Babak Dadbakhsh Asks Prosecutor-General for Re-Examination of His Case

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activist, political prisoner Babak Dadbakhsh, who is currently being held in Ardabil Prison, recently wrote a letter to the Prosecutor General of Iran asking that his case be re-examined.

In regard to the way his trial was conducted, Dadbakhsh wrote, “Just to receive the verdict letter, I accepted not to appeal. However, after three years, I don’t have any indictment letter to know on what charges and based on what evidences I have been condemned. No one responds to me.”

In part of this letter received to HRANA, Babak Dadbakhsh writes, “The prosecutor-general! I am writing to you as a victim of injustice, a prisoner who has been tortured and sentenced to 25 years without having a trial. Just to receive the verdict letter, I accepted not to appeal. However, after three years, I don’t have any indictment letter to know on what charges and based on what evidences I have been condemned. No one responds to me. I hope that the law does not close its eyes and give me my legal right. I have been convicted within one minute without having an attorney. I request re-examining my case, receiving the indictment letter and using retrial. While I’m suffering stress, as forensic medicine and coroners have diagnosed, I am waiting for justice.”

In November 2017, Babak Dadbakhsh was arrested by security police of NAJA and handed to the Ministry of intelligence officials. Since then, he has been spending in various detention facilities and prisons.  He was once hospitalized in Razi Educational and Therapeutic Psychiatric Center.

In February 2020, he was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment on the charges of “spreading corruption on earth” and “enmity against God” (Moharebeh). However, in April 2021, on the excuse that not all charges have been considered, his sentence was prolonged to 25 years.

It is said that he is suffering from MDD, bipolar disorder and psychotic symptoms based on the diagnosis of Razi Educational and Therapeutic Psychiatric Center.

Babak Dadbakhsh sentence was increased to 25 years imprisonment

Branch 28 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Moghiseh sentenced Babak Dadbakhsh to 17 years in prison for the charges of “corruption on earth” and “waging war against God (Moharebeh)”. He did not request an appeal because his public defender convinced him to accept his sentence. On March 29, 2020, he was summoned and informed that there was a mistake in his verdict and his new sentence is 25 years in prison.

Babak Dadbaksh was arrested by the security police on October 28, 2018, in Tehran and was transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence detention center. Babak Dadbakhsh was charged with “corruption on earth” and “waging war against God (Moharebeh)” by Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Salavati. During his detention, he was held in various prisons such as Ward 209 of Evin Prison and Fashafoyeh Prison. On October 28, 2018, he was transferred to Razi Psychiatric Hospital (Amin Abad) where he was handcuffed and chained to the bed. He was eventually transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison on February 16, 2019. He was kept in the mental ward of the prison for a while and then was transferred to the political prisoners’ ward. Although suffering from mental illness, he was deprived of medical treatments. Moreover, the prison authorities did not permit family visits for him. Babak is 37 years old, originally from Ardabil and residing in Tehran. He is married and has a child. He spent time in Evin Prison during 2007-2009. Babak Dadbakhsh and his sister have separately written open letters to the head of the judiciary system explaining his severe mental illness and emphasizing his innocence.