Tag: Zahedan

Hamid Gomshadzahi Arrested After Being Summoned to Court

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Freedom of Expression, News
Abdoljalil Gomshadzahi, Hamid Gomshadzahi, Zahedan

HRANA News Agency – Hamid Gomshadzahi, the uncle of Abdoljalil Gomshadzahi, a citizen who was killed by indiscriminate military gunfire, was arrested yesterday after being summoned to the Zahedan Prosecutor’s Office and transferred to an unknown location.

He had been summoned two days ago to Branch 6 of the Prosecutor’s Office over his statements regarding his nephew’s death.

Gomshadzahi, the uncle of Abdoljalil Gomshadzahi, who was killed by indiscriminate military gunfire.

According to the report by Haal Vsh, Hamid Gomshadzahi was summoned over his statements criticizing security forces during his nephew’s funeral. Following his appearance in court today, he was arrested and taken to an undisclosed location.

Abdoljalil Gomshadzahi, a 20-year-old citizen, was shot and killed by security forces on January 7, 2024.

In 2024, HRANA documented 476 incidents in which Iranian military forces opened fire on civilians, resulting in 161 deaths. For detailed statistics and further insights, read HRANA’s 2024 Annual Report.

Dozens of Citizens Arrested in Nosratabad, Zahedan

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Nosratabad, Zahedan

In the early hours of Tuesday, January 7, a number of citizens in Nosratabad, a district in Zahedan, were arrested by military and security forces. Haal Vsh estimates that at least 38 individuals were detained, with the identities of eight citizens confirmed.

The arrested individuals are all married and residents of the Zebarabad area in Nosratabad District of Zahedan County, Sistan and Baluchestan province. Their identities are as follows:

  • Yasin Naroui, 29
  • Mehdi Naroui, 30
  • Azin Naroui, 28
  • Aminollah Naroui, 39
  • Aminollah Naroui, 41
  • Mohsen Naroui, 26
  • Musa Naroui, 44
  • Majid Naroui, 47

The arrests reportedly involved violent actions, creating fear and intimidation among the local population. During the raids, some residents’ personal belongings were damaged by the security forces.

Details about the detainees’ whereabouts, the reasons for their arrests, and the charges against them remain unknown at this time.

Sistan and Baluchestan province is one of the four regions with the highest number of human rights violations by regime authorities. In 2024, HRA documented 524 such cases in the province.

Three Prisoners Executed in Zahedan Prison for Drug-Related Charges

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Executions, News
HRANA, Zahedan

On December 9, 2024, three prisoners previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges were executed in Zahedan Prison.

According to Haal Vsh, the identities of the executed prisoners, all residents of Zahedan, are:

  • Khoda-Bakhsh Ghanbarzahi (Barahooie), 40, married, and father of eight.
  • Omid Hosseinzaie, 33, father of one.
  • (First Name Unknown) Rakhshani.

Ghanbarzahi and Hosseinzaie were separately arrested in Zahedan in 2022 and subsequently sentenced to death by the city’s Revolutionary Court on drug-related charges.

As of the time of this report, prison officials and relevant authorities have not publicly confirmed the executions.

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Four Prisoners, Including a Juvenile Offender, Executed in Karaj and Zahedan

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Executions, News
Ahmad Narooie, Ghezel Hesar prison, Mehdi Brahooie, Mohammad Eshaq-Zahi, Saeed Safaie, Zahedan

Today, October 9, the death sentences of four prisoners, including a juvenile offender previously convicted of drug-related charges and murder, were carried out in Zahedan and Ghezel Hesar prisons in Karaj, accroding to Haal Vsh.

The identities of these hanged prisoners have been reported as follows: Ahmad Narooie, 33, and Mohammad Eshaq-Zahi, 31, both residents of Zahedan; Mehdi Brahooie, 21; and Saeed Safaie, approximately 55 years old, Kermanshah.

According to the report, Mehdi Brahooie was arrested in 2019 at the age of 17 on murder charges following a group altercation in Khash. After spending about two years in the Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center, he was transferred to Zahedan Prison. He was eventually sentenced to death by the Juvenile Court of Sistan and Baluchestan Province and was moved to solitary confinement on Sunday, October 6, in preparation for his execution, which was carried out in Zahedan Prison.

Additionally, Narooie and Eshaq-Zahi were arrested in 2020 in Tehran, along with three others, in a joint case on drug-related charges. They were sentenced to death by the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Saeed Safaie, a retired teacher, was also arrested on drug-related charges in 2018. The executions of these three individuals were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

At the time of this report’s publication, the prison authorities and responsible organizations have yet to officially announce the executions.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Prisoner Executed in Zahedan Prison for Drug-Related Crimes

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Executions, News
Amanollah Nohtani, Zabol, Zahedan, امان‌الله نهتانی

Today, September 26, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges was carried out in Zahedan Prison, according to a report by Haal Vsh.

The execution took place at dawn on Thursday, September 26, 2024. The identity of the executed individual has been reported as Amanollah Nohtani, 41 years old, married, and the father of five children, from Zabol.

Mr. Nohtani was arrested five years ago on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of Zabol. In November 2023, he was transferred from Zabol Prison to Zahedan Prison and was moved to quarantine on Tuesday in preparation for his execution.

