavam (Farhangi), a Baha’i citizen, sentencing her to a total of four years and 47 days of imprisonment, coupled with additional social restrictions.

The court’s ruling, delivered to Badavam on Monday, August 21st, includes a sentence of three years, six months, and one day for her alleged “educational activities associated with religious sects and groups contrary to Islamic Sharia,” alongside an additional seven months and 16 days for purportedly “disseminating propaganda against the regime.” Additionally, she has been deprived of some civil rights for a duration of ten years.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, three years and six months for the first count will be enforceable to her.

Badavam’s arrest dates back to December 19, 2022, when she was apprehended by intelligence agents from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Gilan Province.

 

Seven Women’s Rights Activists Arrested in Gilan Province

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Freedom of Expression, News, Women
Bandar-Anzali, Frough Saminia, Fuman, Jelveh Javaheri, Matin Yazdani, Negin Rezaie, Rasht, Yasamin Hashdari, Zahra Dadras, Zohreh Dadras

On August 16, 2023, a total of seven women’s rights activists were apprehended individually in Rasht, Fuman, and Bandar Anzali, subsequently being transported to undisclosed locations. The detained individuals include Zahra Dadras, Zohreh Dadras, Negin Rezaie, Matin Yazdani, Frough Saminia, Jelveh Javaheri, and Yasamin Hashdari.

Zahra and Zohreh Dadras were taken into custody by security forces at their residence in Rasht. However, inquiries made by their family members regarding their condition have gone unanswered thus far. Moreover, Frough Saminia, Yasamin Hashdari, and Matin Yazdani, a photographer, have also been apprehended individually within the same city.

The exact motives behind their arrests, their current locations, as well as the nature of the charges against them, all remain undisclosed at present.

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Baha’i Couple’s Sentence Upheld by Court of Appeals

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News, Religious Minorities
Anisa Samieian, Baha'i citizen, Gilan province, HRANA, Rasht, Vesal Momtazi

The Gilan Province Court of Appeals has maintained the prison sentence for the Baha’i couple, Vesal Momtazi and Anisa Samieian.

Originally sentenced by the Rasht Revolutionary Court, Momtazi and Samieian received a combined term of nine years and six months. Mrs. Samieian’s sentence encompasses three years and six months for “engaging in educational activities and propaganda against Sharia law,” in addition to seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime.” Meanwhile, Mr. Momtazi has received seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime,” along with one year and three months for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran” and three years and six months for “insulting Sharia law.” He is also facing a fine of 38 million tomans. Both individuals are further subjected to social restrictions lasting a decade.

Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code dictates that each of them will serve three years and six months in prison.

According to an HRANA source close to the family, more than 50 individuals, including friends, colleagues, art students, and their parents, compiled an affidavit attesting to the couple’s adherence to the law. Regrettably, this affirmation was not permitted for presentation during the appellate court proceedings.

On November 4, 2022, security forces searched their residence, resulting in their apprehension. Following his arrest on December 6, 2022, Momtazi was granted bail. Samieian, who was pregnant at the time of her arrest, secured her release on bail after undergoing two interrogation sessions. It’s noteworthy that this Baha’i couple is responsible for the care of two young sons, aged five and about four months.

The Baha’i faith is not recognized as a legitimate religion by Iranian authorities, leading to systematic and longstanding violations of the rights of Baha’is in the country. This includes the denial of their fundamental right to practice their religion, which constitutes a clear breach of both Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

 

Sunni Prisoner Hamzeh Darwish Attempts Suicide, Currently Hospitalized

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News, Prisoners
Hamza Darwish, Lakan prison, Rasht, sunni prisoner

On Thursday, August 10, Hamzeh Darwish, a Sunni prisoner incarcerated at Lakan Prison in Rasht, attempted suicide through a pill overdose. He is presently receiving medical care at a hospital in Rasht.

A relative of the detainee informed HRANA: “On Thursday, around 12:30, our family was notified by a call from Lakan Prison that Darwish had attempted suicide by ingesting 12 diazepam pills. This desperate act was a form of protest against the unjust 14-year exile sentence imposed on him. He has since been transferred to Razi Hospital in Rasht. Despite his critical health condition, he remains physically restrained with handcuffs and ankle cuffs.”

According to the same source, security personnel are impeding the family’s ability to enter the hospital and visit Darwish. “After frequent inquiries,” the source continued, “the family has learned that medical procedures were performed, including gastric lavage, and unfortunately, his level of consciousness has declined to a score of 3.”

The Rasht Revolutionary Court has recently handed a 14-year prison sentence in exile to Darvish. This decision was reached based on a verdict issued by presiding Judge Ahmad Darvish Goftar on July 30. According to the judgment, Darvish has been sentenced to five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” five years for “assisting in deliberate destruction to defy the regime,” two years for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” and two years for “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Due to the charge of “setting fire to a prison building,” he is to serve his sentence in exile in Ramhormoz, Khuzestan province. The period of his detention has been taken into account.

