Students Hasti Amiri and Zia Nabavi Sentenced to One Year in Prison Upheld by Tehran Court of Appeal

The Tehran Court of Appeal upheld a one-year sentence against Hasti Amiri and Zia Nabavi, students at Allameh Tabataba’i University.

Initially, the Tehran Revolutionary Court, with Judge Iman Afshari presiding, had handed down the one-year sentences to both students on charges of “spreading propaganda against the regime.” This decision has now been confirmed by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeal.

The legal action against Amiri and Nabavi stems from their participation in protests against a series of poison attacks targeting schoolgirls across Iran.

Furthermore, during a protest assembly at Allameh Tabataba’i University on December 7, 2022, more than 30 students were barred from entering the university premises and subsequently faced disciplinary measures. Consequently, The Student Basij of the university sought the involvement of security institutions and the initiation of legal proceedings against Amiri and Nabavi.

Both of these students have a documented history of arrests and convictions due to their involvement in various activist initiatives.

 

Students Hasti Amiri and Zia Nabavi Each Sentenced to One-Year Prison Terms

Tehran, August 9, 2023: In a recent development, Hasti Amiri and Zia Nabavi, both students at Allameh Tabataba’i University, have been each handed a one-year prison sentence by the Tehran Revolutionary Court, as reported by Emtedad News.

Presiding Judge Iman Afshari conveyed the verdict to the students, indicating that they have been found guilty of “propaganda against the regime.” This decision was reached during a court session held on July 10, 2023.

The legal action against Amiri and Nabavi stems from their participation in protests against a series of poison attacks targeting schoolgirls across Iran.

Furthermore, during a protest assembly at Allameh Tabataba’i University on December 7, 2022, more than 30 students were barred from entering the university premises and subsequently faced disciplinary measures. As a consequence, The Student Basij of the university sought the involvement of security institutions and the initiation of legal proceedings against Amiri and Nabavi.

Both of these students have a documented history of arrests and convictions due to their involvement in various activist initiatives.

Between late November 2022 and March 7, 2023, at least 290 schools, primarily girls’ schools, were targeted by poison attacks using an unspecified toxic gas, affecting at least 7,068 students in 103 schools. For further details and statistics, please refer to the HRANA report.”

Three Student Activists Indicted for Protesting Poison Attacks on Schools

On April 24, 2023, three students from Allameh Tabataba’i University – Hasti Amiri, Fereshteh Toosi, and Zia Nabavi – were indicted in Evin Court House for protesting against serial poison attacks on schools.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Didban News, students Hasti Amiri, Fereshteh Toosi and Zia Nabavi face new legal cases for “propaganda against the regime.” The court has ordered a bond for their pre-trial release.

The students are being prosecuted for protesting against the serial poisoner attacks on schools and the mistreatment of students by university security staff.

On March 7, 2023, over thirty students of Allameh Tabataba’i University were banned from entering the campus and are facing disciplinary action. At the time, the Student Basij unit issued a statement calling for disciplinary punishments against the three indicted students.

This is not the first time these activists have faced legal action for their activism. Fereshteh Toosi and Zia Nabavi have been arrested and prosecuted before, and Hasti Amiri was imprisoned in Evin Prison from July 31, 2022, to February 7, 2023, serving a one-year sentence.

 

Student Activist Hasti Amiri Imprisoned

On July 31, Hasti Amiri, the law student at Allameh Tabataba’i University, was arrested and taken to Evin Prison to serve her one-year sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, security forces arrested Hasti Amiri at her house in Tehran and took her to Evin Prison for sentencing. 

In March of this year, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Amiri to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. She was also prohibited from membership in political and civil rights groups, and activities on the internet, and banned from attending student gatherings for two years. The Court of Appeals upheld this verdict.

According to her lawyer, Amir Raisian, a published photo showing Amiri in a student gathering for the celebration of Women’s Day in March, as well as her statements on social media against capital punishment was presented in the trial as evidence.

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of protests took place this week in Iran. Read our recap below for details, photos, and videos from the demonstrations

Saturday, May 23

A group of workers and retirees of the Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company Haft-Tappeh gathered in front of the governorate building in Shush City. Recently, these protestors who are living in corporate houses of this company have received an eviction notice. They said that “we will evict the houses, but we have to receive beforehand the renovation expenses. Since these houses are too old, we have spent a lot on renovation”.

A group of poultry farmers assembled in front of the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad in Tehran. They protested against a 600% increase in livestock inputs. According to these farmers, the subsidiary companies of the Ministry sell the livestock inputs illegally on the black market.

