Amnesty International issued a statement calling for the release of journalist Masoud Kazemi.
Amnesty International, while upholding the 4.5-year prison sentence of journalist and editor-in-chief of the monthly "Parsi Voice," issued a statement calling for the journalist's immediate and unconditional release from prison.
On Wednesday, August 6, Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals upheld Masoud Kazemi's 4.5-year prison sentence.
Amnesty International issued a statement on Wednesday night, calling the sentence imposed on him, which was issued solely for his professional activities as a journalist, unjust and calling on Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Masoud Kazemi.
Shima Tadashi, a close associate of Massoud Kazemi, announced the news on her Twitter page on Wednesday, August 6, and wrote that "Masoud Kazemi's verdict was confirmed in its entirety in the appeals court. This is a gift to Massoud on the occasion of Journalist's Day, Massoud's contribution to journalism is unemployment and imprisonment."
#Masoud_Kazemi's four-year and six-month prison sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
This unjust sentence was issued solely because of Masoud Kazemi's professional activities as a #journalist .
Amnesty International calls on the Iranian authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally. https://t.co/5E3maQUl2Y pic.twitter.com/Z8ijQGom23— Amnesty Iran (@AmnestyIran) August 7, 2019
Mr. Kazemi has been sentenced to two years in prison for spreading lies, two years for insulting the leadership, and six months for insulting other officials.
His lawyer had previously said that if the conviction is confirmed, the harshest punishment, two years in prison, will be imposed.
This journalist, who has also collaborated with Shargh and Qanon newspapers, was arrested by security agents at his home in Tehran in November last year. On Wednesday, June 1, after going to Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court to hear his case, he was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison due to his inability to pay bail of "one billion" Tomans.
Not long ago, a group of Iranian journalists called for the release of detained journalists Masoud Kazemi and Marzieh Amiri.
International human rights organizations and the United States government have also accused the Islamic Republic of violating freedom of expression and suppressing journalists, and have called for the release of journalists who have been imprisoned solely for carrying out their duties and jobs.
Source: Voice of America
