Category: Freedom of Expression

Hamid-Reza Dorostkar Receives Prison Sentence and Fine

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Freedom of Expression, News
Behbahan, Hamid-Reza Dorostkar, Khuzestan province, Mahshahr

Mahshahr’s Criminal and Revolutionary Courts have sentenced Hamid-Reza Dorostkar to two years and nine months in prison.

According to the verdict issued by the Revolutionary Court on December 25, 2023, Dorostkar was given six months for “insulting the Supreme Court” and one year and three months for “spreading propaganda against the regime.” Notably, he was acquitted of charges related to “inciting people to wage war and cause unrest against national security.”

Additionally, the Criminal Court of Mahshahr sentenced Dorostkar to one year for “blasphemy via publishing insulting media content on the Internet.” He has also been fined 18 million tomans for the charges of “disseminating false information.”

Dorostkar’s arrest occurred during the 2022 nationwide protests, and he remained in detention for four months. Initially sentenced to four years and 74 lashes for multiple charges such as “disturbing public order by participating in and filming unrests to send them to anti-regime media,” “disseminating false information,” and “promoting violence,” he later received amnesty under “the general pardon and commutation,” leading to the closure of his legal case.

Dorostkar, 39 years old, is married and resides in Behbahan, Khuzestan province.

Hamed Palizvan Arrested and Incarcerated in Aligudarz Prison

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Freedom of Expression, News
Aligudarz, Hamed Palizvan, Omid Azarkhosh

On December 24, Hamed Palizvan was confined in Aligudarz prison to begin serving his sentence. Tragically, his nephew, Omid Azarkhosh, became a victim of regime forces during the 2021-2022 Iranian protests related to water shortages and mismanagement by the government.

Palizvan had previously been sentenced by the Aligudarz Criminal Court to eight months in prison, including the detention period, on charges of “disturbing public order through participation in illegal protest rallies.”

Palizvan’s arrest can be traced back to the 2022 nationwide protests when security forces detained him, leading to his imprisonment in Khorramabad Prison. He was subsequently released on bail.

Omid Azarkhosh, Palizvan’s nephew, had previously been shot by the police in Aligudarz and succumbed to his injuries in the hospital a few days later.

Asadollah Fakhimi and Hoori Khanpour Receive Combined Eight-Year Prison Sentences

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ali Mazloum, Asadollah Fakhimi, Evin Courthouse, Hoori Khanpour

The Tehran Revolutionary Court has handed down a five-year prison sentence to Asadollah Fakhimi and three years to his wife Hoori Khanpour.

Seyed Ali Mazloum, presiding over Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, found the couple guilty of “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion against national security.”

The Ministry of Intelligence executed a raid on the couple’s residence on July 11, 2023, conducting a thorough search and seizing some of their belongings. Subsequently, Fakhimi and Khanpour were summoned to Evin Courthouse to face legal action.

Following the second inquiry session at Evin Courthouse on November 5, 2023, the couple was released on bail of one billion tomans.

Sajjad Zare Receives Ten Years and Six Months Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Adelabad Prison, Mahmoud Sadati, Sajad Zare, Sajjad Zare, Sajjad Zareh, Shiraz, سجاد زارع

Shiraz’s Revolutionary Court has issued a ten-year, six-month sentence to Sajjad Zare, a former political prisoner.

Judge Mahmoud Sadati presided over the recent ruling, sentencing Zare to seven years and six months for “assembly and collusion against national security” and three years of imprisonment with an additional two years of exile in Yazd province for “insulting the Supreme Court of Iran.”

A source close to Zare’s family informed HRANA that the verdict is notably harsh for the charges, given Zare’s previous conviction. Due to his prior record, the court applied half of the severest prison term for each count.

Sajjad Zare was apprehended by the Ministry of Intelligence on September 16, 2023, at his residence, and initially held at House No 100 detention facility before being transferred to Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.

Zare has a history of arrests and convictions. He was released from Adelabad Prison on October 4, 2021, after completing a sentence. However, on November 14 of the following year, he was arrested again, only to be released later under the “general pardon and commutation” directive.

Student Arzhang Mortazavi Sentenced to Prison and Social Restrictions

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Freedom of Expression, News
Alborz province, Arzhang Mortazavi, Damghan University, Kharazmi University, ارژنگ مرتضوی

Arzhang Mortazavi, a student at Kharazmi University, has been handed a one-year sentence by the Revolutionary Court of Alborz province.