A group of personnel of the Ministry of Petroleum who have temporary contracts gathered before this Ministry in Tehran to protest again low wages. According to these protestors, a 10 per cent increase in wages can not keep up with current inflation.

A number of workers of the Municipality of Ahar City walked off the job and went on strike to protest unpaid wages.

Sunday, May 23

A group of pensioners of the Social Security Organization gathered in front of the Planning and Budget Organization in Tehran. In Karaj, Ahvaz, Tabriz, Kerman, Rasht, and Kermanshah, the pensioners held protests before the building of the Social Security Organization in each city.

These pensioners demanded raising their pension to stand above the poverty line, addressing the supplementary insurance issues, the end year bonuses.

 

 

 

A group of workers of the Municipality of Yasuj gathered before the governorate building to protest against 5-month delays in payments. One of the workers complained: “we work 12 hours. However, we cannot even afford the travel expenses so we have to walk to work. If we protest, they threaten us with termination.”

A group of citizens, who have not lost their money by the fraudulent acts of Negin Khordo and Irtoya, held protests before Tehran Public Prosecutor’s Office. They asked for transparency and responsibility from the judiciary in examining the legal case against these companies.

 

Monday, May 23

Following the collapse of a tower in Abadan, dozens of people rallied and protested. 27 people died in this accident. On that day, at least 80 people were still trapped under rubble.

In Tehran, a number of taxi drivers working for taxi app Snapp protested against low fares, lack of insurance coverage and other issues.

Tuesday, May 24

A group of students of Allameh Tabataba’i University protested against the suppression of students and prison sentence against Hasti Amiri, one of the law students at Allameh Tabataba’i University.

Recently, the Court of Appeals upheld a one-year sentence against Hasti Amiri.

Similarly, a group of students of the Babol Noshirvani University of Technology gathered on campus to protest against the prison sentence against Hasti Amiri as well as other imprisoned civil activist Farhad Meysami and jailed teachers Mohammad Habibi and Esmail Abdi.

In Abadan, hundreds of residents gathered and protested before the collapsed tower known as Metropol. They chanted slogans against the incompetency of officials and shortcomings in rescue operations and equipment. At least 26 people died in this accident. The experts of the Abadan Engineering Organization had already warned about the construction defect of this unfinished building.

A group of workers of the Ministry of Petroleum, who have temporary contracts gathered before this Ministry in Tehran. They said that a 10 per cent increase in wages is less than the minimum wage enacted by the Ministry of Labor. Also, they have not received yet the end year bonuses.

A number of ranchmen brought some of their livestock in front of the governorate building in Mehran city to protest against the shortening of forage for livestock.

Wednesday, May 25

A group of physicians held protests in front of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Tehran. With placards in their hands, they protested that the government and insurance take as high as 70 per cent of their revenue.

A number of residents of a district in Fanuj City gathered at their district to protest against Natural Resources Office’s attempt to confiscate their lands to construct a mine. They also warned about the irreparable damage this mine will bring to the environment.

Thursday, May 26

In protest against the incompetency of officials led to the collapse of a tower and the death of 26 people, hundreds of people in Abadan rallied. Also in Ahvaz and Shahinshar, people rallied in support of Abadan’s protest. People chanted anti-government slogans and the police shoot tear gas into the crowd in order to scatter them.

On May 23, 2022, the unfinished 10-story Metropol building collapsed and dozens of people were killed, injured or trapped in the debris.

 

 

 

 

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Student Activist Hasti Amiri Sentenced to One Year in Prison and Additional Punishments

Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Hasti Amiri, the law student at Allameh Tabataba’i University, to one year in prison and additional punishments.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Emtedad News, Hasti Amiri was sentenced to one year in prison for the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” 

In addition, her cell phone was confiscated, and she was told that she was prohibited from membership in political and civil rights groups, including such activities on the internet, and she was banned from attending student gatherings for two years. 

The court exonerated her from the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security.”

According to Ms. Amiri’s lawyer, a published photo showing her in a student gathering for the celebration of Women’s Day on March 8 of last year, as well as her statements on social media against capital punishment have been used as evidence for the above-mentioned charges.

The legal case was opened against her last year, but the security and judicial officials did not take action until January 3 of 2022, when the NAJA Public Security Police raided her house to arrest her. Since she was not at home, they told her family that she has to appear at Branch 2 of Evin Courthouse.

Ms. Amiri was arrested on the day of the court appearance and spent one day in detention. One day after, she was released on bail of 500 million tomans.