Tag: Urmia prison

Three Prisoners Executed in Urmia Prison

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Executions, News
Mehdi Jafarzadeh, Mohammadreza Badavi, Reza Molaei, Urmia prison

HRANA – At dawn on Sunday, November 9, the death sentences of three prisoners previously convicted on drug-related charges were carried out in Urmia Prison.

HRANA has confirmed the identities of the executed prisoners as Reza Molaei, Mohammadreza Badavi, and Mehdi Jafarzadeh.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, these individuals had been arrested on charges related to drug offenses and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. They were transferred to solitary confinement on Saturday evening, November 8, in preparation for the execution.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and official institutions have not announced the execution of these prisoners.

From the beginning of this year until the end of October, the Iranian regime has executed 1,286 people, marking an unprecedented increase compared to previous years.

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, over 52 percent of executed prisoners had been convicted on drug-related charges. Over the past ten years, individuals convicted of drug trafficking have accounted for 40 percent of all executions. Unfortunately, HRANA’s statistics show no progress in reducing executions for drug-related offenses.

Drug-Related Crimes; One Prisoner Executed in Urmia Prison

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Executions, News
HRANA, Shams al-Din Abbasi Kay, Urmia prison

HRANA – At dawn on Friday, November 7, 2025 , the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges was carried out in Urmia Prison.

According to reports received by HRANA, the identity of the executed prisoner has been confirmed as Shams al-Din Abbasi Kay, a resident of Urmia. He had earlier been arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

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

From the beginning of this year until the end of October, the Iranian regime has executed 1,286 people, marking an unprecedented increase compared to previous years.

Death Sentence of Naser Bekrzadeh Overturned for the Second Time by the Supreme Court

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Executions, News, Prisoners
HRANA, Naser Bekrzadeh, Urmia prison, Urmia Revolutionary Court, ناصر بکرزاده

HRANA – The death sentence of Naser Bekrzadeh, a political prisoner held in Urmia Prison, has once again been overturned by the Supreme Court. Bekrzadeh had recently been sentenced to death for the second time by Branch 2 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court.

Based on information obtained by HRANA, Bekrzadeh’s death sentence was recently overturned by the Supreme Court, and the decision was officially communicated to him on Wednesday, October 29. The political prisoner, who is being held in Urmia Prison’s political ward, is now awaiting the scheduling of a new hearing and the designation of a new court branch to review his case.

In September 2025, Branch 2 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court had sentenced Bekrzadeh to death on charges of “espionage for Israel” for the second time.

In November 2024, he had initially been sentenced to death by Branch Three of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia on charges of “espionage for Israel and collaboration with Mossad intelligence services.” That ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court in April 2025, which referred the case to another branch for reconsideration.

Naser Bekrzadeh, about 26 years old, was arrested in January 2024. He was held for a period in the IRGC’s intelligence detention facility in Urmia, where he was subjected to interrogation. According to a source close to his family, this process involved violations of his basic rights, including being denied contact and visits with his family.

Latest Update on Heydar Niknia and Edris Ebrahimi, Political Prisoners in Urmia

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News, Prisoners
Edris Ebrahimi, Heydar Niknia, IRGC Intelligence, Sardasht, Urmia prison

HRANA – Political prisoners Heydar Niknia and Edris Ebrahimi have been serving their sentences in Urmia Prison for the past year.

Recently, following the issuance of an amnesty directive, the sentences of each were reduced to one year and eight months. Previously, the Urmia Revolutionary Court had sentenced them to two years and eight months in prison each, on charges of “collaboration with opposition groups.”

Niknia and Ebrahimi began serving their sentences in Urmia Prison in September 2023.

Niknia had earlier been arrested on July 3, 2023, after being summoned to the IRGC Intelligence office in the Silvaneh district. He was later released on bail before eventually being summoned to serve his sentence.

Heydar Niknia is from Urmia, and Edris Ebrahimi is from Sardasht.

After Retrial; Political Prisoner Naser Bekrzadeh Sentenced to Death for the Second Time

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Executions, News, Prisoners
IRGC’s intelligence, Naser Bekrzadeh, Urmia prison, ناصر بکرزاده

HRANA – Naser Bekrzadeh, a political prisoner held in Urmia Prison, has been sentenced to death for the second time by Branch Two of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia. He had previously received a death sentence from Branch Three of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia, which was overturned by the Supreme Court and referred to another branch for retrial.

Based on the ruling recently issued by Branch Two of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia, presided over by Judge Shahini, Mr. Bekrzadeh has been sentenced to death on charges of espionage for Israel.

In November 2024, he had initially been sentenced to death by Branch Three of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia on charges of “espionage for Israel and collaboration with Mossad intelligence services.” That ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court in April 2025, which referred the case to another branch for reconsideration.

Naser Bekrzadeh, about 26 years old, was arrested in January 2024. He was held for a period in the IRGC’s intelligence detention facility in Urmia, where he was subjected to interrogation. According to a source close to his family, this process involved violations of his basic rights, including being denied contact and visits with his family.

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Ongoing Detention: Baha’i Citizen Keyhan Maghsoudi Remains in Limbo

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News, Religious Minorities
irgc, Keyhan Maghsoudi, Keyhan Maqsoudi, Urmia prison

HRANA – Baha’i citizen Keyhan Maghsoudi, a resident of Urmia, remains in limbo 85 days after his arrest, currently held in one of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) detention facilities in the city.

