Exclusive; Increased Pressure on Several Political Prisoners; New Charge of 'Insulting Sacred Values' for Reza Norouzi

News sources inside Iran expressed concern over increased pressure on several constitutionalist political prisoners and the lack of information regarding the status of some of them in an interview with Voice of America. An informed source reported that a new charge of 'insulting sacred values' has been attributed to Reza Norouzi. On Thursday, June 1, an informed source told the Persian section of Voice of America that Norouzi's lawyer, after being summoned to the Evin Prosecutor's Office, was informed by officials that a new case with the charge of 'insulting sacred values' had recently been opened against him. Reza Norouzi, a constitutionalist political activist, was arrested in May 2021 along with his wife and two children in Tehran's Enghelab Square while chanting slogans against the Islamic Republic and burning tires in his pickup truck, calling on people to join the 'No to the Islamic Republic' campaign. The 26th branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Norouzi to 10 years in prison, but during the appeal process and with the application of Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, five years of this sentence were enforced. This political activist was released on June 7, likely due to a pardon. According to reports received by the Persian section of Voice of America, following the transfer of Reza Mohammadi to the 'dangerous crimes' prisoners' ward, all contact between this political prisoner and his family has been cut off. The informed source stated that Reza Mohammadi had previously only been allowed to contact his brother and had only one phone number on his phone card. The complete lack of contact with him in recent days has caused concern among his relatives. Reza Mohammadi and Masiab Raeisi Yeganeh are two political prisoners who were suddenly transferred from Ward 4 of Evin Prison to Hall 9 in Ward 8, which is known for housing dangerous criminals, on Tuesday, June 29. This political activist was arrested on May 11 after emphasizing in a video message from in front of the IRGC's Tharallah headquarters that 'the IRGC should be placed on the terrorist list due to its widespread repression, kidnapping, and naked violence against Iranians and crimes against humanity.' In a separate report, an informed source told Voice of America that Samaneh Norouz Moradi, a constitutionalist prisoner held in the women's ward of Evin, who suffers from several illnesses including 'cancer,' was transferred to 'Khomeini' hospital on Tuesday afternoon due to health problems. According to the informed source, the treating physician ordered her to be 'hospitalized' for treatment on Wednesday, but since she was deemed unfit for imprisonment by specialists, her hospitalization date was postponed to Sunday, July 4, because she 'had to go to a medical commission' that same Wednesday. Regarding Yashar Tabrizi, the informed source told Voice of America that this political prisoner has had no contact with his relatives in recent days. Yashar Tabrizi was arrested at his home in Shahriar on Saturday, June 20, and informed his family in a brief call on Saturday, June 27, that he was in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. This human rights activist had previously shown solidarity and cooperation with the families of the bereaved. The informed source also stated that Mahbubeh Rezaei is facing charges of 'collusion and conspiracy against national security' and 'propaganda against the Islamic Republic.' This prisoner from Borazjan had previously exposed 'intimidation, torture, threats, assault, and rape' during her previous detention in Bushehr prison. Mahbubeh Rezaei, who was arrested on Tuesday, June 1, is currently in Evin Prison. The campaign for the defense of political and civil prisoners in Iran has reported the continuation of the hunger strike of Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb and his transfer to the quarantine section of Evin Prison. According to this report, Ahmadi Raghb's transfer from Ward 6 of Evin Prison to solitary confinement was 'aimed at breaking this prisoner's hunger strike.' Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb has previously gone on hunger strikes multiple times, and during a previous strike, due to increasing concerns over his deteriorating health from dry hunger, his cellmates in Evin persuaded him to stop this protest. Saki Laghai, after several years of collaboration with various newspapers, became a reporter and then parliamentary and economic editor of ISNA in 1999. Since 2006, he has continued his professional activities focusing on Iranian issues and human rights and joined the Persian section of Voice of America in spring 2021.