Tag: Bebhaban City

Seven Behbahani Citizens Sentenced to a Total of Five Years and Six Months In Prison

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Kazemi, Bebhaban City, Ebrahim Armish, Farzad Ansarifar, Farzaneh Ansarifar, Jalal Jafari, Mahmood Dashtinia, Maryam Kazemi, Masoud Seddighnia, Mehrdad Dashinia, Mohammad Hashamdar, Mohammad Hossein Ghanavati, Morteza Vahdani, Narges Deram-Gozin, Vahb Ramin, Zeynab Alipour

The Revolutionary Court of Bandar Mahshahr issued prison sentences against seven Behbahani citizens who were arrested during the June 2020 protests in the city. Narges Deram-Gozin, Masoud Seddighnia, Ebrahim Armish, Morteza Vahdani, Zeynab Alipour, Vahb Ramin and Jalal Jafari have been sentenced to a total of 5 years and 6 months in prison. The conviction against Jafari has been suspended for 5 years.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the people mentioned above were notified of their sentence on February 19. Deram-Gozin, Seddighnia, Armish and Alipour were sentenced to 1 year on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. Vahdani, Ramin, and Jafari were sentenced to six months for the same charge. Jafari’s conviction has been suspended for 5 years.

Earlier, in another legal case, Farzaneh Ansarifar, who was also indicted in this case, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. Two others Behbahan citizens, Ali and Maryam Kazemi, have also been sentenced to a combined two years in prison.

On July 16, 2020, Behbahan’s citizens protested in Banke Melli Square in Behbahan against “poor economic conditions” and “death sentences against those who were arrested during the protest of November 2019”. Many people were arrested during the protests or thereafter at their homes.

During the protest of November 2019 in Behbahan city, security forces used live ammunition against protestors which led to the death of several protestors including Mehrdad Dashinia, Mahmood Dashtinia, Farzad Ansarifar, Mohammad-Hossein Ghanavati and Mohammad Hashamdar.

Verdict Against Hamed Mortazavi Upheld by the Court of Appeals

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Bebhaban City, Hamed Mortazavi, Mahshahr City, Mohsen Qara’ati

Branch 17 of the Court of Appeals of Khuzestan Province upheld the verdict against Hamed Mortazavi, who was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Mahshahr City to four years and six months in prison and a ban from leaving the country.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the resident of Bebhaban City received eight months for the charge of “propaganda against the regime”, one year and forty days for the charge of “offensive statements against the former and current supreme leader of Iran”, and two years and seven and half months for the charge of “membership in groups and gathering of more than two people in intention to disturb national security”. Moreover, he has been banned from leaving the country for two years and is required to study a book of Mohsen Qara’ati (an Iranian Shia cleric) within six months and pass an exam on it.

From these charges, ground in Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest punishment namely two years and seven and half months for the third charge is enforceable. In the initial trial, he was acquitted on the count of “blasphemy”.

On October 31, 2017, intelligence agents arrested and transferred him to a detention centre at the disposal of the Ministry of Intelligence in Behbahan City. The next day, he was sent to Behbahan Prison. It is said that during interrogation, he was subjected to torture and beating. After a while, he was released on bail until the end of legal proceedings.