After Aras Amiri's verdict, the Islamic Republic sentenced two other individuals to 12 years in prison on espionage charges.
While judicial authorities have confirmed the final 10-year prison sentence for Aras Amiri, this time other individuals named Ali Johari and Anousheh Ashouri have each been sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges of espionage.
On Tuesday, September 25, Gholamhossein Esmaili confirmed the final 10-year prison sentence for Aras Amiri, a student and former employee of the British Council, who was accused of espionage, and announced the conviction of two other individuals, Ali Johari and Anousheh Ashouri, on charges of "espionage."
Regarding "Ali Johari," he claimed that this person is in contact with Israel and has made "trips" to the country and has a mission to provide Israel with "information" regarding the "activities of the Khatam al-Anbiya base."
According to Esmaili, this individual has been sentenced to 12 years in prison and to return the "salaries received" from Israel.
The judiciary spokesman also introduced "Anousheh Ashouri" as a dual Iranian-British citizen, claiming that this individual was linked to the Mossad and "transferred a lot of information" to the service.
Anousheh Ashouri was sentenced to 12 years in prison and the restitution of 33,000 euros.
No news had been published about the arrest of these individuals and their trial process before this.
The arrest and trial of these defendants is a precedent of silence. Aras Amiri, a student and former employee of the British Council, who faces similar charges, was arrested in September 2018, but no news of him was released until May of this year.
In recent years, several Iranians living in the UK have been arrested after traveling to Iran, including Nazanin Zaghari, who was arrested by IRGC agents along with her young daughter at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport about three years ago while returning to London and sentenced to five years in prison by a court.
Western analysts say the Islamic Republic uses dual nationals as hostages to extract money and privileges from Western governments.
In his latest report, published about 9 months ago, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran expressed concern about the imprisonment of dual nationals in Iran, saying that these arrests are a cause for deep concern and a clear example of the failure to follow legal procedures in Iran.
Source: Voice of America
