Tag: Sanandaj Prison

Report on 27 Executions Across Multiple Prisons in Iran

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Executions, News
Aligudarz, Arak prison, ardabil prison, Bandar Abbas prison, Borujerd Prison, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Khorramabad Prison, Nahavand, Qazvin prison, Qom, Sanandaj Prison, Semnan, Tabriz, Yasuj Prison

HRANA – In recent days, the unprecedented wave of executions in various prisons across Iran has continued. A recent report provides details of these executions:

Thursday, December 26:
Morad Karimi Goleh and Norouz (Norouzi) Khalafi were executed on charges of murder in Shushtar Prison.

Saturday, December 27:
HRANA reported the executions of the following individuals:

• Ahmad Reza Esfahani, on charges of murder, in Yasuj Prison;
• Vihan Shah Mohamm, on charges of murder, in Sanandaj Prison;
• Mostafa Mehrjou, on charges of murder, in Ardabil Prison;
• Milad Nejati, on charges of murder, in the Central Prison of Karaj;
• Khalil Nouri, on charges of murder, in Khorramabad Prison;
• Rahim Khodaparast, on charges of murder, in Nahavand Prison;
• Ahmad Ali Saffari, on charges of murder, in Aligudarz Prison;
• Nariman Souri, on drug-related charges, in Kermanshah Prison;
• Abolfazl Enhesari, on drug-related charges, in Hamedan Prison.

Additionally, Iran Human Rights Organization reported the execution of two prisoners, Hesam Norouzi, 28 years old, from Khalkhal, and Mohammad Hassan Sharafi, from Ardabil, on charges of murder in Ardabil Prison.

Sunday, December 28:

• Jafar Najafi, on drug-related charges, in Arak Prison;
• Mousa Rahimi Rad, on drug-related charges, in Semnan Prison;
• Jamshid Akbari, on charges of murder, in Qom Prison;
• Bismillah Tajik, an Afghan national, on charges of murder, in Bandar Abbas Prison;
• Ali Safar Sepahvand, on charges of murder, in Borujerd Prison;
• Aziz Ali Kolkhani, on drug-related charges, in Qazvin Prison;
• Two prisoners executed on charges of murder in Tabriz Prison, one of whom has been identified by HRANA as Moein Hassan-Zadeh.

Furthermore, according to Iran Human Rights Organization, on Monday, December 22, in addition to the execution of Nariman Mohammadi, who had previously been sentenced to death on charges of murder, the death sentences of two other prisoners were carried out in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan. They were identified as Eskandar Bakhshoudeh, 32, from Tehran, and Taher Bastani. Both had been sentenced to death on charges of murder.

Also, on Wednesday, December 24, according to HRANA, three prisoners named Mehdi Rajabali-Zadeh, Mostafa Keyfari, and Sohrab Majidi were executed on charges of murder in Lakan Prison in Rasht.

A Prisoner Executed in Sanandaj Prison

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Executions, News
HRANA, Sajad Gholizadeh, Sajad Qolizadeh, Sanandaj Prison, سجاد قلی زاده

HRANA– At dawn on Wednesday, August 27, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out in Sanandaj Prison.

HRANA has identified the prisoner who was hanged at dawn on Wednesday, August 27, as Sajad Gholizadeh. Based on information received by HRANA, he had been arrested in 2021 on charges of murder and later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court. In 2020, during a burglary, he allegedly killed the homeowner.

As of the time of this report, the execution of this prisoner has not been announced by prison officials or the responsible authorities.

In 2024, according to 812 reports compiled by HRANA, the Iranian regime executed 930 individuals in its prisons—marking the highest number of executions in the past 12 years. Despite the scale of these executions, prison officials and other relevant authorities publicly acknowledged only 6% of them, highlighting the regime’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Prolonged Detention and Hunger Strike: Pouria Javaheri’s Case in Sanandaj Prison

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News, Prisoners
irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Kamyaran, moharebeh, Pouria Javaheri, Sanandaj, Sanandaj Prison

Pouria Javaheri, a resident of Kamyaran and one of those arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran, remains in Sanandaj Prison more than 25 months after his arrest. Frustrated by the lack of resolution in his case, he has started a hunger strike to protest his prolonged detention.

Mustafa Ahmadian, Mr. Javaheri’s lawyer, announced: “My client, Pouria Javaheri, has gone on a hunger strike to protest his extended pre-trial detention in Sanandaj Prison.”

Mr. Javaheri was arrested on November 29, 2022, after being summoned by the IRGC Intelligence office in Kamyaran. Following his arrest, he was held in Kamyaran Prison until late February 2023, before being transferred to Sanandaj Prison in early September 2023.

