The death toll of the Evin prison fire: an Iran-based solitary confinement facility with a prisoner’s lifeguard

Tasnim, a news agency that is part of the state-aligned Revolutionary Guard, reported Monday that the death toll from the Evin prison fire has risen to eight. Citing Iranian authorities, earlier reports by state-run news agency IRNA said dozens of others were injured after prisoners set fire to a warehouse.

The notoriously brutal facility is known for housing political prisoners in the country, which has seen mass protests in recent weeks against the Islamic regime that has ruled it for decades.

Sources inside the prison told pro-reform outlet IranWire that guards fired tear gas all night after the fire broke out. In some instances, prisoners were required to break their windows to breathe.

In an interview with Radio Farda – the Iranian branch of the US government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – Saeedi said her husband called her from the prison and told her that he and fellow jailed filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof are in good health.

Saeedi added that from the time the fire broke out Saturday night to when she got a call from her husband the next day were the worst hours of her life.

Activist group 1500tasvir reported earlier that, in videos posted on social media, gunshots were heard and Iranian special forces were seen heading to the area where the prison is believed to be located.

Inmates on Ward 8 have no water, gas, or bread and 45 of them were transferred “to an unknown place,” Daemi said. They are worried about being transferred to other prisons, solitary confinement and interrogation, since they are fine now.

Many inmates had been transferred to Rajaei Shahr prison, about 20 kilometers west (12 miles) of Tehran, Mostafa Nili, a lawyer who represents a number of prisoners, said on Twitter. IranWire has video of a bus transporting prisoners away from Evin.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/17/middleeast/iran-evin-prison-fire-survivors-guards-tear-gas-intl-hnk/index.html

The Namazi-Jared Genser lawyer says the jail situation in Iran is not related to the protests that have been launched in late September

Hosein said that his wife told him she heard terrifying sounds and thought something terrible had happened, but she was doing well.

Hosein said Hamedi is being held in Evin’s Section 209 – notorious for housing prisoners of conscience – and did not have information about other areas of the prison.

Iranian-American Siamak Namazi, who has been detained in Iran for seven years and was forced to return to prison on Wednesday after briefly being released on furlough, is also safe, according to the Namazi family lawyer Jared Genser.

The prosecutor said that the jail situation was not connected to the protests that have swept the country following the death of a woman in police custody.

ISTANBUL. The Iranian government executed two people after the death of a young Kurdish woman in the custody of the “morality police.”

Iran is one of the world’s top executioners. Hanging is the most efficient way to execute prisoners. An document signed by a senior Iranian police commander asks that an execution for a prisoner be completed in the fastest time possible, and that his death sentence be carried out in public as a heart-warming gesture towards the security forces.

The secretary general of Amnesty International and the former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture have called for the United Nations to hold Iran’s leaders accountable.

Activists say at least 16 people have been sentenced to death in closed-door hearings over charges linked to the protests. Death sentences in Iran are typically carried out by hanging.

They were convicted on the charge of “disturbing public order and peace, community, and colluding to commit a crime against national security, war and corruption on Earth, war through arson, and intentional destruction,” according to state news agency IRNA on Sunday.

Five others who took part in the protests received sentences of five to 10 years in prison, convicted of “collusion to commit a crime against national security and disturbance of public peace and order.”

IRNA said these decisions can be appealed. The protester who received a death sentence was not given any information about when or where they committed the crime.

At least a dozen people have been sentenced to death in closed-door hearings. At least 488 people have been killed since the demonstrations began in mid-September, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group that’s been monitoring the protests. Another 18,200 people have been detained by authorities.

That figure includes 43 children and 25 women, the group said in an update to its death toll on Saturday, saying that its published number represented an “absolute minimum.”

CNN cannot independently verify the number of people facing executions in Iran or the latest arrest figures related to protests in Iran, as it is impossible for anyone outside the Iranian government to confirm.

