Seven prisoners have been executed in prisons across Iran, human rights sources reported
Seven prisoners have been executed in prisons across Iran, human rights sources reported
Seven prisoners have been executed in prisons across Iran, human rights sources reported.
Jalal Ashkani was executed on March 5 in Hamedan Central Prison. He had been held for four years on drug charges.
Iman Shokrollahzadeh, 42, was executed the same day in Qazvin Central Prison after five years of detention for murder.
Three prisoners were executed on March 1 in Tabriz Central Prison: Hassan Fathi, 36, Ramin Alaei, 33, and Mohammad Iraqi, 26. Fathi and Alaei were held on drug charges, while Iraqi was convicted of murder.
Ali Vatanikhah, 27, was executed on February 27 in Ardabil Central Prison for a murder committed during a mass brawl three years ago, according to the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.
Mohammad Raee, 33, was executed on February 15 in Birjand Central Prison on murder charges after three years of detention.
IranWire has identified the victim as Meysam Rashidi of the Qartal Ardabil news agency
IranWire has identified the victim as Meysam Rashidi of the Qartal Ardabil news agency
Environmental journalist Masoud Lahout reported on his X account that a journalist was attacked with knives by Ardabil municipality security forces.
After publishing criticism of the Ardabil Municipality Cultural Organization, the journalist was first threatened by phone and forced to delete his post.
Hours later, while heading home for iftar, he was attacked and beaten by occupants of two vehicles, including municipal cultural organization security officers armed with knives.
IranWire has identified the victim as Meysam Rashidi of the Qartal Ardabil news agency.
Before the attack, Rashidi had released a video criticizing the Ardabil Municipality football team’s management.
He wrote: “Why don’t you gather 11 players and train them? Every day, four people come and go. The technical staff are municipal employees receiving salaries from both the municipality and the football team.”
According to Lahout, Rashidi’s mother witnessed the stabbing of her son and fainted at the scene. Both mother and son are currently hospitalized.
Many Iranians are currently considering migration and residency in European countries, particularly the United Kingdom
Many Iranians are currently considering migration and residency in European countries, particularly the United Kingdom
Many Iranians are currently considering migration and residency in European countries, particularly the United Kingdom.
Britain has consistently been one of the main destinations for Iranian immigrants and asylum seekers.
When browsing social media or even websites selling goods and clothing, users encounter tempting advertisements in the corners of their computer screens, promising guaranteed passage to European countries, including Britain.
These guarantees, targeting illegal immigrants and asylum seekers desperate to reach the UK at any cost, are often made by human trafficking brokers and smugglers.
Intermediary companies connecting Iranians with their destination in Britain typically collect fees to process visa and residency applications but suddenly become unreachable, with phone numbers no longer answering and no possibility of recovering the money paid.
Kaveh Beheshtizadeh, an immigration and asylum lawyer in Britain, told IranWire that the best approach for immigration consultation and procedures is through lawyers.
At a minimum, if applicants’ cases are not handled properly, they can file complaints against the lawyers, unlike companies that appear to be operating fraudulent schemes.
Generally, the legal pathways for immigration and residency in the UK are through work and student visas.
Previously, investment visas were available, but with changes in the law, Britain no longer offers residency for investment.
For example, countries like Greece and Spain in Europe allow residency through property purchases of specified amounts, but Britain has withdrawn from this arrangement.
In these cases, even property ownership is not a guarantee for obtaining a visa to visit Britain.
According to Beheshtizadeh, there are still ways to invest in Britain and obtain residency, but they are so technical that applicants must consult with a specialized lawyer based on their individual circumstances.
There are various ways to legally immigrate to Britain. One of the most common routes is through student visas and work visas for permanent immigration.
Beheshtizadeh explains that there are other ways to go to Britain, such as marriage visas, travel visas, or family visit visas.
According to this lawyer, there are also other visas for large companies wanting to bring workers from other countries into Britain.
British Universities: Among the World’s Most Expensive
The best way to get information about student visas is through the universities where applicants wish to study.
Otherwise, specialized lawyers can provide the most accurate information regarding legal changes.
The UK Home Office information portal is another reliable source that can provide necessary information for applicants seeking various visas.
Kaveh Beheshtizadeh says that most universities in Britain have immigration lawyers who can help students.
According to this lawyer, British universities are among the most expensive in the world. “If students can get scholarships, it helps. Of course, university expenses vary depending on the field of study and the student’s nationality.”
For example, a British law student pays between £9,000 and £9,500 in tuition for one academic year, but a foreign student studying the same subject must pay about £27,000 annually.
Besides university tuition, students must also have funds for living expenses.
Work Visa: Find a Job Before Immigration
Regarding obtaining a work visa for immigration to Britain, Beheshtizadeh said applicants must find a job before immigration.
He said: “In Britain, there is a list provided by the Home Office. According to this list, Britain takes workers from all countries, including doctors, physicians, engineers, nurses, and lawyers. If an applicant finds work according to this list, and the employer has permission to hire workers from outside the country, they will provide a letter, and one can proceed.”
