Adnan Hassanpour, Marivan Journalist, Released After Ten Years in Prison

The defense lawyer of Adnan Hassanpour, a journalist in Marivan, announced that his client was released from prison on Saturday, September 20, after serving 10 years in prison under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code. Mohammad Saleh Nikbakht stated in an interview with ISNA that Adnan Hassanpour was ultimately sentenced to 15 years in prison after a retrial in the Supreme Court, which was reduced due to the application of Article 134 of the new Islamic Penal Code regarding 'the consolidation and elimination of certain punishments.' According to Article 134, although the judge issues independent punishments for each crime, only the most severe punishment should be executed. Mr. Nikbakht mentioned that Adnan Hassanpour and Hiwa Boutimar, two journalists in Marivan, were arrested in 2006 and sentenced to death for 'moharebeh' (waging war against God) without regard to the contents of the case, although Boutimar's death sentence was overturned, and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Boutimar was eventually released after serving 6 years. According to this report, Hassanpour's death sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court, but upon the application of Article 18 of the law establishing public and revolutionary courts and the opinion of ten out of eleven advisors appointed by the Attorney General, stating 'no charge of moharebeh,' a retrial of his case was approved. Under Article 18, a final court ruling can only be reviewed if deemed 'clearly contrary to Sharia' by the head of the judiciary. Mr. Nikbakht stated that after the retrial, Hassanpour was sentenced to 31 years in the second branch of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court and to 15 years in the appellate court. Adnan Hassanpour had collaborated with the suspended weekly 'Asu' in Marivan, Kurdistan province. However, he was accused of 'mapping nine military centers and providing their details' to armed Kurdish groups opposed to the Islamic Republic and 'smuggling fugitives across the Marivan border.' Hassanpour's family and relatives denied these accusations.