In early 2023, the Chief Justice of Kurdistan Province publicly announced that Mr. Javaheri had been charged with “moharebeh” (enmity against God). By August 2023, his case had been referred to Branch 1 of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court, where he now faces multiple allegations, including “moharebeh through the intentional killing of a military officer,” “membership in opposition groups,” “propaganda against the regime,” and “intentional assault on several security officers.”

Michael Menbari Arrested in Sanandaj

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Kurdpa, Michael Menbari, Sanandaj Prison

On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, security forces arrested Michael Menbari in Sanandaj and took him to an unidentified location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, Michael Menbari was arrested by security forces in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province.

According to an informed source, “Menbari was arrested by intelligence agents at a shop. The agents did not show an arrest warrant.”

The reason for Menbari’s arrest, his whereabouts and the charges against him are unknown so far.

Earlier on June 15, 2022, Menbari was arrested and jailed in Sanandaj Prison. At the time of his arrest, the intelligence agents searched his house and confiscated some of his personal belongings. On October 2, 2021, he was released on bail.  

Environmental Activist Amanj Ghorbani Arrested in Kamyaran City

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Amanj Ghorbani, environmental activism, environmental activists in iran, Kamyran City, Sanandaj Prison

On December 21, environmental activist Amanj Ghorbani was arrested by security forces in Kamyaran City.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ghorbani was summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence and arrested at appearance.

The reasons for his summons and subsequent arrest are unknown at the time of writing.

Earlier in 2018, he was arrested and sentenced to 3 months in prison by Sanandaj’s Revolutionary Court.

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Hassan Ghorbani, Brother of Heidar Ghorani, Arrested By Security Forces

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
executions, Hassan Ghorbani, Heidar Ghorbani, Sanandaj Prison

On December 19, security forces arrested Hassan Ghorbani following the execution of his brother, Heidar Ghobrani, in Sanandaj Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, an informed source revealed that “security forces refused to deliver Heidar Ghorbani’s body to his family and instead buried him secretly”.

Heidar Ghorbani was a political prisoner who was sentenced to death for alleged “armed insurrection against the regime” (Baghi). Last Sunday, he was executed in Sanandaj Prison despite international outcry.

Political Prisoner Heidar Ghorbani Executed in Sanandaj Prison

Posted on by A MN
Executions, News
aggravated assult, Death Penalty, executions, forced confessions, Heidar Ghorbani, Kamyaran County, Sanandaj Prison

On the morning of December 19, political prisoner Heidar Ghorbani was executed in Sanandaj Prison. He was convicted for “armed insurrection against the regime” (Baghi) and sentenced to the death penalty. This execution was carried out despite international outcry, including from UN human rights experts, to halt the execution.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ghorbani’s lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, confirmed the news of the execution. He told HRANA that “by order of chief justice, Heidar Ghorbani’s case had been sent to Kurdistan’s Chief Justice for further examination. They told us yesterday that they will notify both Iran’s chief justice as well as his family about the result of this examination. I talked to Mr Ghorbani just yesterday morning. Nonetheless, they executed him today at 4 am. His family was told to come to the cemetery but they did not deliver the body to his family”.

Pointing out that the charge of “armed insurgency” is not supported by substantial evidence, he added that, “despite these legal considerations and the request for retrial by the Supreme Court, they carried out the execution under pressure by some authorities”

On September 30, 2016, several members of the IRGC were killed by gunmen in a village in Kamyaran County. Ghorbani was arrested on October 16, 2016 along with two others.

A regime TV channel broadcasted Ghorbani’s forced confession in March of 2016. In the broadcast, security and judicial officials accused him of murdering several members of the IRGC. However, Ghorbani only confessed that he had been forced to transport several armed members of Kurdish anti-regime parties.

In October 2019, he was tried on the charges of “assisting in murder, assault with a deadly weapon, helping offenders to escape from law enforcement, involvement in premeditated murder, attempted murder, affixing a license plate to another car, attempted kidnapping, and the acquisition of stolen property”. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison for every three charges.

However, Branch 1 of Sanandaj’s Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death on the charge of “armed insurgency”. This verdict was confirmed by the Supreme Court and the case was delivered to the Public and Revolutionary Court in Kamyaran. On August 12, his lawyer asked for a retrial, which was rejected by Branch 27 of the Supreme Court. When the conviction was publicized, Sanandaj Prison officials banned him from visitation.

