Human Rights Developments in Iran - October 2018

Follow the latest human rights developments in Iran throughout October 2018 here. The latest updates include the transfer of the cases of two detained lawyers, Mohammad Hossein Aghasi announcing the submission of his client Qasem Sholeh-Sadi's case alongside Arash Keykhosravi's to Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, with no hearing date set yet. Both lawyers were arrested on August 18 after participating in a protest outside the Iranian Parliament and are accused of 'collusion and conspiracy against national security.' Additionally, student and journalist Sadegh Qaisari, who has been in Fashafouyeh prison since February 19, 2018, has been on hunger strike since October 3, raising concerns from his family regarding his condition. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, 74 lashes, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year media activity ban for reporting on clashes between Gonabadi Dervishes and police forces. Furthermore, women's rights activist Rezvaneh Mohammadi, arrested on September 3, was released on bail of 150 million tomans on October 29. Other activists, Najmeh Vahedi and Hedi Amidi, remain in custody without announced charges. Civil activist Nasim Sadeghi was also arrested in Tabriz on October 29 by security forces and taken to an unknown location. In environmental activism, the prosecutor in Tehran has changed the charges against five detained environmental activists from 'espionage' to 'corruption on earth' after receiving a letter from the military. Eight environmental activists have been in temporary detention since February 2018. The Appeals Court in Arak confirmed the sentences of three years in prison and 74 lashes for lawyer Mohammad Najafi and two civil activists, Abbas Safari and Ali Bagheri, for 'disrupting public order through participation in gatherings and spreading falsehoods to disturb public opinion.' These individuals were detained after reporting on the death of protester Vahid Heydari in custody. Photographer Pourya Noori, a Gonabadi Dervish, was released after completing his sentence, while his family members remain imprisoned. The Human Rights Watch has criticized the increase in the arrests of Baha'is in Iran, with 20 Baha'i citizens reportedly detained without clear charges in various cities during August and September. Teacher Abdolreza Ghanbari was also reported arrested on October 21, with no details on the reason for his detention.