The Urmia Criminal Court has sentenced Ashkan Saadatmehr, one of the detainees from the nationwide protests of 2022, to 7 years in absentia. According to the human rights organization "Hengaw", this Azerbaijani civil activist has been sentenced to 5 years in prison for "insulting sacred values" and 2 years for "spreading falsehoods". The second branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Urmia is also reviewing the charge of "propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran" against Mr. Saadatmehr. Herana, the news agency of human rights activists in Iran, previously reported that this Azerbaijani activist was released on bail of 1 billion tomans after being arrested on September 20. According to this report, he has a history of judicial encounters due to his activities. Arash Sadeghi, a human rights activist, mentioned about two months ago in a series of tweets on X (formerly Twitter) that the arrests in the northwestern cities of Iran have intensified, listing Ashkan Saadatmehr among the civil activists who have been imprisoned or are awaiting trial and sentencing on bail. Recently, reports have emerged regarding threats to the families of detainees in the recent months in East and West Azerbaijan and Ardabil provinces, and the filing of cases against them by the security agencies of the Islamic Republic. Yashar Hekakpour, director of the Association for the Defense of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Iran, stated in an interview with Voice of America that one of the demands of the detainees is ethnic equality. However, according to Yashar Hekakpour, this is a matter that "the Islamic Republic cannot tolerate and criminalizes any demand for equality, and Azerbaijanis are not exempt from this issue." Dozens of protesters against the drying of Lake Urmia have been detained in several cities. Threats to the families of detainees have been reported in several cities in Ardabil and East and West Azerbaijan provinces. Javad Soodbar and Ali Babaei were temporarily released after 100 days of detention. Armita Paveer, a jailed student activist, has been sentenced to imprisonment.
Ashkan Saadatmehr, one of the detainees from the 2022 protests, sentenced to 7 years in absentia
Ashkan Saadatmehr, an Azerbaijani civil activist detained during the 2022 protests, has been sentenced to 7 years in absentia for charges including insulting sacred values and spreading falsehoods. This case highlights the ongoing crackdown on dissent in Iran, particularly against ethnic minorities like Azerbaijanis.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Iran sentenced Ashkan Saadatmehr to 7 years for protests, amid rising tensions in Azerbaijani regions.
- Urmia Criminal Court indict Ashkan Saadatmehr
- Iranian authorities arrest Ashkan Saadatmehr
- security agencies of the Islamic Republic threaten families of detainees
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The sentencing of Saadatmehr exemplifies the Iranian government's intolerance for dissent.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%