Mostafa Tajzadeh Sentenced to Another Six Years in Prison

Fakhr al-Sadat Mohtashami Pour, the wife of Mostafa Tajzadeh, a reformist political activist imprisoned in Evin prison, says that Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Abolqasem Salavati, has sentenced this political prisoner to an additional six years in prison. The Telegram channel associated with Mr. Tajzadeh reported on Saturday, December 1, citing Ms. Mohtashami Pour, that this political activist was sentenced to one year in prison for 'propaganda against the regime' and five years for 'collusion and conspiracy against national security.' According to Mr. Tajzadeh's wife, this case was initiated by the IRGC Intelligence Organization, and this is the third ruling that Abolqasem Salavati has issued against Mostafa Tajzadeh since 2009. On September 3 of this year, Mr. Tajzadeh wrote in an open letter that, under the orders of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, the IRGC had 'fabricated and initiated the seventh case' against him. Tajzadeh stated in his letter that, as in the past, he would not attend court in protest against the injustice prevailing in the judiciary, writing that Khamenei is trying to silence critics with long-term sentences, but 'the people's fear has dissipated, and criticism, even protest against the leader, has become the most common currency in society.' Mr. Tajzadeh's lawyer also stated on May 13 to ILNA news agency about his client's situation in prison that he explains the conditions via phone and, despite being detained since July 2022, has not taken a single day of leave. Mostafa Tajzadeh, a reformist political activist, has been repeatedly arrested and sentenced to heavy penalties since 2009. He was last sentenced before his current case in October 2022 to five years in prison for charges of 'collusion against national security,' 'spreading falsehoods,' and 'propaganda against the regime' and is currently in prison.