The 5-year prison sentence of one of the detainees on International Labor Day was upheld by the Court of Appeals.
The five-year prison sentence of Hassan Saeedi, one of the detainees of International Workers' Day and a member of the Vahed Company union, which was previously issued by the Revolutionary Court, was confirmed by the Court of Appeals in its entirety.
The Telegram channel of the Workers' Union of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company announced on Monday, January 29, that the sentence of five years in prison, a ban on the use of smart communication devices such as smartphones, and a ban on membership in political and social parties, groups, and factions for two years, which was issued by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, was confirmed by Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals, while the court session was held in absentia and without the presence of Hassan Saeedi and his lawyer.
Seyed Mustafa Razavi, the labor activist's lawyer, considered the trial to be held in absentia unusual, saying that although he holds a hearing in cases involving long prison sentences and listens to the lawyer's defense, "they announced to come to court without holding a hearing."
The lawyer also announced that the appeals court has upheld Hassan Saeedi's verdict and that he will appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court, hoping that the verdict will be overturned.
The Workers' Union of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, while condemning the unjust and cruel verdict of Hassan Saeedi by the Court of Appeal, has demanded the cancellation of the sentences issued against this union member and all imprisoned workers, teachers, and workers' supporters.
Hassan Saeedi was arrested by security forces on May 1, 2019, coinciding with the International Labor Day rally, along with a number of other labor, cultural, and student activists. After 33 days, he was temporarily released from Evin Prison on bail of 330 million Tomans, pending the completion of legal proceedings.
Recently, Voice of America reported that Sepideh Gholian, Esmaeil Bakhshi, Mohammad Khanifer, Amir Amirgholi, Amir Hossein Mohammadifard, Sanaz Alhayari, Asal Mohammadi, Atefeh Rangriz, and Marzieh Amiri, nine labor rights activists, have been sentenced to a total of 50 years in prison by the Court of Appeals.
At least 30 people were arrested following International Labor Day rallies in Tehran. Following these arrests, the US State Department criticized the arrest of Iranian labor activists on International Labor Day in a tweet.
The US State Department has also repeatedly and on various occasions condemned the violent confrontations and widespread repression of protesters, as well as the repeated and persistent violations of the rights of Iranian citizens by the ruling regime in that country.
Philip Luther, Amnesty International's West Asia and North Africa Research Director, emphasized in Amnesty International's latest report that the world must not remain silent in the face of continued widespread human rights violations by Iranian authorities to suppress dissent.
Source: Voice of America
