Category: Ethnic Minorities

Azerbaijani Turk Activist Yousef Salahshour Sentenced to One Year in Prison

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, News
Azerbaijani Turk activist, Yousef Salahshour

Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Tabriz sentenced Azerbaijani Turk Activist Yousef Salahshour to one year in prison, two years ban from leaving the country and two years prohibition of social and political activities on social media.  

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Azerbaijani Turk Activist Yousef Salahshour was sentenced to one year in prison and additional punishments.

 Salahshour’s lawyer, Asghar Mohammadi was informed about the verdict.

Recently Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals had dropped the second charge in this case, of which he had been sentenced to 37 lashes and a fine by Branch 111 of the Criminal Court.

On July 25 of 2021, Yousef Salahshour was arrested by intelligence agents and transferred to the detention center of the Ministry of Intelligence in Tabriz. On August 11, in a phone call, Salahshouri informed his family that he had been transferred to Tabriz Prison. He was released on bail on August 14. Then on October 3,  the Revolutionary Court of Tabriz held the first court session.

On July 24, a number of citizens in Tabriz marched and protested in support of the widespread Khuzestan uprising against water shortages and government mismanagement. During the protests, a number of these citizens, including Mr. Salahshour were arrested.

Azerbaijani Turk Activist Mohammad Aini Jailed in Rasht Prison

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, News
Azerbaijani Turk, Mohammad Aini, Rasht

Detained Azerbaijani Turk activist Mohammad Aini informed his family in a phone call that he had been relocated to Rasht Prison. On January 22, he was summoned via phone by the Ministry of Intelligence and was arrested after an appearance at the Ministry’s office in Rasht City.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Aini has faced other arrests. In October of 2020, amid widespread protests in the Azerbaijani regions in the Western part of the country, he was arrested in Rasht City. After some time, he was released from jail on bail. In February of 2021, he was tried by Branch 12 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht on the charge of “acting against national security” and was finally acquitted.

Three Sunni Prisoners Sentenced to Death

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, News
Edirs Bilrani, Mohamad-Karim Barakzai Akson, Mohmmad Barahooi Anjomani

Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Zahedan City has recently sentenced three Sunni prisoners, Mohamad-Karim Barakzai Akson, Mohmmad Barahooi Anjomani and Edirs Bilrani to death on the one charge and 15 years imprisonment on another. These citizens are currently jailed in Zahedan Prison and have been accused of membership in dissident groups and what the court called “terrorist acts”.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, according to a verdict issued by Branch 2 of Zahedan’s Revolutionary Court on February 24, the defendants have each been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on the charge of “membership in a rebel group” and the death penalty on the charge of “spreading corruption on earth through terrorist activities”, per Article 287 of the Islamic Penal Code.

Article 287 of the Islamic Penal Code states that groups which launch an armed insurrection against the Islamic Republic of Iran are considered rebellious and members, if they use a weapon, will be punished by death.

The specific acts on which the charge is invoked are unknown.

These citizens were apprehended in September of 2020 and have since been jailed in Zahedan Prison.

Azerbaijani Turk Activist Roozbeh Piri Arrested in Tabriz

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News

Last Saturday, security forces arrested Azerbaijani Turk activist Roozbeh Piri. This arrest may have occurred in order to imprison him and force him to serve his sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Tabriz, headed by Judge Ghazinejad, had sentenced Piri to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime” and five years on the charge of “membership in anti-regime political groups”. On appeal, this verdict was reduced to eight months and three years respectively. By applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, three years imprisonment is enforceable for the latter charge.

On September 9, security forces arrested him in Tabriz City. After holding him in detention, they transferred him to Tabriz Prison. On September 29, he was released on bail.

Piri has previously been arrested and convicted for peaceful activities. He was arrested during the nationwide protests in Tabriz in November 2019 and sentenced by the court of appeals to 91 days in prison. He was released from Tabriz Prison in July 2020 after serving his sentence.

Later, he was charged with “spreading lies” on the Internet and sentenced to pay a fine of 5 million tomans (1190 USD) by Branch 103 of Tabriz’s Criminal Court. This sentence was upheld on appeal. Reportedly, the conviction was in retaliation for revealing his brother’s harassment and torture by intelligence agents.

Piri is the editor of Tabriz Magazine and the founder of Navid Etedal, an independent student organization at Tabriz Azad University.

 

Azerbaijani Turk Activist Mohammad Aini Still in Incommunicado Detention

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, News
Mohammad Aini

Azerbaijani Turk activist Mohammad Aini is still in incommunicado detention after 12 days. His whereabouts and the reason for his arrest are still unknown despite family inquiry.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Aini, a resident of Rasht, was arrested on January 23 after an appearance at the Ministry of Intelligence Office in Rasht City. After, he was transferred to an unidentified location. He was summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence the day before the arrest.

Since the arrest, he has not called his family and security and judicial authorities have not provided any info to his family about the reason for this arrest and his whereabouts.

Aini has faced other arrests. In October of 2020, amid the widespread protests in the Azerbaijani regions in the Western part of the country, he was arrested in Rasht City. After some time, he was released from jail on bail. In February of 2021, he was tried by Branch 12 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht on the charge of “acting against national security” and was finally acquitted.

