From Prison and Whipping Sentences for Mohammad Najafi to Extension of Nasrin Sotoudeh's Detention

Mohammad Najafi, a lawyer in Arak, along with 10 civil activists, has been accused of 'disrupting public order' due to their participation in the protests of December 2017 and each has been sentenced to one year in prison and 74 lashes. These civil activists include Ali Bagheri, Abbas Safari, Behzad Alibakhshi, Mohammad Yaqoubi, Youssef Shiri Lord, Neda Yousefi, Davood Rahimi, Masoud Ajalu, Mohammad Torabi, and Kian Sadeqi. Additionally, Mohammad Najafi, Ali Bagheri, Abbas Safari, and Kian Sadeqi have each been sentenced to an additional two years in prison for 'spreading falsehoods with the intent to disturb public opinion.' Mohammad Najafi was arrested in December 2017 after informing about Vahid Heydari, a protester who died in custody in Arak. Meanwhile, the detention of Nasrin Sotoudeh has been extended for another month. This lawyer, who was arrested on June 13, has been accused of 'collusion, conspiracy, and propaganda against the regime' and membership in the Legam campaign, which advocates for the gradual abolition of the death penalty. The arrest of Nasrin Sotoudeh has sparked a wave of global criticism, including from the International Association of Lawyers, which has called for the immediate release of this prominent lawyer. In this week's magazine, additional reports include: prison sentences of 7 to 10 years for three Gonabadi dervish students, new charges in the case of Saman Nasim, a citizen from Kurdistan, and the continued detention and sentencing of civil activists in Iran.