Continued repression of freedom of expression in Iran; journalist sentenced to 8 years in prison
Khosrow Sadeghi Borujeni, a journalist and researcher in the field of labor and social welfare, was sentenced to 8 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court.
On Monday, February 4, the journalist announced on his Twitter that he had been sentenced by the Second Branch of the Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Moghiseh, to five years in prison on the charge of "social and collusion against internal/external security," one year in prison on the charge of "propaganda activity against the system," and two years in prison on the charge of "insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic."
ILNA News Agency also announced that the ruling is preliminary and that there is a possibility of appeal.
According to available information, Khosrow Sadeghi Borujeni was previously summoned to Branch 2 of the District 33 Prosecutor's Office of Evin Prison for several sessions for interrogation in May of this year. After being issued a bail of 300 million Tomans, he was temporarily detained from May 8 to 12, and was eventually released temporarily until the end of the trial upon posting bail.
This is not the first time that an Iranian journalist or writer has been sentenced to prison. Previously, Nima Saffar, a journalist and writer from Golestan Province, whose 8-month prison sentence had previously been confirmed by the Court of Appeal, went to Gorgan Prison to serve her sentence.
Previously, the six-year prison sentences for Reza Khandan Mahabadi and Bektash Abtin, members of the Iranian Writers' Association, which had previously been issued by Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Moghiseh, on charges such as "gathering and colluding with the intention of acting against national security" and "propaganda against the system," were upheld by Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals.
The six-year prison sentence of Keyvan Bazhan, another member of this center and co-defendant of Reza Khandan Mahabadi and Bektash Abtin, was also reduced to three and a half years by Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals.
International human rights organizations and the United States government have repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of violating freedom of expression and suppressing civil activists, and have called for the release of journalists and writers who have been imprisoned simply for carrying out their duties and professions.
Source: Voice of America
