Another Sentence for Mohammad Nourizad; This Civil Activist Condemned to Prison and Exile for Appearing Outside Courthouse

Mohammad Nourizad’s lawyer announced the issuance of a sentence of 8 months imprisonment, one year exile, and flogging against his client in another case.

MohammadHossein Aghasi wrote on his Twitter page on Tuesday, August 28, that Mohammad Nourizad, a political and civil activist imprisoned in Iran, has been sentenced to 74 lashes, 8 months imprisonment, and one year exile to Tabas on the charge of appearing in front of the courthouse building.

He further wrote that his client has also been sentenced to 74 lashes in relation to the charge of spreading falsehoods.

This lawyer explained that “the court addressed his unfounded defenses while he spoke a great deal but did not speak from himself, which would be considered a defense. Regarding the bitter and harsh treatment of the court in the verdict, I cannot comment for now.”

Mohammad Nourizad, a civil activist, was arrested after signing a letter requesting Khamenei’s resignation on July 11, following his referral to the first branch of the prosecutor’s office in zone 33 of Evin, and was transferred to Evin Prison. He was also sentenced to 15 years imprisonment this past March for signing this letter.

The arrest of the letter signatories comes even as Ali Khamenei has stated in his speeches that people are free to criticize him. However, not only is there no criticism of the Supreme Leader visible in the media, but even the slightest criticism raised by activists carries with it accusations of insulting the leadership.

Previously, the security authorities of the Islamic Republic had accused the signatories of these letters of attempting to “design a new sedition.” Many of the signatories of these two letters have been arrested.

International human rights organizations and the United States government have accused the Islamic Republic of violating freedom of expression and suppressing civil activists, and have called for the release of journalists who have been imprisoned solely for doing their job and profession.

The U.S. State Department also says that the Iranian regime has arrested thousands of protesters, civil activists, labor representatives, and others in the past two years.

Source: Voice of America