A report on human rights violations in Iran in the past one month (December 20, 2022 to January 20, 2023)
31-January-2023
Category: Labor and guilds، Prisoners
27-January-2023
News group: Execution – Prisoners – Iran Uprising 2022 –
Concurrently with the ongoing uprising in Iran, human rights violations is continuously happening throughout the country.
The killing machine of the Islamic Republic has targeted the protesting citizens, and despite international warnings and condemnations, the judiciary in Tehran and Tabriz has sentenced a number of protesting citizens to death on the charges of “waging war against GOD” and “corruption on earth”.
The death sentence carried out in the last month
According to Statistics Center of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran (Breathing in Confinement), at least 53 prisoners were executed in the first month of winter. Among those executed, 3 were political prisoners. Ayub Rigi ,37, in Zahedan, Mohammad Mahdi Karami, 22, and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini, 29, were executed in Karaj as per the order of the security forces.
Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini and Mohammad Mahdi Karami were among those arrested in the nationwide protests and were sentenced to death in an unfair and non-transparent trial. The sham court cited their under-torture confessions as evidence. They also were denied the right to have an independent lawyer. The execution of these protesters provoked widespread anger in Iran and a wide wave of condemnation outside the country.
In addition, out of 53 executed death sentences, 25 prisoners were hanged on drug-related charges, 1 on charge of armed robbery, 17 on charge of murder, and 3 on charge of rape. The accusation of 3 prisoners also has yet to be determined.
Furthermore, Alireza Akbari, a former official of the Ministry of Defense of the Islamic Republic, was executed under the title of a “super spy”. Among these executions, only 6 were announced by the state media and the other 47, were carried out secretly and revealed by human rights activists.
Most of the executions took place in Karaj with 18 cases. Six executions also carried out in Zahedan, 6 in Shiraz, and 6 in Arak.
In addition, death sentences were issued by the revolutionary and criminal courts for at least 17 detainees of the nationwide protests, some of them have been upheld by the Supreme Court.
Nationwide protests
Despite the widespread repression, at least 419 protest rallies held by different groups of people in the past month. The widespread demonstrations of the people of Balochistan on Fridays, especially in Zahedan after Friday prayers, were the most notable movements in the past month proving that nationwide uprising is ongoing.
Arrests
In response to the continuation of the nationwide uprising, the security forces started a massive crackdown to prevent the continuation of the uprising. In the first month of winter, protesters were extensively arrested by the intelligence forces, the Revolutionary Guards, the police force and plain clothes agents in demonstrations, gatherings, streets or by raiding their homes and workplaces.
The statistical center of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran (Breathing in Confinement) has recorded the names and details of 244 detainees in the past month.
According to the confidential bulletins of the Fars news agency prepared for the commander in chief of the Revolutionary Guards which was hacked and published by the Black Reward hackers group, the number detainees of the uprising until December 1, 2022 was 29,400. The figures have now crossed the 30,000.
In addition to the recorded detainees by the Statistics Center of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, the Ministry of Intelligence announced on December 23: “Thirty-nine people were arrested in Tehran and Mazandaran.” The report, without mentioning any details about the detainees, says that some of them have dual citizenship.
IRGC Intelligence Department wrote on December 23: “A number of people who wrote slogans, set fire to banners, or burned car tires, related to foreign networks, were arrested in Gallehdar and Asir towns in Mehr city.”
Ebrahim Garmabadri, commander of Fardis Revolutionary Corps, said on December 23: ” In an intelligence operation that was observed by IRGC drones, agents supplying incendiary substances (Molotov cocktails) were arrested. He did not mention the number and identity of the arrested people.detainees.
The Intelligence Organization of Greater Tehran Police Command announced on December 24: “The main perpetrators and leaders of insecurity and the inciters to riots were arrested in Revolution Square in Tehran.”
Pakdasht police commander Najmuddin Moradi stated on December 24: “The people who set fire to ATMs during the protests were arrested.”
Hossein Najafi the Deputy Police Commander in Ilam said: “Following the protests of the past weeks in Darehshahr and the arson and destruction of public places, 6 accused were arrested.” He did not reveal the identity of the arrested persons.
The Chief Justice of Qazvin, Ali Shabani, said: “A preliminary ruling has been issued for 93 of the recent detainees. So far, the indictments of 237 accused of the recent protests have been issued and sent to the court.”
The Intelligence Organization of the Greater Tehran Police Command announced on December 29: ” Following the publication of images promoting violence in one of the television channels, one of the main perpetrators of the disturbances in Tehran Pars was arrested. Also, a team of moderators of one of the channels promoting violence in social media were identified in west Tehran and 2 people were arrested.”
