Conviction of Amirsalar Davoudi, Human Rights Lawyer: Total of 30 Years Prison; 15 Years Enforceable

The spouse of Amirsalar Davoudi, a lawyer who has been in detention since November 29, 2018, announced on Saturday, June 1, 2019, that the lawyer has been sentenced to a total of 30 years imprisonment on multiple charges. According to the lawyer’s spouse, he will not appeal this unjust sentence.

Tanaz Kolahchian, who is herself a lawyer, announced on June 1 on Twitter that her husband has been sentenced by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Salwati, to a total of 30 years imprisonment. According to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, 15 years of this sentence is enforceable. According to Ms. Kolahchian, his most severe punishment is “conviction to 15 years imprisonment for creating a Telegram channel group,” which is enforceable.

Tanaz Kolahchian wrote on Twitter: “The verdict for #AmirsalarDavoudi has been issued. He was sentenced to a total of 30 years imprisonment for multiple charges according to the ruling of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, and according to Article 134, the most severe punishment, which is ‘conviction to 15 years imprisonment for creating a group (Telegram channel),’ is enforceable. Mr. Davoudi has decided not to appeal this verdict.”

Previously, Vahid Meshkani Farahani, the lawyer of Amirsalar Davoudi, stated in an interview with the Campaign on April 17, 2019, that he was accused of four charges: “cooperation with hostile states through interviews,” “propaganda against the system,” “insulting officials,” and “forming a group to overthrow the system.” According to Davoudi’s lawyer, the evidence for all these charges was extracted from his writings in a Telegram channel called “Unretouched.”

Now, based on the statement of this lawyer’s spouse, Mr. Davoudi has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment only for the charge of “creating a Telegram channel group.”

Before his arrest, Amirsalar Davoudi managed a Telegram channel called “Unretouched,” in which he wrote about professional legal matters and his political and social views. Due to this Telegram channel, his wife Tanaz Kolahchian was also summoned to the second investigation branch of Evin Prison.

The lawyer’s spouse announced on Twitter on June 7 that her husband is still in solitary confinement. This is despite the fact that he was arrested in November 2018, and given that his trial has been held and his verdict issued, his interrogation should naturally have been completed long ago, and he should be in general detention. Ms. Kolahchian wrote on Twitter: “170 days of detention. It is strange that you are still in solitary. This could be understood from yesterday’s phone call that was a private number. But with the announcement of the conclusion of the investigation, the reason you are still in solitary is incomprehensible. #AmirsalarDavoudi #LawyersPlaceIsNotPrison”

The arbitrary detention of lawyers and the issuance of heavy sentences has become routine in the judicial process over the past year. Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer, was also convicted on seven charges in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court to a total of 33 years imprisonment. However, with the application of Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, her most severe punishment of 12 years imprisonment for the charge of “incitement to corruption and indecency” is enforceable. Ms. Sotoudeh also did not appeal her verdict due to the unjust nature of the Revolutionary Court proceedings.

Branches 28 and 15 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Mohammad Moghisseh and Abolqasem Salwati, have issued heavy sentences for lawyers, journalists, civil activists, and political activists from 2009 to the present.

Amirsalar Davoudi was arrested at his workplace on November 29, 2018, and his temporary detention has been renewed several times since then. Mr. Davoudi has been the lawyer for many cases of political and ideological defendants, including Zeinab Jalalian, a prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment. He spent years attempting to obtain medical leave for Ms. Jalalian’s eyes, which proved unsuccessful. In addition to defending political and ideological defendants and writing critical personal analyses, this lawyer also managed the Telegram channel “Unretouched,” which reflected the professional issues of lawyers and his views on them.

Source: Human Rights Campaign