Category: Freedom of Expression

Prison Sentence of Saba Kord Afshari Reduced to Five Years 

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Saba Kord-Afshari

Recently, the Supreme Court of Iran commuted the prison sentence of civil activist, Saba Kord Afshari to five years while she was in prison. She was acquitted of the charge of “promoting corruption and obscenity through appearing without a headscarf in public.” Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the five years prison sentence is the maximum punishment enforceable for her.

Afshari is a civil activist and prominent critic of the compulsory hijab in Iran. She was convicted for her civil activities and in February of 2019, she was freed after serving her sentence. On June 1, 2019, she was arrested at her home and transferred to prison after completing an interrogation.

On August 27, 2019, Afshari was sentenced by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran to 15 years imprisonment for “promoting corruption and obscenity through appearing without a headscarf in public”, 1 year and 6 months of imprisonment for “propaganda against the regime” and 7 years and 6 months in prison for “assembly and collusion to act against national security”. 

This verdict, which was increased two and half times more due to a previous record, was corrected and reduced from 15 years to 7 years and 6 months.

On December 9, 2020, she was transferred from Evin Prison to exile to Qarchak Prison.

Seven Citizens Arrested in Baneh City

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Baneh, HRANA, Sanandaj City

On Tuesday, April 26, 2022, in Kurdistan Province’s Baneh City, the security forces arrested seven citizens.  One of the individuals was released after a few hours and the rest were transferred to a detention facility in Sanandaj City.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa News, seven residents of Baneh were arrested, of which six were transferred to a detention facility in Sanandaj.

The arrestees have been identified as Hassan Ezzati, Nishtman Rahmati, Saeed Mohammadi, Parvin Falahi, Omar Soleimani, Afshin Rahmati, and Fateh Majidi. Nishtman Rahmati, Saeed Mohammadi’s wife, was released after a few hours.

Reportedly, during the arrest, the security forces searched their houses and confiscated some of their personal belongings.

The reason for these arrests and the charges are still unknown.

Ali Kajbaf Sentenced to One Year and Six Months in Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
ahvaz, Ali Kajbaf, Sheyban Prison

On Tuesday, April 27, 2022, Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz sentenced Ali Kajbaf to one year and six months in prison. If the verdict is upheld on appeal, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, one year is the maximum punishment enforceable for Kajbaf.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ali Kajbaf, a resident of Ahvaz, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison by the Revolutionary Court.

On Tuesday, April 27, 2022, Kajbaf was notified of the verdict that he was sentenced to one year on the charge of “membership in an anti-regime group” and six months on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. The court session was held on April 17, 2022.

According to an informed source, Kajbafwas acquitted of the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security and crossing the border illegally.”

On August 18, 2021, the Ministry of Intelligence agents arrested Kajbaf while he was leaving the country. He spent 11 days of his detention in solitary confinement in Urmia. Reportedly, during detention, the agents beat him severely which led to a bone fracture in the chest and a broken tooth.

After completing the interrogation process, Kajbaf was transferred to Sheyban Prison in Ahvaz. On November 1, 2021, he was released on bail.

Women’s Rights Activist Nooshin Keshavarznia Arrested in Tehran

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Nooshin Keshavarznia, women's rights activist

On Monday, April 25, 2022, the security forces arrested women’s rights activist and social researcher Nooshin Keshavarznia and transferred her to an unidentified location. 

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Monday, the security forces arrested women’s rights activist Nooshin Keshavarznia in Tehran. Before the arrest, she had been summoned by an unknown security institution. 

The reasons for this arrest and her whereabouts are still unknown.

Nooshin Keshavarznia is a women’s rights activist and social researcher who in recent years has focused on the issues related to harassment and violence against women.

Prison Sentence of Asal Mohammadi Upheld by Court of Appeals

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Women
Asal Mohammadi, Iman Soleimani, white torture

Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals upheld one year and eight months imprisonment sentence for Asal Mohammadi. Initially, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran had convicted Mohammadi on the charges of “propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion against national security.”