Iranian athletes and celebrities have stepped forward to support the anti-government protests despite the risk of arrest and harsher punishments.

The possibility of the death penalty for other people involved in the protests is also on the table, as is the execution. The protests have since expanded into one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s theocracy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

A man who attacked a member of the security forces with a machete in Tehran was executed in December. A week later, Iran executed a second prisoner, Majidreza Rahnavard, by public hanging. He was accused of attacking two members of the Basij militia.

The news agency Mizan Online named the protester as Mohsen Shebari, while Tasmin news agency named him. He was reportedly convicted of “waging war against God” for stabbing a member of the Basij paramilitary force at a protest in Tehran on September 23.

Shekari was hanged on Thursday morning just hours after he was sentenced to death. It was the first execution connected to the protests to be publicly reported by state media.

“His execution must be met with the strongest possible terms and international reactions. The director of the group said that they will be facing executions of protesters who are protesting for their rights.

In a message ahead of Students’ Day on December 7 – which marks the anniversary of the murder of three university students by Iranian police under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s regime in 1953 – the reformist former leader said the government must listen to the demonstrators before it is too late.

A Sunni cleric in Iran has called on the judiciary to investigate the prosecution of women in prisons for their role in the protests

On Tuesday, a prominent Iranian Sunni cleric called on the country’s judiciary to investigate and prosecute people who abuse women in prisons.

Alidoosti was one of the Iranian celebrities that supported the protests and criticized the authorities for their violent treatment of dissent. She had encouraged her followers to support the protests before her account was disabled.

Since the demonstrations began, there have been reports of forced detaining and physical abuse being used to target the Kurdish minority group.

In recent weeks, covert testimony has shown how sexual violence has been directed against protesters in Iran’s detention centers.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader has praised the Basij – a wing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard – for its role in the crackdown, describing the protest movement as “rioters” and “thugs” backed by foreign forces.

Activists warn that others could also be put to death in the near future, saying that at least a dozen people so far have received death sentences over their involvement in the demonstrations.

The Mizan report also alleged that Shekari said he had been offered money by an acquaintance to attack the security forces. Iran’s government for months has been trying to allege — without offering evidence — that foreign countries have fomented the unrest in the country, rather than Iranian citizens angry over the collapse of the country’s finances, heavy-handed policing and the nation’s other woes.

Mizan said Rahnavard had been convicted in Mashhad’s Revolutionary Court. The international community criticized the tribunals for not allowing people on trial to pick their own lawyers.

The reenactment of the attack shown in the heavily edited footage was a lie by prosecutors, who said that the footage showed the reenactment of the attack. Iran’s Revolutionary Courts handed down the two other death sentences already carried out.

Soheil Jahangiri is one of the Iranians to receive such a sentence. Members of his family told CNN they haven’t heard from him in over a month. Jahangiri, an independent attorney, was not allowed to do so by officials.

Iranian officials defended the trials. The Iranian lawmaker believes that those who were involved in the current unrest should be executed within 10 days after their arrest. CNN did not receive an official response from Iranian officials to their request for comment.

The death of a student and a protester killed by a security force in a major city, Iran: protests, arrests and the visibility of the protests

Iran’s Mizan news agency, under the country’s judiciary, alleged Rahnavard stabbed two security force members to death Nov. 17 in Mashhad and wounded four others.

A state TV footage showed a man running after another and being stabbed by a man who was standing over him. The assailant, which state TV alleged was Rahnavard, then fled.

Mizan reported that the dead was a “student” Basij, paramilitary volunteers under the Revolutionary Guard. The Basij have been attacking and detaining protesters in major cities, and in some cases fought back.

There was no motive for the alleged attack. The report accused Rahnavard of trying to flee to a foreign country when he was arrested.

One of the holiest spots for Shiites in the world is Mashhad, a city that sits over 500 miles east of Tehran. There have been strikes, shops are closed and demonstrations since the death of a young woman by the morality police in Iran.

