One Year in Prison and 74 Lashes for Peyman Aref

pojournalist and student activist Peyman Aref was sentenced to one year in prison and 74 lashes by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court.

HRANA – A sentence was finally issued for Peyman Aref who was arrested in the first week after the election.
Peyman Aref was tried last Tuesday, February 23, on charges of propaganda against the regime, membership in an overthrowing organization because of his membership in the Iranian National Front and insulting the president for writing an open letter to Ahmadinejad on May 26, 2009. His trial was held in Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in the presence of his attorneys, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, Sayyed Mohammad Reza Faghihi and Mohammad Olyaieefard, and was presided by judge Pir-Abbasi.

He was brought to court from Evin prison on Tuesday, March 2, in order to receive his sentence. Mr. Aref has been sentenced to one year in prison for spreading propaganda against the regime and condemned to bear 74 lashes for insulting the president. He has been acquitted of the charge of membership in an overthrowing organization.
Peyman Aref was previously arrested and tried in the same court by judge Haddad for giving a speech in support of Dr. Aghajeri at Tehran University in 2002, was ultimately sentenced to  one and half years in prison in 2005. His sentence was enforced after his arrest on June 18, 2009, and he has already served about 9 months of that sentence.
The issued sentence also includes the following order: “Considering the defendant’s record, the court does not find this sentence to be sufficient for punishing the defendant, therefore,  referring to Article 19 of the Islamic Criminal Code, is banning the defendant from the profession of journalism and any form of participation in political parties for life.”

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