Beheshtizadeh says that if applicants know English and find an employer willing to hire them according to the Home Office list, this is the best and easiest path to choose for immigration to Britain.
In this type of immigration, Britain initially gives employees and workers a three-year visa, which can be extended for another two years, and then after five years, they can get permanent residency.
Illegal Routes to Britain: No Red Carpet Awaits
One of the misconceptions among asylum seekers about seeking refuge in Britain is the supposedly substantial monthly allowance, which Iranians often imagine after converting pounds to rials. But these rumors have no basis in reality.
Every year, thousands try to reach Britain by small boats via sea routes or by boarding trucks via land routes. Many of these attempts fail, though some do reach their destination.
According to Beheshtizadeh, the British Home Office is obligated by law to provide shelter and weekly allowances to asylum seekers who enter the country.
Currently, asylum seekers are temporarily housed in hotels or refugee camps. Age, having children, and health conditions can influence shelter determination.
Beheshtizadeh adds that typically, houses provided to asylum seekers require them to live with other asylum seekers, with no choice in the matter.
If asylum seekers are in camps or hotels, they receive £8 to £9 per week, and if they are in houses, they receive between £38 to £40 per week.
“Unfortunately, these are very small amounts, making life very difficult. Currently, a coffee in London costs £4.”
According to Beheshtizadeh, conditions for asylum seekers in Britain have become more difficult than before.
Currently, the Labour government, which has been in power for eight months, has abandoned the process of forcibly transferring asylum seekers to Rwanda.
On the other hand, the government has promised to process all asylum seekers’ cases by the end of its term in 2029.
If asylum is not granted, these individuals will be deported from Britain.
Beheshtizadeh says, “Under the previous government, waiting five years was normal for regular asylum seekers. But today, asylum seekers are quickly called for interviews.
“At the same time, the deportation process has been greatly accelerated. In the past six months, the government has returned more than 14,000 asylum seekers to their countries.
“The message of this action from the British government’s perspective is that despite the high cost if your case is not accepted, you will be quickly expelled from the country.”
Is Expediting Case Review an Appropriate Measure?
In recent years, various British governments have taken different measures to prevent illegal entry into the country.
One of the latest decisions was the forced transfer of asylum seekers to Rwanda, which was prevented through the efforts of human rights lawyers and organizations related to asylum seekers’ rights.
Illegal routes have so far claimed the lives of thousands of asylum seekers on land and at sea. It seems that expediting case reviews and speeding up the deportation of cases that have received negative responses might be a more humane approach.
Beheshtizadeh says that to answer the question of whether this government action will prevent the wave of illegal entry of asylum seekers and immigrants into Britain, one must wait. However, “unfortunately, according to the eight-month experience with the Labour government, many asylum seekers who personally believed they would face imprisonment and inhumane sentences, even execution if returned to their countries, have been rejected for ridiculous and simple reasons.”
He says that cases of asylum seekers with histories of imprisonment and torture have been rejected, which is concerning, especially as courts have also become stricter.
The news of singer Mehdi Yarrahi’s flogging has sparked widespread reaction, but he is not the first musician to face such punishment in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution
The news of singer Mehdi Yarrahi’s flogging has sparked widespread reaction, but he is not the first musician to face such punishment in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution
The news of singer Mehdi Yarrahi’s flogging has sparked widespread reaction, but he is not the first musician to face such punishment in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
At least three other singers and one well-known musician have previously been flogged for performing music.
Zahra Minouei, Yarrahi’s lawyer, announced on Wednesday that her client’s 74-lash sentence had been “fully executed” and his case “has been closed.”
Yarrahi was convicted in January 2024 for releasing Your Headscarf (Roo Sarito), a protest song commemorating the first anniversary of Iran’s Woman, Life, Freedom movement.
The musician’s one-year prison sentence had been converted to electronic ankle monitoring, which ended in December.
Before receiving the punishment, Yarrahi said, “I am ready to receive the sentence of 74 lashes, and while I condemn this inhuman torture, I make no request to cancel it.”
His lawyer, Zahra Minouei, confirmed on social media that “the last part of the sentences issued by the Tehran Revolutionary Court had been administered.”
His punishment has drawn condemnation from numerous public figures, including actresses Taraneh Alidoosti and Hengameh Ghaziani, footballer Voria Ghafouri, and legendary singer Dariush Eghbali.
A Tehran-based music researcher who uses the pseudonym Reza for safety reasons explained, “In the early days of the revolution, singers were flogged under pretexts like alcohol consumption or attending mixed-gender parties.
“But whenever these sentences were issued and carried out, the singers were forced to commit to never sing again.”
Gol-Andam Taherkhani, known professionally as Sosan, was a famous pre-revolution singer who received the lashing punishment twice in the 1980s - 74 lashes each time.
Mehdi Zokaei, editor of Los Angeles Youth magazine, once said, “Sosan loved Iran deeply. She became depressed here [in exile].
“After being arrested twice at private gatherings and receiving lashing sentences, she considered leaving Iran.
