Execution
Inmate executed in Yazd
https://iranhr.net/fa/articles/4486/
https://www.hra-news.org/2020/hranews/a-27337/
In the morning of Sunday, November 1, 2020, Heydar Ali Mohammadian charged with ‘mediated murder’ and sentenced to ‘Qesas’ was executed at Yazd Central Prison.
An informed source explained the details of the case: “Mohammadian was in prison since 2017. Last year he was taken to the gallows but was able to buy time to provide the family of the victim with the blood money. As he was not able to provide the money, he was executed.”
This execution has not been announced so far by Iran’s media or its official sources.
(Human Rights Activists in Iran, Iran Human Rights – Nov. 04, 2020)
Arbitrary killing
A citizen shot dead by military forces in Rusk
https://www.hra-news.org/2020/hranews/a-27238/
On Sunday, October 25, 2020, when military forces started shooting in Rusk County located in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, a citizen was hit and lost his life. He is identified as Nazar Dehqani.
An informed local source said: “He was carrying an empty gallon returning home from border.
Near the patrol station, they shot at his car without any warning leading to his death. The body was taken by the force to Rusk city’s hospital and from there to an unknown location”. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Oct. 28, 2020)
treatment and cruel punishments
Amputation, flogging, torture and humiliation
A woman and a man sentenced to overall 114 lashes
https://www.magiran.com/article/4107527
Two culprits in Tehran were sentenced to overall 114 lashes and other punishments by Tehran Province’s first branch Penal Court. The woman is identified as Shima and the man, Jomeh from Afghanistan.
Sharq daily reported at the end of the trial and the culprits’ defense, the board of judges of branch nine of Tehran Province’s Penal Court sentenced the woman to 15 years in jail and 74 lashes for planning the robbery and executing it and the man to 5 years in prison and 40 lashes. They have to return the stolen goods too. The court ordered that Jomeh must leave the country. (Sharq state-run daily– Oct. 28, 2020)
Civil activist: I had to confess under psychological tortures
Sirous Abbasi and his spouse, Farideh Vaisi, civil activists were arrested on December 15, 2019 after the security agents of the Intelligence Bureau in Dehgalan City raided their work place.
On Saturday October 31, 2020, Farideh Vaisi posted a clip on her Instagram page explaining this detention: “For 45 days I was detained at solitary confinement…I was tortured by IRGC intelligence’s forces. Time and again while under interrogation I was given terrible news about my daughter, and I wasn’t allowed to call.”
She continued: “With such pressures, I was forced to confess in front of the camera to deeds I had not done and to testify against myself. I had to repeat a sentence times and again during this TV confession so that the clip would be accepted by the experts to be recorded and published.”
Sirus Abbasi said: “My wife’s poor physical condition made me to ask her to confess to what they wanted in front of the TV camera.
According to a subpoena issued by the court Farideh Vaisi and Sirous Abbasi must be present at Branch1 of Sanandaj Revolution Court on Monday November 2, 2020. (Hengaw– Nov. 01, 2020)
Detainee of November 2019 protests reveals torture, compulsory confessions and efforts for kidnapping
https://ir.voanews.com/civil-rights/iran-human-rights-protester
A detainee of November 2019 protest, now at Turki, revealed severe violation of Human Rights by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Fatemeh Khoshroo said that she had underwent unbearable physical and psychological tortures by regime’s elements after her detention.
As she puts it, they eventually freed her on this condition that she returns to Turkey, gathers intelligence about a particular person and drags that person close to Iran’s border. She is recently sentenced by branch1 of Khoram-Abad Revolution Court to a year in prison in her absentia. According to the issued decree, Hasan Karam Poor, the judge has accused her of charges such as taping the protest gathering and sending it abroad as well as participating in the protests.
Detention, beating, torture
Fathemeh Khoshroo said that during her interrogation she has been beaten time and again and has been tortured physically and psychologically. The security forces have put her in front of the camera, many times, to tape her compulsory confession. They have threatened her that if she doesn’t cooperate with the Islamic Republic, her family will be detained too.
