Another Conviction for a Journalist; Sultan Ali Abedi's Prison Sentence Issued After Conditional Release

News sources reported that following the acceptance of Sultan Ali Abedi's request for 'open prison' in his case, this journalist was released from the central prison of Zahedan, but simultaneously, the appellate court of Sistan and Baluchestan sentenced him to imprisonment in another case. An informed source told 'Defense of the Free Flow of Information' that Mr. Abedi was conditionally released from Zahedan prison in the third month of his one-year imprisonment after his request for open prison was accepted. The acceptance of Sultan Ali Abedi's conditional release in the form of 'open prison' took place on February 15, and simultaneously, the judiciary of the Islamic Republic issued a sentence of '91 days' of additional imprisonment for this journalist. The exposure of corruption in the Zahedan municipality is cited as an example of the charges of 'spreading falsehoods and defamation' against this journalist following a complaint by a representative of the 'General Inspection Organization' in Chabahar. He was arrested on December 4 after visiting the third branch of criminal enforcement in Zahedan and was transferred to prison to serve his one-year sentence. Accordingly, Sultan Ali Abedi was to spend the remaining time of his one-year sentence outside of prison and report daily to the prison authorities in Zahedan, working during office hours in a service job assigned by this institution. Meanwhile, upon Sultan Ali Abedi's release from Zahedan prison, the appellate court of Sistan and Baluchestan sentenced him to '91 days' in prison in a case that was formed against him during his imprisonment. This case was opened following a complaint by Fatemeh Rashaki, a member of the Zahedan city council, due to the publication of news regarding the 'influence' of this council member and her husband, who is the deputy mayor of Zahedan, in connection with the 'irregular hiring of their daughter.' According to the latest report by Reporters Without Borders on media freedom published on May 2 of this year, Iran ranks 177th out of 180 countries worldwide. According to informed sources, another case has also been opened against Sultan Ali Abedi following a complaint by the Martyrs Foundation as the editor-in-chief of the news website 'Diyar Ayyar' in the first branch of the public and revolutionary prosecution of Zahedan. Based on documented cases by 'Defense of the Free Flow of Information,' since the beginning of 2024, a total of '42 journalists or media managers' have faced judicial prosecution in Iran. Of these, complaints have been filed against 6 individuals, indictments have been issued against 11 in political and press courts, 13 journalists have been convicted in court, and two journalists have been detained for 'serving prison sentences.' A journalist residing in Iran previously told the Persian section of 'Voice of America' that 'pressures on the media in Iran' have 'intensified significantly' following nationwide protests in the second half of 2022, and the expectation of the Islamic Republic from the media is 'to produce propaganda bulletins,' and due to 'critical analyses,' they are pressured under vague titles such as 'blackening.' Continued pressure on journalists; the appellate court confirmed a one-year prison sentence for Nasrin Hosseini. The transfer of detained journalists from 'Fardaye Eqtesad' to police detention; according to HRANA, they are deprived of access to a lawyer. Continued uncertainty about the status of a journalist; inquiries regarding Mehdi Afshar Nik 'have not yielded results.' Continued pressure on media activists in Iran; prison sentences have been issued for two female journalists.