Prison sentences for two student activists on the eve of the anniversary of the November 2019 protests

On Thursday, November 12, 2019, Marjan Eshaghi, a political science student at the University of Tehran and one of the detainees of the November 2019 protests, announced on her Twitter page that she had been sentenced to 1 year of imprisonment and 4 years of suspended sentence by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

According to Marjan Eshaghi, the court has issued a verdict on the charge of "gathering and colluding against national security through participation in student gatherings in November 2019" and has notified him. The verdict includes five years in prison, four of which are suspended, and one year must be served.

On November 16, 2019, Marjan Eshaghi was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents for participating in a student rally at Tehran University and transferred to the IRGC Intelligence Detention Center in Evin Prison.

After 18 days, and with the end of the interrogation process, Marjan Eshaghi was temporarily released from Evin Prison on bail until the end of the trial.

A source familiar with the Marjan Eshaghi case told the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: “Marjan Eshaghi was tried and convicted in the same case for which Soha Mortezai was sentenced to 6 years in prison. There is another person involved in this case as well.”

According to this informed source, the two students were arrested for participating in the Tehran University rallies in November 2019.

This source, who is aware of the case of students Soha Mortezai and Marjan Eshaghi, believes that the announcement of prison sentences to these students on the eve of the anniversary of the November protests could be considered a warning to students and civil activists.

On Monday, November 9, 2020, the Telegram channel of the Iranian Students' Union Council announced that "Soha Mortezai," a student activist and former secretary of the University of Tehran's Union Council, had been sentenced to 6 years in prison. According to the council, Soha Mortezai's sentence was issued by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The Iranian Students' Union Council, while announcing this news, wrote, "Unfortunately, in a situation where the country's universities are in a semi-closed state due to the possibility of the spread of the coronavirus, today the verdict of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court was delivered to this student-union activist on charges of gathering and collusion with the intention of acting against the security of the country."

The student activist's case has been reviewed by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Abolghasem Salavati. Mostafa Nili, Soha Mortezaei's lawyer, said that "the sit-in at Tehran University in protest of her being awarded a star, the protests in November last year at Tehran University, and her activity in the university's trade union council were among the examples of her accusations."

In October 2019, after this student was given a star and was barred from continuing her doctoral studies, Soha Mortezaei held a solo sit-in in front of the Central Library of the University of Tehran for twenty-one days, holding a placard.

A month later, during the nationwide protests of November 2019, Soha Mortezai was arrested in front of the student dormitory and transferred to the IRGC Intelligence Detention Center in Evin Prison. After a while, she was transferred to Qarchak Prison, where she went on a 22-day hunger strike.

On February 2, 2019, he was temporarily released from Qarchak Varamin Prison after posting a bail of 500 million Tomans until the end of the trial.

A source familiar with the Soha Mortezai case, noting that the six-year prison sentence for this student activist is "preliminary" and has not yet been finalized, and that there is a possibility of appealing it, told the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: "The lawyer for the case hopes that this sentence will be overturned in the appeals court, although considering the history of Soha Mortezai's activities and the positions of the IRGC officer in the case, it seems a bit difficult to overturn this sentence."

Referring to the twenty-day period to appeal the verdict in the Court of Appeal, this source informed the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: "The changes in Branch 36 of the Court of Appeal and the departure of Judge Zargar from this branch have created hope for lawyers that cases will be heard in this branch."

Seyyed Ahmad Zargar, who headed Branch 36 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Appeals of Tehran Province, was appointed as the head of the Tehran Revolutionary Court a few days ago. He also served as the head of Branch 2 of the Special Court for Economic Corruption and the secretary of the Headquarters for the Restoration of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.

Many lawyers involved in security cases called the Court of Appeals, Branch 36, headed by Judge Zargar, a court of "approval," and according to them, cases that went to Branch 36 in previous years were reviewed in a short period of time and ultimately approved by the court.

Also on Monday, November 9, HRANA News Agency quoted an informed source as saying that the case of Saba Kord Afshari, a political prisoner and women's rights defender, was dismissed by Branch 28 of the Supreme Court, and the 24-year prison sentence of this civil activist was reaffirmed.

Saba Kord Afshari, a 22-year-old civil activist, was arrested by security forces at her father's home in Tehran on June 1, 2019. In late August of that year, Saba Kord Afshari was sentenced to a total of 24 years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, for "spreading corruption and prostitution by uncovering the hijab and walking without it," "propaganda activity against the system," and "gathering and colluding with the intention of committing a crime against the security of the country."

Source: Human Rights Campaign