Category: Freedom of Expression

Armin Esperlous Sentenced to One Year In Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Armin Esperlou, Faranak Jamshidi

On January 15, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj sentenced Armin Esperlous, resident of Sanandaj City, to one year in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, Esperlous, an environmental activist, was sentenced on the charge of “collaboration with an anti-regime political party”.

On September 29, 2021, Esperlous was arrested by security forces and transferred to a detention centre at the disposal of the Ministry of Intelligence. After 20 days of interrogation, he was released on bail of 150 million tomans (35,700 USD) pending further legal proceedings.

His first trial was held on December 12, 2021.

On March 17, 2020, in another legal case, he was charged with “propaganda against the regime” and sentenced to three months in prison.

His wife, Faranak Jamshidi, was also jailed in Sanandaj’s correctional prison. After two months, she was released on bail.

Poet Ghasem Bahrami Arrested

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Ghasem Bahrami

Ghasem Bahrami, a critic, poet and resident of Mashhad City, was arrested while leaving the country. On September 15, 2021, security forces arrested him. He was released on bail in October.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Student News Network, a security institution-affiliated media outlet, Bahrami was arrested while attempting to leave from the northwest border of the country.

The report did not mention any reason for this arrest.

Bahrami is known for expressing political views through his poetry.

The Court of Appeals Upheld the Order of Seizure of Fatemeh Mosanna and Hassan Sadeghi’s House

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Fatemeh Mosanna, Ferdos Mahboobi, government seizure of personal property, Hassan Sadeghi, politcal prisoners

The Court of Appeals of Tehran Province upheld the initial order to seize the personal property of two political prisoners, Fatemeh Mosanna and Hassan Sadeghi. Recently, agents of Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order seized the couple’s house. The two prisoners have been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to a combined 30 years in prison, seizure of personal properties, namely their shop and house. In March 2019, their place of business was seized by court order.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the Court of Appeals of Tehran Province upheld the order to seize the house of Mosanna and Sadeghi, who are currently serving time in Rajai Shahr. Currently, their children and Mosanna’s mother are residing in the house. It is their only shelter. Mosanna’s 90 year mother, Ferdos Mahboobi, was operated on three times in recent years and suffers from dementia and osteoporosis.

“The agents went to their house with an eviction order. They told the agents: “this house is the last thing you have left for us, and if you want eviction, you have to throw our stuff into the street,” an informed source told HRANA.

The whole family was arrested, on January 28, 2013, following the funeral of Sadehgi’s father, a dissident against the regime. Their daughter and son, who was underage, were also arrested and interrogated. They were released after three days and 45 days respectively.

Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced each member of the couple to 15 years in prison and the seizure of personal property (both shop and house). This verdict was upheld on appeal.

On September 30, 2015, Mosanna was arrested and sent to Evin Prison to endure her sentence. On February 7, 2016, Sadeghi was arrested and sent to Rajai Shahr Prison after he went to Evin Prison to visit his wife.

Currently, Sadeghi is spending the ninth year of his sentence. His request for a retrial, for both him and his wife, has been dismissed twice by the Branch 33 of the Supreme Court of Iran.

In May of 2021, Mosanna was dispatched to a hospital from prison due to intestinal bleeding.

In 1980, while Mosanna was only 13 years old, she was arrested along with her mother and jailed for three years. During this period, her three brothers Ali, Mostafa and Morteza as well as the wife of one of her brothers were executed in prison for the charge of “enmity against God” and “advocating for The People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran”.

Sadeghi was arrested in 1981 and jailed for six years. He was beaten harshly in prison by prison agents. He still suffers from the effects. Despite currently suffering from glaucoma, heel bone fracture in both feet, and ulcer, he has been denied adequate medical treatment and hospitalization outside the prison for no compelling reason.

Verdict Against Hamed Mortazavi Upheld by the Court of Appeals

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Bebhaban City, Hamed Mortazavi, Mahshahr City, Mohsen Qara’ati

Branch 17 of the Court of Appeals of Khuzestan Province upheld the verdict against Hamed Mortazavi, who was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Mahshahr City to four years and six months in prison and a ban from leaving the country.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the resident of Bebhaban City received eight months for the charge of “propaganda against the regime”, one year and forty days for the charge of “offensive statements against the former and current supreme leader of Iran”, and two years and seven and half months for the charge of “membership in groups and gathering of more than two people in intention to disturb national security”. Moreover, he has been banned from leaving the country for two years and is required to study a book of Mohsen Qara’ati (an Iranian Shia cleric) within six months and pass an exam on it.

From these charges, ground in Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest punishment namely two years and seven and half months for the third charge is enforceable. In the initial trial, he was acquitted on the count of “blasphemy”.

On October 31, 2017, intelligence agents arrested and transferred him to a detention centre at the disposal of the Ministry of Intelligence in Behbahan City. The next day, he was sent to Behbahan Prison. It is said that during interrogation, he was subjected to torture and beating. After a while, he was released on bail until the end of legal proceedings.

Shadi Gilak Sent to Evin Prison to Serve One Year Sentence

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Arash Johari, Moghaddas Courthouse, Shadi Gilak

On January 8, Shadi Gilak, wife of imprisoned worker’s rights activist Arash Johari, was sent to Evin Prison to serve a one year sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on January 8, Shadi Gilak, a resident of Tehran, was jailed in Evin Prison. He had been sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”.

