Varisheh Moradi, a political prisoner on death row, denied medical treatment

HRANA News Agency – Varisheh Moradi, a political prisoner sentenced to death and held in Evin Prison, is being denied hospital transfer and adequate medical care despite her deteriorating physical condition.

A social media page affiliated with Varisheh Moradi reported that she suffers from several health issues, including severe spinal disc problems in her back and neck, and has required urgent surgery and proper medical attention for over three months, as confirmed by a specialist. Despite prison doctors at Evin confirming the severity of her condition and emphasizing the urgent need for treatment outside the prison, she continues to be denied transfer to medical facilities on orders from the relevant authorities.

Ms. Moradi had previously also been denied transfer to medical centers despite requiring specialized treatment.

Varisheh Moradi was arrested by security forces in August 2023 in the outskirts of Sanandaj. She was eventually transferred on December 26 of that year from the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison, to the women’s ward.

In late November 2024, Ms. Moradi was sentenced to death by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, on the charge of baghi (armed rebellion).

In another case, in late October 2023, she was sentenced to six months in prison by Branch Two of the Qods Judicial Complex Criminal Court in Tehran, in a joint case involving four other inmates. The charge against her in this case was “assaulting an officer and disobedience.”

This case stemmed from events on August 7, following protests by female prisoners in Evin’s women’s ward after learning about the execution of Reza Rasaei, which led to a clash with prison guards.

Six Citizens Arrested Over Nowruz Celebration in Sanandaj

HRANA News Agency – Six citizens have been arrested by security forces in Sanandaj in connection with a Nowruz celebration. They were subsequently taken to an undisclosed location.

The individuals have been identified by Kolbar News as Sheno Mohammadi and Ariwan Shakeri, both residents of Sanandaj; Shirwan Heydari, Edris Heydari, and Sirwan Hatami, all from the village of Avihang; and Mahmoud Naderi, from the village of Dadaneh Kamangar.

According to the report, five of the detainees were arrested on Sunday, March 23, 2025. Mahmoud Naderi was arrested a day earlier, on Saturday, March 22.

At the time of this report, there is no information available regarding their current whereabouts or the charges filed against them.

It is worth noting that Mahmoud Naderi had previously been arrested on March 4, 2025, and was released on bail.

Leila Pashaei Arrested in Sanandaj

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, March 10, 2025, Leila Pashaei, a resident of Sanandaj, was arrested by security forces and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Pashaei was detained at her home by agents of the Intelligence Department on charges of “acting against national security.”

Her brother, who reported the arrest, stated that the reason for her detention was her public remarks on women’s issues during International Women’s Day.

As of now, no information is available regarding her whereabouts.

Pashaei has previously faced security-related arrests and encounters with authorities due to her activism.

Civil Rights Activist Soheila Mataei Arrested in Dehgolan

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, March 10, 2025, Soheila Mataei, a resident of Dehgolan, Kurdistan province, was arrested by security forces and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, Mataei was detained without a court order. Reports suggest that her arrest was linked to her role in organizing an International Women’s Day event in Sanandaj. As of now, no information is available about her whereabouts or the charges against her.

History of Arrests and Legal Proceedings

Mataei has a history of previous arrests related to her activism:

January 22, 2025: She was briefly detained in Dehgolan amid protests against death sentences issued for Varisheh Moradi and Pakhshan Azizi.
October 1, 2022: Arrested during the nationwide protests and later released on bail.
November 12, 2022: Arrested again by security forces and transferred to the Sanandaj Juvenile Correctional Center after interrogation.
December 2022: Branch 2 of the Dehgolan Criminal Court sentenced her to three years and nine months in prison on charges of “disrupting public order, spreading false information to disturb public opinion, defying authorities, and propaganda against the regime through support for opposition groups.”

Mataei’s repeated arrests and prison sentences highlight the continued targeting of civil activists in Iran.

Civil Rights Activist Baran Saedi Arrested in Sanandaj

HRANA News Agency – Today, Monday, March 10, Baran Saedi, a resident of Sanandaj, was arrested by security forces in the city and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, Saedi’s arrest took place at her home by security forces without a judicial warrant. The report further mentions that the civil rights activist was detained following her participation in an event commemorating International Women’s Day in Sanandaj.

Baran Saedi had previously been arrested during the nationwide protests of 2022 and was released on bail after about two months.

As of the time of this report, there is no information on her whereabouts or the charges against her.

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Workers’ Rights Activist Kamran Sakhtemangar Arrested

HRANA News Agency – On February 5, 2025, security forces in Sanandaj arrested Kamran Sakhtemangar, a labor activist, and transferred him to an undisclosed location.

