Under the rule of religious fascism in Iran, millions of citizens have been deprived of their fundamental rights. The authorities routinely apply gross and systematic violations of human rights to quell the people’s protests and demands.
In August 2021, the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appointed the former judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi as the regime’s president. Raisi is infamous for his role in the extrajudicial executions of thousands of political prisoners in Tehran in 1988.
According to the victims’ families, leaked documents, and survivors, the regime hanged at least 30,000 political activists, mainly members and supporters of the leading opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). This horrific crime against humanity is known as the ‘1988 Massacre’.
During Raisi’s one-year tenure in office, the human rights situation in Iran has significantly deteriorated. Judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i implemented a public hanging in Shiraz for the first time in 12 years. He has also issued several amputations and stoning sentences, in addition to arbitrary executions which were ceaselessly fulfilled.
Here is a round-up of human rights violations in Iran during August 2022, as tallied by Iran News Update staff, from human rights groups’ reports, officials’ statements, opposition groups’ revelations, and local sources.
Executions in Iran—August 2022:
Last month, at least 55 people were executed in various prisons across Iran. The victims were accused of offenses including murder, drug offenses, and being identified as a ‘Mohareb.’
The Disaggregated Statistics of Executions Are as Follows:
- Ordinary male prisoners: 52
- Ordinary female prisoners: 1
- Juvenile offenders: 2 [boys]
Executed Juvenile Offenders in Iran—August 2022:
Iranian authorities hanged at least two juveniles in August, including Mohammad-Hossein Alizadeh and Omid Aali-Zehi.
Mohammad-Hossein Alizadeh was an Afghan national. Authorities detained him when he was 17 after accusing him of being involved in a mass conflict which led to manslaughter.
In a letter to the provincial judiciary chief in Qom, central Iran, Alizadeh rejected his previous admission, stating, “All of my confessions at the police station were extracted under torture, ill-treatment, threats, beatings, and insults.” Authorities hanged him at Qom Central Prison on August 10.
Omid Aali-Zehi was a Baluchi child. Authorities arrested him at the age of 16 following a street conflict in the Sistan and Baluchestan province and accused him of murder. The regime hanged him at Zahedan Central Prison on August 20.
Mass Executions in Iran—August 2022:
Authorities implemented at least two series of mass executions at Arak Central Prison, including four and three inmates executed on August 14 and 17, respectively.
The regime’s mass executions extended to hanging five inmates at Yazd Central Prison on August 18, five at Zahedan Central Prison on August 20, three at Shiraz Central Prison on August 21, and five other inmates at Gohardasht Prison in Karaj on August 24.
Special Executions in Iran—August 2022:
In early August, the regime hanged Ali Gharelor. He had already posted a video from Qom Prison, pleading with human rights activists and organizations to spare the life of his brother Hamid. He said, “My brother is innocent. Authorities say we are God in Qom, do whatever we want, and no one can do anything for you.”
Ali was innocent. He had just driven a vehicle to his friend’s proposal when the authorities stopped and detained him under supposed drug-related charges and sentenced him to death. His hanging took place suddenly, depriving him of the last chance to visit his family before the execution. Observers believe that authorities took revenge on him due to his heartbreaking revelation.
Mehdi Nour-Karami (Ghadimi) is another victim who lost his life in August. Authorities hanged him at Arak Central Prison on August 10 under drug-related charges. Prison officials also deprived him of visiting his family for the last time before the execution.
Authorities also hanged Baluchi citizen Saeed Narouei at Tirkola Prison in Sari, northern Iran, on August 14. Mr. Narouei was married and the father of two minors. Interrogators had forced him to make confessions even though he did not possess any drugs on him when he was detained. Upon his detention, he was transferred to solitary confinement because his leg was broken.
Another Baluchi citizen, Mohieddin Damani, a married father of four minors, was hanged at Birjand Central Prison on August 17. He was from a poor family and had been held in exile. Following his transmission to solitary confinement—as a process of execution, his family tried to visit him for the last time. However, authorities denied the family’s request, and a day later, they called his family, telling them to come to the prison to collect Mohieddin’s corpse.
Abbas Sarouni was hanged at Gonbad Kavous Prison in the northern country on August 21. He was a police major and had been kept behind bars for 21 years. He had been accused of a murder charge.
Hossein Mohseni had a bachelor’s degree and was a contract employee at the Oil Company. In a private conflict two years ago, someone was killed. Authorities immediately arrested Hossein for the crime and sentenced him to death. He was hanged at Shiraz Central Prison on August 21.