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Azerbaijani Turk Activist Abbas Nikravan Sentenced to 91 Days In Prison

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Abbas Nikravan, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Salmas

Abbas Nikravan, an Azerbaijani Turk Activist and resident of Salmas City, was sentenced to 91 days in prison by the Criminal Court of Salmas.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Branch 102 of Salmas’s Criminal Court sentenced Nikravan on the charge of “propaganda against the regime on the Internet”. The sentence is grounded in Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code.

On September 5, 2021, security forces arrested and transferred him to the Ministry of Intelligence Office in Urmia City. On September 21 of last year, he was released on bail from Urmia Prison.

Nikravan has another arrest on his rap sheet. On July 5, 2018, he was arrested during an annual gathering in Babak Castle and released on bail six days later.

Three and Five Years Imprisonment Against Tamuli Torfi and Childawi Upheld by the Court of Appeals

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, Freedom of Expression, News
Abdullah Childawi, Karim Dahimi, Saleh Tamuli Torfi (Munabi)

Branch 13 of the Court of Appeals of Khuzestan Province upheld the verdict of Saleh Tamuli Torfi (Munabi) and Abdullah Childawi. These citizens were previously sentenced to a combined eight years in prison. The three years for Karim Torfi and 5 years for Childawi is enforceable according to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Torfi was sentenced in the initial trial to three years in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime”. and “assembly and collusion to act against national security” Childawi was sentenced to 5 years on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “membership in anti-regime groups.” The case was delivered to the executive unit of the Public and Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz City for enforcement.

According to political activist and human rights defender focused on Iran’s Arab communities, Karim Dahimi, the conviction is due to the defendent’s participation in a protest held in 2017 against the illegal confiscation of farmlands by the government.

“They also have to face another legal case in which there has not yet been a verdict,” he told HRANA.

On November 6, 2018, Torfi and Childawi were arrested by security forces in Ahvaz City and transferred to Sheyban Prison after interrogation. Ultimately, Torfi and Childawi were released on bail on September 7, 2019 and October 6, 2020, respectively.

Childawi is 43 years old, married and the father of four children. Torfi has other arrests and convictions due to his civil activities.

Azerbaijani Turk activist Afshar Moheb Arrested and Sent to Ardabil Prison

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, News
Afshar Moheb, Ardabil, ardabil prison, azerbaijani activist, Azerbaijani Turk activist

On December 22, Azerbaijani Turk activist Afshar Moheb was arrested and sent to Ardabil Prison after his appearance at Branch 3 of the Public and Revolutionary Court in Ardabil.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the resident of Ardabil, was indicted with the charge of “propaganda against the regime in favour of anti-regime groups.”

On January 23, 2021, security forces arrested Moheb while he was leaving his workplace in Ardabil City. They released him after a few hours of interrogation from the Press Office of the Ministry of Intelligence.

Azerbaijani Turk Activist Saeed Soltani Sentenced to Two Years Imprisonment

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, News
Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani Turk activist, Babak Kiumarsi, Iranian Azerbaijan, Kolfa City, Saeed Soltani

Branch 3 of Tabriz’s Revolutionary Court sentenced Azerbaijani Turk activist Saeed Soltani to two years in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Soltani’s lawyer was notified by the court, headed by Judge Fath-Nejad that his client had been sentenced to two years in prison, minus the detention period, on the charge of “membership in dissident groups in order to disturb national security”.

Babak Kiumarsi, the other Azerbaijani Turk activist involved in the case, was recently sentenced by the court to two years in prison on the same charge.

On October 4, 2020, the security forces arrested Soltani and Kiumarsi at Kiumarsi’s workplace in Jolfa City. At the time of arrest, the intelligence agents searched Soltani’s house and confiscated some of his personal belongings such as a laptop, cell phone, books and car.

On December 1, 2020, Kiumarsi was transferred from the detention centre to Tabriz Prison. Soltani was transferred the next day. On December 3, both were released on bail until the end of legal proceedings.

Many citizens were arrested during widespread protests in numerous cities which lasted from September 30 to October 18, 2020, in two parts of Iranian Azerbaijan. In an earlier report, HRANA identified 81 of these detainees. Security forces used violence during these mass arrests which, in some cases, led to broken hands or noses.

Azerbaijani Turk Activist Babak Kiumarsi Sentenced to Two Years In Prison

Posted on by A MN
Ethnic Minorities, News
Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani, Babak Kuimarsi, Iranian Azerbaijan, Jolfa City, Saeed Soltani

Branch 3 of Tabriz’s Revolutionary Court sentenced Babak Kiumarsi, an Azerbaijani Turk activist, to two years in prison. The resident of Jolfa City was arrested by security forces in Jolfa on October 4, 2020 and released on bail on December 3 of that year.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Kiumarsi was sentenced to two years in prison minus the detention period. The court, headed by Judge Fath-Nejad, notified Kiumarsi’s lawyer of the verdict. Kiumarsi was charged with “membership in dissident groups in order to disturb national security.”

Kiumarsi was arrested by security forces on October 4 along with Saeed Soltani. After being apprehended at his workplace in Jolfa City, he was transferred to a detention centre at the disposal of the Ministry of Intelligence in Tabriz.

On December 1, he was sent to Tabriz Prison after interrogations. Two days later, he was released on bail until the end of legal proceedings.

Many citizens were arrested during widespread protests in numerous cities which lasted from September 30 to October 18, 2020 in two parts of Iranian Azerbaijan. In an earlier report, HRANA identified 81 of these detainees. Security forces used violence during these mass arrests which, in some cases, led to broken hands or noses.