Reza Eslami, Iranian-Canadian citizen and human rights lecturer, sentenced to 7 years in prison

Reza Eslami, a dual Iranian-Canadian citizen and faculty member of the Faculty of Law at Shahid Beheshti University, was sentenced by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to 7 years in prison, a ban on teaching, and a ban on leaving the country. Mr. Eslami was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence forces on May 11 of this year and transferred to the institution's detention center, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison. He was eventually transferred to the general ward of Evin Prison a short while ago, after the interrogation process was completed.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Reza Eslami, a dual Iranian-Canadian citizen and faculty member of the Faculty of Law at Shahid Beheshti University, was sentenced to imprisonment and social deprivation.

According to this verdict, which was issued by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, and communicated to him last week, Reza Eslami has been sentenced to 7 years in prison, banned from teaching, and banned from leaving the country.

The first court session to examine his charges was held earlier on October 19 of this year in this branch. In this session, Mr. Eslami was tried on the charge of “collaborating with hostile foreign governments (America) against the Islamic Republic of Iran through participation in holding rule of law training courses in the Czech Republic.”

Mr. Eslami's case had previously been investigated by Branch 1 of the Evin Prosecutor's Office. The case had 15 defendants, 14 of whom were acquitted of the charge of "collaborating with hostile foreign states," and Mr. Eslami's case was also referred to the court after the indictment was issued. Among these individuals, the case of one person had also been referred to the Public Prosecutor's Office on the charge of "revealing the hijab in Turkey."

A while ago, a source close to Mr. Eslami’s family told HRANA about the charges brought against Mr. Eslami: “The court has cited a 5-day legal training course in the Czech Republic for the charge of collaborating with hostile foreign governments (the United States) against Mr. Eslami. This course was held by an academic institution for 15 students, whose financial and sponsorship was an American NGO, non-governmental organization, and public institution. At no point did they have the slightest connection with anyone from the US government. The case officers believe that this NGO had a relationship with one of the US government institutions, and Mr. Eslami said, “If this is true, I was completely unaware of it and I personally had no connection with any government institution at any level. The alleged crime is completely false and baseless. There is neither a material element of the crime that is a relationship, nor a spiritual element of the crime that is an intention to have a relationship.”

Reza Eslami was arrested on May 11, 2020 by the Ministry of Intelligence forces and transferred to the institution's detention center, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison. After his arrest, Mr. Eslami's office at the Faculty of Law was searched and a number of his personal belongings, including his cell phone and laptop, were confiscated. He was eventually transferred to the general ward of Evin Prison a short while ago after the interrogation process was completed.

Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili confirmed the arrest of the university professor on Tuesday, May 20. During his press conference today, Mr. Esmaili claimed, in response to a question about the arrest of a professor at Shahid Beheshti University, that: “The arrest was not made at the university, and the presence of the officers at the university was because after the arrest, the individual confessed during his own interrogation that some of his incriminating documents were kept in his office and the university kept them on his laptop; they went and took these documents from his room. When the individual claims that incriminating documents are in his room, should we take them? Or should we not go to defuse the bomb?!”

Reza Eslami, son of Gholam Ali, was born in 1963, married, father of two, native and resident of Tehran, and a dual Iranian-Canadian citizen. Mr. Eslami holds a PhD in law from McGill University in Canada and is a professor of human rights and environmental law at Shahid Beheshti University.

Mr. Eslami has published more than 70 domestic and international articles on human rights. He has also written and translated more than 10 books on human rights.

Source: HRANA