Summoning Civil Activists to Execute Sentences amid Coronavirus Crisis
A civil activist in Khuzestan, a Bahai citizen, and four Christian converts have been summoned to prison to serve their sentences. Saba Kord Afshari, a civil activist who had been acquitted of charges of “spreading corruption and obscenity,” has once again been convicted on the same charges and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The coronavirus crisis, a dire economic situation resulting from a sharp decline in oil sales, and environmental crises such as forest fires and locust invasions apparently have not deterred the security and judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran from pursuing and harassing civil activists.
According to IRNA Plus, a civil activist from Khuzestan named Shahab al-Din Nazari has been sentenced to one year in prison.
This civil activist told IRNA Plus that the sentence was issued by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Mohammad Moghisseh, and was appealed to the appellate court at the defendant’s request. The appellate court upheld the sentence in its entirety.
According to Nazari, the appellate court hearing was held without his presence, and he had no opportunity to present evidence for the appeal of the sentence.
He told IRNA Plus about his charges: “During this period, we were following environmental issues and the rights of ethnic groups. Initially, I was accused of membership in opposition groups, but ultimately, since there was no evidence in this regard, the charge of propaganda against the system remained valid.”
Shahab al-Din Nazari, a graduate of Azad University of Shiraz, was arrested in his private residence in Tehran in September 2018.
15 Years in Prison for Protesting Mandatory Hijab
Saba Kord Afshari, a civil activist who was acquitted of charges of “spreading corruption and obscenity” in appellate court, has once again been convicted on the same charges and sentenced to 15 years in prison, and notice of her sentence execution has been delivered to her in prison.
Hossein Taj, Saba Kord Afshari’s lawyer, announced the news on his Twitter account, writing that he will pursue the matter through the Judiciary’s Information Protection Office.
Saba Kord Afshari was arrested in June of last year for protesting mandatory hijab and was subsequently transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin.
In a trial held in September, she was convicted on charges of “encouraging corruption and obscenity, assembly and conspiracy with intent to commit crimes against national security, and propaganda activities against the system” to a total of 24 years in prison.
Among these charges, 15 years in prison was issued for “encouraging corruption and obscenity.” Since this was the longest prison sentence, it was the only one that could be executed. However, she was acquitted of this charge in appellate court. But now, based on a letter she received in prison, she must serve 15 years in prison.
Hossein Taj, Ms. Kord Afshari’s lawyer, told Deutsche Welle that such a thing is legally impossible and the decisions of appellate courts in these cases are final. According to him, there has likely been a mistake.
The lawyer emphasized that he has pursued the matter through the Judiciary’s Information Protection Office and is confident that they will review it.
Pressure on Religious Minorities
Hrana News Agency, the media organ of the Iranian Human Rights Activists organization, reported the summoning of four Christian converts to execute their sentences of five years imprisonment each.
These four individuals, named Hossein Kadivar, Khalil Dehghanian, Kamal Nematian, and Mohammad Vafdaar, have each been convicted on charges of “actions against national security” to five years in prison. This sentence was upheld in full by the appellate court without the presence of the defendant and lawyer.
These four individuals were arrested in December of last year on two different days in two house churches. The organization that arrested these citizens was the Sepah Intelligence Organization.
Also, according to Hrana, a Bahai citizen in Isfahan was sent to prison to serve his sentence. Vida Hagighi Najafabadi was sent to prison on Monday, June 2, to serve a one-year prison sentence.
The arrest of this Bahai citizen in Yazd was carried out along with 16 other Bahai citizens.
Source: DW