Tasnim wrote on December 31: “A number of current and former players of one of Tehran’s important football teams were arrested at a private party in Damavand, some of whom had drunk alcohol.”
In a statement on January 2, the Ministry of Intelligence announced: ” 6 people were arrested in several provinces, 10 people were summoned, and a number of others were wanted on charges of providing money and equipment to the Mojahedin Organization’s operational teams. Some people were also arrested in Garmsar who were planning anti-security measures and creating chaos.”
Akbar Sajjadi, the police commander of Agh Qola city, announced on January 4: 3 people who intended to create insecurity and chaos in social media were identified and arrested.
Also, on January 4, the law enforcement and security institutions in the official news agencies announced the arrest of 64 people under the title of “thugs, agents related to foreign countries and the armed robber terrorist team.”
According to Tasnim, the Intelligence Organization of the Greater Tehran Police Command announced: 13 people who caused unrest in Behesht Zahra were arrested on January 17.
On January 9, Tasnim news agency, affiliated to the Revolutionary Guards Corps, quoting the General Directorate of Intelligence of Khorasan Razavi, wrote: “16 people who caused unrest and disturbances inside and outside the country were arrested. These people used social media.”
The governor of Semnan announced on January 10: “5 people affiliated with the Mujahideen were arrested and a large amount of explosives, digital devices and various cameras were seized from them.”
The Ministry of Intelligence announced in January: “13 people were arrested in Tehran, Isfahan, Yazd, West Azerbaijan and Golestan on charges of espionage.”
On January 10, Bushehr police chief announced the arrest of 4 people in Bushehr and Dashti for writing slogans. He also announced the arrest of several girls on January 16 due to a fight with a woman who asked them to wear hijab. He did not mention the number and identity of those arrested.
On January 16, the public and revolutionary prosecutor of Izeh city announced: a court case has been opened for 70 protesters and they have been summoned to the court.
The Chief Justice of Arak also announced on January 16: 4 people, linked with foreign countries, who were involved in creating insecurity, making Molotov cocktails, attacked Basij bases and wrote slogans, were arrested and 10 people who participated in the protests were summoned to the court.
The Deputy of Public Relations of the Ansar al-Hussein Revolutionary Guard Corps said on December 18: “9 activists of the Irfan Halgheh sect in Hamedan and Tuyserkan were summoned and arrested by the Intelligence Organization of the Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
Concurrently with widespread suppressions, killings of prisoners because of denial of medical care as well as torture continued. Siavash Rasouli, a prisoner sentenced to death, died on December 28 after being denied medical care in Rajai Shahr Prison.
Sepideh (Bigard) Qalandari, from Mahabadi, was killed under torture on January 2 in Tehran. On the same day, Haider Azimi Qiyabashi was also killed under torture in Tabriz.
Sentenced to imprisonment and the inhuman sentence of flogging
During the last month, at least 145 people were sentenced to prison and 7 others were transferred to prison to endure their sentences. These 145 people were sentenced to a total of 665 years, 1 month and 5 days in prison and fined in the courts of first instance and appeal.
For at least 18 prisoners detained during nationwide protests, a sentence of 1145 lashes was issued. An Austrian citizen named Olivier Vandecastel has also been sentenced to 74 lashes. The sentence of 40 lashes was executed in Bijar prison on a former MP named Mohammad Mohammad Rezaei.
Work incidents
46 workers died and 126 people were injured due to work accidents. According to the deputy of public relations of the General Directorate of Cooperative, Work and Social Welfare in Qazvin: Since the beginning of this year, 16 workers died and 96 people were injured due to work accidents.
Reza Parandeh, Director General of Labor Inspection of Ministry of Labor Cooperation and Social Welfare, said: 70% of labor accidents happen due to unsafe work environment.
According to the Director General of Mazandaran Forensic Medicine, Ali Abbasi, in the first 9 months of this year, there was 724 cases of injury or death happened due to work accidents. He announced the death toll at 92 , showing an increase of 11% compared to the last year.
The General Director of West Azerbaijan Forensic Medicine said: 47 people were killed in the first 9 months of this year due to work accidents in the province.
Last month, two workers of Municipality in Urmia and Chavar Petrochemical Factory in Ilam took their life by suicide after being fired and unfortunately both died. In the same month, Shush Municipality contractor dismissed 4 of its workers.
Given the increase in violent repression and the use of executions to intimidate protesters, the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, warns that the lives of hundreds of detained protesters are in danger and calls on international organizations to take decisive action against the authorities of the Islamic Republic and make them accountable. And to use all they can to prevent the government of the Islamic Republic from executing and torturing the prisoners, especially the prisoners of the national uprising of Iran.