Prison and Lashing Sentences Issued for Five Currency Exchangers in Special Courts
The third branch of the special court for prosecuting economic saboteurs and disruptors convicted five currency exchangers accused of “appropriating intervention market currencies” to imprisonment, monetary fines, and lashing.
The court characterized the charges against these individuals as follows: “In cooperation with a number of currency market brokers and by misusing national ID cards of various individuals (formally), they appropriated intervention market currencies and through their actions caused an increase in the price of foreign currency and essential goods.”
The identities of the five individuals were named as Ehsan Safavi Amir, Behzad Bahrami, Mazen Ghaeini, Majid Ansari, and Peyman Arghavani.
Based on the special court’s ruling, Ehsan Safavi Amir and Behzad Bahrami were each sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment, confiscation of two billion rials obtained “illegally” in favor of the state, 74 lashes as a disciplinary measure, and permanent deprivation from any state services.
Likewise, Mazen Ghaeini was sentenced to 9 years of imprisonment, confiscation of 400 million rials in favor of the state, 74 lashes as a disciplinary measure, and permanent deprivation from any state services, and Majid Ansari Pir Sarai was sentenced to 9 years of imprisonment, confiscation of three billion rials in favor of the state, 74 lashes as a disciplinary measure, and permanent deprivation from any state services.
The sentence announced for Peyman Arghavani is seven years of imprisonment, confiscation of one billion and 500 million rials in favor of the state, 74 lashes as a disciplinary measure, and permanent deprivation from any state services.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Republic, in the final days of Mordad month approved the proposal of the head of the judiciary to establish a special court with the presence of three judges from the revolutionary court to investigate cases of “economic saboteurs.”
Based on his order, the verdicts issued by this court, except for execution, are “final and enforceable.”
Previously, Iran’s Supreme Court confirmed the execution sentences of Vahid Mazloumian and Mohammad Esmail Ghassemi, two coin dealers who were convicted of “corruption on earth” following the United States’ withdrawal from the JCPOA and fluctuations in Iran’s currency market.
The sentences of these two individuals were carried out despite the fact that Iranian law has no restrictions or limitations on the amount of coin and currency purchases and sales.
Source: Radio Farda
