Continued repression of civil activists in Iran; Nasser Ashjari Maheri sentenced to prison

Nasser Ashjari Maheri, a civil activist, has been sentenced to 6 months in prison by the Revolutionary Court.

Mohammad Moghimi, Nasser Ashjari Maheri's defense lawyer, announced on Monday, May 12, by publishing this news on his Telegram channel that this civil activist has been sentenced to 6 months in prison by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court on charges of "gathering and colluding to commit a crime against internal and external security."

According to the lawyer, "insulting the Prophet of Islam" and "propaganda against the system" were two other charges against this civil activist, but the Islamic Revolutionary Court acquitted him of these charges.

Confirming this news on his Facebook page and referring to visiting and consoling the families of the victims, including those killed in the events following the 2009 presidential election, Nasser Ashjari Maheri cited these visits as one of the reasons for his six-month prison sentence, saying: "I am much too young to jeopardize the security of a country with my helpless hands. No, not at all. My intention was only to console the oppressed. I had a cup of tea at the home of an oppressed person to give him a little bit of joy."

Mohammad Moghimi also stated, referring to his client's diabetes and old age, that he is unable to bear the prison sentence and hopes that this unjust verdict will be overturned in the appeal stage and Mr. Ashjari Maheri will be acquitted.

According to available information, Nasser Ashjari Maheri was arrested in January 2016 following a raid by the Ministry of Intelligence agents on his private home, after which he searched the house and confiscated a number of personal belongings, including a computer and a mobile phone. After some time, on March 20 of the same year, he was temporarily released from Evin Prison after posting bail until the end of the trial.

This is not the first time that a civil activist has been sentenced to prison. Recently, the 6-year prison sentence of Rezvaneh Ahmad Khanbeigi, a civil activist imprisoned in Iran who is serving her sentence in prison, was directly confirmed by Branch 36 of the Tehran Provincial Court of Appeal, headed by Judge Zargar, after rejecting the activist's objection and appeal.

The United States has repeatedly and on various occasions condemned the violent confrontations and widespread repression of protesters and civil activists, as well as the repeated and persistent violations of the rights of Iranian citizens by the ruling regime in that country.

Source: Voice of America