Allegation of Attempting to Smuggle an Economic Defendant Out for 10 Billion Tomans

The Mehr News Agency reported, citing an 'informed source,' that individuals attempted to smuggle Hamid Bagheri Damani out of Evin prison in exchange for 10 billion tomans, using a 'fake title' from one of the 'institutions.' The news agency, quoting an unnamed source, stated that during Hamid Bagheri Damani's trial, individuals 'under a fake name and title of one of the institutions' requested his transfer from Evin prison through letters and phone calls. According to the report, prison officials, after contacting the judge and Tehran's prosecutor, realized the 'falseness' of this order and prevented Hamid Bagheri Damani's transfer. The report indicated that Abolqasem Salavati, the judge in Hamid Bagheri Damani's case, had informed Evin prison that the defendant's release from prison and transfer to court or other centers must be coordinated with him or 'responsible officials in the judiciary.' The news agency reported that these individuals have been arrested and acted 'without affiliation to any institution but under a fake title.' The news agency did not provide further details about this incident. Previously, some defendants in economic cases had escaped by bribing officials. For instance, in Esfand 1385 (March 2007), the Special Court for Economic Crimes announced that Shahram Jazayeri had managed to escape during his transfer for asset declaration. Security officials later announced that they had successfully captured him in a village in Oman and returned him to Iran. Several other defendants in Hamid Bagheri Damani's case, including Javanmir Mohammadi, Mohammad Khazaali, Mohammadreza Nasiri, Mohammad Jazayeri, and Majid Bagheri Damani, have left the country. The death sentence for Hamid Bagheri Damani has been confirmed by the Supreme Court, and Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, Tehran's prosecutor, stated that 'preparations' for executing this sentence 'are underway.' He has been accused of a 330 billion toman debt to Jam Oil Company for receiving bitumen and defrauding several banks for about 100 billion tomans. Hamid Bagheri Damani has denied these accusations, including the debt to Jam Oil Company for receiving bitumen. He also stated that he has not engaged in financial activities since 2011 and that his assets have been confiscated during these years. Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai, his lawyer, has also stated that while his client is being treated 'like recent economic disruptors,' he has been in prison since 2014 and has no connection to recent events. The death sentence for Hamid Bagheri Damani is the third confirmed death sentence by the Supreme Court following the disruption of the currency market and the economic situation in the country. With the approval of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, a special court has been established with the presence of three revolutionary court judges to address the cases of 'economic corruptors.' By the rulings of these courts, Vahid Mazloomian and Mohammad Esmail Qasemi, two coin sellers, were executed, and death sentences were also issued for Dariush Ebrahimi Bilandi and Younes Bahadadini.