Charge of 'Corruption on Earth' Against Five Detained Environmental Activists 'Based on Army Letter'

A lawyer for several detained environmental activists told Radio Farda that the Tehran prosecutor changed the charges against five of these activists from 'espionage' to 'corruption on earth' after receiving a letter from the army, and the case is ready to be sent to court. Mohammad Hossein Aghasi said on Sunday, October 21, that he learned by chance that upon completion of the investigation, the investigator sent it to the Tehran prosecutor 'with an indictment of espionage,' but the prosecutor decided to change the charge based on a letter sent by the army through the Supreme National Security Council. Eight environmental activists named Sam Rajabi, Amir Hossein Khaleghi, Hooman Jokar, Sepideh Kashani, Niloufar Bayani, Taher Ghaderian, Abdolreza Kouhpayeh, and Morad Tahbaz have been in 'temporary detention' by the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for nearly nine months. Kavous Seyed-Emami, a university professor and environmental activist who was detained with these eight, died in prison, and his family strongly rejected the judiciary's claim of 'suicide' in prison. Mohammad Hossein Aghasi has been appointed as their defense lawyer by Sam Rajabi, Taher Ghaderian, and Hooman Jokar, but about two weeks ago, the judiciary prevented his representation at the investigation stage based on 'Note 48 of the Criminal Procedure Code' and replaced him with two appointed lawyers. According to Note 48, which faced widespread protests in legal circles in Iran, only lawyers whose names are announced by the head of the judiciary can take on cases related to 'security crimes.' Aghasi expressed ignorance about the contents of the army's letter that led to the change of charges against the five detained environmental activists but speculated that the army may have provided explanations based on the prosecutor's inquiry, which led the prosecutor to believe that the charges should be changed. Aghasi also noted that in such cases, there is usually a difference of opinion between the investigator and the prosecutor, but in this case, the investigator accepted the prosecutor's opinion and agreed to issue the charge of 'corruption on earth' for these five. Regarding the names of the five individuals charged with 'corruption on earth,' he only mentioned that two of his clients are not among them. However, several sources, including the website Khabar Online, have identified them as Morad Tahbaz, Niloufar Bayani, Hooman Jokar, Sepideh Kashani, and Taher Ghaderian. Previously, judicial authorities accused the detained environmental activists of 'espionage' and 'providing classified information from sensitive centers to foreign intelligence services,' and this is the first time the charge of 'corruption on earth' has been raised in their case. According to Articles 286 to 288 of the 'Islamic Penal Code,' 'corruption on earth' refers to a set of crimes that 'cause severe disruption to public order, insecurity, or significant damage to the physical integrity of individuals or public and private property, or lead to widespread corruption or prostitution,' and the punishment for it is generally mentioned as 'execution.'