IRIB Denies that Khosro Jamalifar’s Suspicious Death in Sanadaj Prison was Result of Guard Brutality

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Abdollahi, IRIB, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Jamalifar, Khosro Jamalifar, prison brutality, Prison conditions, prison guard prutality, Sanandaj, Sanandaj Prison

A few days after HRANA’s report on the death of Khosro Jamalifar due to being beaten by prison officers in Sanandaj Prison, in response, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) claimed in a report that Jamalifar fainted from a sudden headache and died in the hospital. Their statement stands at odds with reports from numerous informed sources.

To support the claim, the report published video footage of a moment when the inmate fell on the floor in his solitary confinement cell. This claim stands at odds with what informed sources reported to HRANA: that Khosro Jamalifar was beaten brutally by prison officers before being taken back to his cell, and died in prison rather than the hospital.

The IRIB also did not mention that following day, his body was buried secretly without waiting for the forensic report and delivering the body to his family. His family was also threatened into silence.

Some eyewitnesses who have seen the injuries on his head told HRANA that, contrary to IRIB’s claim, such wounds cannot be caused by a head collision with a bed frame.

On November 2, 26-year-old Khosro Jamalifar, who had previously been indicted on a murder charge and was awaiting the verdict, died from a strike to the head sustained during the beating.

According to an informed source, Jamalifar became involved in a quarrel with a fellow inmate in the quarantine section of Sanandaj. Thereafter, as an informed source told HRANA, “Prison officers began to beat him with batons which led to his death. In this incident, the failure of the prison nurse, named Abdollahi, to send (Jamalifar) to the healthcare center in a timely manner also played a role in his death.”

In the aftermath of Jamalifar’s killing, Sanandaj inmates are calling for authorities to take accountability and conduct a real investigation.

Iran’s prisons are notorious for their frequent incidents of brutality from authorities.  Acts of violence such as this one are at serious odds with the basic responsibility of prisons to provide for the safety and health of their inmates.  Institutions’ reluctance to conduct thorough investigations into acts of violence from their officials only perpetuates, and often even reinforces, a culture of abuse within Iran’s carceral system.

Inmate Beaten to Death By Prison Officers in Sanandaj Prison

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News, Prisoners
Abdollahi, carceral brutality, CCTV, Khosro Jamalifar, prison brutality, Prison conditions, prison guard brutality, Sanandaj, Sanandaj Prison

On the evening of Tuesday, November 2, an inmate was brutally beaten to death by officers in Sanandaj Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, 26-year-old Khosro Jamalifar, who had previously been indicted on a murder charge and was awaiting the verdict, died from a strike to the head sustained during the beating.

The incident broke out after Jamalifar became involved in a quarrel with a fellow inmate in the quarantine section of Sanandaj.

Thereafter, as an informed source told HRANA, “Prison officers began to beat him with batons which led to his death. In this incident, the failure of the prison nurse, named Abdollahi, to send (Jamalifar) to the healthcare center in a timely manner also played a role in his death.”

In the aftermath of Jamalifar’s killing, Sanandaj inmates are calling for authorities to take accountability and conduct a real investigation.

“Since there are many CCTV cameras in corridors, the prisoners demand from the Prison organization and judiciary authorities to investigate the incident,” the informed source said. “However, until now, they have not received any response and the prison is at a high-security level.”

Iran’s prisons are notorious for their frequent incidents of brutality from authorities.  Acts of violence such as this one are at serious odds with the basic responsibility of prisons to provide for the safety and health of their inmates.  Institutions’ reluctance to conduct thorough investigations into acts of violence from their officials only perpetuates, and often even reinforces, a culture of abuse within Iran’s carceral system.

Aram Fathi and Soraya Haghdoost Released on on Bail of 100 Million Tomans

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Prisoners
Aram Fathi, Citizen arrests, Citizen detentions, Citizens arrested, Citizens detained, City of Marivan, Marivan, Marivan city, Sanandaj, Sanandaj Prison, Soraya Haghdoost

Today, Monday, June 28, Aram Fathi and Soraya Haghdoost, two detained citizens from Marivan, were released on a bail of 100 million Tomans.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, the two citizens were arrested by security forces on Thursday, June 17th. Ms. Haghdoost was transferred to Sanandaj Prison after her arrest, and Mr. Fathi was transferred to Marivan Prison.

Aram Fathi, a resident of Marivan with a history of arrests and convictions, was  arrested by security forces at his home arrest.

Soraya Haghdoost, also citizen of Marivan, was arrested by security forces on Thursday, June 17, and transferred to Sanandaj Prison.

As of this writing, no information is available on the charges against the citizens.