Category: Freedom of Expression

Tohidi, Mohammad Iran-Nejad and Sara Askari Fined, Sentenced to Imprisonment

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Mohammad Iran-Nejad, Sara Askari, Yashar Tohidi

Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Yashar Tohidi, Mohammad Iran-Nejad and Sara Askari, all residents of Tehran, to more than seven years of imprisonment combined, as well as a fine.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Tohidi and Iran-Nejad were each sentenced to three years and five months in prison on charges of “acting against national security through membership in one of the Marxist groups” and “propaganda against the regime”. If this verdict is upheld, the severest punishment of two years and nine months on the charge of “acting against national security through membership in a Marxist group” is enforceable per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.

Askari has also been sentenced to six months in prison and a fine of 7,000,000 tomans on the charge of “spreading lies”. Her sentence has been suspended for five years.

The trial against these citizens was held on January 17, 2022.

On June 23, 2021, security forces arrested Tohifi and transferred him to the IRGC-controlled Ward 2-A in Evin Prison. After 12 days of interrogation, he was released on bail of 500 million tomans until the end of legal proceedings.

Iran-Nejad and Tohidi have already faced other arrests and convictions in their rap sheets.

Translator and Civil Activist Shohreh Hosseini Summoned to Serve Her Sentence

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Shohreh Hosseini

Translator and civil activist Shohreh Hosseini was summoned by the Executive Unit of Evin Courthouse to serve her sentence. She was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran to three years and three months in prison. Grounded in Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, from the verdict, the severest punishment of two years and seven months is enforceable.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, translator and civil activist Shohreh Hosseini was summoned to appear at the executive unit of Evin courthouse in order to endure her sentence in this prison.

On January 18, 2021, the Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Afshari, sentenced Shohreh Hosseini to four years and two months on the charges of “assembly and collusion to act against national security” and “membership in anti-regime group and propaganda against the regime”. This verdict was reduced to three years and three months on appeal. For the charge of ” assembly and collusion”, the punishment of two years and seven months is enforceable.

On October 2, 2020, IRGC’s security agents arrested and transferred her to the detention centre known as Ward 2-A in Evin Prison. Four days later, she was released on bail of 500 million tomans until the end of the legal proceedings. These agents confiscated some of her personal belongings such as a laptop, phone and some documents.

Once again, on December 8, 2020, Branch 2 of the Evin Prosecutor office was summoned and arrested. They also raised the bail to 1 billion tomans.

On December 29, 2020, she was transferred from Ward 2-A to the public ward of Evin at the end of the interrogation process. 19 days later, she was released temporarily by providing the bail of 1 billion tomans.

French Tourist Benjamin Briere Sentenced to Eight Years In Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Benjamin Briere, saeed dehghan

On January 25, Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad sentenced Benjamin Briere to eight years in prison. The court session had been held on January 20.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists,  French tourist Benjamin Briere who is jailed in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad City, was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of “spying” and “propaganda against the regime”. Two other charges of “spreading corruption on earth” and “drinking alcohol” were already dismissed by the court.

Briere’s lawyer, Saeed Dehghan, tweeted that “1. Just before the trial, they changed the branch where the court was going to be held, 2. the trial was not public and 3. it was quite obvious that the judge has already taken a position, 3. They mentioned the word “exchange” (apparently referring to a prisoner swap with the French government) which reveals their intention”.

Briere has been in pre-trial detention for almost 600 days.

In late December of 2021, he was denied making a phone call to his family on Christmas night and in protest, went on hunger strike.

In May 2020, Briere was arrested by security forces and has since been jailed in Vakilabad Prison.

According to Dehghan, these charges were based on actions such as taking aerial photos with a remote-controlled helicam and posing questions such as “why is the veil (Hijab) forced in Iran but not other Islamic countries”.

Rapper Toomaj Salehi Fined and Sentenced to Six Months Suspended Imprisonment

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Tomaj Salehi

The Revolutionary Court of Shahin-Shahr sentenced Toomaj Salehi to six months in prison and a fine. The verdict was suspended for one year. Salehi is a rapper who is well-known for his protest songs.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists. Rapper, Salehi was exonerated from the charge of “provoking violence and insurrection”.

On September 12, 2021, Salehi was arrested by security forces at his home and nine days later, released on bond from Dastgerd Prison.

