HRANA News Agency – Shahriar Bayat, a 64-year-old political prisoner on death row and held in Evin Prison, is suffering from numerous health problems, including prostate disease, gout, gastrointestinal issues, and colitis. Despite the severity of his condition, he has been denied access to specialized medical care and external treatment facilities. Meanwhile, his case remains under review by the Supreme Court.
According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Bayat’s health has significantly deteriorated. In addition to his existing ailments, he is experiencing gum sores caused by incomplete dental treatments. Despite his repeated requests, he has only been sent to the prison’s infirmary a handful of times, where officials have provided nothing more than non-specialized medications. Prison authorities continue to block his access to specialist consultations or transfers to outside medical centers. Moreover, medication provided by his family last week has yet to be delivered to him.
Elahe Bayat, Mr. Bayat’s daughter, confirmed this information to HRANA. She revealed that her father had been beaten on the head during interrogations, resulting in chronic headaches. She also expressed concern about his drastic weight loss, declining mental health, and the toll his medical conditions have taken on his well-being. Elahe further noted that while an appeal against her father’s death sentence has been submitted to the Supreme Court, no progress has been made. Authorities have claimed that cases are processed based on their registration numbers, leaving his case in limbo.
Background on Shahriar Bayat’s Arrest and Sentencing
Shahriar Bayat was arrested on September 25, 2022, during nationwide protests. Security forces detained him at his home in Shahriar and transferred him to the Greater Tehran Prison before moving him to Evin Prison.
On March 1, 2023, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Shahriar sentenced Mr. Bayat in his first case. He received:
- 1 year imprisonment for “propaganda against the regime,”
- 2 years imprisonment for “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic and the Supreme Leader,”
- 5 years imprisonment for “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security,”
- 10 years imprisonment for “forming and managing illegal (virtual) groups to disrupt national security.”
This totaled 18 years of imprisonment, of which 10 years were enforceable. Following a request for sentence reduction, his prison term was reduced to 8 years and 6 months.
In late February 2023, in a separate case, the 13th Branch of the Criminal Court of Tehran Province, presided over by Saeed Sherafati and Ali Taghian, sentenced Mr. Bayat to death for blasphemy against the Prophet of Islam, insulting other Islamic figures, and desecrating Islamic sanctities through posts on social media. This verdict contradicted the earlier decision by a minority panel, which commuted Bayat’s sentence to six months in prison after he expressed remorse.
It is noteworthy that the Shahriar Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office had previously issued a non-prosecution order for Mr. Bayat on the same charge. However, following an appeal by the Shahriar Prosecutor’s Office, the case was reviewed by the Shahriar Revolutionary Court. Since the Revolutionary Court lacked jurisdiction over blasphemy charges, the case was referred to the Criminal Court of Tehran Province.
The issued rulings and the legal proceedings so far highlight significant ambiguities in Mr. Bayat’s case.
Shahriar Bayat is a retired employee, married, and a resident of Shahriar, Tehran province.
