A 'Facebook Activist' in Iran Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported that an additional 5 years has been added to the sentence of Masoud Seyed Talebi, the youngest prisoner in the case known as Facebook activists, bringing his total sentence to 20 years. Iranian media reported on Sunday, July 22, that eight social media activists were sentenced to a total of 127 years in prison by the Islamic Revolutionary Court. Previously, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran had reported that the oldest defendant in this case is a 42-year-old woman and the youngest is a 21-year-old boy. On Sunday, December 30, the website reported that Masoud Seyed Talebi, a student of electrical power engineering at Azad University of Tehran, born in 1372 (1993), is one of the defendants in this case who has been in prison since October 1, 2013. The website quoted an 'informed source' stating that Judge Mohammad Mogheiseh, head of Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, added charges of insulting sacred values to his accusations during a hearing on December 29, and imposed an additional five years on the 21-year-old's sentence. This 'informed source' also noted that Judge Mogheiseh had previously acquitted Mr. Talebi of the charge of insulting sacred values in the initial trial. The source added, 'The judge is not legally able to add a charge that was raised in the indictment but was not included in the ruling. He should only have reviewed the existing ruling. Judge Mogheiseh acted outside the legal framework.' According to the report, Mr. Talebi has been accused of promoting against the regime, insulting the leadership, conspiracy against national security, insulting state officials, insulting sacred values, and publishing inappropriate images due to the posts and photos shared on his Facebook page. Based on this report, Judge Mohammad Mogheiseh had acquitted him of the charge of insulting sacred values in the initial trial and sentenced him to 15 years for other charges. In December of this year, Branch 54 of the Appeals Court announced a violation in the ruling and sent the case of these eight prisoners back to the lower court for correction. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported that this 'informed source' pointed out that Masoud Seyed Talebi was arrested on October 1, 2013, and added, 'Officers at the time of his arrest and house search told the neighbors who had gathered that his crime was fraud.' Reports indicate that the defendants in this case are from various cities in Iran, including Yazd, Shiraz, Abadan, Kerman, and Tehran, and their case consists of about 11 volumes. The International Campaign for Human Rights had previously reported that these eight individuals managed various Facebook pages with names such as 'Imam,' 'Wiki Face,' 'The Loneliest Woman,' 'Dog Life,' 'Coral Fish,' 'The Loneliest Man,' 'When We Start Walking, Our Fear Disappears,' and 'The Generation of the 50s.' Iman Mirzazadeh, the lawyer for one of the defendants, stated on Wednesday, October 2, that they did not know each other and met for the 'first time' in Ward 350. According to Mr. Mirzazadeh, the management of some pages was shared among several people, which is why this case has been consolidated. The report from the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran also noted that one of the women defendants was released on bail due to having two small children and is now living in Kerman, while the other female defendant in this case is being held in very poor conditions in the women’s section of Qarchak Prison in Varamin. According to this report, six of the defendants are in Ward 350 of Evin Prison.