Mohammad Nourizad Tried on Several New Charges

Mohammad Nourizad's lawyer, a jailed civil rights activist, announced that a court session addressing new charges against his client was held on Wednesday, June 14, at the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran. Mohammad Hossein Aghasi wrote on his Twitter page: "Mohammad Nourizad responded to three new charges in Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court. His charges included gathering and colluding, propaganda against the regime, and vandalism of the door and window of the head of the correctional facility." The defense attorney noted that his client "expressed everything he wanted in court" and added: "I am to submit my defenses to the court within a week." Mr. Nourizad is one of 14 civil activists who, in June 2019, signed a statement calling for the resignation of Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic. He was arrested about two months after signing the letter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, two years of exile to the city of Izeh, and a two-year travel ban from Iran by the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mashhad. This sentence was modified in April 2020 by the appellate court in Razavi Khorasan Province to 15 years in prison, two years of exile to Izeh, and a two-year travel ban from Iran. Additionally, according to the HRANA news agency, Mohammad Nourizad was sentenced to another year in prison in May 2020 for defending the rights of Baha'is residing in the city of Ivanaki in Semnan Province. In August 2020, in another case in the Criminal Court 2 of Mashhad, he was accused of "disturbing public order" for being present in front of the building where the appeal court of Kamal Jafari Yazdi was held, and was sentenced to 8 months of prison, 74 lashes, and exile to Tabas, and for the charge of "spreading falsehoods," he received another 74 lashes; this ruling was also confirmed by the appellate court in Razavi Khorasan Province. This civil activist was then transferred from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad to Evin Prison in 2020. Mohammad Nourizad was released from Evin Prison on November 17, 2021, following the prosecutor's agreement to suspend the execution of his sentence, but shortly after, on January 23 of the same year, he was summoned back to Evin Prison to serve the remainder of his sentence. Additionally, see: Mohammad Nourizad told Voice of America: "The responsibility for my health in prison lies with the Leader's Office, the IRGC, the intelligence services, and the judicial system." When Mr. Nourizad was on his way back to Evin Prison, he told the Persian section of Voice of America: "Despite his attorney's documents indicating that he needs treatment and several surgeries, his request for leave was denied." He emphasized that upon entering prison, he would begin his protests and would not request leave. Mohammad Nourizad was hospitalized. Last page: Mohammad Nourizad, from praising prison guards to fighting to the death. Political prisoners have told their relatives that the Evin prison incident was a humanitarian disaster. After Mohammad Nourizad's return to prison, Ali Nourizad was released "conditionally." Mohammad Nourizad was summoned to Evin Prison. Mohammad Nourizad went on leave with an 800 million toman bail.