Nine protesters in January 2017 were sentenced to a total of 50 years in prison.
Nine civil society activists, namely Behnam Musivand, Saeed Eghbali, Nader Afshari, Mahmoud Masoumi, Shaghayegh Mahaki, Dariush Abdar, Shima Babaei, Mojgan Lali, and Saeed Seifi Jahan, were sentenced to a total of 54 years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.
According to the Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners, each of these nine civil activists has been sentenced to six years in prison by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Mohammad Moghiseh, on charges of "gathering and colluding with the intention of acting against national security" and "propaganda activity against the government."
Part of the indictment against these civil activists states that these individuals participated in the street protests in January and published news about "anti-regime media" in cyberspace, thereby calling for "illegal gatherings."
In January 2017, protests against high prices first began in Mashhad, and then more than 100 cities in Iran witnessed demonstrations against the regime and Ali Khamenei. More than 20 people were killed in these demonstrations, which were severely suppressed.
At the same time, US officials criticized the repression of the protesters and announced that they were supporting the will of the Iranian people.
It should be noted that, according to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, if this verdict is confirmed, only a five-year prison sentence for the charge of "gathering and colluding with the intention of acting against the security of the country" will be applicable as the most severe punishment.
In his second report on the human rights situation in Iran, Javed Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, stated that Iranian authorities have increased pressure over the past year against trade union activists, truck drivers, teachers, and factory workers who protest against existing conditions, sentencing them to prison and flogging.
The US State Department also says that the Iranian regime has arrested thousands of protesters, civil activists, and representatives of workers and other trade unions in the last two years.
Source: Voice of America
