Saeed Sanger, Political Prisoner, Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison
Saeed Sanger, a political activist imprisoned in Urmia Central Prison, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court in a new case.
According to reports published on social media, this political prisoner, who was arrested in September 2000 by Urmia Intelligence Ministry agents and is currently held in Ward 12 of Urmia Central Prison, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by Branch 2 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Ali Sheikhlu, in a new case on charges of “membership in groups opposed to the system.”
Based on information contained in the issued court decision, the verdict was issued on March 2 of last year by the Revolutionary Court and, after more than a month had passed since its issuance, was notified to his court-appointed lawyer on Saturday, April 13.
According to published reports, Saeed Sanger was arrested in September 2000 by Urmia Intelligence Ministry forces and was initially sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court on charges such as “moharebeh” (enmity against God) and “contact with the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran,” which, after an appeal in 2003, was changed to life imprisonment in the review stage.
It is worth noting that this political prisoner’s life sentence was ultimately reduced to 18 years in 2017 by Branch 4 of the Execution of Sentences of the Sanandaj Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office after he had spent sixteen years in Urmia Central Prison, Sanandaj Prison, and Evin Prison.
This verdict is issued for this political prisoner, who has not been granted even one day of furlough to this point, at a time when, despite the spread of coronavirus in Iran, the lives of countless prisoners, including him, are at risk in Iranian prisons.
Based on a new circular from the Judiciary that was issued nearly two months ago, most political and security prisoners, including Saeed Sanger, are excluded from the right to furlough or temporary release under current conditions because they have been sentenced to more than 5 years in prison.
Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, said on Wednesday, March 27 in a press conference: “We have asked not only Syria, but also the Islamic Republic of Iran to release not only American citizens, but all those who have been unjustly imprisoned during these circumstances. This is a humanitarian act and, beyond the fact that these individuals have been illegally imprisoned, in these circumstances, humanitarian principles dictate that they should be released from prison.”
Source: Voice of America
