Writer and Researcher from Khorramabad Sent to Prison to Serve Sentence
Amin Masouri, a writer and researcher from Khorramabad city who was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to two years in prison, has been transferred to prison to serve his sentence.
According to the Iran Human Rights website, this writer and researcher, who was previously sentenced to two years in prison by Branch 2 of the Khorramabad Revolutionary Court on charges such as “propaganda against the system” and “insulting the leadership,” was transferred to the central prison of Khorramabad on Wednesday, the first of Aban, after the confirmation of this sentence by the appeals court, upon his referral to the criminal sentence execution division of Khorramabad.
According to this report, Amin Masouri had announced in an open letter before presenting himself for transfer to prison that “at a time when the number of freedom-loving prisoners is increasing day by day, I have always considered myself the smallest member of the body of Iran’s freedom seekers. In complete physical and spiritual health, on the date of 1 Aban 1398, I will present myself to prison.”
This researcher from Khorramabad was arrested on 26 Dey 1397 when officials from the Khorramabad Intelligence Department visited his private residence. After some time, on 14 Bahman of the same year, he was temporarily released from Khorramabad Central Prison upon posting bail until the conclusion of legal proceedings.
Security officials searched his residence at the time of arrest and confiscated and took away a number of personal items belonging to Mr. Masouri.
Amin Masouri is the author of books including “Teaching the Drum,” “Dictionary of Lorestan Music Terminology,” and “Zagros Hunters,” and his professional record includes serving as editor-in-chief of the regional weekly newspaper “Neesh Ghalam,” editor-in-chief of the news website “Chopi,” and internal manager of the quarterly journal “Art Book Critique.”
Amnesty International last Bahman called 2018 “a year of shame” for the Islamic Republic and announced that more than seven thousand people, including demonstration participants, students, journalists, women’s rights activists, environmental activists, labor activists, and ethnic and religious minority rights activists, were arrested in Iran during that year.
The U.S. State Department has repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of violating freedom of expression and suppressing civil activists and dissidents, and has called for the release of journalists and writers who have been imprisoned solely for performing their duties and professions.
Source: Voice of America