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the Court of Appeals upheld one year and eight months imprisonment sentence against workers’ rights activist Asal Mohammadi.

Mohammadi’s lawyer, Iman Soleimani, told HRANA, “During the detention, Mohammadi did not have access to a lawyer. During the trial process, I took her case but was not allowed to study the case documents or attend court sessions, which is a violation of Article 48 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Mohammadi was in poor mental condition. Contrary to what the law explicitly states, she had been interrogated without the accompaniment of a lawyer during the interrogation.”

On January 24, 2022, the trial was held and during the trial, participation in online campaigns such as “white torture” or membership in Marxist groups was used as evidence for the charges.

On November 6, 2021, the security forces arrested Mohammadi and Hirad Pirbodaghi in an aggressive manner.

Five days later, on November 11, Mohammadi was transferred to Public Ward 209 of Evin Prison and was released on bond on November 22, 2021.

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Kiumars Latifi in Detention after Two Months

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
KiumarsLatifi, Sanandaj

Kiumars Latifi, a resident of Sanandaj, is still in detention and uncertain about his legal proceeding after two months. On February 15, 2022, IRGC agents arrested Latifi and after interrogation at a detention facility, transferred him to Sanandaj Prison. On April 10, 2022, he was relocated again to a detention facility for further interrogation.

According to #HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Kiumars Latifi, a resident of Sanandaj, is still in detention after two months.

Latifi’s nephew, Farid Latifi, told HRANA, “At the time they sent Kiumars Latifi again to a detention facility from prison, despite frequent family inquiries, both the Ministry of Intelligence and IRGC denied his detention. The prison officials just told us that Latifi had been released by security agents. Since the arrest, Latifi has made only two phone calls to his family from prison and the charges against him are still unknown to us.”

According to Farid Latifi, Kiumars Latifi and four other family members’ bank accounts have been frozen. Also, his sister, Arezoo Latifi has been under pressure or even beaten by agents not to disclose any information about his conditions.

Kiumars Latifi had already faced another arrest. In September of 2019, he was arrested with the same accusation and released on bail on December 26 of that year.

Kiumars Latifi is a Kurdish language teacher and a former member of the Rumi Sanandaj Association.

Students Ali Younesi and Amir Hossein Moradi Sentenced Each to Sixteen Years in Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Younesi, Amir Hossein Moradi, Sharif University of Technology

The Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced two detained Iranian students Ali Younesi and Amir Hossein Moradi to a total of 32 years in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ali Younesi and Amir Hossein Moradi, two students of the Sharif University of Technology, were each sentenced to 16 years in prison.

According to the verdict issued by Branch 29 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, the two individuals have been charged with ” spreading corruption on earth, assembly and collusion against the regime, and propaganda against the regime.”
Earlier, lawyer Mostafa Nili informed the public about holding the last court session for Younesi and Moradi on April 17, 2022.

On April 10, 2020, the security forces arrested the two students violently and without presenting an arrest warrant, sending them to Ward 209 of Evin prison.

On May 5, 2020, the Spokesman of the judiciary accused Younesi and Moradi of collaboration with The People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran (the Mujahedin-e-Khalq or MEK)”. However, in a video record circulating on social media, Ayda Younesi, Ali Younesi’s sister, denied such an accusation. In September of 2020, she revealed that his brother had been under pressure to make a TV confession. In November of that year, Ali Younsei contracted Covid-19 in prison.
 
Amir Hossein Moradi is the winner of the silver medal of the National Astronomy Olympiad in 2017. Ali Younesi is the winner of the silver medal of the National Astronomy Olympiad in 2016 and the gold medal of the 2017 Astronomy Olympiad. Ali Younesi has also won a gold medal in the 12th World Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad in China.

Milad Arsanjani Sentenced to Fifteen Months in Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Milad Arsanjani, Shahriar, the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary

Recently, Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Shahriar sentenced former political prisoner Milad Arsanjani, who is currently detained in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary to 15 months in prison.   