Khoshroo says that when she went to Iran last November to visit her family, she participated in the protests in Khoram Abad. She was arrested by security agents while being beaten by them. She was kept at the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps detention center, Evin Prison and Khoram Abad Prison for more than 60 days. Eventually she was freed on a 100 million tomans bail temporarily till the end of her trial.
Ms. Khoshroo said that after her detention, the security forces have gone to her father’s home, searched it, and temporarily confiscated her IDs including her passport and Turkey’s residency card.
Pressure to cooperate in kidnapping
Ms. Khoshroo said that the interrogators have asked her to help IRI to kidnap a person in Turkey in return for her freedom. She said that the interrogators gave her the information of a person and told her they will free her if “you can help us to trap this person.” (Voice of America– Nov. 01, 2020)
Prison
Prison conditions
After three days of call cuts, the lawyer of Amir Hossein Moradi expressed concern about his health
Not being in touch with his family or lawyer for three days, the lawyer of Amir Hossein Moradi, expressed concern about this (political) prisoner’s health. Babak Paknia tweeted: “This is the fourth day that Amir Hossein has not called me or his family. My follow ups show, Mohammad (Rajabi) and Saeed (Tamjidi) are in poor health.”
He said that he is worried because Amir Hossein was previously sick with his immune system. This lawyer emphasized that the prison authorities are responsible for his clients’ health. Amir Hossein Moradi, Mohammad Rajabi and Saeed Tamjidi three culprits, are detainees of November 2019 uprising. Amir Hossein’s father committed suicide about a month ago. (Al-Arabia– Nov. 01, 2020)
13 detainenes of November 2019 protests deprived of medical care
https://www.hra-news.org/2020/hranews/a-27266/
Mohammad Rajabi, Amir Hossein Moradi, Mohammad Adam, Khaled Pirzad, Amir Hossein Keshavarzi, Iman Marzan Bakhsh, Mohammad Bagher Souri, Saeed Asadi and Hamid Jahangiri are among confined political prisoners at the Great Tehran Prison that are deprived from any medical care though they have symptoms of coronavirus infection. These inmates, detainees of November 2019 protests are having fever, shivering, dizziness, body pain, headache, severe Diarrhea and vomiting since Thursday, October 29, 2020.
Political prisoner Amir Hossein Moradi, who is sentenced to death was transferred to the infirmary of the ward complex No.2 when his symptoms intensified. 12 other inmates were taken to infirmary on Friday morning October 30, 2020 to be checked. At the infirmary they just took their temperatures and did no conduct a coronavirus test. He gave them pills for cold and returned them to the ward.
The Great Tehran’s infirmary lacks minimum medical equipment. It is contaminated itself; even a trash of infectious items is left there since a few days ago. The yard which saloons 9 and 10 use it is filled with mice excrements which in itself can cause various illnesses. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Oct. 30, 2020)
Fatemeh Mosanna is returned to Evin despite severe internal bleeding.
Fatemeh Mosanna was returned to Evin Prison despite severe internal bleeding
Political prisoner Fatemeh Mosanna had been transferred to Tehran’s Taleghani Hospital on October 27, 2020, after she suffered severe internal bleeding.
Her intestines had been bleeding for months, but her situation got worse in the past week.
The physician in Taleghani Hospital said Ms. Mosanna needed to be hospitalized to undergo treatment under his supervision. And if the treatment did not prove to be effective, she needed to undergo surgery, the physician emphasized.
Despite the doctor’s recommendations, Evin prison agents returned Ms. Mosanna back to the women’s ward of Evin.
Amin Vaziri, the assistant Prosecutor overseeing political prisoners, and the Intelligence Ministry did not agree even with a temporary medical leave for Ms. Mosanna
Fatemeh Mosanna was first taken to hospital on September 7, 2020, after she felt really sick, but she was returned to Evin the next day.
Sakineh Parvaneh relocated from Evin to Quchan Prison
Political prisoner Sakineh Parvaneh was transferred out of Evin Prison on October 27, 2020 and sent to the Prison of Quchan.
