Tag: Mehdi Mahmoodian

Health Defenders’ Sentences Upheld on Appeal

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Arash Keykhosravi, Health Defenders, Mehdi Mahmoodian, Mohammad Reza Faghihi, Mostafa Nili, v

The Court of appeals of Tehran upheld the verdict against Mehdi Mahmoodian, Arash Keykhosravi, Mostafa Nili, Mohammad-Reza Faghihi, and Maryam Afrafaraz. Previously, these individuals, whose case is known as “Health Defenders”, had been sentenced to over ten years combined and additional punishments.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the Court of Appeals of Tehran upheld the verdict for the five defendants in the case known as “Health Defenders”.

The verdict was issued without a court hearing.

The sentences are issued as: :

  •       Mehdi Mahmoodian: four years in prison, banned from presence in media for two years,
  •       Mostafa Nili: four years in prison, banned from presence in media for two years, prohibited from practising law for two years,
  •       Arash Keykhosravi: two years in prison, banned from presence in media for one year, and prohibited from practising law for one year,
  •       Mohammad-Reza Faghihi: six months in prison,
  •       Maryam Afrafaraz: 95 days in prison.

Attorney Babak Paknia said that at a public court session, he was not allowed to attend the court even as a spectator.

The first three defendants were convicted on the charge of “creating anti-regime groups to disrupt national security and propaganda against the regime”. The two last were convicted of “membership in anti-regime groups.”

On August 14, 2021, during a meeting to make a decision on filing a lawsuit against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the government for banning foreign vaccines, nine Iranian lawyers and civil rights activists were arrested.

Rasoul Badaghi Transferred to Solitary Confinement

Posted on by admin-hr
Labor and Guilds, Prisoners
Keyvan Samimi, Mehdi Mahmoodian, Rasoul Badaghi

HRANA News Agency – The imprisoned teacher, Rasoul Badaghi, has been transferred to one of the solitary confinements in Ward 1 of Gohardasht prison on the fifth day of his hunger strike.

 

According to a report released on the web site of Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran, on Sunday, May 22, 2011, Rasoul Badaghi together with a number of other prisoners announced the beginning of his hunger strike in a letter outlining prisoners’ demands.  In this letter, prisoners state that until their requests are not met, they will continue their hunger strike.  Rasoul Badaghi in protest to the ongoing oppression in Iran, the lack of freedom of speech, the absence of independent organizations, the continuing trend of show trials, the infliction of inhuman restrictions on political prisoners and the increasing pressures on their families has been on hunger strike for five days.

 

On May 26, 2011, instead of investigating Rasoul Badaghi’s legitimate demands, interrogators of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence ordered his transfer to solitary confinement.  However, Rasoul Badaghi has announced that until his demands are not met, he will not end his hunger strike.

 

Rasoul Badaghi has outlined his requests clearly as follows:

  • Full implementation of prisons’ statute including visits, access to phone and the right to furlough
  • Ending any and all forms of pressures on the families of political prisoners
  • Immediate improvement of prisoners’ welfare and conditions

 

It must be noted that Rasoul Badaghi’s health and physical condition is by no means well, and other political prisoners are extremely concerned about his well-being.  Currently, in addition to Rasoul Badaghi, a number of other political prisoners including Keyvan Samimi and Mehdi Mahmoodian are on hunger strike.