There were demonstrations Thursday in Iran and one prisoner was executed. Amid the unrest, Iran has seen its rial currency drop to new lows against the U.S. dollar.

Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi, two other famous Iranian actresses, were arrested in November for expressing solidarity with protesters on social media. Voria Ghafouri was arrested that month for insulting the national soccer team and propagandizing against the government. All of the three have been released.

State media outlet Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, said Alidoosti had been arrested because there was no evidence for her claims.

Alidoosti, known as a feminist activist, showed her support for the protest movement with a picture of herself without an Islamic hijab and a sign that said “women, life, freedom.”

After Shekari’s execution, she said in another post: “Your silence means supporting tyranny and tyrants,” adding that “every international organization who is watching this bloodshed and not taking action, is a disgrace to humanity.”

I will fight for justice for the families of prisoners who were killed. She promised to fight for her home as well as stand for her rights.

The “Death to the Dwarf”: A Remark on the March against Repression in Iran and the Era of Islamic Law

A pro-government TV channel aired audio that was described as Rahnavard’s confession to police. NPR was unable to confirm the authenticity of the audio.

The recording says that his arrow hit his brother, who was murdered by the Basij militia.

The protesters say they are fed up after decades of political and social repression. The slogan “Death to the dictator” refers to Iran’s supreme leader, the 83-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has held the office for more than three decades.

The deputy head of Allameh University in Tehran told Iran’s Mehr news agency that some students were banned from taking classes because of their participation in the December 7 rally.

“These students did not appreciate our tolerant behavior and kept on going,” the official was quoted as saying.

The number of prisoners is much larger. At least 39 people are seen as at risk of being executed or sentenced to death, according to rights groups.

A 53-year-old radiologist was sentenced to death. His wife Farzaneh Ghareh Hassanlou has been sentenced to 25 years’ solitary confinement. Both were arrested after they were caught up in a protest.

Hassanlou was tortured and did not have access to his own lawyer, anti-regime activists say. The attorney who was appointed by the government advised his client to accept crimes against God, despite the fact that he had no defense.

Nasr-Azadani allegedly confessed to his crimes in ‘Shahid Alikhani’, Iran’s most celebrated square, according to a witness

He said that there was no violence at all. ” On the personality level, very opinionated,” she said. And on something he believed in, he could be as stubborn as hell.”

He says he’s proud of you. “Because I can honestly say I am.” I’m veryproud of him, but at the same time, I miss him. I never asked why he did it. The implication was huge for him, for his family and all of the people around him. I’m still proud of him.

There was a square known as ‘Shahid Alikhani’ and it is located in the historic Iranian city of Isifahan. Its sole claim to prominence is the grand entrance to one of the city’s main metro stations.

It has become a pilgrimage site for fans of the high-profile Iranian footballer, who fear he could be executed in the square, which has an execution platform, a witness told CNN.

CNN has verified documents, video, witness testimony, and statements from inside the country, which show that at least 43 people, including Nasr-Azadani, could face imminent execution.

Another man, Majid Kazemi, was also accused of involvement in the killing of three security forces in Isfahan, the document obtained by CNN and 1500Tasvir shows. Kazemi told others he was coerced into confessing his involvement in criminal acts during his interrogation.

According to state media, the city’s chief justice, Asadullah Jafari, said Nasr-Azadani had been charged with Baghi – or rioting against authorities. The death penalty is carried out under Iran’s penal code.

Nasr-Azadani’s family was initially unaware of the reason for his arrest, the witness tells CNN, and officials would not share information of his condition. The witness told CNN that if people close to him wanted to see him released sooner, they were warned to keep quiet.

The court last week said it obtained “video and sufficient documentation that prove he [Nasr-Azadani] is part of an armed group” and that the footballer had confessed to his crimes, state media IRNA reported.