Sakineh Parvaneh was brutalized several times in Evin and Qarchak prisons. She was sent to a psychiatric hospital several times. In one instance, she was kept in Tehran’s Aminabad Psychiatric Hospital for 25 days and then returned to Qarchak prison.
Sakineh Parvaneh went on hunger strike twice to protest the behavior of prison authorities.
In early July, she was transferred back to Evin from Qarchak Prison. Born in 1988, she was serving her 5-year sentence in the women’s ward of Evin Prison. This Kurdish woman comes from Razavi Khorasan Province. (NCRI women’s committee – Oct. 29, 2020)
Majid Zabihi was arrested in a raid conducted by intelligence agents to serve his term in prison.
On Tuesday, October 20, 2020, political prisoner, Majid Zabihi, 60, was detained when armed security agents raided his house and was taken to Tabriz Central Prison to serve his eight-month term. His family protested the raid while they have been threatened time and again by security and intelligence forces by phone.
An informed source said that Mr. Zabihi was arrested because he expressed his joy when Qasem Soleimani was killed and distributed sweets.
Majid Zabihi was arrested on February 8, 2020, by the agents of the Intelligence Ministry at his home in Tabriz and was freed temporarily on bail a while later, till the end of his trial. He was sentenced to eight months in prison by Tabriz Revolution Court on charge of “propagating against the Nezam through cooperating with the PMOI/MEK”.
Majid Zabihi is a former political prisoner. He is now 60. In 1980s he was confined at Tabriz prison for 5 years. (Javanehha.com– Oct. 28, 2020)
November 2019 protests: Ms. Roqieh Bigdeli summoned to be sent to exile
https://www.hra-news.org/2020/hranews/a-27293/
Ms. Roqieh Bigdeli, residing in Karaj City and a detainee of November 2019 protests is summoned to be sent to exile for two years to Zanjan.
Bigdeli was arrested on January 11, 2020, by security forces who battered her at the time of arrest in Karaj’s Gohardasht, third square. She was taken to the detention center of the Security Police in Nabovvat St. She was taken to hospital suspicious of having a trauma at her head but was returned to the detention center on Sunday, January 12 and from there in the evening to Karaj’s Kachoee Prison.
Eventually she was sentenced to 5 years suspended prison term and two years of exile to Zanjan by branch1 of Karaj Revolution Court on charges of ‘membership in a crowd in contradiction with the country’s security’, ‘propagating against the Nezam’ and ‘inciting others to fight and kill to disrupt country’s security.’
According to the article2 of the law on commutation of decrees, her sentence was reduced to 2 years in prison. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Nov. 01, 2020)
A Baluchi citizen lost his life at Kerman Prison
In the evening of Friday, October 30, 2020, Khalil Dast Afshan (Barahooee), 32, from Zahedan, suspiciously lost his life at Kerman Prison without having any former health problems.
An informed source said: “Kerman Prison’s authorities didn’t give a convincing reason for his death to his family.” (Baluchi Activists Campaign– Nov. 01, 2020)
Akbar Baqeri deployed to hospital
https://www.hra-news.org/2020/hranews/a-27341/
Political prisoner, Akbar Baqeri, confined at the Great Tehran Prison, having chest pain was deployed to Firoz-Abadi Hospital on Monday, November 2, 2020 and taken back to prison the day after. He is also suffering from low hemoglobin, colon & liver problems as well as hemorrhoid; he is in need of surgery.
An informed source aware of his conditions said: “He was shackled in hands and feet the whole time. When he asked for the chain to be opened, the soldier accompanying him asked for money. As he didn’t have any with him, he asked the soldier to call his family. He calls the family and tells them to deposit money for Mr. Baqeri’s food. The family deposited 200,000 tomans but the soldier still didn’t unchain him, so Mr. Baqeri asked to be returned to the prison.”
