Ejei: Mahdi Hashemi's 10-Year Prison Sentence Confirmed

Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the first deputy of the judiciary, stated on Thursday that the preliminary ruling in the case of Mahdi Hashemi has been confirmed, and the maximum punishment of 10 years in prison will be enforced against him. According to Fars News Agency, Mohseni Ejei announced that Mahdi Hashemi's crimes include embezzlement, bribery, and security issues. The first deputy of the judiciary noted that Mahdi Hashemi was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his charges, but in accordance with Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the highest sentence of 10 years will be enforced. Mohseni Ejei mentioned that Mahdi Hashemi had 12 charges in the indictment, stating, "The preliminary court merged these charges together." According to the first deputy of the judiciary, Mahdi Hashemi was acquitted of espionage, but the preliminary court ruled on certain security issues such as embezzlement and bribery, which were confirmed by the appeals court in compliance with Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code. Article 134 states: "In crimes subject to ta'zir, if the committed crimes are more than three, the court will determine the punishment for each of those crimes, provided that it does not exceed the maximum punishment plus half of it. In all of the above cases, only the most severe punishment is enforceable, and if the most severe punishment is reduced or converted or becomes unenforceable for any legal reason, the next most severe punishment will be enforced." A day before this news, Fars News Agency reported the confirmation of the preliminary court's ruling on Mahdi Hashemi, citing an unnamed source. Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, as the preliminary court reviewing Mahdi Hashemi's charges, sentenced him in Esfand 1393 (March 2015) to imprisonment, restitution, fines, and dismissal from government jobs. The Mizan News Agency, affiliated with the judiciary, also published a note by Youssef Asadi, the editor-in-chief of this news agency, praising the judiciary's performance regarding this case. In the editor's note, a detailed account of the proceedings and examination of Mahdi Hashemi's charges was provided, concluding that "the judiciary performed well in handling and issuing a ruling in this case and emerged victorious." The author of this note emphasized that "the taboo of addressing crimes and prosecuting the children of the elite and issuing appropriate sentences for the crime has been broken for the umpteenth time."