Members of a Gonabadi Dervish Family Sentenced to a Total of 25 Years in Prison

Reports indicate that in the continuation of the trial of dervishes detained in the Golestan Haftom Street incident, members of a Gonabadi dervish family have been sentenced to a combined total of 25 years in prison.

Mojddeban-e Noor Twitter account, which publishes news about Gonabadi dervishes, announced on Sunday, August 12, in several posts that Kasravi Nouri, Pourya Nouri, and Amir Nouri, who were detained along with their mother in the Golestan Haftom Street incident in the Pasdaran district of Tehran, have been sentenced to 12, 2, and 6 years of imprisonment respectively.

Mojddeban-e Noor also reported that Shokufeh Yadalahi, a dervish imprisoned in Qarchak Prison, was sentenced by judge Salawati, head of branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, to 5 years of disciplinary imprisonment and two years of deprivation and prohibition from social and media activities.

Ms. Yadalahi, on the first day of Esfand 1396, along with hundreds of Gonabadi dervishes, among whom her three children were also present, was attacked by plainclothes security forces.

On the other hand, some reports indicate that Ms. Yadalahi expressed concerns about the severity of her health condition in an audio file.

Previously, news websites had reported on the conviction of Kasravi Nouri to 12 years of disciplinary imprisonment, 74 lashes, two years of exile to Salsabil Babajanani, two years of travel ban, and two years of deprivation of membership in political and social groups, parties and factions, and media activities.

Mr. Nouri is a graduate law student and one of the administrators of the Mojddeban-e Noor website, which publishes news about Gonabadi dervishes.

The severe conviction of Kasravi Nouri and dozens of other Gonabadi dervishes comes as many dervishes in recent months have protested against beatings during interrogation, denial of access to lawyers, and lack of fair legal proceedings.

Some dervishes also refused to appear in court due to non-compliance with their legal rights. Others among the dervishes considered the ideological questions and some issues raised in the indictment as instances of thought inquisition and refused to appear in court.

A gathering of Gonabadi dervishes in front of the Pasdaran Police Station on the last day of Bahman month of last year, in protest against the detention of an elderly dervish, turned violent following the intervention of plainclothes security forces and police.

During these clashes, which continued until the first of Esfand, several police and Basij personnel were killed, and hundreds of Gonabadi dervishes were detained.

In recent months, concerning reports have been published about violations of the rights of imprisoned dervishes, which have prompted reactions from international bodies. On April 16, the International Federation of Human Rights Societies, with reference to the trial of detained Gonabadi dervishes accompanied by “cover-up,” called this action a “mockery of justice” and a “clear violation of international standards.”

The U.S. State Department also reacted last Esfand while condemning the suppression of Gonabadi dervishes to the suspicious death of one of these dervishes in detention and described it as concerning.

Source: Voice of America