Nobel Laureates and Prominent Academics Demand Immediate Release of Ali Younesi and Amir Hossein Moradi

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Ali Younesi, Amirhossein Moradi, nobel, Randy Wayne Schekman

In a joint letter, a group of Nobel laureates and prominent academics urged Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to ask that the Iranian regime release two detained Iranian students, Ali Younesi and Amir Hossein Moradi.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on the 18 January, in a joint letter, 16 Nobel laureates and prominent scholars called for the immediate release of Ali Younesi and Amir Hossein Moradi.

Earlier, on May 15, 2020, in an open letter, several Nobel laureates asked UN high commissioner, Michelle Bachelet to put efforts to ensure the immediate release of the two students.

Professor Noam Chomsky (linguist and philosopher), Randy Wayne Schekman ( Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2013), Barry Barish (Nobel Laureate in Physics in 2017) and Richard John Roberts (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1993) are among the writers of this letter.

On April 10, 2020, these two Sharif University of Technology students were violently arrested. Since the arrest, they have been subjected to torture-tainted interrogations to make forced confessions on television.

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 also won a gold medal in the 12th World Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad in China.

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Amir Abbas Azarmvand Sentenced to Four Years and Three Months In Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Amir Abbas Azarmvand, Judge Afshari

Recently, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced journalist and workers’ rights activist Amir Abbas Azarmvand to four years and three months in prison. As a complementary punishment, he was banned from leaving the country and from membership in any political group for two years. If the verdict is upheld on appeal, the three year and seven month sentence on one count will be enforceable, per Article 134 of the Penal Islamic Code.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran headed by Judge Afshari notified him of his conviction. He has been sentenced on charges of “assembly and collusion to act against national security”, and eight months on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. The court session was held on January 8, 2022, and he was notified about the conviction later.

On September 1, 2021, security forces arrested Azarmvand at his home. On September 23, 2021, he was released on bail.  At the time, the courthouse told his family that the bail was 500 million tomans (118,000 USD). However, when they attempted to reduce the bail, which they could not afford, they were told that he was still under interrogation and that, for now, no bail will be accepted.

Azarmvand has two other arrests due to his civil activities in December of 2018 and in January of 2021.

Narges Mohammadi Transferred to Qarchak Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Women
Defenders of Human Rights Center, Narges Mohammadi

Narges Mohammadi, the spokesperson of the Defenders of Human Rights Center, was transferred from Evin Prison to Qarchak Prison in Varamin City. In November of last year, she was arrested in Karaj City and has since been held in Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, her husband, Taghi Rahmani, confirmed the news and commented that his wife has not made a phone call since her relocation to Qarchak Prison, which raises concerns.

On November 16, 2021, she was arrested by security forces during her attendance at a ceremony honouring Ebrahim Ketabdar, who was killed by security forces in Karaj during the November 2019 protests. She was detained in a solitary confinement cell in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. On November 22, 2021, she was notified about the charges in Evin courthouse.

On December 29, 2021, security agents raided and searched her house and confiscated some of her personal belongings.

She has already faced other arrests and convictions and was imprisoned from May 5, 2015, until October of last year, Narges Mohammadi was imprisoned.

In May of 2021, Branch 1177 of the Criminal Court in the Ghods Judicial Complex in Tehran sentenced Mohammadi to 30 months in prison and 80 lashes, as well as fines. She was charged with “propaganda against the regime through the issuance of a statement against the death penalty”, “sit-down strike at prison office”, “property destruction by breaking glass” and “libel and assault”.

According to a report published by HRANA, in an open statement, Mohammadi stated that she will not, “under any circumstances”, attend any court hearing, and will refuse to accept any verdict from the judiciary courts.

In December 2019, Mohammadi and seven other political prisoners in the women’s ward of Evin Prison announced in a letter that they would go on a sit-down strike in support of bereaved families who lost loved ones in November 2019 national protests. Evin Prison officials threatened to deport her and others who participated in the strike to prisons known for their harsher conditions. Subsequently, she was punitively transferred from Evin Prison to Zanjan Prison in December 2019.

Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code and the charges against her, the severest punishment of 10 years was enforceable, but after five years and six months in prison, Mohammadi was finally released from Zanjan Prison. Mohammadi has since been denied a passport and barred from leaving the country to visit her husband and children even though her previous conviction did not mention a supplementary ban on international travel.

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.