A source close to his family told HRANA: “Mr. Maghsoudi has been held in detention for 85 days without clarity about his case. He was initially kept in a security detention center in Urmia. On September 4, he was transferred to Urmia Prison, but two days later was returned to an IRGC detention facility for further interrogation. Since his arrest, his family has only been allowed two brief visits, and he continues to be denied access to legal counsel.”

Mr. Maghsoudi was arrested on Friday, June 20, 2025, during the 12-day Iran-Israel war, by security forces at his workplace. Following his arrest, he was transferred between Urmia’s security detention centers and Urmia Prison multiple times. About a month after his arrest, security forces also confiscated his personal vehicle.

As of the time of this report, the reasons for his arrest and the charges against him remain unknown.

Keyhan Maghsoudi, 49, is unmarried and works as a photographer and filmmaker in Urmia. A nature enthusiast, he has collaborated on numerous cinema and television projects.

Over the past decade, the Iranian Bahá’í community has been disproportionately targeted by Iran’s security forces and judiciary—more than any other minority group. In the past three years, an average of 72 percent of the reports on religious rights violations collected by HRANA have documented the Iranian regime’s repression of the Bahá’í community.

Supreme Court Annuls Death Sentence of Shahin Vasaf; Retrial Results in 10-Year Term

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Freedom of Expression, News
HRANA, Salmas, Shahin Vasaf, Urmia, Urmia prison, شاهین وصاف

HRANA – Following the annulment of political prisoner Shahin Vasaf’s death sentence by the Supreme Court and the referral of his case to a parallel branch, he has now been sentenced to 10 years in prison by Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court.

According to information obtained by HRANA, the Supreme Court had previously overturned Mr. Vasaf’s death sentence. In August of this year, his retrial was held before Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court as the designated parallel branch. Two days ago, the court issued its verdict, sentencing him to 10 years in prison.

Mr. Vasaf was first arrested by security forces in September 2022. Following his interrogation at The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Urmia, he was transferred to Urmia Prison.

In late 2023, Branch 3 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court had sentenced him to death on the charge of “espionage for Israel.”

Shahin Vasaf, 29, is a native of Salmas and a resident of Urmia.

Three Prisoners Executed in Urmia Prison

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Executions, News
HRANA, Javad Ali, Morteza Zichi, Rahman Javan, Urmia prison

HRANA – on Sunday, August 31, the death sentences of three prisoners previously convicted of murder in separate cases were carried out in Urmia Prison.

According to HRANA, the three prisoners executed at dawn on Sunday have been identified as Javad Ali, Rahman Javan, and Morteza Zichi, all residents of Urmia.

Based on information received by HRANA, these individuals had been arrested on murder charges in separate cases and later sentenced to death by criminal courts.

On Saturday, August 30, the three prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions. Another prisoner was also moved to solitary for execution but was returned to the general ward after the victim’s family granted consent and forgave him.

As of the time of this report, the executions of these three prisoners have not been announced by prison officials or relevant 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.

Amputation Sentences Carried Out for Three Inmates in Urmia Prison

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News, Other, Prisoners
Hadi Rostami, HRANA, Mehdi Shahivand, Mehdi Sharafian, Urmia prison

HRANA– In the early hours of Thursday, July 31, the amputation sentences of three prisoners convicted of theft were carried out in Urmia Prison. Hadi Rostami, Mehdi Sharafian, and Mehdi Shahivand had the fingers of their right hands amputated. Following the implementation of the sentences, the three were transferred to a hospital and returned to prison several hours later.

According to information received by HRANA, a disturbance broke out last night in Urmia Prison. Following the incident, prison guards transferred Hadi Rostami, Mehdi Sharafian, and Mehdi Shahivand to solitary confinement. Ultimately, around 1:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 31, the amputation sentences were carried out inside the prison.

A source familiar with the case, who spoke to HRANA on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said: “Mr. Rostami, Sharafian, and Shahivand were transferred to a hospital after the amputations were carried out. They were returned to prison several hours later.”

Hadi Rostami, 39, Mehdi Sharafian, 42, and Mehdi Shahivand, 29, were arrested in 2015 by police detectives in Urmia. The three were prosecuted in a joint case related to theft charges.

On November 19, 2019, they were sentenced by Branch 1 of the Juvenile Criminal Court to the amputation of four fingers on their right hands, in a way that the thumb and palm would remain intact. They were also ordered to return the stolen property. This sentence was upheld by Branch 13 of the Supreme Court on May 10, 2020.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) strictly prohibits inhumane and degrading punishments such as flogging and amputation. However, in 2024, HRANA documented at least three cases where flogging sentences were carried out, totaling 106 lashes. Additionally, at least 131 individuals were sentenced to a combined 9,957 lashes by the Iranian judiciary.

Prisoner Executed in Urmia Prison for Drug Offenses

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Executions, News
HRANA, Naser Nabizadeh, Urmia prison, ناصر نبی زاده

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, June 2, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges was carried out in Urmia Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the prisoner has been identified as Naser Nabizadeh, a resident of Urmia.

Based on information received by HRANA, Nabizadeh was arrested five years ago on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

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

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.