HRANA – Mehdi Ansari, a member of the Fars Bar Association and one of those arrested during the January 2026 protests, has been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz to five years in prison and a two-year travel ban.
Based on information received by HRANA, a branch of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz sentenced Mr. Ansari to five years in prison and a two-year ban on leaving the country on the charge of “assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.”
Mehdi Ansari, an attorney and member of the Fars Bar Association, had previously been arrested in Shiraz in connection with the January protests. He was eventually released from prison after posting bail set at 5 billion tomans.
It should be noted that protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.
