Tag: Vakilabad prison

Report on the Arrest of Ghazaleh Ra’yat, a Baha’i Citizen in Mashhad

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizen, Ghazaleh Ra'yat, Mashhad, Vakilabad prison

HRANA – Ghazaleh Ra’yat, a Baha’i citizen residing in Mashhad, was arrested by security agents in mid-January and is being held in an uncertain legal status at Vakilabad Prison in this city.

Based on information received by HRANA, Ms. Ra’yat was arrested at her workplace in Mashhad in mid-January, following a search of her home, was transferred to the local Intelligence Office. She is currently being held without formal charges at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for her arrest or the charges brought against her.

It is worth noting that gatherings and strikes by shopkeepers and market traders began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28 and after two days expanded beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the most widespread in recent years. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s detailed report on the 31st day of the protests, published last night.

Arrest of Two Bahá’í citizens by Security Forces in Mashhad

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News, Religious Minorities
Baha'i citizens, Mashhad, Payam Faridian, Sepehr Koushkbagi, Vakilabad prison

HRANA- Sepehr Koushkbagi and Payam Faridian, both Bahá’í citizens, have been arrested by security forces in Mashhad.

According to information received by HRANA, Koushkbagi was arrested on January 11, 2026, at the home of one of his friends by agents of the Mashhad Intelligence Department. He was later transferred to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad following interrogation. Mr. Faridian was also arrested on January 22, 2026, at his pottery workshop in Mashhad by security forces. Five days after his arrest, no information has been obtained regarding his place of detention.

As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the charges brought against these Bahá’í citizens.

Sepehr Koushkbagi is a 31-year-old Bahá’í citizen residing in Mashhad. Payam Faridian is a photographer and potter living in Mashhad.

Continued Denial of Medical Care for Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad

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News, Prisoners
Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi, Vakilabad prison

HRANA – Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi, a writer and civil activist imprisoned in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, continues to be denied specialized medical care despite his poor physical condition, including the presence of a mass in his chest area.

A source close to the prisoner’s family, while confirming this information, told HRANA that Mr. Vahedian Shahroudi had previously been transferred to a hospital due to deteriorating physical condition and respiratory problems. Medical examinations revealed the presence of a mass in his chest. Despite the physician’s emphasis on the dangerous nature of this mass, no action has yet been taken to continue his treatment. Moreover, although nearly two weeks have passed, the final test results have still not been provided to the prisoner or his family, further intensifying their concerns about his health.

Previously as well, Vahedian Shahroudi had been denied access to specialized medical care despite suffering from serious health conditions, including heart and lung diseases, psoriasis, and high blood pressure.

In September of 2025, following the writing of a letter from Vakilabad Prison, Mr. Vahedian Shahroudi faced the opening of a new case. This political prisoner was sentenced to one year in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime, one year of discretionary imprisonment on the charge of “explicit confession to overthrow,” and two years of exile to the city of Zabol. Additionally, following a complaint by the presiding judge, he was sentenced to another year in prison on the charge of insulting an officer while on duty.

Vahedian Shahroudi, who suffers from multiple medical conditions, has consistently been denied access to specialized medical care. In November 2024, despite confirmation by the Legal Medicine Organization, his request based on inability to endure imprisonment was rejected by judicial authorities.

Mr. Vahedian Shahroudi has previously been arrested and convicted multiple times due to his activities. In Bahman 1400, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of “forming a group with the intent to act against national security and cooperating with groups opposed to the regime.” He had also been arrested in 2019 and 2020 and was later released on bail. Among his published works is the book “The Return of Genghis Khan the Mongol.”

Execution Sentence of Seyed Mohammad Javad Vafaie Suspended

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News, Prisoners
Babak Paknia, Mashhad, Seyed Mohammad Javad Vafaie, Vakilabad prison

HRANA – Iran’s Supreme Court has agreed to halt the execution of Seyed Mohammad Javad Vafaie Sani, a political prisoner held at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

Babak Paknia, the defense attorney for this political prisoner, stated earlier today that an order to stop the execution of Mohammad Javad Vafaie Sani had been issued by the Supreme Court. The death sentence had recently been reaffirmed by the Supreme Court following the rejection of a request for retrial.

