Iran Protests: Poet Reza Keshvari Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

The Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced poet and painter Reza Keshvari to five years in prison, of which he will be imprisoned in exile for two years. He is also banned from leaving the country for two years.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Reza Keshvari was sentenced to five years in prison and social deprivations.

On October 15, 2022, Keshvari was arrested during nationwide protests in Karaj, following a protest against the arrest of several teenagers. He was jailed in the Central Prison of Karaj.

The charges are still unknown.

Keshvari is a poet and painter, the father of a five-year-old child.

Since the outbreak of nationwide protests, over 19200 people, including journalists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, have been arrested. So far, about 670 people were convicted over protests. For more details and statistics on the nationwide protest across Iran, read HRANA’s comprehensive report here.

 

HRANA’s Daily Review of Protests in Iran

On Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at least seven protests and one labour strike took place in Iran.

A group of families of prisoners presently on death row gathered in front of the Karaj Revolutionary Court to demand the end of executions. Three inmates were executed in Karaj Central Penitentiary and six are at risk of imminent execution in Ghezel Hesar Prison.

A group of Women Rights Activists protested at the Justice Building in Marivan, Kurdistan Province. The protestors demanded security for women, following a recent incident.

 

For the third consecutive day, the workers of Kian Tire Manufacturing Company went on strike and assembled at their workplace to protest unpaid wages and job uncertainty.

A group of contract teachers gathered before the Governorate Building in Arak to demand official recruitment by the Ministry of Education.

The residents of the Morgmalek village in Shahrekord County held a protest against slow court proceedings in handling a lawsuit in regard to their lands.

A number of school service workers held a protest in Mahabad and Kermanshah.

The workers of Ardestan Cement Factory gathered before the Ministry of Labour in Ardestan, Isfahan Province.

Christian Convert Hamed Ashouri Sent to Karaj Central Prison

On Tuesday, July 27, Christian convert Hamed Ashouri was sent to Karaj Central Prison to endure his sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the website Article 18, the Court of Appeals upheld Ashouri’s ten-month prison sentence the previous day.

Hamed Ashouri had been arrested by security forces in Fardis city in Karaj, in March 2017, and transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj for interrogation. He was temporarily released after ten days. It is alleged that security forces raided Mr. Ashouri’s home while he was in custody.

A hearing on the charges against this citizen was held in February 2020 in Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj. Finally, in April of this year, Mr. Ashouri was sentenced to 10 months in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime.

Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Iranian law, security forces nevertheless pursue the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity.

The Iranian regime targets Christian converts despite 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.

Christian Convert Reza Zaeemi’s Prison Sentence Reduced to Nine Months by Appeal Court

The sentence of Reza Zaeemi, a Christian convert, was reduced by the Alborz Court of Appeals to 9 months in prison and a two-year ban from leaving the country. 40-year-old Zaeemi was sentenced by the Karaj Revolutionary Court to one year and six months in prison and a two-year ban from leaving the country in early February.

According to the HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Article 18, Reza Zaeemi was sentenced by the Alborz province court of appeals to nine months in prison and a two-year ban from leaving the country, a significant reduction from his previous sentence.

In January 2021, Mr. Zaeemi was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and a two-year prohibition of leaving the country by Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj, presided by Judge Shabani. Mr. Zaeemi was charged with propaganda against the regime through propagation of evangelical Christianity.

Zaeemi was arrested in November 2020 by undercover forces near his residence  in Karaj. He was transferred to an IRGC intelligence detention center from an unknown location, four hours later, and denied access to a phone for the eight day duration of his detention, during which time his home was searched by security forces.

After ten days, Zaeemi was transferred from the IRGC Intelligence Detention Center to Ghezel Hesar Penitentiary by the order of the Judge of the Revolutionary Public Prosecutor’s Office in Karaj and was released on bail of 60 million Tomans after one week.

Reza Zaeemi is a Christian convert from Karaj.