Mr. Baqeri’s trial was in summer of 2018 at branch15 of Tehran Revolution Court, presiding Judge Salavati. He sentenced Mr. Baqeri to 7.5 years in prison on charge of ‘gathering and collusion’ and to another 1.5 years for ‘propagating against the Nezam’. The decree was identically upheld at the revision court. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Nov. 04, 2020)
Judiciary prevents Ali Younesi and Amir Hossein Moradi, jailed for 8 months, to sign for their lawyer’s proxy
Mostafa Nili lawyer of Ali Younesi and Amir Hossein Moradi, students and winners of gold and silver medals at scientific Olympiads who are confined at prison for about eight months said that the Judiciary’s officials prevent the two to sign for his proxy. On his tweeter account on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, Mr. Nili pointed to the fact and tweeted: “The assistant prosecutor allocated for the prison has prevented them from signing the proxy so far on the pretext that he needs permission from the court.”
Mr. Nili has formerly mentioned that the Judiciary has appointed a lawyer for them.
Moradi and Younesi were detained on April 10, 2020 by Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) security agents being beaten. They are still confined, indicted with security charges. The Younesi family has time and again said that the charges were ‘baseless’ and ‘a complete lie’. Sources close to their families said that they are under pressure by security agents to have a TV interview. Accordingly, they are told to ‘prevent execution’ they have to yield to compulsory confessions.
Contracting coronavirus, again
Mr. Nili continues in his tweet: “In his call with the family today, Ali Younesi said that he has contracted coronavirus and is in quarantine section now for 12 days.”
Younesi’s lawyer also expressed hope that “his detention be ended by putting a bail” for him so that his treatment would speed up.
Formerly in late spring, Ali Younesi’s brother has informed that he had contracted coronavirus and had expressed concern about his health.
Ali Younesi is the gold winner of Global Astronomic Olympiad and Amir Hossein Moradi is the silver winner of the country’s Astronomic Olympiad. (Iran International– Nov. 04, 2020)
Prison sentences
November 2019 protests: Mahi al-din Asghari sentenced to life-in-prison
https://www.hra-news.org/2020/hranews/a-27333/
Mahi al-din Asghari from Kermanshah was sentenced to a year in jail, suspended for four years, by Kermanshah’s penal court. A report by an informed source says: “This citizen was charged with giving refuge to one of the wounded protesters of the November 2019 protests at his home. He was tried and sentenced to jail.”
Mr. Asghari was detained on November 29, 2020, by security agents and taken to Kermanshah Intelligence Bureau’s detention center.
Eventually he was freed on bail after being confined for 27 days at the detention center and eight days at Kermanshah Dizel-Abad Prison. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Nov. 04, 2020)
A detainee of November 2019 protests in Marivan taken to jail to serve his 5-year term
A Kurd citizen, Poshtivan Afsar, who was formerly detained during the November 2019 protests in Marivan and was sentenced to five years in jail, was detained and taken to Sanandaj Central Prison after he was summoned to the city’s revolution court.
This citizen was arrested on November 19, 2020, in Marivan in the course of the nationwide protests by the forces of IRGC Intelligence Organization. He was taken to IRGC’s detention center in Sanandaj, called Shahram-Far.
After a month of interrogation at this security detention center he was freed on a 400 million tomans bail.
Poshtivan Afsar was sentenced by branch2 of Sanandaj Revolution Court on mid-January 2020 to 9 years in prison on charge of ‘membership at Iran Kurdistan Democratic Party’. After he objected, the revision court commuted the sentence to five years in prison. (Kurdistan Human Rights Network– Nov. 04, 2020)
Basic freedom and rights abused
120 activists of social media arrested by Tehran’s FATA police
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1399/08/10/2379947
The head of Tehran Cyber Police (FATA) said: The plan to confront the thugs is carried out throughout the country with consistency. At the first half of the current year the issue was strongly pursuit; more than 120 thugs been active on social media were arrested by Tehran’s FATA. (Tasnim state-run news agency– Oct. 31, 2020)
A Telegram channel admin detained in Yazd on charge of “disrupting minds”
https://fararu.com/fa/news/460597
An admin of a Telegram channel in Yazd was charged with ‘disrupting minds’ at cyber space and was arrested.
Morteza Abutalebi, the chief of Yazd FATA announced the news and said: “An unknown person was spreading lies on social media regarding the problems of the city
of Yazd. He incited his channel members and organized them to stage illegal gatherings and destroy the provinces reputation regarding its security.”
