Keyvan Samimi's three-year prison sentence was confirmed in his and his lawyer's absence.

Keyvan Samimi’s three-year prison sentence on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “gathering and colluding against national security” was upheld by Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals. The editor of “Iran Farda” magazine had been arrested for participating in the International Workers’ Day ceremony in front of the parliament.

The news of the confirmation of Keyvan Samimi's three-year prison sentence was announced by him himself, through a Telegram post. In this Telegram post, he announced that his prison sentence was confirmed by Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals and by Judge Seyyed Ahmad Zargar.

Samimi began his Telegram post with the sentence: "Finally, this game is over." In his Telegram post, this veteran journalist and editor-in-chief of the publication "Iran Farda" called the appeals court judge a person who has been harsh and harsh against "rights seekers" for the past 40 years.

Keyvan Samimi wrote about the issuance of this ruling by Judge Ahmad Zargar: "A government that claimed to be a servant of the oppressed is treating the presence of a veteran journalist in a gathering of workers and toilers in this way."

The intimate reference is to his participation in the International Workers' Day ceremony in 2019, which was held in front of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. He was arrested by law enforcement at the same time.

“False accusations”

Keyvan Samimi's presence and participation in the International Labor Day ceremony in 2019 was considered by the judiciary as "propaganda against the system" and "gathering and collusion against national security," and he was imprisoned for these charges.

On June 17 of that year, he was temporarily released from prison after posting bail. In April of this year, the court had sentenced him to five years in prison. Now, Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals has upheld his three-year prison sentence.

Keyvan Samimi announced in his Telegram post that the verdict was confirmed without his presence or that of his lawyer, and was based on the statements of "security interrogators."

He said that the judge of this court, by taking this action, was trying to show his complete obedience to the extremists ruling Iran, adding that it was precisely the advancement of such a policy that has practically brought the situation in Iran to this day.

Keyvan Samimi called the judge of this court (Ahmad Zargar) one of the "servants of power" who obeys the God of "gold and power" and in obedience to this God, does not hesitate to use any deception.

In another part of his Telegram post, this veteran journalist said the following about the consequences of such actions: "I also told the extremist interrogator many times during his arrest, 'Go tell your superiors that your course will ultimately lead to the overthrow and destruction of the country and of course yourself, and you will record eternal shame in history."

Source: DW