Heavy sentences of five to ten years in prison for 4 journalists in an interview with defense lawyer Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaei
After months of waiting and not knowing the fate of the judicial case of journalists who were arrested in November last year after reporting on the issue of foreign “influence” in the country’s media, the long prison sentences of the four arrested journalists were finally announced today. Yesterday, the spokesman for the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, announced the imminent announcement of these sentences in his weekly press conference.
Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaei, the lawyer for Ehsan Mazandarani and Davud Asadi, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the Revolutionary Court sentenced Ehsan Mazandarani, a journalist and editor-in-chief of Farhikhtegan newspaper, to 7 years in prison; Ehsan (Saman) Safarzaei, a journalist and international editor of Andisheh Pouya magazine, to 7 years; Afarin Chitsaz, a columnist for Iran newspaper, to 10 years; and Davud Asadi, the brother of Houshang Asadi, one of the managers of the RoozOnline website, to 5 years in prison.
According to the lawyer, Ehsan Mazandarani has been sentenced to five years in prison on charges of gathering and colluding to act against national security and two years in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime. Regarding Mazandarani’s cooperation with foreign media, which some news websites have mentioned, he said: “As his lawyer, I, as well as Mr. Mazandarani himself, have not accepted this accusation, but the court has relied on evidence (which we do not accept) and issued this verdict.”
Regarding Davoud Asadi, another political prisoner whom he represents, Alizadeh Tabatabaei said: “He has also been sentenced to 5 years in prison on charges of gathering and colluding to act against security. Davoud Asadi is the brother of Houshang Asadi, one of the managers of Rooz Online, who received this sentence due to the financial connections that existed between him and his brother, while Mr. Davoud Asadi said that he was not aware of what the money his brother sent, and sometimes transferred to individuals, was for. He was unaware, but unfortunately the court did not accept this.”
Regarding Afarin Chitsaz, Tabatabaei also said: “Ms. Chitsaz was not my client, but I know that she was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and her charges, in addition to gathering and colluding to act against security, were also cooperation with foreign governments.” The lawyer said he would appeal the sentences issued to his clients and request a review.
A source familiar with Ehsan Safarzai told the Campaign: “The court says that he prepared materials that, in the opinion of the judicial officers, were against the security of the country, and because these articles were prepared for abroad and money was received in exchange for them, they have found him guilty of conspiracy and conspiracy against national security, while the lawyer and Mr. Safarzai consider these charges baseless. According to this source, the lawyer of this political prisoner will also object to this ruling within the stipulated time.”
Ehsan Mazendarani, Afarin Chitsaz, Ehsan (Saman) Safarzaei, along with Isa Saharkhiz of the Tagar newspaper and a political activist (whose sentence has not yet been issued) were arrested by IRGC intelligence agents on November 1, and none of them have been released to date.
Less than a month after the journalists were arrested, Ahmad Khatami, a member of the Assembly of Experts, claimed on Monday, December 29, that the journalists had made confessions and spoke of the accusation of “colluding with America.” In his speech , he claimed : “Recently, journalists who were arrested for colluding with America stated in their confessions that they took articles from some people, paid them, and then manipulated the articles and provided them to American newspapers.”
Despite the judiciary's silence on this case, the Revolutionary Guard-affiliated Tasnim News Agency on Monday, February 2, described the arrested journalists' accusations as "collaboration with hostile Western governments."
Media outlets affiliated with security forces, such as Fars, had previously claimed that the journalists were “arrested from elements related to the enemy’s infiltration project in the country who were active in the press.” Ali Shirazi, the representative of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, in the IRGC’s Quds Force, said on February 12: “Soon, the national media will broadcast a film of the confessions of those arrested in the infiltration plan, and the Iranian nation will see behind the scenes of the infiltration.”
Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
