Judiciary News Agency: Death Sentence for Mohammad Ali Taheri Issued

The Iranian Judiciary News Agency, which had previously denied the issuance of a death sentence for Mohammad Ali Taheri, the founder of 'Erfan Halghah', has now confirmed this sentence through an informed source. The official news agency of the judiciary, Mizan, reported on Thursday, August 8, citing an 'informed source', that this sentence has been communicated to Mr. Taheri's lawyer. This informed source stated that Mohammad Ali Taheri can legally appeal the issued sentence and referred to him as the 'leader of the deviant cult of cosmic mysticism or Halghah'. Mizan's report further elaborated on the charges against Mr. Taheri and the process leading to the issuance of the death sentence. According to this news agency, Mohammad Ali Taheri was arrested on May 3, 2011, and was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to five years in prison, a fine of 900 million tomans, and 74 lashes on charges of 'insulting sacred beliefs, illegal interference in medical matters and treatment of patients, committing forbidden acts and illicit relationships, unauthorized use of scientific titles such as doctor and engineer, and the misleading nature of his books and works'. 'Corruption on Earth through misguiding individuals' was another charge against Mohammad Ali Taheri, which, according to the Judiciary News Agency, 'the court found deficiencies in the investigations conducted in this regard, and the case was sent back to the prosecutor's office for further investigation. Ultimately, after rectifying the deficiencies, the prosecutor's office resubmitted the case to the court, and March 6, 2015, was set for addressing this charge, but at the defendant's request for a postponement, the court postponed the trial session to another date until the court addressed this part of Mr. Taheri's case in early May of this year.' Previously, on June 20, an 'informed source' had denied the issuance of a death sentence for the founder of 'Erfan Halghah' in an interview with Mizan. This source had even emphasized that his sentence 'has not been issued to date'. Subsequently, Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje'i, the spokesman for the judiciary, on July 25, without confirming or denying this sentence, stated: 'Even if the sentence has been issued, it is not final.' A request from a Canadian parliament member for the release of Mohammad Ali Taheri: Supporters of Mohammad Ali Taheri have held several protests in recent years, and many of them have also been arrested and imprisoned. Mr. Taheri, in July 2014, wrote a letter to Ahmed Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, stating that 'interrogators and investigators' forced him into 'fabricated confessions' through 'psychological pressure and torture'. He also mentioned that due to the tortures inflicted on him during his detention, he attempted suicide four times and went on hunger strike twice.