According to information obtained by HRANA, authorities have not disclosed the reasons for his arrest, his whereabouts, or the charges against him.

In early January, Branch 109 of the Second Criminal Court of Sanandaj tried Mr. Sakhtemangar on defamation and slander charges. The court later released him on bail.

A source close to Sakhtemangar’s family previously told HRANA that the Sanandaj Prosecutor and Jahangir Elyasi, Director General of Kurdistan’s Road and Urban Development Department, filed complaints against him. The complaints stemmed from his efforts to expose misconduct by various officials and provide related evidence.

Sakhtemangar has faced previous arrests and convictions due to his activism.

According to HRANA’s documented reports, in 2024, Iranian authorities arrested 11 workers’ rights activists, while nine others faced a combined total of 301 months in prison.

Seven Citizens Arrested in Kurdistan and West Azerbaijan Provinces

HRANA News Agency – In recent days, seven citizens have been arrested by security forces in the cities of Dehgolan, Sanandaj, Mahabad, and Sardasht and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, citing Kolbar News, the arrested individuals have been identified as follows:

  • Mehdi Javanmardi, Farhad Zandi, Arsalan Miraki, and Farshad Seyedi – all residents of Dehgolan
  • Mansour Moloudpour – resident of Mahabad
  • Hassan Khalili – resident of Sardasht (released two days after his arrest)
  • Chiako Ghorbehei

Details of the Arrests:

On Monday, January 27, 2025, Mehdi Javanmardi and Farhad Zandi were arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents in Dehgolan and taken to an unknown location. A day earlier, on Sunday, January 26, Arsalan Mirki and Farshad Seyedi, also from Dehgolan, were detained by security forces and similarly transferred to an undisclosed location.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, January 25, Mansour Moloudpour was arrested by security forces at his workplace in Mahabad. His whereabouts remain unknown.

Additionally, Hassan Khalili, a resident of Sardasht, was arrested on Wednesday, January 22. After two days in custody, he was released on Friday, January 24 following an interrogation.

At the time of this report, no information is available regarding the reasons for these arrests or the charges brought against these individuals.

Hiresh Nowgaran-Zadeh Arrested by Security Forces in Sanandaj

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, January 20, Hiresh Nowgaran-Zadeh, a resident of Sanandaj, was arrested by security forces and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, citing Kurdpa, Hiresh Nowgaran-Zadeh, a 39-year-old resident of Sanandaj, is married and a father of two children. He is also a member of the campaign against the execution of Pakhshan Azizi.

The report indicates that Mr. Nowgaran-Zadeh was detained by security forces without the presentation of a judicial warrant.

As of now, no information is available regarding the reasons for his arrest, the charges brought against him, or his current place of detention.

It is noteworthy that in 2007, Mr. Nowgaran-Zadeh was sentenced to one year in prison on charges of membership in one of the political parties opposed to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Beniamin Rahimpour Arrested in Sanandaj

HRANA News Agency – On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Beniamin Rahimpour, a resident of Sanandaj, was arrested by security forces and transferred to the IRGC Intelligence detention facility in the city (Shahramfar), According to Kurdpa.

Security forces reportedly arrested Mr. Rahimpour at his workplace and transferred him to the IRGC Intelligence detention facility. They then searched his home, seizing some of his electronic devices.

As of the time of this report, no information is available about the reasons for his arrest, the charges against him, or his current location.

Rahimpour, 33, originally from Avihang village and residing in Sanandaj, has a history of previous arrests due to his activism.

From the human rights cases reported and compiled by HRANA, in 2024, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Intelligence has been involved in 117 cases, including arbitrary arrests. For details and statistics read HRANA’s 2024 annual report.

Kurdistan Shopkeepers’ Strike; 7 Protesters Against Executions Arrested

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, January 22, 2025, amid a strike by shopkeepers across cities in Kurdistan Province protesting the death sentences of Varisheh Moradi and Pakhshan Azizi, seven citizens were arrested by security forces and taken to unknown locations.

According to HRANA, quoting Kolbar News, Soheila Mataei, previously arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests in Dehgolan, was detained for participating in the strikes. Additionally, six residents of Sanandaj—Amjad Geriakhiz, Naeem Doosti, Mohammad Seif-Panahi, Sina Rezaei, Mohammad Atlasi, and 33-year-old Omid Mohammadi—were arrested without judicial warrants for joining the strike.

As of this report, no information about the charges against these individuals has been released. Soheila Motaei has a history of arrests and legal confrontations due to her activism.

Yesterday, shopkeepers in various cities across Kurdistan, including Sanandaj, Saqqez, Divandarreh, and Marivan, went on strike, halting daily activities in protest against the death sentences of Varisheh Moradi and Pakhshan Azizi.