The Prisons of Saman Yasin: How Does the Islamic Regime Attempt to Imply the Laws of the Fourth Kind? A Case Study in Isfahan, Iran

The Islamic Republic regime will be able to take advantage of being removed from the eyes of the world when the international community is observing these holy days.

While they didn’t allow me to read the pages that I signed, a judge told me to say that I did not protest, and gave me three pages that I signed.

My charges changed completely the second time they took me in for interrogation. That second charge levied against me contained the term ‘moharabe.’”

In a hastily photographed document from inside Isfahan regional court obtained and verified by 1500Tasvir and CNN, it is revealed that at least 10 people in Isfahan have also been charged with Moharabe (a war against God), spreading corruption on Earth and other charges – all of which carry the death penalty.

The Iranian regime is rushing its judicial process, and witness testimonies and official documents show this.

And if the charge is handed down, the Iranian penal code states they could get the death sentence in a single sitting – though not carried out immediately and most sentences are appealed.

There are two charges mentioned by judicial officials: Baghi and Moharabe. A family member said that Soheil could be facing death penalty charges.

“We are quite frightened that, with the beginning of the Christmas holidays and a decrease in political pressure on the government, executions will begin anew, and I think that Soheil’s life and the lives of numerous political prisoners are in danger.

At least four men have been executed since the demonstrations began over the death of a woman, according to Iran’s judiciary. All have faced internationally criticized, rapid, closed-door trials.

Karami was convicted on December 5, less than a week after his trial began in Tehran over the alleged killing of the paramilitary. The trial did not look like a meaningful judicial proceeding according to theAmnesty. His family allege he was tortured in prison and refused access to a lawyer.

For those awaiting execution, the wait behind bars can be unbearable. Just this week, 27-year-old Iranian-Kurdish rapper Saman Yasin attempted suicide while in detention.

In his last music video, Yasin rapped about inequality and oppression in Iran, singing “they closed my throat violently. They banned beauty. They reversed me as though I were an animal. I am not happy with what is happening.

A Woman in a Protest against the Regime of Hassan Rouhani, or “The Salesman” Taraneh Alidoosti

“Please hear my sons’ cries for help. My boys have young children waiting for them to be released. Please save them. Save my sons for God’s love.

In Iran, a woman puts herself at great danger by publicly speaking out against authorities on behalf of her children. Many parents don’t have a choice but to take it.

Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency said Taraneh Alidoosti, the 38-year-old star of Asghar Farhadi’s Oscar-winning 2016 film, “The Salesman,” was released on bail. Her mother, Nadere Hakimelahi, had earlier said she would be released in a post on Instagram.

After her release from the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran on Wednesday, Alidoosti posed with bunches of flowers, surrounded by friends. No further details have been released about her case.

One message had expressed solidarity with the first man to be executed on charges linked to the protests, which were triggered by the death of a woman in police custody and have escalated into widespread calls for the overthrow of Iran’s ruling clerics.

Iranian officials say the U.S. and other foreign powers are behind the protests. State-linked media have highlighted attacks on security forces, while authorities have imposed heavy restrictions on coverage of the demonstrations, including periodically cutting off internet access.

The leader of the regime, who has not commented on the events, said in a meeting with women that those who do not observe their hijab shouldn’t be accused of being against the revolution.

Even before the protests, many Iranian women wore the headscarf loosely, and authorities sometimes eased off on enforcing it, particulary during the presidency of Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate who governed from 2013 to 2021. His successor, the hard-liner Ebrahim Raisi, had moved to tighten the restrictions.

She got a suspended five-month prison sentence in June 2020 for speaking out against the police on social media.

The “Death of a Salesman” and the Iranian Diaspora: Why the Protest Movement Motivated by Righteous Anger hasn’t Generated a Demonstration so Far

In “The Salesman,” she played a woman whose relationship with her husband fractures after she is sexually assaulted in their apartment. In the story there are two people, a woman and her husband, who are cast as the main characters in a local production of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman.”