He added: “Having the importance of the issue in mind the FATA specialists took the task to identify him and started technical investigations. The person was identified and arrested in the shortest time. (Fararoo state-run website– Nov. 01, 2020)
Suppressive maneuvers
Tehran’s prosecutor office: A base is stablished to counter the thugs
https://www.isna.ir/amp/99081006377/
Tehran’s Public and Revolution Parquet announced that a base has been established to counter the thugs
The public relation of this parquet announced: “A meeting was held to increase measures against the thugs with the presence of Tehran’s Public and Revolution Prosecutor, Senior military commanders, commanders of Social Security Force (SSF) and the Security Force of the province and related judges at the Tehran’s parquet…Ali Al-qasi Mehr said in the meeting: “We will not permit the thugs to disrupt security even a bit, we will confront them decisively…”
The other subject of the meeting was to establish a common base under the auspicious of Tehran Revolution and Public Prosecutor with the presence of security and SSF bodies to confront the violators. Issuing judicial orders to identify, keep under surveillance (the thugs) was the other issue laid out in this meeting.
It was determined that the main violators must be quickly identified, documented and arrested in the shortest time based on judicial warrants.
These meetings will take place every other week with the presence of senior judicial, SSF and security officials of Tehran Province; this was another priority of the meeting which was emphasized on. (ISNA state-run news agency– Oct. 31, 2020)
The country’s General Prosecutor supports showcasing culprits in public
https://www.mehrnews.com/news/5061129
Mohammad Jafari Montazeri the country’s General Prosecutor said: “Showcasing of culprits in public, executed by the Social Security Force (SSF), if in the framework of the law, is supported by the Judiciary.”
Pointing to the measures and plans adopted by SSF to counter the thugs he stated: “To confront thugs is a serious and tactical policy of the Judiciary…”
Talking about the events after a thug was showcased in Tehran’s Moshirieh neighborhood, he said: “Showcasing culprits in public is allowed by the law but it must be conducted in the framework of the law and based on a Judiciary decree.”
Montazeri added: “This is a kind of punishment…If it is executed according to the law, the Judiciary not only supports it but it is one of the punishments that must be kept in mind.” (Mehr state-run daily– Nov. 01, 2020)
Chief of SSF: decisively countering thugs will continue
SSF operations are guided by Khamenei
Hossein Ashtari, chief of SSF said that decisively countering the thugs will have good results and this plan continues as necessary.
He reminded: “With the guidance of the honorable leader of the revolution, the SSF will properly carry out its missions. The SSF agents nationwide, from borders to cities to road and villages will act to preserve the security.” (Tasnim state-run news agency– Oct. 31, 2020)
On the anniversary of November 2019 protests: Maneuver to defend 150 sensitive key centers in 51 cities with above 200,000 strong population
On the anniversary of November 2019 protests, a defensive maneuver is taking place around 150 key centers of the Islamic Republic on the context of the civil defense planning. The readiness of these 150 centers to defend their infrastructures are tested. The maneuver called: ‘Defense maneuver regarding bases on the level of all the ministries in 51 cities with a population over 200,000’.
On Saturday the emergency generators of these places were checked in case of a general power cut.
The commander of the maneuver is brigadier general Gholamreza Jalali, the head of Civil Defense Organization and a high rank commander in Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Explaining his organization’s executive measures, he said: “We have made a plan ready called civil defense. 40 important executive measures are adopted and imparted according to this plan. The plan will be implemented in three years. Also in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Development, we have laid out plans regarding Industrial townships with dangerous material (industries), so that we can relocate these industries from within the cities to the outskirts.” (IRNA state-run news agency, Iran International– Nov. 01, 2020)
Marand County; detentions
Marand County Public & Revolution Prosecutor announced the arrest of three thugs in this county.