“They had confiscated her passport, so she crossed the border illegally and lost all her money.”
Shahrokh Naderi, a veteran Iranian radio host, recounts in his memoir You and the Radio a disturbing episode from the post-1979 revolution era.
He writes that Nematollah Aghasi, a popular singer, was nearly forced out of his profession after the revolution.
At one point, he was even flogged in front of Shahr Farang cinema for a crime he had not committed.
Naderi recalls the day Aghasi came to see him, seeking his testimony. “He told me that during a gathering where some people were using opium, he was in another corner praying.
“Yet, he was arrested along with them. He wanted me, as his longtime colleague, to say and confirm that he had never been involved with drugs.”
The trial took place on Vezarat Street. A cleric had also come to testify in Aghasi’s defense. However, the young cleric presiding over the court dismissed their statements, declaring, “You cannot overturn my ruling because my judgment is the judgment of God.” Aghasi was sentenced to 80 lashes.
The Systematic Targeting of Artists
Reza, a music researcher in Iran, believes the authorities knew Aghasi was innocent but humiliated him nonetheless, labeling him a motreb(a pejorative term for entertainers) and corrupt.
“They flogged him, forced him to sign a pledge, and denied him permission to release music. He spent the rest of his life struggling to get approval for just one more album, but they never let him.”
In 2018, veteran actor Parviz Parastui recounted another case of flogging on national television. He recalled that Abbas Ghaderi, a well-known kooche-bazari (street-style) singer, had also been whipped.
He said, “I saw the judicial police leading Abbas Ghaderi away. I recognized him, but he didn’t know me. I greeted him, and he, looking deeply distressed, responded politely.
“I asked the officers where they were taking him. They said, ‘He sang at a private party last night. We’re taking him to be flogged.’
“This was a man for whom people had once thrown money at his feet, now being dragged off for lashes.”
Parastui tried to intervene, pleading with the officer responsible for administering the punishment.
“I said, ‘Maybe he did something wrong, but do you know how many people love him? For the sake of the joy he’s brought them, don’t do this.’”
The officer refused, saying, “We must carry out the sentence. The only thing we can do is make it a Quranic flogging - meaning we’ll hold a Quran in hand so that the lashes land more lightly.”
The Most Shocking Case: Parviz Meshkatian
One of the most harrowing accounts of flogging was shared by the legendary poet Houshang Ebtehaj (Sayeh) in 2020.
He recalled the case of Parviz Meshkatian, the celebrated musician and composer, who was sentenced to 100 lashes.
Sayeh was unsure whether Meshkatian was arrested for drinking alcohol or simply for carrying a musical instrument.
He said, “After the flogging, something strange happened. Someone pointed out that a mistake had been made - he had received 101 lashes instead of 100.
“So they told Meshkatian, ‘You are allowed to deliver one lash to the man who flogged you.’ Meshkatian, writhing in pain, responded in his Khorasani accent, ‘I am a human, and a human does not whip another human.’
“I wasn’t there, but I was told that the flogger broke down in tears.”
Two Construction Workers Die in Tehran Scaffolding Collapse
Two construction workers have died after a scaffolding collapse at a building in the Majidieh district of Tehran
Two construction workers have died after a scaffolding collapse at a building in the Majidieh neighborhood of Tehran, according to a report by Rokna news agency.
The incident occurred on Wednesday when the scaffolding broke, causing the workers to fall from a height.
Emergency services arrived at the scene only to find that both workers had already died from their injuries.
The identities of the victims have not been disclosed in published reports.
This fatal accident adds to the growing number of workplace deaths in Iran’s construction industry.
Hossein Moshiri Tabrizi, Director General of International Affairs at the Social Security Organization, announced that annually, more than 700 people lose their lives while working in Iran - around two to three deaths per day.
According to Tabrizi, 45 percent of these victims are married, and a high percentage are young workers.
The lack of building safety and failure to follow safety protocols remain among the most significant factors in these worker fatalities.
In a separate workplace incident last month, two workers lost their lives in a fire at the Zahir al-Islam shoe workshop in Tehran.
The cause of death was reported as burns from the workshop fire, further highlighting the issue of inadequate safety measures in Iranian workplaces.
Kurdish Teacher Arrested in Sardasht, Whereabouts Unknown
Kurdish Teacher Arrested in Sardasht, Whereabouts Unknown
Arazoo Jalilzadeh, a 46-year-old Kurdish teacher from Sardasht, has been arrested by government forces
Arazoo Jalilzadeh, a 46-year-old Kurdish teacher from Sardasht, has been arrested by government forces
Arazoo Jalilzadeh, a 46-year-old Kurdish teacher from Sardasht, has been arrested by government forces.
The arrest reportedly took place on Monday at her father’s home in Sardasht.
Authorities used violence during the detention operation, according to a report from the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.
No information has been made available about her location, condition, or the charges against her.
Jalilzadeh teaches at high schools in Sardasht, and the reasons for her detention remain unclear, as authorities have not released any statement regarding the case.