Another victim was Baluchi citizen Rahim Ghanbar-Zehi. He was married and the father of three. Due to the long distance to Shiraz Central Prison, Rahim’s family arrived a few hours before the execution was implemented, but prison officials did not allow them to visit their loved one for the last time. Rahim was hanged on August 28 for drug-related charges.
Mohammad-Hassan Kohrari and Morteza Teymouri were hanged at Arak Central Prison under drug-related accusations on August 31. Authorities hanged them silently and only after the execution took place, their families were informed and told to collect their loved ones’ corpses.
Arrests in Iran—August 2022:
Last month, at least 156 citizens were reportedly detained by security forces, intelligence officers, and the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) troops. This number excludes the arbitrary detentions practiced during public protests against the regime’s failure to solve water shortages and the high prices of everyday goods.
On September 7, the semiofficial ISNA news agency quoted Hamedan Governor Mohammad-Ali Mohammadi, who spoke about the arbitrary arrests following the water protests in this province. He said, “Following the water crisis, 25 people affiliated with the ‘MEK’ and ‘enemies’ were detained.”
Political Arrests in Iran—August 2022:
More than 67 citizens were detained in August under various political excuses. Officials summoned several teachers’ rights activists, civil rights activists, and students and held them in jails. Several others were taken to prisons to serve unjust imprisonment sentences. Authorities also attacked several homes, detained residents, and confiscated communicative devices.
Security forces also detained several people accusing them of:
—participating in the funeral ceremony of political prisoner Majed Amouri, who was hanged at Ahvaz’s Sepidar Prison last month
—showing sympathy with the MEK
—taking part in protests organized by retirees, teachers, cultural activists, etc.
Arbitrary Arrests in Iran—August 2022:
Security forces also detained around 67 people under bogus allegations, including:
—posting immoral images on social media
—insulting the sacred
—disobeying compulsory hijab and conflicting with IRGC Basij forces
—advertising and promoting Salafi beliefs
—publishing illegal photos
—managing Instagram pages for dating and covering Kulbars’ [porters] news
Social Arrests in Iran—August 2022:
Authorities arrested several members of Khorramshahr City Council, southern Iran, for financial accusations.
The Arrest of Religious Minorities in Iran—August 2022:
Recently, the regime has increased the pressure on religious minorities, particularly the Baha’i community. In August, authorities detained at least 22 citizens due to their religious beliefs, including 14 Baha’is in Qaemshahr, northern Iran.
Torture in Iran—August 2022:
In order to break prisoners’ spirits, the regime applies different kinds of torture, ill-treatment, and psychological pressures. Authorities often impose additional misbehavior on political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. Depriving inmates of medical care and necessary medicine is one of the prison officials’ most common ways to torture prisoners, particularly political activists.
—In Kashan, Isfahan province; interrogators related the treatment of political prisoner, Hamid Haj-Jafar Kashani, to making forced confessions.
—Authorities refuse to send political prisoner Ayub Assadi to a hospital or give him a medical furlough despite various illnesses.
—Political prisoner Ismail Mohammad-Pour, at Naqadeh Prison, West Azarbaijan province, has been deprived of visiting medical centers for checkups despite his severe heart disease.
—Authorities banned political prisoner Behnam Mousivand from receiving medical care and being transferred to a hospital.
—Political prisoner Mohammad Ashtiani, at Karaj Central Prison, Alborz province, has been deprived of medical care and necessary drugs despite problems with his heart and kidneys.
—Political prisoner Mehran Ghare-Baghi, held in Ahvaz’s Sheiban Prison, has been barred from medical furlough despite a severe skin disease. He fainted due to a viral illness last week, but prison guards have continued to leave him without receiving medical care.
—Political prisoner Fariba Assadi was taken back to Evin Prison, Tehran province, and her medical process failed.
—Authorities banned political prisoner Zohreh Sarv from medical care despite her infectious disease.
—Political prisoner Meysam Assadi, held in Evin Prison, has been deprived of a transfer to a hospital despite him suffering from a kidney disorder.
—Political prisoner Kasra Bani-Amerian has been deprived of medical care despite his specific and progressive disease.
—Authorities severely beat a political prisoner at Rasht Central Prison, Gilan province, with an iron bar.
—Prisoner of conscience Arkan Palani-Jaf, who is detained at Gohardasht Prison, Alborz province, was severely beaten by ten guards before being transferred to a hospital.
—Political prisoner Rasoul Chaldavi has also been deprived of a medical furlough despite his bad health condition.
Arbitrary Murders in Iran—August 2022:
In August 2022, border forces, IRGC troops, and security forces arbitrarily targeted unarmed citizens and porters, leading to the death of five porters, seven fuel carriers, and an ordinary citizen.