The death sentence of Javad Vafaie Sani had previously been overturned twice by the Supreme Court. However, in recent months it was upheld by Branch Nine of the Supreme Court. Following this decision, his lawyer submitted another request for retrial, which was ultimately rejected. Mr. Vafaie Sani was most recently sentenced to death in September 2024 by Branch Three of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court on the charge of “corruption on earth.”

This 28-year-old political prisoner and boxing coach was arrested in Mashhad in March 2020 and transferred to Vakilabad Prison. In the initial stage of proceedings, he was also sentenced to death by the Mashhad Revolutionary Court on charges of “corruption on earth through deliberate destruction.” That verdict was overturned by the Supreme Court, and the case was referred to a parallel branch for reconsideration. In the second trial, a death sentence was again issued, which was likewise overturned by the Supreme Court in June 2024.

Two Prisoners, Including a Woman, Executed in Mashhad

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Executions, News
Mahin Rahimi, Mashhad, Seyed Javad Tabatabaei, Vakilabad prison

HRANA – At dawn today, Wednesday, November 26, the death sentences of two prisoners, including one woman, were carried out in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. These prisoners had previously been sentenced to death on murder charges.

HRANA has confirmed the identities of the prisoners as Mahin Rahimi and Seyed Javad Tabatabaei. They were executed at dawn today. Based on information received by HRANA, both individuals had earlier been arrested on charges of murder and later sentenced to death by criminal courts.

As of the time of drafting this report, the executions have not been announced by prison authorities or 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.

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Two Prisoners Executed in Mashhad

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Executions, News
HRANA, Mashhad, Vakilabad prison

HRANA – Yesterday, November 19, the death sentences of two prisoners who had previously been sentenced to execution on charges of murder were carried out in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

The identities of these prisoners, Mohsen Fakhraie and Ne’mat Shamloo, have been verified by HRANA.
According to information obtained by HRANA, they had earlier been arrested on charges of murder and subsequently sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

As of the time of this reporting, the executions have not been announced by prison authorities or other responsible 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.

Three Prisoners Executed in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad

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Executions, News
HRANA, Kuhdasht, Mashhad, Rasoul Kahzadi, Vakilabad prison

HRANA – On Tuesday, November 4, three prisoners were executed in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

According to Khorasan daily, one of the executed prisoners was identified as Majid Sh., 29 years old. The report states that in June 2021, he was arrested on charges of murdering “Reza A.”, the husband of one of his acquaintances. The crime was allegedly committed in collaboration with the victim’s wife, motivated by an extramarital relationship between the two.

Both defendants confessed to the crime after their arrest. The Criminal Court Branch One of Razavi Khorasan Province sentenced Majid to death for murder and his accomplice to a long-term prison sentence. The death sentence was later upheld by the Supreme Court and subsequently carried out.

HRANA has identified another executed prisoner as Rasoul Kahzadi, a native of Kuhdasht. According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Kahzadi was arrested in 2022 after traveling to Mashhad, where he was involved in a fatal altercation that resulted in the death of a young man. He was later sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

The third executed prisoner had also been sentenced to death for murder.

Further details, including the identity of the third prisoner, are still under investigation by HRANA.

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.

Three Prisoners, Including a Woman, Executed in Vakilabad Prison of Mashhad

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Executions, News
Mashhad, Vakilabad prison

HRANA – At dawn on Wednesday, October 29, three prisoners, including one woman, were executed in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. These individuals had previously been sentenced to death by a criminal court on charges of murder.

HRANA has confirmed the identities of two of the executed prisoners as Saman Daliri and Katayoun Shamsi. According to information obtained by HRANA, they had been arrested earlier on murder charges and later sentenced to death by a criminal court.

