Continued Repression of Civil Activists in Iran; Rouhollah Mirzaei Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison
Rouhollah Mirzaei, a civil activist from Ilam, has been sentenced to two years in prison by the Revolutionary Court.
According to a report by the Campaign to Defend Political and Civil Prisoners, Rouhollah Mirzaei was sentenced to two years in prison by Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of “insulting the leader and propaganda against the system in cyberspace.” This verdict was announced to the civil activist on Sunday, October 5 (Mehr 14).
Rouhollah Mirzaei was arrested on April 22 by security forces and, after interrogation in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, was temporarily released on June 25 on bail pending the completion of legal proceedings.
According to the court ruling, the sentence was issued based on “reports from the disciplinary authority and routine investigations and printed images in the file” pursuant to Article 514 of the Islamic Penal Code.
Article 514 of the Islamic Penal Code stipulates that insulting the founder and leader of the Islamic Republic shall result in imprisonment from six months to two years.
Previously, a student activist named Farshte Tusi was sentenced to 18 months in prison by Branch 36 of the Tehran Provincial Court of Appeals on charges of “propaganda activities against the system through participation in a special student day program by the Liberal Islamic Students Association at the university.”
According to an Amnesty International report in 2018, more than seven thousand people, including protest participants, students, journalists, women’s rights activists, environmental activists, labor activists, and ethnic and religious minority rights activists, were arrested in Iran and hundreds were imprisoned.
The U.S. State Department has repeatedly condemned violent confrontations and widespread repression of protesters in various instances, as well as repeated and continuous violations of the rights of Iranian citizens by the ruling regime in that country.
Source: Voice of America
