Labor Activist in Khuzestan Sentenced to Over Three Years in Prison

The Khuzestan Court of Appeals, following a request to consolidate the sentences of Maziar Sidenajad, sentenced this labor activist to three years, three months, and two days in prison, of which approximately two years and eight months are enforceable. On Tuesday, January 22, he wrote on his Instagram account that the Khuzestan Court of Appeals, after accepting the request for sentence consolidation, changed his previous six-year prison sentence from the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz to three years, three months, and two days in prison. According to this ruling, Mr. Sidenajad was sentenced to two years, seven months, and 16 days in prison for what is termed 'membership in an anti-regime group' and seven months and 16 days for 'propaganda against the regime.' However, under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, which states that 'the most severe punishment is enforceable,' the maximum sentence of two years, seven months, and 16 days is applicable to this labor activist. Maziar Sidenajad, who is currently on leave from prison, was sentenced in January 2023 by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to three years in prison, a two-year travel ban, a ban on membership in parties and groups, and a ban on activities in cyberspace for charges including 'membership in an illegal Marxist leftist group' and 'propaganda against the regime.' He was also sentenced to three years in prison by Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz for 'membership in anti-regime groups (communist groups).' This labor activist was arrested on June 7, 2021, by agents of an intelligence agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran at his home in Tehran and was released on bail of 600 million tomans on August 16 of that year. Maziar Sidenajad was transferred to Evin Prison last May when his sentence was enforced. The Islamic Republic has increased pressure on civil and political activists, journalists, and lawyers in Iran in recent months, in addition to arresting protesters and fabricating cases against them.