Lawyer of Mohammad Ali Taheri: Order to Drop Charges Against My Client Issued

The defense lawyer of Mohammad Ali Taheri, the imprisoned founder of 'Erfan Halqeh', has announced that an order to drop charges against his client for 'insulting the Prophet', 'apostasy', and 'connections with the Fedayeen Khalq guerrillas' has been issued and finalized. Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai stated on Tuesday, February 15, to ILNA news agency that the only remaining charge against his client is 'interference in medical affairs', for which investigations have been completed, and 'it has been promised' that the court will be held in the second week of Esfand. The defense lawyer has suggested that since 'this case does not have a private complainant', his client may be 'acquitted and freed'. Mohammad Ali Taheri established an institute named 'Erfan Halqeh' in 2001, which was engaged in activities related to 'Iranian complementary medicine, transcendental therapy, and cementology'. He was arrested in 2011 and the initial sentence issued for him was 'death'. However, last year his death sentence was overturned and the case was referred back to the Revolutionary Court for re-examination. During this time, Mr. Taheri went on hunger strikes several times in prison, and hundreds of his supporters and students gathered repeatedly in front of various institutions and Evin Prison in support of him. During this period, several of Mohammad Ali Taheri's students and supporters were arrested and imprisoned.