Branch 103 of the Criminal Court 2 in Dehdasht, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, sentenced Nowruz Rokhkhad, a 34-year-old construction worker and virtual activist, to 37 months and 18 days in prison. This plaster worker was sentenced to 7 months and 16 days for 'propaganda against the regime', 15 months and 1 day for 'insulting the leadership', and another 15 months and 1 day for 'insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic'. According to a copy of the court ruling published on the website of HRANA, the news agency of human rights activists in Iran, the report from the commander of the Basij in Kohgiluyeh County and posts on Nowruz Rokhkhad's Instagram page were cited as evidence for the charges against him. Sentences related to two other charges, including 'spreading false information with the intent to disturb public opinion' and 'publishing obscene images in cyberspace', are expected to be issued in another court. The interrogation and charging session for Nowruz Rokhkhad took place in Azar 1402 (December 2023) at the Revolutionary Court of Dehdasht, and he was tried on 14 Farvardin 1403 (April 3, 2024) in Branch 103 of the Criminal Court 2 of this county. The sentences issued against this virtual activist can be appealed within 20 days of the conviction. On 4 Ordibehesht (April 23), Amnesty International reported in its annual report that the Islamic Republic has increasingly restricted freedom of expression for the people of Iran over the past year. According to 'Freedom House', the Iranian government has been identified as one of the violators of freedom last year, and Iran continues to be classified as a 'not free' country in terms of freedom indicators. Reporters Without Borders also identified the Islamic Republic as 'one of the most repressive governments in the world' regarding media freedom, ranking Iran 177th out of 180 countries in terms of freedom of expression. Keyvan Rahimi, the manager of the Telegram channel 'Persman Saqez', was arrested again. The Gilan Police Information Organization blocked several Instagram accounts for 'deviant activities'. The crackdown on social media activists continues; a 'blogger' was arrested in Semnan, and another woman activist on Instagram was arrested in Isfahan.
A Social Media Activist in Iran Sentenced to Over Three Years in Prison
Nowruz Rokhkhad, a social media activist in Iran, has been sentenced to over three years in prison for various charges including propaganda against the regime and insulting leadership figures. This case highlights the ongoing repression of free expression in Iran, as noted by international human rights organizations.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Nowruz Rokhkhad sentenced to over three years in prison for anti-regime activities in Iran.
- Iranian government arrest Nowruz Rokhkhad
- Branch 103 of the Criminal Court 2 sentence Nowruz Rokhkhad
- Iranian authorities crackdown social media activists
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The sentencing of Nowruz Rokhkhad exemplifies the Iranian government's crackdown on social media activism.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%