Judge Mohammad Tavakoli of Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan has sentenced 22 political defendants to a total of 161 years in prison along with additional penalties.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the defendants were sentenced based on charges related to their political activities.
The court orally delivered the sentences in early-November. Samaneh (Sama) Amooshahi received 23 years in prison; Marjan Beshtam and Minoo Heidari each received 11 years; Shamim Baharzadeh received 8 years; and 17 others, including Mehshad Kashani, Hoda Sadeghi, Erfan Khalilian, Mehrshad Borjian, Pouya Talebian, Maryam Farhang, Kian Talebi, Mina Nedaei, Roozbeh Dana, Pouya Dana, Bahar Soleimani, Mohammadreza Ghotbizadeh, Sima Torkian, Zeinab (Maryam) Parandeh, Mohammad Sokhanvar, Amir Ajamian, Parsa Haji Aghaei, and Amir Salari, were each sentenced to 6 years.
Additionally, all 22 defendants were sentenced to two years of travel bans and restrictions on online activities as complementary punishments.
Details of Sentences for Each Individual:
- Samaneh (Sama) Amooshahi
Samaneh suffers from thyroid cancer and was denied medical care during her detention. She was sentenced to:- 10 years for forming a group to disrupt national security,
- 1 year for propaganda against the regime,
- 2 years for insulting the Supreme Leader,
- 5 years for membership in groups aimed at disrupting national security,
- 5 years for inciting people to violence with the intent to disrupt national security.
Under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the most severe punishment, 10 years, is enforceable. Of this, 8 years have been suspended for 5 years.
- Marjan Beshtam
A 43-year-old and the sole provider for her family, Marjan was sentenced to:- 10 years for forming a group to disrupt national security,
- 1 year for propaganda against the regime.
Under Article 134, the 10-year sentence is enforceable, with 8 years suspended for 5 years.
- Minoo Heidari
Minoo was sentenced to:- 1 year for propaganda against the regime,
- 5 years for membership in groups aimed at disrupting national security,
- 5 years for inciting people to violence with the intent to disrupt national security.
Under Article 134, the 5-year sentence is enforceable, with 4 years and 6 months suspended for 10 years.
- Shamim Baharzadeh
Shamim was sentenced to:- 5 years for membership in groups aimed at disrupting national security,
- 1 year for propaganda against the regime,
- 2 years for insulting the Supreme Leader.
Under Article 134, the 5-year sentence is enforceable, with 4 years and 6 months suspended for 10 years.
- Hoda Sadeghi and the rest of the defendants
Sadeghi and others were sentenced to:- 5 years for membership in groups aimed at disrupting national security,
- 1 year for propaganda against the regime.
Under Article 134, the 5-year sentence is enforceable, with 4 years and 6 months suspended for 10 years.
The trial took place on October 8, 2023, in the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan, presided over by Judge Tavakoli. According to a source close to one of the families, the hearing was conducted publicly for all 22 defendants simultaneously in the court’s prayer hall due to space limitations.
The defendants were arrested on different dates in 2023. Several, including Maryam Parandeh, Mina Nedaei, her husband Roozbeh Dana, and others, were detained by security forces on July 11. Maryam Farhang and Pouya Talebian were arrested on August 6, and Mehrshad Borjian and Pouya Dana on August 2 in Isfahan.
During interrogations, male defendants were reportedly beaten by an interrogator known as “Doctor,” while female defendants faced psychological abuse.
The cases were initially investigated by Branch 13 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Isfahan, presided over by Investigator Ali Sabbagh, before being referred to the Revolutionary Court.
The defendants were eventually released on bail from various detention centers, including Dastgerd and Dolatabad Prisons, the Juvenile Correction Center, and the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Isfahan.
