COVID-19 Fear in Iran’s Prisons: Iran Must Do More to Protect Prisoners September 3, 2020 HRANA – Nearly half a year has passed since Iranian officials acknowledged the grave threat posed by the novel coronavirus to the country’s prison population. In late February 2020, high-ranking officials in the prison and judicial systems announced new protocols to head off a health catastrophe in the country’s chronically overcrowded and underfunded penal system, […]

An updated report on January protests in Iran January 20, 2020 On January 8, 2020, the Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, killing all 176 people onboard including Iranians, Canadians, Ukrainians, Swedes, Afghans, Germans, and British nationals. On January 11, 2020, thousands of people took to the streets across the country after General Staff of the Armed […]

Saba Kord Afshari was sentenced to extra 15 years of imprisonment despite being acquitted June 2, 2020 Saba Kord Afshari, a civil activist who is currently imprisoned in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for “promoting corruption”, a charge of which she was previously acquitted. Her lawyer has expressed his concerns regarding her acquittal which was communicated to her in prison, emphasizing the unlawful proceedings of her case. […]

Domestic violence increased during coronavirus quarantines and stay-at-home orders April 5, 2020 Mahmoud Aligoo, the head of the department of social harms of the State Welfare Organization reported an increase in the number of domestic violence and child abuse by assessing the number of calls made to the national director of Iran’s social emergency hotline. On April 1, 2020, Behzad Vahidnia, the head of counseling and psychology […]

1980s executions; Demolition of Sajedi brothers’ gravesite in Azna / Images September 10, 2020 HRANA News Agency – The graves of Seyed Masoud (Nabi) Sajedi and Seyed Saeed (Hadi) Sajedi, two victims of the massacre of political prisoners in the 1980s, that were in their father’s private garden located in Azna of the Lorestan province, were demolished. The families of these victims were barred from placing headstones all these […]

15 years imprisonment for two of the arrestees of last November protests January 14, 2020 On January 13, 2020, Mobin Moradi was sentenced to a six-year prison term by Kermanshah Revolutionary Court on the charge of “cooperation with an opposition group”. He was arrested during November protests in Kermanshah and was released on 200 million Tomans [approx. 20 thousand dollars] bail on December 9, 2019. In addition, on the same […]

A Baha’i citizen, Elaheh Samizadeh, sentenced to an extra year in prison May 25, 2020 Elaheh Samizadeh, a Baha’i citizen, has been sentenced to one extra year of imprisonment and two years suspension from holding all governmental and public jobs by Branch 105 of Shiraz Criminal Court. Ms. Samizadeh had previously been sentenced to six years in prison by Branch One of Shiraz Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed […]

Three labor activists were arrested February 28, 2020 Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced Hirad Pirdaghi, Roham Yeganeh, and Farid Lotfabadi to imprisonment and lashes. According to this verdict, Hirad Pirdaghi was sentenced to six months imprisonment on the charge of “assembly and collusion”. Roham Yeganeh and Farid Lotfabadi were sentenced to six months imprisonment and 74 lashes which are suspended for […]