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

Beating of Political Prisoner Omid Fathi in Vakilabad Prison

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News, Prisoners
Omid Fathi, Vakilabad prison, امید فتحی

HRANA – Political prisoner Omid Fathi, held in Vakilabad Prison of Mashhad, sustained an eye injury last night after being beaten by prison security officers. His pre-existing spinal disc condition has reportedly worsened, and he is currently denied phone calls and family visits.

A source close to Fathi’s family told HRANA:
“On the evening of Friday, October 17, several security officers at Vakilabad Prison attacked Omid Fathi after he left the prisoners’ phone area. As a result of the beating, one of his eyes was injured and became swollen and bloodshot. Given his history of a herniated disc, his physical condition is concerning.”

The source added:
“On Saturday, Omid Fathi’s family went to Vakilabad Prison to inquire about his condition but received no clear answers. Some officials claimed he was in the prison infirmary, while others said he remained in Ward 103. The family says they have been denied any contact or visitation, and repeated attempts to reach relevant authorities have yielded no results.”

Reports received by HRANA indicate that following the release of several audio recordings from inside the prison, a new security case has been opened against Fathi. According to informed sources, he was recently taken to court, where the content of the recordings was read to him, but his family has received no details regarding the legal proceedings or outcomes.

Omid Fathi, who suffers from back problems including a herniated disc, had previously been transferred to Ward 103 of Vakilabad Prison by order of the prison’s internal management and security department. On September 4, he went on hunger strike to protest poor prison conditions and the authorities’ failure to separate prisoners based on the nature of their charges.

In June 2025, Branch 1 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced Fathi to a fine of 50 million tomans in lieu of six months in prison. He was transferred to Vakilabad Prison after being unable to pay the fine. Another case against him, including charges of ‘insulting the Supreme Leader’, was to be heard in a separate court session, which was postponed due to the Israeli attack on Iran.

Omid Fathi, a resident of Mashhad, has previously faced multiple instances of security harassment and prosecution in connection with his activities.

Death Sentence of Hossein Shahoozahi Upheld by the Supreme Court

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Executions, News
irgc, Razavi Khorasan Province, Vakilabad prison, Yousef Mohammad-Hosseini

HRANA – Hossein Shahoozahi, a detainee held in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, has been sentenced to death by the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, a verdict that has recently been upheld by the Supreme Court.

Following his arrest by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organization, Shahoozahi has been accused of attempting to assassinate the Supreme Leader’s representative in Razavi Khorasan Province and of planning an attack on the governor’s office.

According to Haal Vsh, Mashhad Revolutionary Court had previously issued the initial death sentence against Shahoozahi, which has now been upheld by the country’s highest judicial authority.

Hossein Shahoozahi, 29, a native of Zahedan, is currently being held in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

He was arrested by IRGC Intelligence forces at the Mashhad bus terminal. On December 9, 2022, the Public Relations Office of the IRGC in Razavi Khorasan Province confirmed the arrest of several individuals, including Shahouzehi, claiming that they were affiliated with an opposition group. The IRGC’s statement further alleged that “a significant quantity of weapons, ammunition, and explosives was discovered and confiscated from these individuals.”

Following his arrest, Shahoozahi faced multiple charges, including possession of weapons, attempting to assassinate Ahmad Alamolhoda -the Supreme Leader’s representative in Razavi Khorasan Province – and planning an attack on the governor’s office in Mashhad. The Revolutionary Court ultimately sentenced him to death. Throughout the judicial process, he was denied the right to access legal counsel.

According to local media reports, Shahouzehi was held for about six months in the IRGC Intelligence detention facility, where he was subjected to pressure and violent treatment by interrogators. During this period, he was also denied any contact or visits with his family.

Local sources further reported that Shahoozahi had been arrested simultaneously with another individual named Yousef Mohammad-Hosseini, 25, and a native of Mirjaveh. To date, there has been no information about Mohammad-Hosseini’s fate, which remains unknown.