HRANA News Agency – Sina Ghalandari, 30, journalist from Koohdasht was sentenced to two years imprisonment because of informing the public about elections in the region, “without presence in the court and with no opportunity to define”.
According to the report of the Human Rights Activist News Agency in Iran (HRANA), Sina Ghalandar, journalist from Koohdasht was sentenced to two years imprisonment by branch 3 of the Lorestan criminal court 2.
His charge was “spreading lies in the virtual space by computer systems”.
A close source to Mr. Ghalandari, regarding the reason of this court verdict in his absences, told HRANA’s reporter: “Sina has always attended security and justice organisations each time he had been summoned on the phone, although he is suffering from kidney problems and most of his time he is in hospitals for that. However, he had not been summoned to the court neither by phone nor by letters.  He even had no lawyer.”
He added: “According to the security atmosphere created by local authorities against him, lawyers and familiars with legal issues must secretly give him advices to avoid problems. However, Sina received the letter, 10 days after the date which was written on the paper”.
This informed source, regarding the allegations considered in this case, mentioned: “In the recent parliamentary elections in Koohdasht, one of the reformist candidates was on the top during the counting and Sina had published the news and his supporters were rejoicing in the city”.
He continued: “However, at the end of the night another candidate who is currently a member of the parliament won, and then Sina published the news of his victory, and also denied previous reports. Two days later, the people of this city spontaneously protested that the election was rigged and they gathered outside the governor building that the rally was suppressed with violence by security forces using tear gas. The security officials of the city said the reason of these incidents was Sina’s momentary report about the election and that is why the case was formed, which was referred by the verdict”.
The source highlighted at the end: “The protest by people was not related to Sina’s report. From within other local institutions, people realized that some people used fake ID cards of officials and have attempted to manipulate the election results, and even a person at the night of counting had thrown a war grenade into the governor building in Kuhdasht to cause atmosphere of fear and force the election observers to leave that place.
The point is that none of those people were arrested, but a young journalist with compassion for people working with city’s officials has to see all this persecution and injustice. You would not believe that Sina in recent months, has been summoned by different departments of security agencies and judiciary and police forces for at least 50 times. They had made a lot of records and cases that he was acquitted of. Even before the judicial authorities he was threatened with death by one of the officials. My question is that when a burglar comes to your home, the burglar must be caught or the homeowners?”
HRANA had reported earlier that this journalist from Koohdasht who had been summoned to interrogation, was arrested and then was taken to a hospital following his severe weakness and illness, on August 30, and was released temporarily on the bail the next day. Mr. Ghalandari during questioning by the prosecutor was acquitted, but for unknown reasons, the prosecutor issued his temporary detention order.
Sina Ghalandari was born in 1985 in Koohdasht city in Lorestan province. He handles a channel called “Radio Telegram of Lorestan”.
It should be mentioned that this Koohdashti journalist was held in the central prison of Lorestan for 9 days in March this year due to a complaint made by the governor because of asking him about the rumors of “throwing the Quran” by him.