Abolfazl Pour-Hosseini, a follower of Iranian mysticism known as Erfan-e-Halgheh, has recently been sentenced to three years in prison with an additional two years of suspended imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court. He is currently imprisoned in the Central Prison of Karaj.
A source close to Pour-Hosseini’s family provided HRANA with details about this verdict. Moreover, Pour-Hosseini faces charges of “propaganda against the regime and inciting people to act against national security” in a separate case under review by the Karaj Revolutionary Court.
According to this source, Pour-Hosseini has rejected the charges and declined to sign the charge sheet.
On June 13, 2023, IRGC Intelligence forces in Karaj arrested Pour-Hosseini, detaining him in the Central Prison of the city. According to a statement from one of his friends to HRANA, Pour-Hosseini was distributing a leaflet about Erfan-e-Halgheh at the time of his arrest.
Pour-Hosseini had previously been arrested in 2022 for attending a meeting of this mysticist group in Qom, being released on bond after a period of detention. Aged approximately 47, Pour-Hosseini is the father of one daughter and anticipates becoming a father once again.
Notably, concerns persist about the violation of freedom of religion in Iran, exemplified by cases like Pour-Hosseini’s. This incident adds to ongoing apprehensions regarding the protection of religious rights in the country.