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

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

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Prisoner Executed in Bandar Abbas Prison

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Executions, News
Bandar Abbas prison, Hamidreza Hasan-Zahi Thani, Zahedan

At dawn today, September 17, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death for drug-related offenses was carried out in Bandar Abbas Prison, according to Haal Vsh.

The identity of the individual has been reported as “Hamidreza Hasan-Zahi Thani, 60 years old, father of eight, from Zahedan.”

According to the report, Mr. Hasan-Zahi Thani was arrested in Rudan in 2021 on drug-related charges and was subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of the county. Last week, he was transferred to Bandar Abbas Prison, and on Sunday, he was moved to solitary confinement in preparation for the execution.

His family was summoned to the prison yesterday, where Mr. Hasan-Zahi Thani met them for the last time.

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

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Six Prisoners Executed in Zahedan Prison

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Executions, News
Citizen executed, Farzad Sanchouli, Noor Mohammad Noori, Saeed Hassanzahi, Zabol, Zahedan, Zahedan Prison

At dawn today, Monday, September 9, the execution of six prisoners previously sentenced to death for non-political crimes, such as drug-related offenses, was carried out in Zahedan Prison.

Haal Vsh identified of four of these prisoners as: Saeed Hassanzahi, 30 years old, father of three, from and residing in Zahedan; (first name unknown) Roudini, from Zahedan; Noor-Mohammad Noori (Noorzahi), married, from Afghanistan; and Farzad Sanchouli, 29 years old, father of three, from Zabol and residing in Zahedan.

These prisoners were transferred from the public ward to the prison’s quarantine section on Saturday night in preparation for their execution. They met with their families for the last time this morning.

According to the report, Mr. Hassanzehi was arrested in 2020 at his home on drug-related charges and was later sentenced to death by the Zahedan Revolutionary Court.

Mr. Noori was arrested in August 2022 at the Milak border terminal in Zabol on similar charges and was sentenced to death by the Zabol Revolutionary Court. He was transferred to Zahedan Prison in June 2023.

As for Mr. Sanchouli, he was arrested in Zabol around four years ago on drug-related charges and was later sentenced to death by the Zabol Revolutionary Court. He was transferred to Zahedan Prison about two years ago.

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

Elham Ostadi Sentenced to One Year in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Chabahar, Ebrahim Kouchakzai, Elham Ostadi, Iranshahr, Zahedan, Zahedan Revolutionary Court

The Revolutionary Court of Zahedan sentenced Elham Ostadi, a resident of Iranshahr, to one year in prison, according to Resanak.

Branch Two of the Zahedan Revolutionary Court issued the sentence, convicting her of “propaganda against the regime.”

The charges against Ostadi stem from her Instagram posts, where she protested the rape of a 15-year-old girl by the former police chief of Chabahar.

Elham Ostadi, a 30-year-old resident of Iranshahr, was arrested by security forces in August of 2023. She was released on bail on September 2, 2022, after posting a 200-million-toman bond (approximately 4000 dollars).

The report also mentioned that Ostadi had previously been fined for “disturbing public opinion” in a separate case.

Local sources had earlier reported that on September 1, 2022, Ebrahim Kouchakzai, the police chief of Chabahar, lured a 15-year-old girl to his private quarters under the pretext of interrogation and raped her. This incident sparked protests across Sistan and Baluchestan province.

In February of 2022, the judiciary announced that Kouchakzai had been convicted by the Military Court of Sistan and Baluchestan for the rape of the 15-year-old girl in the village of Sedighzahi. He was sentenced to imprisonment and dismissed from public service.

Ongoing Detention and Lack of Information on Marzieh Rigi Khalas’s Whereabouts

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News, Prisoners
Davood Rigi, Fazelabad, Golestan province, HRANA, Marzieh Rigi Khales, Zahedan, مرضیه ریگی خالص

Marzieh Rigi Khales, a resident of Zahedan, remains in detention and incommunicado 44 days after her arrest. Security forces have cited her husband’s activities on social media as the reason for her detention and have demanded that her husband surrender to the security authorities.

A source close to the family confirmed to HRANA: “This citizen traveled from Zahedan to Fazelabad city in Golestan province on June 1st to attend a relative’s wedding and was staying at her father’s house. Agents from the Ministry of Intelligence in Gorgan raided the house and arrested Ms. Rigi Khales. The agents stated that the reason for her detention was to compel her husband to surrender to the security authorities, claiming that he had been active on social media against the regime.”

According to HRANA reports, during her detention, Rigi Khales has contacted her family twice by phone, but her whereabouts remain unknown, heightening her family’s concerns.

Rigi Khales, aged 28, is a mother of two children. HRANA has verified the identity of her husband, Davood Rigi from Zahedan.

Sunni Cleric Besmellah Khogiani Arrested in Zahedan

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News, Religious Minorities
Besmellah Khogiani, HRANA, Zahedan, بسم الله خوگیانی

On Saturday, June 8th, Besmellah Khogiani, a Sunni cleric, was detained by security forces in Zahedan and taken to an undisclosed location.

A source close to the cleric confirmed the arrest to HRANA, stating, “This Sunni cleric was arrested at his home by the agents from the Ministry of Intelligence on Saturday, and has been taken to an unknown location.”
The reasons for his arrest, the charges, and his whereabouts are unknown at the time of this writing.

Molavi Besmellah Khogiani, who serves as the Imam of Friday prayer at Siddiqi Mosque in Karimabad, Zahedan, has previously been arrested.