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Milad Arsanjani was sentenced to nine months imprisonment on the charge of “offensive statements against the Supreme Leader of Iran” and six months on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. If  Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code is applied, nine months is the maximum punishment enforceable for Arsanjani.

On November 3, 2021, Arsanjani was arrested by security forces and on November 29, he was transferred to the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary where he has been held since.

An informed source told HRANA that since the arrest, Arsanjani’s family has been under constant pressure by security agents to not disclose any information about his condition. 

Milad Arsanjani had already faced another arrest for his civil activities. During the nationwide protests in 2019, he was arrested at his house in Shahriar City. Subsequently, Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced him to two years imprisonment on the charge of “offensive statements against the Supreme Leader” and to five years imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion”. During his trial, housing a person who was injured during the November 2019 protests was also used against him. On August 7, 2021, he was released from the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

Afsaneh Azimzadeh & Negar Masoudi Summoned to the Judgement Enforcement Unit of Evin Court

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Women
Afsaneh Azimzadeh, filmmaker, IRGC's intelligence unit, Negar Masoudi, photographer, the Association in Defense of Child Laborers

Children’s Rights Activists Afsaneh Azimzadeh and documentary filmmaker and photographer Negar Masoudi were summoned to the Judgement Enforcement Unit of Evin. Earlier, they had been sentenced to a total of 6 years and 8 months in prison and a fine. Later on, the prison sentence was commuted to a fine.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists,  the Judgement Enforcement Unit of Evin summoned Children’s Rights Activists Afsaneh Azimzadeh and documentary filmmaker and photographer Negar Masoudi.

Earlier, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Afshari, sentenced Negar Masoudi to four years and eight months in prison on the charge of “acting against national security and propaganda against the regime.” She also was fined the amount of 80 million tomans for “provocation of indecency and prostitution.” Afsaneh Azimzadeh was sentenced to two years in prison on the charge of “act against national security.” Later, the court commuted the prison sentence.

On December 14, 2020, security forces arrested Afsaneh Azimzadeh and transferred her to Ward 2-A of Evin Prison which is at disposal of IRGC’s intelligence unit. On January 26, 2021,  he was released on bail.

Afsaneh Azimzadeh is the co-founder of the Association in Defense of Child Laborers. For more than 15 years, she has been involved in the education and social aiding of child labourers.

On October 29, 2020, Negar Masoudi was arrested by security forces in Tehran and sent to Ward 2-A of Evin prison. On January 9, 2021, she was released temporarily on bail of 2.5 billion tomans.

Negar Masoudi is a documentary filmmaker and photographer. She has launched a various photo and video exhibitions and directed a number of documentaries.

Student Activist Adel Gorji Went to Evin Prison for Sentencing

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Adel Gorji, Student activist

On Wednesday, April 20, 2022, Adel Gorji was sent to Evin prison for serving a one-year sentence. He is a student of the Faculty of Art and Architecture of Islamic Azad University, Tehran Center Branch.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, On Wednesday, April 20, 2022, Adel Gorji went to Evin prison for sentencing.

In June of 2020, Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals of Tehran Province sentenced Gorji to one year in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security”. As additional punishments, he was also sentenced to three months of unpaid work at the Education Assistant Department of the Islamic Azad University and a two-year ban from political activities or membership in political parties.

Initially, Gorji has been sentenced to four months in prison, However, after the First Deputy Prosecutor opposed this sentence as being light, it was increased on appeals.

On August 29, 2019, following a campus protest against the relocation of the faculty, Gorji was arrested by security forces with two other students. Ten days later, he was released on bond until the end of legal proceedings. On September 21, 2019, however, in the last court session held by branch 7 of the Evin Courthouse, the release on bond was changed to release on bail and since he was unable to provide the bail,  was jailed again. Finally, on October 1, 2019, he was released after providing the bail in the amount of 200 million tomans.

On April 30, 2020, Gorji was arrested by security forces during a gathering again in celebration of International Labor Day. After five days, he was released on bond.