Verdicts Upheld for Eight Individuals Arrested Amid Nationwide Protests in 2022

The Supreme Court of Iran has affirmed the sentences for eight defendants involved in the case surrounding the death of Basij militia member Ruhollah Ajamian, as reported by Shargh Newspaper.

Initially handed down by the Karaj Revolutionary Court, the verdicts stand as follows: Hamid Ghareh-Hassanlou has been sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment in Yazd, while Reza Aria, Hossein Mohammadi, and Mehdi Mohammadi each face ten years of exile in Kerman.
Mohammad-Amin Akhlaghi Savojbolaghi, Amin-Mehdi Shokrollahi, and Farzaneh Ghareh-Hassanlou have each been given five years to serve in Mashhad. The Supreme Court has upheld all of these sentences.

Shayan Charani, Amir-Mohammad Jafari, and Ali Moazzami Goodarzi have been sentenced to three years of imprisonment in Qom. However, both Charani and Jafari were granted pardons and subsequently released, whereas Goodarzi’s sentence was upheld.

Furthermore, Aryan Farzamnia’s verdict has been revoked due to documented mental and psychological health concerns.

On January 7, 2023, two other individuals involved in this case, Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Mohammad Hosseini, were executed.

These individuals were initially apprehended in Karaj for their alleged roles in the death of Basij militia member Ruhollah Ajamian during a protest.

 

 

Iran Protests: Eleven Defendants Sentenced to a Total of 79 Years

The Chief Justice of Alborz Province announced that eleven defendants of a legal case, known as “the murder of a Basij militia force Ruhollah Ajamian,” have been sentenced to a total of 79 years in prison. The charges against three other co-defendants were dropped, and they were released after being pardoned. These people were previously arrested over the 2022 nationwide protests.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Tasnim news agency, 11 people, arrested amid the 2022 nationwide protests, were sentenced to a total of 79 years in prison.

Without mentioning the charges, the Chief Justice of Alborz Province stated that according to this verdict, Hamid Ghareh-Hassanlou was sentenced to 15 years, Reza Aria, Hossein Mohammadi, Mehdi Mohammadi and Arian Farzamnia to ten years, Mohammad-Amin Akhlaghi Savojbolaghi, Amin-Mehdi Shokrollai and Farzaneh Ghareh-Hassanlou, to five years, and Shayan Charani, Amir-Mohammad Jafari and Ali Moazzami Goodarzi to three years.

With re-examination, the charges against three other defendants, Behrad Ali Kenari, Javad Zargaran and Reza Shaker Zavardehi were changed from “spreading corruption on earth” to “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” Consequently, these defendants were granted pardons and set free.

“These verdicts are not finalized and defendants can bring an appeal to the Supreme Court within the deadline period,” he added.

On January 7, 2023, two other defendants of this legal case, Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Mohammad Hosseini were executed.

These individuals were arrested in Karaj over the murder of a Basij militia force Ruhollah Ajamian” during the protest.

About the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hejab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. During the nationwide protests, about 19600 people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.