Alipoor said: “Their arrest was immediately on the agenda of Marand County’s prosecutor’s office. Eventually their hiding place was identified in one of the cities. The warrant for their temporarily arrest was issued. They were arrested with the
cooperation of SSF agents (Social Security Force) and sent to prison. (IRIB state-run website– Nov. 01, 2020)
Qaemshahr; 12 detentions http://www.ion.ir/news/633593
Qaemshahr’s chief of SSF announced 12 arrests in this county. Mehdi Khademi said: “the plan for increasing social security is carried out in this county. 12 people have been identified and detained in a hit operation.” (Iran Online state-run website– Nov. 03, 2020)
Violence against women
A clothing shop using female modeling for advertisement was closed down
https://www.mehrnews.com/news/5058658
Amol County’s Public and Revolution Prosecutor announced that a clothing shop was closed down and its manager summoned for using female models without veil for advertisement.
Mehdi Mohammadi stated: “This shop is located in a busy street in Amol city. In an immoral act, the manager has used some girls to advertise for his goods outside the shop.”
He added: “He took pictures from the models without having veil, wearing the clothes he sold and posted them at the shops Instagram account.” (Mehr state-run news agency– Oct. 28, 2020)
Appendix
Coronavirus in Iran’s prisons
Keeping prisoners suspicious of contracting coronavirus in Quarantine section while shackled.
Authorities at Bukan Prison have ordered prisoners suspicious of contracting coronavirus to be transferred to the gym and be shacked to a bed in their hands and feet for a week.
An informed source said: “As there is no Quarantine section in this ward the gym is being used for it. The new prisoners and those suspicious of having the virus are chained to old beds in their hands and feet from 3 to 7 days there.”
As the source puts it, Bukan Prison’s warden has announced that if any prisoner catches the virus, as there is no place to keep him there, he will be transferred to Urmia Central Prison.
About 250 prisoners are kept at Bukan Prison in two separate wards. The high number of the inmates and the spread of the virus has raised concerns among them. Contrary to other prisons, the presiding judge of this prison has asked for several fold’s bail to grant a furlough resulting in a surge in the number of prisoners (present). (Kurdistan Human Rights Network– Oct. 29, 2020)
Disastrous Prison Conditions in Northeast Iran During the Pandemic
Reports from the Central Prison of Mashhad indicate disastrous prison conditions as prisons across Iran are plagued with the coronavirus.
Rights groups say between five and six inmates in this prison lose their lives every day in this prison. As for reason of these deaths, prison authorities say they die of natural causes to cover up the disastrous prison conditions.
The minimum sanitary requirements are not present in the Central Prison of Mashhad. Like other prisons, inmates in this prison are deprived of basic hygienic products.
Overcrowding has made social distancing impossible in this prison, facilitating transmission of the virus.
The toilets and bathrooms in this prison are also in horrible condition. Water pipes leak and water drops from ceilings. The halls housing the prisoners are full of ticks, lice and cockroaches, making life very difficult for them.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet declared in a statement on October 6, that she was deeply concerned about the conditions of most of those who may have been arbitrarily detained — including human rights defenders,
lawyers, dual and foreign nationals, conservationists, and others deprived of their liberty. She said they have been placed at a heightened risk of contracting the virus.
She called for their release during the coronavirus pandemic. “It is particularly important to rectify such injustices at a time when COVID-19 is coursing through Iran’s prisons.”
Lack of hygienic and sanitary resources and products and overcrowding of prison halls put the lives of prisoners at high risk during the pandemic. This has been verified by Amnesty International on July 31, 2020. Amnesty International published images of four letters from Iranian prison authorities to the Ministry of Health, warning about “the widespread shortages of protective equipment, disinfectant products, and medical supplies.” (Iran HRM – Nov. 02, 2020)
More than 120 inmates suspicious of contracting coronavirus at Urmia Central Prison
More than 120 prisoners suspicious of contracting coronavirus at Urmia Central Prison are left unattended; no measure taken by the prison authorities to prevent the spread and to provide medical care.
Currently 114 inmates from Ward14 and 15 from the ward allocated to political prisoners are having the symptoms. In Moshavereh Ward, eight are infected with the virus but only two who were in critical conditions were taken to the hospital.
Prisoners are deprived of medication and medical care. As the number of physicians at the prison is not enough, many of them have not been even visited yet by a doctor. (Javanehha– Nov. 02, 2020)