Recently, some observers have suggested that the size and frequency of the demonstrations are both on the wane. The founder of Bourse and Bazaar Foundation posted a chart on the social media site that seems to show declines. Compared with the massive protests that erupted in 2009 and became known as the “Green Movement,” Batmanghelidj asks why the current “protest movement motivated by such righteous anger has not generated large and durable protests — so far.”

“It is possible that the protests may stop on some occasions,” he says, “but since the crisis for Iran is massive and multidimensional, and is both domestic and international, during this new year objections and oppositions will continue to be expressed and will even get intensified.”

Protests have also taken place among the Iranian diaspora in Turkey, Europe, the U.S. and beyond. Javad says the protesters in Iran have yet to make a connection with those in the diaspora who would love to see the regime go.

“Without this cooperation and coming up with a plan to put pressure on the Islamic Republic and facilitate the transition from this government to a new government, it’ll be harder for new groups of people to join the movement,” he says. “People will find it hard to trust the opposition if they don’t cooperate.”

Ali Vaez at the International Crisis Group says that it’s amazing that the Regime has driven young Iranians onto the streets due to its own incompetence and corruption. He sees a historic parallel.

He says that the Islamic Republic is where the soviet union was in the early 80’s. “Early 1980s in the sense that it is a system that is ideologically bankrupt, economically broken, at a political dead end and simply unable to address its problems with the same cast of characters who created this deadlock to begin with.”

Source: https://www.npr.org/2023/01/06/1147376644/iran-protests-crackdown-mahsa-amini

The fate of #Seyed Mohammad Hosseini: The story of a karate champion who was convicted of the death of an Iranian citizen

Nearly four months into these demonstrations, the protesters are still a minority voice, and Vaez believes that leaves the situation, for now, in a stalemate.

“As long as the protests don’t reach critical mass, the regime is unlikely to fracture and lose its willingness to repress,” he says. “But as long as it doesn’t show any signs of losing its willingness to repress, it’s unlikely that more protesters would come to the streets.”

According to a lawyer for Karami, Karami wasn’t given the final right to speak to his family before he was executed. The lawyer added that Karami had begun a dry food hunger strike Wednesday as a form of protest against officials for not allowing Aghasi to represent him.

Karami was a karate champion who had a tattoo of the Olympic rings on his arm. His cousin told CNN that Karami was a brave, intelligent boy and got into karate at age 11. At the national Championships he won and joined the Iranian youth national team.

“Every night I am terrified that they would give me the news of my child’s execution,” his father said. They have sentenced my child to death and could do it in a second… I have lost hope.

“The story of #SeyedMohammadHosseini is so sad. He lost both his parents. Every Thursday, he visited their graves. He coaches kids for free,” Ye-One Rhie wrote on Twitter.

Hosseini was arrested on his way to visit his parents’ graves, according to Ye-One Rhie. The parliamentarian said his brother had been taken and hadn’t been heard from.

According to Amnesty, Hosseini was convicted in the same hearing as Karami and two other men who were also sentenced to death, Hamid Ghare-Hasalou and Hossein Mohammadi.

“Before the group trial had started, state media aired the defendants’ forced “confessions” and described them as “murderers”, in breach of their rights to presumption of innocence and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment,” Amnesty wrote.

He was arrested after interviewing families of those arrested in the ongoing demonstrations, according to IranWire.

The Karami-Hosseini Trial: A Case Study in the Quranic State of the Free and Prosecusive Genocide

Those on trial don’t have the ability to pick their own attorneys or see the evidence against them. Amnesty International has said the trials “bore no resemblance to a meaningful judicial proceeding.”

State TV aired clips of Karami and Hosseini talking about the attack, though the broadcaster for years has shown what activists describe as coerced confessions.

The men were convicted of the killing, as well as “corruption on Earth,” a Quranic term and charge that has been levied against others in the decades since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and carries the death penalty.