She had been summoned to appear at the Executive Unit of Moghaddas Courthouse to be arrested and serve her conviction.

Gilak is the wife of Arash Johari, the worker’s rights activist who is currently spending his conviction in Evin Prison.

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Civil Activist Yashar Tabrizi Arrested By Security Forces in Tehran

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Akbar Gholizadeh (Yashar Tabrizi), Robat-Karim, Yashar Tabrizi

On January 8, civil activist Yashar Tabrizi was arrested by security police agents and transferred to Robat-Karim Detention Center. Earlier on that day, he had published a post on social media from his visit to the Ukraine plane crash site in memorial of the victims.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Tabrizi has faced other arrests by security forces. On April 7, 2021, he was arrested for one day in Isfahan along with some victims’ families of the crashed Ukrainian plane as well as other civil activists.

An informed source told HRANA that, “at 7 A.M., Mr Tabrizi called his family and told them that he was detained in the detention centre in Robat-Karim. He was arrested by the order of the prosecutor and would be released after a few hours. At 11 a.m., his wife went to Robat-Karim Detention Center and they confirmed that he was there”.

On 8 January 2020, Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down by IRGC’s missile shortly after takeoff from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport. After a few days of covering up the cause of this incident, the regime admitted that the plane was hit by a missile shot from an anti-missile defense base. Since then, the victims’ families have been demanding the trial of perpetrators of this incident.

Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sentenced to Death Penalty By the Revolutionary Court

Posted on by A MN
Executions, Freedom of Expression, News
Death sentence, Mohammad Javad Vafaei

Political activist, Mohammad Javad Vafaei was sentenced to death by Mashhad’s Revolutionary Court on the charge of “spreading corruption on earth”.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad sentenced Vafaei to death.

His lawyer Babak Paknia stated that according to the indictment letter, his client has been charged with “spreading corruption on earth through destruction of government property.”

Vafaei, 26 years old and a boxing coach was arrested in March of 2020 by security forces in Mashhad city.

Earlier, he was granted a high bail which he could not afford to provide and hence has been in jail since the arrest.

Zahra Mohammadi Sent to Jail to Serve Five Year Sentence

Posted on by A MN
Environment, Freedom of Expression, News

On January 8, civil activist Zahra Mohammadi was sent to the women’s ward of the Correctional Center of Sanandaj City to endure her five year imprisonment.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, Mohammadi was arrested by security forces on May 23, 2019. After more than six months in detention, she was released on a bail of 700 million tomans (166,600 USD) on December 2 of that year.

In July 2020, Branch 1 of Sanandaj’s Revolutionary Court sentenced her to 10 years in prison on the charge of “organizing people with intention to disturb national security”. In February of 2021, this verdict was reduced to 5 years on appeal. Her request for a retrial was rejected by the Supreme Court of Iran.

Mohammadi, 29 years old, is a member of the cultural association Nojin which is engaged in environmental activities, forest protection and Kurdish language teaching.

Baktash Abtin, Jailed Writer and Poet, Dies of COVID-19

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Baktash Abtin, Coronavirus, COVID, IWA, Lack of medical care in prison

On January 8, Baktash Abtin, a prisoner of conscience, writer and member of the Iranian Writers Association (IWA), died of COVID-19 in the hospital. On December 6, 2021, after showing severe COVID-19 symptoms, he was dispatched from Evin Prison to a hospital in Tehran. After a few days, he was sent to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as his condition deteriorated and his life was threatened.

In an open statement, IWA called the regime responsible for Abtin’s critical health condition by denying him adequate and on-time medical treatment and hospitalization.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Abtin was a poet, filmmaker and writer. The IWA expressed grave concern for his wellbeing, stating that “the regime is responsible for whatever happens to the imprisoned writers, especially Baktash Abtin. The regime has deliberately endangered the life of political prisoners. They have to be set free before it is too late, especially that we all know that they are innocent of any wrongdoing and deserve no punishment whatsoever”.

In reaction to his death, in a new statement, IWA called it a murder committed by the regime and stated:

“On December 3, with the onset of clear COVID-19 symptoms, Baktash Abtin went to Evin [Prison’s] healthcare. However, he did not receive any treatment. After three days, when his health condition worsened, prison officials had to dispatch him to a hospital overnight without informing his family.”

Abtin’s death prompted a wave of reactions from social media, news outlets and human rights organizations. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) stated: “The writer and journalist had been unjustly sentenced to 6 years in prison and was in detention in hospital, ill with COVID-19 & deprived of the necessary care. RSF blames the high regime’s authorities for his death.”

Abtin was in Evin Prison where he contracted COVID-19. On May 15, 2019, Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced him to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime” and 5 years on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against the national security”. On September 26, 2020, along with two other IWA members, he was sent to Evin Prison to serve his sentence.

The IWA is an independent group of authors, poets, editors and translators based in Iran which was formed in May 1968 to fight against state censorship. The government has continuously persecuted members of the IWA after the 1979 revolution. In 1998, several IWA members, including opposition politicians Dariush Forouhar and his wife Parvaneh Eskandari, and writers Mohammad Mokhtari and Mohammad Jafar Pouyandeh, were murdered.

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

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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.