54 January Protesters Remain Jailed in Iran’s Ardabil Prison: HRANA

Iranwire – The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that at least 54 individuals detained during the nationwide protests in January remain held in the security ward of Ardabil Prison. HRANA confirmed that it has verified the identities of all 54 detainees.

According to HRANA’s report, 25 of these detainees have received sentences totaling 49 years and three months in prison following judicial proceedings, while the remaining 29 individuals continue to be held in pre-trial detention without court hearings.

HRANA identified the 25 sentenced prisoners as: Ahmad Seifi, Peyman Darvolizadeh, Reza Nabidoust, Yashar Soufi, Teymour Ghaznavi, Ali Ahmadi, Mehdi Shirani, Amir Mohammad Zadeh-Khak, Alireza Hosseini, Amirreza Sharifi, Yavar Farahmand, Abbas Kowsari, Mehram Azaram, Masoud Norouzi, Sina Farzaneh-Vash, Amir Hossein Baqer-Maleki, Milad Ashkani, Amir Hossein Habibi, Farshad Soltani, Hossein Nemati, Ahoura Jafarzadeh, Farid Hamzehzadeh, Milad Sabri, Behzad Majedi, and Mehran Abbasi.

Individual prison sentences range from six months to five years and three months. Ahmad Seifi received the longest sentence among the group, at five years and three months.

Meanwhile, 29 detainees, including Farhad Jafari, Reza Javid, Mohammad Reza Athari, Armin Nadiri, Arian Hamidi, and Sina Hassanzadeh, remain in custody under legal uncertainty. HRANA reports that several of these individuals have been denied phone calls and family visits.

Citing an informed source, HRANA added that Jalal Afaqi, the Prosecutor General and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Ardabil, has appealed the sentences of 10 convicted protesters, requesting that the Supreme Court impose harsher penalties.

During the January protests, approximately 800 people were arrested across Ardabil province. Around 500 were released within the first ten days, and nearly 250 were later released on bail, leaving at least 54 individuals in the security ward of Ardabil Prison.