The verdict restricts visitation rights to only his family and relatives during his time in exile. The ruling stipulates that, upon expressing genuine remorse, he may be eligible for a pardon from the Supreme Leader after serving one year in exile.

The verdict is subject to appeal at the Supreme Court of Iran within 20 days of its issuance.

Darvish’s journey through adversity began in 2014 when he was deceived by ISIS forces into traveling to Turkey and later to Syria, as he claims. Following a period of confinement in an ISIS jail, he managed to escape and returned to Iran, where he surrendered himself to security forces.

After spending a year in detention, he was initially released on bail. However, he was subsequently rearrested and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. On May 11, 2020, he was transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison to Lakan Prison, where he continues to serve his ongoing sentence.

Hamzeh Darvish Receives 14-Year Exile Prison Sentence

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News, Prisoners
Ahmad Darvish Goftar, Hamzeh Darvish, Lakan prison, Rasht, sunni prisoner, Syria, Turkey

The Rasht Revolutionary Court has handed a 14-year prison sentence in exile to Hamzeh Darvish, a Sunni prisoner who faced charges brought against him while incarcerated.

This decision was reached based on a verdict issued by presiding Judge Ahmad Darvish Goftar on July 30. According to the judgment, Darvish has been sentenced to five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” five years for “assisting in deliberate destruction to defy the regime,” two years for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” and two years for “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Due to the charge of “setting fire to a prison building,” he is to serve his sentence in exile in Ramhormoz, Khuzestan province. The period of his detention has been taken into account.

The verdict restricts visitation rights to only his family and relatives during his time in exile. The ruling stipulates that, upon expressing genuine remorse, he may be eligible for a pardon from the Supreme Leader after serving one year in exile.

The verdict is subject to appeal at the Supreme Court of Iran within 20 days of its issuance.

Darvish’s journey through adversity began in 2014 when he was deceived by ISIS forces into traveling to Turkey and later to Syria, as he claims. Following a period of confinement in an ISIS jail, he managed to escape and returned to Iran, where he surrendered himself to security forces.

After spending a year in detention, he was initially released on bail. However, he was subsequently rearrested and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. On May 11, 2020, he was transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison to Lakan Prison, where he continues to serve his ongoing sentence.

Civil Rights Activist Peyman Sokooti’s Six-Year, Nine-Month Sentence Upheld

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Freedom of Expression, News
Gilan, Peyman Sokooti, Rasht

The Gilan Court of Appeals upheld the initial sentence against civil rights activist Peyman Sokooti.

The Rasht Revolutionary Court had previously found Sokooti guilty on multiple charges, including “propaganda against the regime,” “assembly and collusion against national security,” and “membership in anti-regime groups,” leading to the lengthy sentence.

As per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, he is expected to serve three years and six months of the imposed sentence.

Sokooti’s legal ordeal began on May 23, 2022, when security forces arrested him. Following his arrest, he was held in an IRGC detention facility for ten days before being transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht.

 

Baha’i Couple Faces Nine-Year and Six-Month Combined Sentence

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News, Religious Minorities
Anisa Samieian, Baha'i citizens, Bahais faith, HRANA, Iranian Bahais, Rasht, Vesal Momtazi

Vesal Momtazi and Anisa Samieian, a Baha’i couple, have been collectively sentenced to a nine-year and six-month prison term by the Rasht Revolutionary Court.

According to the verdict issued on June 13 by Branch 3 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court, Mrs. Samieian received a sentence of seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime,” along with three years and six months for “engaging in educational activities and propaganda against Sharia law.” Meanwhile, Mr. Momtazi has been sentenced to seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime,” one year and three months for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” and three years and six months for “insulting Sharia law.” In addition, he has been fined 38 million tomans. Both individuals are also subjected to social deprivations for a period of ten years. If these verdicts are upheld on appeal, each of them will serve three years and six months in prison.

On November 4, 2022, security forces conducted a search of their residence, resulting in their arrest. Mr. Momtazi was released on bail after his arrest on December 6, 2022. Mrs. Samieian, who was pregnant at the time, was granted release on bail following two interrogation sessions. It is important to note that this Baha’i couple has two young sons, aged five and three months.

According to HRANA annual report, from the total human rights reports regarding the violation of religious minorities’ rights, 64.63% belonged to the breach of the rights of Baha’is.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian Constitution recognizes only Islam as the official religion, in addition to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Bahai faith is not considered legitimate by the authorities, and the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

The deprivation of the freedom to practice their religion is a breach of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations covenant holds that every person has the right to freedom of religion, freedom of converting religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.