Court of Appeals: Mohammad Nourizad sentenced to imprisonment, flogging, and exile
Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, the lawyer for Mohammad Nourizad, a civil activist, director, and journalist imprisoned in Evin Prison, announced that his client’s conviction was upheld by the Khorasan Razavi Province Court of Appeal in the second part of his case. In August of this year, Mr. Nourizad was sentenced to 8 months of imprisonment, 148 lashes, and one year of exile to Tabas by the Mashhad Criminal Court No. 2.
According to HRANA News Agency, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, the Court of Appeals of Khorasan Razavi Province directly confirmed the conviction of Mohammad Nourizad, a civil activist, director, and journalist imprisoned in Evin Prison.
Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, the lawyer for Mohammad Nourizad, wrote on his personal page: “Mr. Nourizad’s second conviction in Mashhad has been finalized. With lightning speed, the Mashhad Court of Appeals rejected my appeal against the verdict of 8 months in prison and two counts of 74 lashes in his case. I am amazed how the Court of Appeals was able to read my case and appeal in such a short time and determine that the appeal is unjustified!”
In August of this year, in the second part of his case, Mr. Nourizad was sentenced by Mashhad Criminal Court No. 2 for being present in front of the building where the Kamal Jafari Yazdi Appeals Court was held, to 8 months of imprisonment, 74 lashes, and exile to Tabas on the charge of "disturbing public order," and to 74 lashes on the charge of "spreading lies."
His defense lawyer previously confirmed this news to HRANA, saying: “I believe that the verdict issued under the charge of disturbing public order is completely incorrect and in no way consistent with my client’s actions, including his appearance before the Kamal Jafari Yazdi Court of Appeal. Article 618 of the Islamic Penal Code states that “anyone who causes disturbance of public order, peace and tranquility by making noise or unusual movements or assaulting individuals, or prevents people from doing business, shall be sentenced to imprisonment from three months to one year and up to (74) lashes.” Which behavior of my clients before the Court of Appeal and requesting to participate in that court session was consistent with this article? Absolutely not, absolutely not, this was merely an excuse to issue a sentence.”
The court hearing to investigate Mr. Navizad's charges was held on July 21 of this year regarding the second part of his case, by order of the judicial representative, in Branch 1101 of the Second Criminal Court of Tehran, and after the court session ended, the case was ultimately sent to Branch 149 of the Second Criminal Court of Mashhad for a verdict.
Mohammad Nourizad was previously sentenced in the first part of his case by Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mansouri, to 15 years in prison, 3 years in exile in Izeh, and a 3-year ban on leaving the country on charges including “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic, insulting sacred places, insulting the leadership, disturbing public opinion, cooperating with foreign media, and participating in illegal gatherings.”
This sentence was changed during the appeal stage by Branch 35 of the Khorasan Razavi Provincial Court of Appeal to 15 years in prison, 2 years of exile to Izeh, and a 2-year ban on leaving the country.
Mr. Nourizad was arrested by security forces on August 10, 2019, along with a number of trade union and civil society activists, in front of the venue of the appeal court of Kamal Jafari Yazdi, a university professor imprisoned in Mashhad Prison, and transferred to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad some time later. He was eventually transferred from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad to Evin Prison some time ago.
In mid-August 2019, a letter signed by 14 civil society activists calling for Ayatollah Khamenei's resignation was published. With the publication of this letter, a number of signatories were arrested and others were pressured. Currently, Mohammad Nourizad, Hashem Khastar, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri and several other signatories of this statement are in detention, and some have been released on bail.
Mohammad Nourizad has a history of arrest and conviction for peaceful civil activities. Mr. Nourizad was previously summoned to the First Branch of the Evin Prosecutor's Office on July 7, 2019, upon receiving a notice, and on July 9, 2019, he appeared at the First Branch of the Evin Prosecutor's Office, and after being informed of the charges and issued a warrant, he was transferred to Evin Prison. After 4 days, he was transferred to Gorgan Prison on July 22, and was finally released from prison on July 31 with a warrant. The court hearing to hear his charges was held on August 5 at the Gorgan Revolutionary Court.
Mohammad Nourizad is a 66-year-old Iranian director, screenwriter, and journalist. He was considered a radical and religious journalist who joined the ranks of active critics of the Islamic Republic in the late 1980s and has been repeatedly arrested and imprisoned in recent years for his civic activities and visits to the families of political prisoners.
Source: HRANA
