Tag: IRGC intelligence agents

Mohammad Maleki Receives Over Ten Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
IRGC intelligence agents, Mohammad Maleki, zanjan

Zanjan resident Mohammad Maleki has been sentenced to ten years and three months by the Zanjan Court of Appeal, with five years of the sentence suspended.

As per the December 11, 2023 verdict, Maleki faced eight months for “propaganda against the regime,” three years and seven months for “assembly and collusion against national security,” and six years for “forming and running a group named the Zanjan neighborhood youth channel to act against national security.”

Maleki was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents on September 18, 2023, and was granted release on bail on October 18.

Four Christian Converts Arrested by IRGC Intelligence Agents

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Ahmad Sarparast, Ayoub Pourrezazadeh, Babak Hossein-Zadeh, Behnam Akhlaghi, Iranian Christians, IRGC intelligence agents, Morteza Hajeb Mashhood-Kari

On Sunday, May 8, 2022, IRGC intelligence agents arrested four Christian converts, Behnam Akhlaghi, Babak Hossein-Zadeh, Ayoub Pourreza-Zadeh, and Ahmad Sarparast in Rasht City, and transferred them to an unidentified location. Security agents’ attempt to arrest Morteza Hajeb Mashhoud failed as he was not at his home.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Sunday, May 8, 2022, four Christian converts were arrested by IRGC intelligence agents in Rasht.

Attorney Iman Soleimani told HRANA, “the authorities informed Mr. Hajeb Mashhoud that he would be arrested if he failed to come to the IRGC Intelligence’s Office. When he appeared at the office, he found out that a new legal case  had been opened against all the individuals.”

Behnam Akhlaghi, Babak Hossein-Zadeh had faced other arrests and convictions. Earlier, Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced them to five years imprisonment on the charge of “acting against national security and promotion of Evangelical Christianity and Zionism”.  In March of 2022, the Branch 34 of the Court of Appeals acquitted them of the charges.

In April of 2022, Ahmad Sarparast, Ayoub Pourrezazadeh and Morteza Hajeb Mashhood-Kari were sentenced to five years imprisonment on the charges of “holding home church services, propaganda against the regime, association with Zionism and Branhamist sect”. They have also been fined in the amount of 18 million tomans. On May 23 of this year, Branch 18 of the Court of Appeal of Gilan Province will hold the first session to re-examine their case.

Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Iranian law, security forces harass and prosecute Muslims who convert to Christianity.

The prosecution of Christian converts stands in blatant violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which state that every individual has the right to freedom of religion and belief and freedom to express it openly or secretly.

 

Political Prisoner Khadijeh Mahdipour Denied Urgent Medical Treatment in Ilam Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Prisoners
Ilam prison, IRGC intelligence agents, Khadijeh Mahdipour

Political prisoner Khadijeh Mahdipour was denied access to medical treatment despite having severe digestive issues.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, political Prisoner Khadijeh Mahdipour is in poor health in Ilam Prison due to the denial of medical care.

According to an informed source, Mrs  Mahdipour suffers from severe digestive issues that result in episodes of nausea. She has lost weight in the last two months, but the authorities deny sending her to Tehran to receive more adequate treatment.

After long procrastination, on January 4, 2022, prison officials sent Mahdipour to a hospital outside prison for treatment of a black fleck in her eyes. She is currently serving her 20-month sentence in Ilam Prison.

On October 10, 2021, IRGC intelligence agents arrested Mahdipour at her uncle’s house and transferred her to Ilam Prison after two days of interrogation.

She was sentenced to 20 months in prison on the charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “offensive statements against the supreme leader of Iran”. She was acquitted of the charge of “advocating for anti-regime groups”.

She had earlier faced other arrests and convictions. On October 3, 2020, the security forces arrested her in Ilam City and she was fined 3 million tomans to avoid imprisonment.