Violations of human rights in Iran are sadly all too common under the rule of the Iranian regime. Iranian citizens across the country are subjected to severe repression and abuses of the most basic human rights, day after day.
The Iran Human Rights Monitor has compiled their monthly report, which has highlighted a small part of the violations that took place in Iran during the month of October 2021.
In violation of the right to life, at least 27 death penalties were carried out in various Iranian prisons during October 2021.
A woman, Susan Rezaei-pour was hanged on the charge of murder in the Central Prison of Qazvin at dawn on Wednesday, October 27, 2021, after serving six years in prison.
In a case of the suppression of the freedom of speech, Kayvan Rahimi from the Iranian Kurdistan province was sentenced to four months in prison on the charge of ‘propaganda against the state’ because of his social media activities.
Religious minorities often face abuse from the regime, especially when it comes to opposing beliefs.
Three Christian citizens, Joseph Shahbazian, Somayyeh (Sonia) Sadeq and Mina Khajavi Qomi were arraigned on October 19 at the Interrogations Office of Evin Courthouse in Tehran.
Iran HRM said, “The office has accused them of disseminating propaganda against the state, establishing a “Zionist” House Church, membership in opposition groups to sabotage national security, and running a Zionist network.”
Political prisoners held in Iranian jails have recently had pressure increased on them by the regime, with prison authorities hiring violent prisoners and convicts to attack them in some cases. Most political prisoners are also denied of the access to basic rights such as getting treatment for medical conditions, making phone calls, receiving visitations from family members or even getting prison leave.
Iran HRM said, “There were also cases where the authorities filed false charges against political prisoners, some of whom went on hunger strike to obtain their rights.”
On October 8, political prisoners in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary were attacked by a number of dangerous criminals hired by prison authorities. The assailants managed to acquire knives and machetes and stabbed Akbar Baqeri, Pouya Qobadi, Shapour Ehsani-rad, Esmail Gerami and Akbar Shirazi several times. Baqeri, Qobadi and Shirazi were also subject to having thermos flasks broke on their heads. The severity of the injuries led to the victims eventually being taken to the prison’s hospital ward.
Monireh Arabshahi, a civil activist, was forced to return to Kachouii Prison in Karaj, despite not completing treatment for a health issue, as her medical leave had expired. In the same city, another civil activist, Saeed Eghbali who is detained at Rajaiishahr (Gohardasht) Prison is still being deprived of medication prescribed to him by a civic hospital.
Iran HRM said, “The doctor’s prescription for him was to use his medications to decrease infection in his right ear before being operated on. Mr. Eghbali suffered an eardrum rupture when his interrogators and intelligence agents slapped and hit him in the ear during interrogation.”
Political prisoner Atena Daemi, detained in Lakan Prison of Rasht, is still deprived of having a card to make phone calls.
Also imprisoned in Rajaiishahr Prison in Karaj, political prisoners Soheil Arabi and Behnam Mousivand were summoned to a court on October 6 after being further charged with disrupting the order of the prison and insulting the regime’s leader.
In Ahvaz, Khuzestan province, political prisoner Khaled Pirzadeh has taken to going on a hunger strike in response to his treatment while detained in Shaiban Prison. He began his hunger strike on August 23 to protest a number of violations of his rights. Prison authorities have failed to uphold the agreement of his conditional release after serving two thirds of his sentence, and security forces have subjected his family to violent treatment whilst he has been imprisoned.
Four victims, who were fuel carriers and porters, were killed by the regime’s security forces who arbitrarily opened fire on them.
Iran HRM said, “Border patrols opened fire at point-blank range on Zhiyan Alipour on October 14, 2021, without warning. Mr. Alipour was from a village near Sardasht, and married with two children. His brother, Houshmand Alipour, is a political prisoner detained in the Prison of Sanandaj.”