Issued by Judge Asef Al-Hosseini, the verdict finds Mortazavi guilty of “spreading propaganda against the regime,” with the detention period subtracted from the prison term. In addition to imprisonment, he faces restrictions such as a ban on joining social media communities, limited use of social media, and a two-year prohibition from leaving the country.

Security forces apprehended Mortazavi in Karaj on October 7, 2023, leading to his detention. After approximately one month, he was released on bail.

His initial arrest occurred on December 17, 2022, at the university entrance. However, on February 21, 2023, he was released from the Central Prison of Karaj under a general “pardon and commutation” directive.

In a separate development, Mortazavi faced a university suspension for four semesters and was mandated to transfer to Damghan University late last month.

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Three Political Defendants Face Varied Penalties Following Convictions

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Freedom of Expression, News
Ehsan Ghadiri, Evin Prison, Hamed Mohagheghi, Sajjad Bakhsh-Ali, Sajjad Bakhshali

In the wake of political charges, Ehsan Ghadiri, Sajjad Bakhsh-Ali, and Hamed Mohagheghi have received a range of sentences, including imprisonment, exile, fines, and additional social restrictions.

As per the Tehran Revolutionary Court’s verdict, delivered under the authority of Judge Iman Afshari, the trio has been sentenced to a one-year prison term, mandatory two-year exile, and a prohibition from engaging in online activities and social media.

The charges against these political figures include assembly and collusion to commit crimes, as well as propagating against the regime.

Ghadiri, taken into custody by security forces at his residence on September 14, 2023, was subsequently transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. The arrests of Bakhsh-Ali and Mohagheghi occurred during August and September 2023, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings.

Activist Couple Laleh Zari and Ahmad-Khan Beigi Receive Combined 10-Year Prison Sentence

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Freedom of Expression, News
ehfar Laleh Zari, Evin Prison, ezvaneh Ahmad-Khan Beigi, Iman Afshari, Qarchak Prison, بهفر لاله زاری, رضوانه احمدخان بیگی

In a recent development, the Tehran Revolutionary Court has handed down a five-year sentence to each of Behfar Laleh Zari and Rezvaneh Ahmad-Khan Beigi, a couple currently held in Evin Prison.

Presiding over the court, Judge Iman Afshari issued this ruling, sentencing each member of the couple to four years for “assembly and collusion against national security” and an additional year for “propaganda against the regime.” If the verdict is upheld on appeal, Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code mandates that the four-year sentence for the first charge will be enforceable.

The arrest of Laleh Zari and Ahmad-Khan Beigi took place at their residence on September 18, 2023. Following seven days of solitary confinement in the detention facility of the Public Security Police, Laleh Zari, a former political prisoner, was transferred to Evin Prison. Meanwhile, Mrs. Ahmad-Khan Beigi was initially detained in Qarchak Prison and later moved to Evin Prison after a few days.

This couple has a history of activism, having faced prior arrests and incarceration. This latest sentencing adds to their ongoing legal challenges in their pursuit of social and political advocacy.

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.

Journalist Hadi Kasaie-Zadeh Arrested in Tehran

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Freedom of Expression, News
Hadi Kasaie-Zadeh, Qodousi Courthouse, Tehran

Tehran, December 19, 2023 – Security forces detained Seyed Hadi Kasaie-Zadeh after his appearance at Qodousi Courthouse, transferring him to an undisclosed location.

As per a source close to the journalist’s family, Kasaie-Zadeh is facing charges of “disseminating false information, libel, and disturbing public opinions.”

The arrest is purportedly linked to Kasaie-Zadeh’s criticism, expressed in a social media post, for which he had been summoned earlier.

It’s notable that this isn’t the first time Kasaie-Zadeh has found himself in a judicial confrontation.

At Least Ten Individuals Detained by Security Forces in Pishin

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Freedom of Expression, News, Other
Baluchestan, I'tekaf, Pishin, Sistan and Baluchestan

Pishin, Sistan and Baluchestan province—On December 18, 2023, security forces took into custody a minimum of ten individuals during a religious observance held in a mosque, as reported by Haal Vsh.

Following the morning prayer, a group of plainclothes personnel reportedly conducted a raid on a mosque in Pishin, apprehending at least ten citizens. These individuals were in the midst of their second week of I’tekaf, a period of Islamic practice involving a stay in a mosque.

As of now, the rationale behind their detentions, the identities of those arrested, and the location where they are being held remain undisclosed. Authorities have yet to provide information on these critical aspects of the incident.