Eleven Individuals Sentenced to a Total of 95 Years for Political Charges

Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court has issued extensive sentences totaling 95 years for 11 defendants on political charges. In addition to imprisonment, the individuals have also been fined and subjected to flogging and other supplementary penalties.

Under the direction of Judge Iman Afshari, the court delivered the following verdicts:

Vahid Gol-Sorkh: Five years for Blasphemy, five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” one year for “propaganda against the regime,” five years for “inciting people to violence”, totaling 16 years with five years enforceable.

Kazem Alineajd Baralu: Five years for Blasphemy, five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” one year for “propaganda against the regime,” totaling 11 years with five years enforceable.

Arsham (Mahmood) Rezaie: Five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” one year for “propaganda against the regime,” five years for “inciting people to violence”, two years for “illegal acquisition of property,” two years and paying a fine for “dissemination of false information,” totaling 15 years with five years enforceable.

Meysam Gholami: Five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” one year for “propaganda against the regime, totaling six years with five years enforceable.

Vahid Ghadirzadeh: Five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” one year for “propaganda against the regime, totaling six years with five years enforceable.

Ali-Asghar Hassani-Rad: Five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” one year for “propaganda against the regime, and two years for “illegal acquisition of property,” totaling eight years with five years enforceable. Additionally, he has received 11 lashes for “holding drug,” and paying a fine.

Saman Rezaie: Four years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” one year for “propaganda against the regime,” with four years enforceable.

Fatemeh Haghparast Sahi: eight months for “propaganda against the regime,” paying a fine for “presence in public without Hijab.”

Payam Bastani Parizi: Five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” one year for “propaganda against the regime,” ten years for “forming group to act against national security,” with ten years enforceable.

Mohammad-Reza Kamrani-Nejad: Five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” one year for “propaganda against the regime,” detention period included. Five years will be enforceable to him.

Hojatollah Rafei: Five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” and one year for “propaganda against the regime,” detention period included. Five years will be enforceable to him.

Reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of HRA in 2023 indicate a total of 193 cases in which Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, has been involved in issuing verdicts that infringe upon the human rights of defendants.

Former Political Prisoner Ali-Asghar Hassani-Rad Arrested by IRGC Intelligence

In a recent development, former political prisoner Ali-Asghar Hassani-Rad has been arrested by IRGC intelligence and taken to an undisclosed location.

A reliable source close to his family confirmed the involvement of the IRGC intelligence unit in the arrest. The incident occurred approximately two months ago when security forces visited his mother’s residence but failed to apprehend him due to his absence. Since then, Hassani-Rad had been in hiding in Nowshahr.

The reasons behind his arrest, his current location, and the specific charges against him remain unknown at this time.

Notably, this is not the first time Ali-Asghar Hassani-Rad has faced arrest. In May 2020, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced him to 16 years and seven months in prison, with seven years enforceable. Additionally, he was banned from leaving the country, joining political groups, and engaging in social media/media activities.

However, following the “pardon and commutation” directive, Hassani-Rad was granted amnesty, leading to his release from Evin Prison on February 15, 2023.

Report on Mass Release of Prisoners in the Past 24 Hours

In the past 24 hours, several prisoners of conscience were released from the prisons of Tehran, Behbahan, Mashhad and Ilam.

Of these freed prisoners, the most known prisoners are:

  1. Political prisoner Ali-Asghar Hassani Rad from Evin Prison, Tehran
  2. Ahmad Raisi, arrested during recent nationwide protests, from Evin Prison
  3. Political prisoner Yasin Jamali from Evin Prison
  4. Political prisoner Alireza Hatami from Evin Prison
  5. Political prisoner Sakineh Parvaneh from Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
  6. Abdollah Eitook, arrested at recent nationwide protests, from Behbahan Prison
  7. Ayat Arefinia from Ilam Prison
  8. Mosa’ab Sediji, age 16 and a resident of Jask, arrested at recent nationwide protests

Details of these prison releases are still unknown. They are, however, likely released under recent approval to “pardon and commute” the sentence of some prisoners.

Earlier, the head of the Judiciary proposed to pardon or commute the sentences of some prisoners as an enactment of Article 110, paragraph 11 of the constitution, which was approved by Ali Khamenei under some conditions which the legal case should meet.

Without providing any statistics about the number of pardoned prisoners, judicial authorities announced that these mass releases would continue until February 19.